How to Make a Monster Plushie!
This is a tutorial on how to make an awesome monster plushie. These guys are really fun, and pretty simple to do. My personal favorite hobby to pass the time!
Materials
Here is a list of some of the things you will need to make your very own monster plushie:
2 pieces of felt (you can get these at your local fabric store for only about .25 apiece)
Disappearing ink fabric marker (I got mine for about $5 at our fabric store)
Pins
Needle and thread
Scissors
Piece of paper to sketch your monster on
Buttons or spare fabric to decorate your monster with
(Not Pictured)
Some kind of cotton or polyester stuffing to fill your monster with
A sewing machine
2 pieces of felt (you can get these at your local fabric store for only about .25 apiece)
Disappearing ink fabric marker (I got mine for about $5 at our fabric store)
Pins
Needle and thread
Scissors
Piece of paper to sketch your monster on
Buttons or spare fabric to decorate your monster with
(Not Pictured)
Some kind of cotton or polyester stuffing to fill your monster with
A sewing machine
Outline Your Monster
After you draw up a satisfying monster on your paper, go ahead and cut it out.
Pin the two pieces of felt together, and trace your monster outline on one side of the felt pieces with the disappearing marker.
Pin the two pieces of felt together, and trace your monster outline on one side of the felt pieces with the disappearing marker.
Start Sewing!
After you get you get your monster outlined, you're ready to begin sewing!
When you sew, I've found that it's best to get the intricate parts out of the way first (this comes in handy later when you want to sew on features and stuff it).
On this monster, starting off, I've just sewed together his left side.
This way I can sew on his eyes and things with plenty of room for my hands to work.
Once you get one side sewed you can go ahead and cut off the excess material on that side. Be careful not to cut away anything you haven't sewed together yet. Leaving spare material on the outline gives you room for error (which admittedly, I need), and it is easier to control when putting through the machine.
When you sew, I've found that it's best to get the intricate parts out of the way first (this comes in handy later when you want to sew on features and stuff it).
On this monster, starting off, I've just sewed together his left side.
This way I can sew on his eyes and things with plenty of room for my hands to work.
Once you get one side sewed you can go ahead and cut off the excess material on that side. Be careful not to cut away anything you haven't sewed together yet. Leaving spare material on the outline gives you room for error (which admittedly, I need), and it is easier to control when putting through the machine.
Put on His Face!
One of my favorite parts!
Here is where you get to give him some personality.
Is he going to be a scary monster? Cutesie monster? Happy? Sad? Angry? Scared? Anything you want!
(Most people turn him inside-out before doing this part, but I personally really like the way the rough edges look. I think it gives them character :) )
Once you have an idea in mind you can cut out some eyes and a mouth, I've even given some freckles before out of buttons, and once made a pirate with scars.
Use your pins to pin down bits at a time so they don't move around on you while you're stitching them down.
And this is the part that is hand-sewn.
On this guy I used some navy blue felt for eyelids with some spare plaid fabric I had laying around for just some detail around the eyes.
My end product looks different than the first picture of just laying out his features because I decided to change it up a bit.
Here is where you get to give him some personality.
Is he going to be a scary monster? Cutesie monster? Happy? Sad? Angry? Scared? Anything you want!
(Most people turn him inside-out before doing this part, but I personally really like the way the rough edges look. I think it gives them character :) )
Once you have an idea in mind you can cut out some eyes and a mouth, I've even given some freckles before out of buttons, and once made a pirate with scars.
Use your pins to pin down bits at a time so they don't move around on you while you're stitching them down.
And this is the part that is hand-sewn.
On this guy I used some navy blue felt for eyelids with some spare plaid fabric I had laying around for just some detail around the eyes.
My end product looks different than the first picture of just laying out his features because I decided to change it up a bit.
Stuff Him Up!
Once you get your monster's features stitched on you can use your sewing machine to stitch him up a bit more. Don't forget to leave a hole to stuff him with!
Normally before sewing him more I go ahead and stuff the small crevices; on this guy I stuffed his left leg and horn before sewing him anymore.
When he's stitched all the way around (omitting the small hole for stuffing) you can cut away more of the excess fabric. Except of course, for where your hole is.
Then go ahead and stuff him the rest of the way!
Normally before sewing him more I go ahead and stuff the small crevices; on this guy I stuffed his left leg and horn before sewing him anymore.
When he's stitched all the way around (omitting the small hole for stuffing) you can cut away more of the excess fabric. Except of course, for where your hole is.
Then go ahead and stuff him the rest of the way!
Close Him Up and Enjoy!
Hooray, you're all done, just gotta close up the opening!
Normally I just use my machine for this part, but if for some reason the shape of the monster won't allow it, it may be easier to just stitch him together with a needle and thread.
And viola! You've just made a super awesome monster plushie!
I try to give all of mine a backstory, or at least the ones that come from the same universe in my head.
It's a universe where there a mean, carnivorous monsters, and other guys just trying to survive. The ghost in the bottom left is a little guy that just didn't get away fast enough :(
The little goblin I made this time I picture hiding out, or ducking behind things to get away from the mean monsters. Hence his nervous, scared, expression.
I hope you all enjoy making your very own monster plushies and giving them all sorts of adventures!