Introduction: Hanging Monster Plushie
This is a quick and easy to make monster plushie with a hanging strap, it's great for using up scrap pieces of fur fabric and I’ve designed them to look great handsewn or sewn on a machine.
The instructions are laid out step-by-step, but read them all first so you know what to expect :)
Edit: Pink monster plushie avaliable to buy here, Blue monster here. I only have one of each so be quick :)
Step 1: You Will Need...
Materials:
Fur fabric scraps (around 12 x 24cm)
Felt scraps (or similar un-fray-able fabric)
20cm-ish Ribbon
Soft toy Stuffing
Tools:
Paper cutting scissors
Sharp fabric scissors
Safety eyes (I’ve used 9mm eyes)
Marker pen
Needle and thread
Step 2: Get All the Pieces Ready
1) Cut out the paper pattern pieces
2) Draw round the pattern onto the fur fabric using a marker pen, noting the 'grain' of the fabric. I like the fur to point downwards, so I position the pattern accordingly. On one of the body pieces mark the 3 arrows on the top of the body pattern (they are where the ears and hanging ribbon go) and the two dots (that’s where his eyes go)
3) Cut the pieces out using scissors with small pointy tips. Concentrate on cutting out just the fabric backing, rather than the fur itself. This avoids short patches in the fur :)
4) Tip - for a neater finish trim the fur down in a 5mm margin all the way round the edge of the fur pieces, this avoids excess fibers bulking up the seams.
5)Mark your ears on the felt fabric. The blue ornament in this tutorial has small ears, the pink one in the first picture has large ears.
6) Cut them out using sharp scissors, making sure you trim off any black pen marks.
Step 3: Add the Features
7) Insert the safety eyes where indicated on the pattern.
Tip - for an extra bit of contrast try cutting a circle of felt and putting it behind the safety eye. I've done this on the pink monster in the first picture.
8) Fold the ears along the fold line and position them face down on the fur fabric.
9) Position and pin the ears –keep the fold line at the top with the smaller portion of the folded felt against the fur. Line the fold up with the lower marks you made on the fabric earlier.
10) Take a piece of 20cm ribbon, fold it in half and pin it on the remaining middle mark you drew earlier.
Step 4: Pin the Remaining Body Piece
11)Now all your pieces are together, take the remaining body piece and place it on the body piece you’ve been working on, fur sides together. Pin round the edge.
12) Tip - run your finger inside the seam before you pin the edges together, this will push the fur fibers inwards so they don’t get stuck in the seams and create loops when you turn him the right way out
13) Your monster should look like this, all pieces pinned and ready to be sewn.
Step 5: Lets Get Sewing!
14) Time to sew! Sew 5mm away from the edge, as indicated on the pattern. Leave a 2" gap at the bottom for turning him the right way out. I've use black thread so you can see the stitches easily, but you should use a colour similar to your fur to hide the stitches.
15) Turn him the right way out by using your thumbs to push the top of his head (ow!) through the gap you left at the bottom.
16) There he is! Ready for stuffing...
Step 6: Finishing Touches
17) Get stuffing! Push the filling, a little at a time, in with your thumbs. Give him a squeeze very now and again until you're happy with how fat he is.
18) Sew up the gap at the bottom. I use ladder stitch as its almost invisible, but you can use any stitch you are comfortable with.
19) Trim the fur away from his eyes.
Tip - Hold your scissors so they are almost vertical and snip away a little at a time, this will avoid blunt edges to the fur
Thats it! Now go hand him from your bedpost, bag, light pull - anywhere you like! Happy monstering! :)
Holly xox
www.alittlestranger.com
