Monster alert!
Seeing as Halloween is approaching, I thought it might be nice to translate this monstorous freebie that Ina posted at the start of the month, so you have something to make up with the little (and maybe big!) ones over the Halloween weekend.
The idea for this freebie came from a workshop that Ina ran a little while ago for children. With the help of their mamas, the children made their very own felt monsters and these are what we'll show you today.These little monsters are very fast and simple to sew together and great to give as gifts or keep! They also come with their own little jackets... under which you can hide your own little detail...
Fabric and components
The monster template contains two different sizes of monster (20 cm / 8" and 12 cm / 5" tall ) as well as the corresponding jacket pieces. For this you'll need the following fabrics and components:
Sewing your monster
Cut two pieces of felt to the size of your chosen monster and draw around the template onto one piece of fabric with a felt tip pen.
Erasable felt tip pen from Clover, e.g. from Amazon here.
Stitch the monster mouth with a small, narrow zig-zag stitch.
If you want, then you can stitck a small heart or other secret message on the monster's tummy.
Pin both pieces of fabric together and sew along the outline that you've drawn, starting at the top left, next to the ear, and leaving an opening before you get to the end. Sew with a small straight stitch.
Sewing the little monster outline
Cut around the felt, keeping some distance from the stitching line, before filling the monster with stuffing. When stuffing, always take little pieces at a time and use a chop stick or similar to poke the stuffing down into the arms, legs and ears. Make sure your monster is full, but not so full that you have difficulty sewing the final edge closed.
(Alternatively, you can sew the monster from a cotton fabric. In this case, sew the fabric pieces right sides together, trim the seams and turn it inside out before filling. Stitch the final opening by hand with an invisible mattress stitch.)
Stitch the final opening with the sewing machine. If you like you can also stitch in a piece of hair between the front and back. Stick on the googly eyes with fabric glue.
Making the jacket
The jacket is made from two layers. As with the monster, draw around the template and sew both layers together along the lines. Cut the fabric around the edges and in the arm holes, again keeping a little distance from the stitching lines.
Fix the Kam-Snaps in place with the pliers.
Now your cuddly little friend and lucky charm is finished!
Sewing your monster by hand
If you want, you can also sew your monster with an embroidery needle and some thick thread. For this method, you'll need to cut out the two monster pieces to the shape of the template and stitch on the mouth with a backstitch.
Then use a blanket stitch to sew the front and back together. The little monster baby is a bit more tricky to sew. If you make it by hand then make sure your stitches are nice and small. It's also the perfect size to add a keyring to.
Heart, star and flower shaped key rings are from Snaply here.
Great movie "Home"
The inspiration for the little monster and jacket came from the family film 'Home'. To celebrate the DVD/ Blu-ray release, a a sewing workshop took place in the DaWanda Snuggery, a concept store here in Berlin that celebrates everything DIY.
In a cosy little gathering I led a workshop for other bloggers and their children. The children were all super and energetic in helping to sew their felt creatures.
My little one was also there! It was really great fun and it felt very special to see everyone with their little monster friends at the end!
We look forward to seeing your monsters!
Happy sewing!
Ina
P.S. Soon we'll show you how to make a kids' t-shirt with your monster on it!
Dear Ina, I love all your projects and im trying only your projects at home for my kids and for myself. Iām so happy now I can get so many informations in English. Thank you so much for the English version.
Love
Nithya