Making Adorable Button-Jointed Stuffed Animals E-Book

Rebecca Ruth Anderson

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 77

Beschreibung

This collection of 20 button-jointed felted wool figures will appeal to crafters, parents looking for kid-friendly projects, and beginner sewists. Each uses felted wool made from recycled sweaters (polar fleece or coat-weight wool are also options). Button joints allow the figures to be posed, making them ideal for play or display. Emphasis is on hand stitching, though sewing machine alternatives are covered as well. Making Adorable Button-Jointed Stuffed Animals offers detailed instructions coupled with patterns and step-by-step photographs to help crafters make any of these projects in a few hours. To demonstrate the overall process of working with a pattern, cutting, stitching, stuffing, and adding button joints, the dog project is covered in expanded detail. This book will appeal to crafters who love farm (and other) animals, value re-purposing wool, and enjoy making things by hand. Ideal as heirloom gifts, these sturdy animals can be enjoyed for years to come.

Leseprobe

© 2018 by Rebecca Ruth Anderson and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Making Adorable Button-Jointed Stu ed Animals is an original work, rst published in 2018 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

All photography courtesy of Rebecca Ruth Designs except for stock photos as follow:

Flaticon.com: Price tag icon made by Smashicons (price tag icon 8); Wissawa Khamsriwath (knitting icon 8); and Freepik (church icon 8).

Freepik.com: isidoro151 (chapter opener background and header banners 19–20, 22–28); Olga–spb (chapter opener background and header banners 29–30, 32–35); Terdpongvector (chapter opener backgrounds and header banners 36, 38–43, 57–58, 60–62); Freepik.com (chapter opener backgrounds and header banners 44, 46–51, 52, 54–56, 63–64, 66–69, 70, 72–73, 105–106, 108–111, 118, 120–123, 150, 152–159); Nenilkime (chapter opener background and header banners 92, 94–98); and Stephanie2212 (chapter opener background and header banners 99–100, 102–104).

Shutterstock.com: Gitanna (buttons 2); Mascha Tace (3); Evgeny Atamanenko (top left 9); Auhustsinovich (bottom right 9); Jenn Huls (top left 18); Nadezda Barkova (chapter opener background and header banners 74, 76–81); Shum-stock (chapter opener background and header banners 82, 84–91); Kaewta (chapter opener backgrounds and header banners 112, 114–117, 133–134, 136–141); Alenka Karabanova (chapter opener background and header banners 124, 126–132); Tono Balaguer (water 125); and LikaKinsky (chapter opener background and header banners 142, 144–149).

Print ISBN 978-1-56523-944-9eISBN 978-1-60765-545-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Anderson, Rebecca Ruth, 1950- author.

Title: Making adorable button-jointed stu ed animals / Rebecca Ruth Anderson.

Description: Mount Joy, Pa. : Fox Chapel Publishing, [2018] | Includes index.

Identi ers: LCCN 2018018273 (print) | LCCN 2018024490 (ebook) | ISBN 9781607655459 (ebook) | ISBN 9781565239449

Subjects: LCSH: Stu ed animals (Toys) | Button craft.

Classi cation: LCC TT174.3 (ebook) | LCC TT174.3.A537 2018 (print) | DDC 745.592/4--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018018273

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to nd a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at [email protected], with 9781565239449 and Making Adorable Button-Jointed Stuffed Animals in the subject line.

INTRODUCTION:

Upcycle Older Garments to Make New Toys

Wool is a wonderful fiber. It is durable, colorful, and soft. Just because a sweater or coat is a bit worse for wear or out of fashion doesn’t mean it can’t find a useful new life. The button-jointed toys in this book are ideal for reusing wool fabric that otherwise would be destined for the landfill. The result is a delightful menagerie great for play or display.

These toys are easy to sew by hand and compact enough to work on most anywhere. You’ll find that the felted wool feels lovely as you stitch. Felted wool is thick, giving strength and structure to the figure. Once felted, a freshly cut edge won’t unravel. Because the raw edges of all seams are to the outside, there’s no need to go through the tedious process of turning things inside out before stuffing.

