I made this little guy for the Quick Plush Monster Swap and I fell in love with him. With a little creativity you can make your own and fall in love too
To make him you will need:
Pattern - Found here
http://www.dailyplush.com/tutorials/how-to-sew-a-plush-monsterBlack, White & Coloured Felt
Tailors Chalk
Stuffing
Coloured Embroidery Thread
Black Thread (for sewing machine)
Coloured Beads
Applifix or other Fusible Webbing
Step 1 :: Print out the pattern. For this version of the monster we only need to take into consideration the outline and the large eye shapes.
Step 2 :: Trace the outline and eyes of the pattern onto another piece of paper and add in the finer details of the bones and 'Day of the Dead' Decorations. I did a google search to research ideas for my own pattern. Feel free to copy mine.
Because I couldn't get my arms/leg bones exactly symmetrical by hand I actually traced the back of the left hand side of the pattern so they would be identical mirror images.
Step 3 :: Trace the individual pieces onto the smooth side of the fusible webbing. It's easier if you group the colours. You may want to label them as well so you remember where they go (I didn't do either of these things in the picture).
Remember to trace the whole shape, i.e. the 'flower' type shapes are from behind the eye. You can see I have left it as a whole.
Please leave a smallish gap between each shape you trace.
Step 4 :: Choose your coloured felt. Cut around the fusible webbing *not on the line you drew* and iron the rough side to the felt. I try to be as economical as possble when placing the patterns on the felt. (Not pictured: the black part of the arm bones, I accidentally did them on white first...hence tracing all of your colours together)
Step 5 :: Cut out along the lines of all your individual felt pieces.*Leave the paper side of the fusible webbing attached...this comes off at the last minute*
Step 6 :: Place the pattern *upside down* onto a larger piece of black felt and trace around it using tailors chalk.
Step 7 :: Next you will be attaching the applique's working from the base up. Peel the paper backing off the skull and using the chalk outline as a guide, position it on the monster.
This is the order in which I attached mine...
heart
arm/leg bones (white only), hips and backbone
ribs
facial features and black part of arm bones
black eyes and green highlights
Step 8 :: The fun part
Embroider and bead away to your hearts content. I used a variegated embroidery thread (I love that stuff!) to go around the outside and teeth, and then matching embroidery thread for each section of beads. It was a bit fiddly but totally worth it. I made sure to put beads on the yellow and green parts because they were so tiny I wanted them to have extra strength.
Step 9 :: Cut around the outside of your monster an *extra* 1/4 inch (6mm) as the chalk like you drew will be the line you sew on. Try and be as consistent as possible with this as it will be the guide you use to sew by.
Step 10 :: Place the monster front and another larger piece of black felt right sides together and using your cut line as a guide sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance the whole way around, leaving a section open for turning. You should go forwards and backwards a couple of times near the opening to make it stronger for turning.
Step 11 :: Cut the other piece of felt to be the same as the front piece. Turn the monster inside out. I learnt somewhere that if you take the furthest point away from the opening and get that through first it makes it a lot easier to turn. *This step is quite tricky as the monster is quite small and felt is quite thick compared to other fabrics* Have patience and it will eventually get there. Use a chopstick to help you poke it through if you need it.
Step 12 :: Stuff your monster REALLY full of filling (you might want to shove it into the arms and legs using that handy chopstick) and then use a ladder stitch to sew the opening closed.
Something I would do differently next time (read: you should do this to make it easier for you!
) *Only applique the facial features, i.e. skull, coloured decorations and eyes, before turning.* You must do this first at least for the embroidery and beading. Once you have turned it inside out you can then add the heart and other bones. This will greatly reduce 'fuzzing' of the felt while you are turning it.
Hope you love my little take on the monster
xoxo
