Project by Grace Montemar from Chicago.
A few years ago, Grace ran her own web magazine and created little cartoon-like characters as the mascots. Even after she was done with the 'zine, she still held on to the characters because she loved them so much. She was inspired to make a calendar featuring them, which was a huge hit with her friends. Grace's craft merges high-tech digital elements with good old-fashioned handiwork. Her quirky plush creatures begin as digital drawings and meet with felt, thread and fabric glue to evolve into huggable creations like "Yugison," who is based on Grace's niece, Allison.
Materials:
felt in fun colors
fabric scraps
embroidery floss
pins, needles, thread
tailor's chalk
craft scissors
sewing machine
polyfil stuffing
long, narrow wooden stick (such as a barbecue skewer)
toothpick or pencil
craft glue
Steps:
1. Draw a creature that will serve as a stencil. Make stencil slightly larger than the finished size of your doll. Cut out stencil.
2. Pin two pieces of felt together. Trace stencil onto felt using tailor's chalk. Mark openings showing where you'll insert the stuffing. This will also serve as a guide for where you should start and stop sewing on the body form.
3. Re-pin felt just inside of traced shape. Using scissors, trim around stencil, leaving approximately 1/4-inch allowance.
4. Sew around the outline of your body form on a sewing machine, starting and stopping at the labeled openings.
5. Trim away any excess felt around sewn body form. Flip body form inside out.
6. Stuff body form. Be careful not to stuff too hard or the seams may puncture. It helps to use a small tool such as a long, wooden stick, to gently "push" the stuffing into small and hard-to-reach extremities. Stuff your doll at the bottom first; then gradually fill towards the top.
7. Hand stitch the body form closed.
8. Add your creature's face, ears, etc. using cut-out felt pieces, embroidery floss, and/or fabric scraps. Use your stencil as a sizing and placement guide. Once you know where you want the face and other detailed parts to be placed, attach them with crafter's glue. A toothpick or pencil helps when gluing small parts onto your doll.
Website: www.spasmodica.com
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