You can use knitted wool (from sweaters) or woven wool (from garments) to make animals. Knitted wool generally felts into a thicker fabric than woven wool and it makes larger animals. Knitted wool also has more stretch than woven wool so it makes rounder animals. This book will brief you on where to hunt for suitable wool, how to identify it, and how to felt it to just the right texture.

These animals are made from simple shapes that, once stitched, are joined to the body with buttons. The thread holding the buttons goes through the body, making moveable joints that allow you to pose the figure. Using vintage buttons will add a lot of interest to your animal. Each button can be different—but it’s important to use the size required.

The wide variety of colors and patterns in wool will give your creativity full range. Add decorative stitching of a jazzy color and some unusual buttons and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind toy that is sure to please.

Safety note: These animals are great gifts for kids, but reserve them for children above the age of three. Younger kids might pull off the buttons and put them in their mouth—a serious choking hazard.

Contents

Choosing Material for Projects

Supplies

Pattern and Sewing Techniques

Projects

CUDDLY PETS

The Basic Dog

Wiry Terrier

Curious Cat

RABBIT FAMILY

Mother and Father Rabbit

Baby Bunny

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Plump Hen

Delightful Duck

Little Duckling

BARNYARD ANIMALS

Portly Pig

Spirited Pony

Meadow Goat

Mountain Goat

Woolly Sheep

MAJESTIC SEA CREATURES

Wild Orca

Sperm Whale

Sea Turtle

EXOTIC BEASTIES

Polar Bear

Dusty Camel

WHIMSICAL MISCHIEF MAKER

Forest Elf

Choosing Material for Projects

The projects in this book can be made from wool sweaters or coats. They can be found and felted, but if you prefer a specific color or pattern, you can buy wool felt, polar fleece, or knit your own yardage. Here are your options.

Different thicknesses of felted knitted wool

Wool and Felting

Knitted Wool

Sweaters felt beautifully and are ideal for making animals. They yield thick wool because the process of knitting makes the fabric of the sweater thicker than woven fabric. Knitted fabric has more stretch built into it than woven fabric does. Some wool felts thinner and can be sewn on a sewing machine. Heavier knits remain thick after felting and must be sewn by hand. For example, cable sweaters most often felt up too thick to make animals. Instead, you can use them to make terrific tote bags or throw pillow covers.

Sweaters are knitted wool; a coat is woven wool

Woven Wool

Woven wool fabric felts, too, but won’t have the same amount of stretch and body as a knitted fabric. Animals made from felted woven wool can be sewn by machine and will be flatter. A coat is the only type of clothing made from woven wool that is thick enough for these projects. Winter coats are made with a great deal of fabric and the wool is much thicker. The challenge is to find a coat-weight wool in bright colors; that’s where the thrill of the hunt comes in. By contrast, men’s suits are too thin and have too many seams to yield large pieces for felting. More often than not, they have interfacing fused to the inside surfaces, which should be removed before felting. The amount of fabric harvested is too small an amount and too thin a weight to justify the work of felting.

When looking through clothing, check for interfacing fused to the back side of the wool. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be problematic to remove. Look under the lining for interfacing (see inset on here). If the lining isn’t loose—making it possible to see the back of the fabric—look for a rip in the lining to peak through. Sometimes it is possible to feel the presence of interfacing through the thin layer of lining. Should you choose a coat with fused interfacing, you can usually pull it off before felting. If some glue remains on the fabric, the side with dots of interfacing glue can be placed to the inside of your stuffed animal.

Wool blankets would seem to be a good source of project material; however, they usually felt up too thick to use for animals. If you’re looking for a specific color, you could purchase woven wool by the yard from a fabric or craft store. It is expensive but often a great way to find the color you want. Remember to look for coat-weight wool.

Nonwoven Wool

Available from a fabric or craft store, nonwoven wool has fibers that have been bonded and compressed by a machine. Most often, this kind of felt is not made of wool, although woolen craft felt is available. This fabric is not as soft as felted wool and has almost no stretch. Sew it with a sewing machine.

Polar Fleece

Available in many colors and patterns, polar fleece