Golden Lion Tamarin - Sew Along Part 8

Welcome to day 8 of the sew along!

If you've been following along with the sew along today is a pretty exciting day...today we are going to finish our Golden Lion Tamarins! 

To start, get the front piece of your monkey's head and line it up with the  back of the head already attached to the body. 

If you have a long remainder of thread from sewing the body it might be helpful to wrap the extra thread around your monkey's body to keep it out of the way. 

You sew the head with the double running stitch just like we did the body. Start your stitches inside the 2 head pieces to hide the knot. Make your stitches about 1/8 inch way from the edge of the shape. and about 1/4 of an inch long with about a 1/4 inch gap between each stitch. 

Now the head shape has the ribbon. When you sew through the top of the head, make sure before you stitch through the ribbon and the head layers that your ribbon is straight and centered. 

Just like we did with the body we want to leave a good sized gap, at least  a 1/2 inch wide so we can stuff the head.

Reverse direction and continue with the double running stitch, filling in the gaps. Remember to line your stitches up on the front and back side as you do this.

Once you get back to where you started stitching the head we're ready to start stuffing!

I find it works best to stuff the body first. Use the hole you left open in the body to insert the stuffing. You want your monkey plump and squishy, but not overly stuffed.

Close up your stuffing hole by pinching the body together and using the double running stitch technique.

Once the hole is closed, run your thread  and needle under a stitch you've made. Insert the needle through the loop that forms and pull tight for a knot. 

Now take the needle and insert it in the closest stitch hole you've made and then come out further in the body shape as in the the picture above. Pull the thread tight and cut it where it comes out of the body. 

Now stuff the head, just like the body. 

Then use the double running stitch to close the hole.

The head has one one more step before we make a knot and cut our excess thread. You've probably noticed your monkey has a super floppy head. We're going to take care of that right now. You can do this next step when you sew the stuffing hole shut, or after. I prefer doing it after. 

Take your needle and thread and go through the top layer of the body and back out. You should do this in the area where the head and body will overlap. 

Now go up through the head and then back down through the head, making a stitch directly on top of your previous stitches.

Then take your needle and thread and go through the top layer of the body and back out again. Then back through the head. Repeat the last few steps a couple times to secure the head. Be careful to make the stitches in the body where the head and body overlap so they won't be visible 

Just like we did to finish off the body run your thread  and needle under a stitch you've made. Insert the needle through the loop that forms and pull tight for a knot. 

Now take the needle and insert it in the closest stitch hole you've made and then come out further in the body shape. Pull the thread tight and cut it where it comes out the body. 

And you're done! One cute little Golden Lion Tamarin Ornament! 

We'd love to see your finished monkey and there are lots of ways to share them: