Wednesday, January 25, 2017

No Sew Monster Dolls

When I owned a boutique in the East Village of NYC we would take the scraps from the dresses and make matching accessories and quite often these crazy monster dolls.  Our customers liked having a kooky stuffed creature made with fabric that cost $400 a yard and was dressed like they were.  My dresses were on the expensive side which is why we kept the scraps.  The best part about making these little monsters is that there are no rules.  Go crazy with pattern, colors, buttons and ribbon.  You can either use a simple zigzag stitch OR make them no-sew like I did with the E-6000 sewing glues.   Remember to use up the scraps, go crazy with color and always Make Your Mark!
Maybe you can help me name them?

I really want my chair back!
Watch how they came to life here!
THINGS I USED
Scrap fabrics
Heavy cotton fabric
Americana Multi-Surface Satin in black, gray and red
Faux fur, zippers, buttons and faux flowers
Iron and Poly-fil
 HERE'S HOW PART 1
1. & 2.  Draw your pattern, pin it on folded fabric and cut
3. Cut out two different sized eyes in a contrasting fabric
4. Cut several pieces of fabric for the body and pink around the edges
*To look like a funky shirt
5.  Trace around the eyes with a pencil
6.  Paint a shadow around the eyes with the multi surface in gray and red
7. Cut 4 matching 2" x 3" sized squares for feet
8. Cut two 4" x 10" pieces of fabric for the arms
*I used a striped fabric for this
9.  & 10. Add E-6000 Stitchless to the back of all the pieces and iron in place
11. & 12. Add more E-6000 Stitchless to the arm pieces leaving one end open for stuffing 
and then fold and iron
*Your making long tubes like socks

HERE'S HOW PART 2
13.  Pink the edges of the arms
14. & 15  Add more Stitchless around the squares and iron together for the arms making sure
to leave one side open
16.  Add E-6000 Fabrifuse around the edge of the bottom layer of the monster body leaving a 5" hole at the base (to allow stuffing) and then place the monster on top to dry
17.  Fabrifuse a heart on the body
18.  Use E-6000 Glue to add the button eyes
*Make them kooky!
19. 20. & 21.  Use the Allure to add a stitched mouth, stitches around the heart and funky eyelashes
22.  Stuff the arms and feet and use Fabrifuse to glue the openings closed using clothespins to keep them in place while they dry
23.  Stitch on the arms and feet with needle and thread and a button 
14.  Stuff the body with Poly-fil through the 5" opening and then stitch the hole closed
Planning their escape?

10 comments:

  1. Wow! Those are so adorable and imaginative! The one with the blonde "hair" definitely looks like a Zelda to me. :)

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  2. Those are so stinkin' cute! Can't wait too make them for Halloween �� to sit on my couch!

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  3. Love these, Mark! So fun... just make me smile!

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  4. About what is the size of the body that you cut?

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    1. These average about 7" x 9" for the body. Hope that helps.

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  5. Je vais faire des petits monstres comme ceux-ci qui peupleront mon canapé quand je serai seule et serviront de coussins quand mes tout-petits habiteront chez moi en vacances ;-) je trouve qu'ils n'ont pas trop l'air sérieux, et ça me convient beaucoup <3

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    Replies
    1. Tellement heureux de l'entendre! Les enfants les adoreront aussi !

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  6. I make very simalar to these all sewn by hand too , i just love making them come alive, my Imperfectly perfects 😂These are so cute n colourful, love them

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