How to make a Jack and the Beanstalk, Beanstalk! Part 1

Making the beanstalk was somewhat a daunting task for me, as I'm no sower. 

So first step talk to an experience sower Aka my grandma.

Step 1.

The material I used was a cotton base. I chose bright colours to make it exciting and engaging as possible. I chose a vibrant light blue for the base which is the sky. The I chose a equally bright light green. The green will make the beanstalk. I got 2 meters of each colour. 

Step 2. 

Creating the beanstalk pattern. I used newspaper for this. I glued sheets of newspaper together until they where the same hight as the material. On the paper I draw an outline of the beanstalk. 

When drawing the beanstalk I allowed for the stuffing to the design needs to be wider then final design. 

Keep in mind more bends you have in your beanstalk the hard it is to sow. I wanted my stalk to end in the far right hand corner. So I place in two bends in the design. I also made a base for my stalk as the resembled the roots. 

Branches and leaves I designed separate to the main stalk.

Step 3.

Once your happy with your design, out template.

Layout blue material and make sure your design fits. Now layout your green material and pin down your template.  

I now use the left over paper to design the branches of the stalk. I want the design branches so it gave my stalk more creative by making the branches bendy. make different lengths of branches

Once the template is pinned down, cut out template fro the green material. And do the same for the branches. 

Step 4

When all the parts are cut out re move the paper template and lay them out onto to blue material. Feel free to move around the branches until your happy with the design. 

This is my design all cutout and pinned down ready to sow. 

Step 5.

When your happy with your design and pinned down like above. Make sure the branches are pinned underneath the stalk Your ready to sow. Eek. 

This is the tricky part. Set up sowing machine. Make sure you have a good cotton. I used a light green matching as close to the green material. Zig zag stitch works best.  You are now ready to start to sow. 

Step 6. 

Start sowing at the base of the stalk, and follow up the length of the stalk. As you go allow gaps for stuffing. I had four gaps one near the base one near the middle on one side and one one the other side of the stalk, and one near the top of the stalk. This helps for even coverage of stuffing of the stalk. 

Step 7. 

One the stalk is done you can now, Sow down the branches. 

Step 8. 

 Stuffing the beanstalk. 

Using stuffing, stuff the beanstalk. You want it nice and full but not so much that the stuffing is spilling out the sides or so the material is to tight. You want some movement. 

Step 9. 

Once you are happy with the stuffing. Finish the sowing. And the beanstalk is done.

 See part 2 for the final touches.