Felt Monsters
Recently I attended a workshop provided by a neighboring school district about making Ugly Dolls. It was a lot of fun and we got some useful information about how receptive 5th grade students are to this project. And the verdict is... they LOVE making art like this, it's captivating, satisfying and brings a sense of accomplishment to them. Being proud of what you made is always the goal when making art especially with children. Their smiles and enthusiasm is well worth the effort.
The dolls are cut from felt, embellished with details and sewn together. Here I've decided to just make some cute little monster friends, and I am happy with the results.
The dolls are cut from felt, embellished with details and sewn together. Here I've decided to just make some cute little monster friends, and I am happy with the results.
Materials:
- Felt
- Embroidery floss or thread
- Sewing needle
- Fiber fill
- Fabric scissors
- Hot glue
Something to keep in mind before you start is your design, don't forget you will be stuffing your creation with fiber fill. It's much easier to get the fill into wider spaces, so be aware of how thin you make the details like arms and legs. You want things to taper off at their ends.
Step 1. Make a pattern, use scrap paper, cardstock or copy paper. I suggest folding your paper in half, sketch out your design on the fold then cut it out (this is if your design is symmetrical).
Step 2. Pin your pattern to two pieces of felt and cut them out. I cut the two pieces simultaneously so that they are exactly the same.
Step 3. Next you'll want to cut out the details as you wish. Then when you're ready stitch them to one piece of the felt.
Step 1. Make a pattern, use scrap paper, cardstock or copy paper. I suggest folding your paper in half, sketch out your design on the fold then cut it out (this is if your design is symmetrical).
Step 2. Pin your pattern to two pieces of felt and cut them out. I cut the two pieces simultaneously so that they are exactly the same.
Step 3. Next you'll want to cut out the details as you wish. Then when you're ready stitch them to one piece of the felt.
Step 4. Layer your shapes and begin to stitch them together leave room to stuff your creation.
Step 5. Stuff your project with fiber fill. I used a long lollipop stick to push the fiber fill into the parts that were hard to reach. Finish sewing it up.
Step 5. Stuff your project with fiber fill. I used a long lollipop stick to push the fiber fill into the parts that were hard to reach. Finish sewing it up.
The stitching doesn't have to be perfect, part of the fun is the handmade look of your creation!
