One Eyed Monster

Click image to enlarge

Designer: Patti Milazzo

For my project, I decided to create a fabric ball character that was filled with plastic pellets and stuffing fiber.  Initially, I thought an animal character would be ideal but the trend for adorable monsters inspired me to make this little guy.  And as I was sewing this bean ball monster, my son quickly laid claim to him and named him.  Meet Luigi….he’s a monster but not the scary sort as you can see.  Instead, he prefers to befriend little humans, sit on desktops or shelves (he likes the adoration and attention he gets) and to just be soft, squishy and fun to play with!  Isn’t he cute?  And best of all, he can be made using a mix of Fiskars sewing and paper crafting tools with just a few scraps of fabric and felt.

Difficulty rating

Instructions (Print version)

1. Using either scissors or a rotary cutter, cut the following pieces:
  6 – petal shaped pieces from green fabric (*see template)
  2 – foot shapes from aqua felt (*see template)
  6 – triangles from orange felt.  Use Nice Tri Squeeze Punch as template.
  1 – heart from red felt.  Use That’s Amore heart Squeeze Punch as template.
  1 – 2.5” circle from white felt.  Use Ultra ShapeXpress Tool and Circle Shape Template.
  1 – 1.5” circle from purple felt.  Use Round ‘n Round circle Squeeze Punch as template.
  1 – small circle from black felt.  Use Circle Pop Up Punch as template. 
  1 – 10”L x 1 ½”W piece of yellow/orange fabric for the tail.

2. To create the ball, start by taking 2 petals and placing them with right sides facing in, pin them together and stitch along one side (following the curve – ¼” from the edge) from tip to tip.  Note: Backstitch where you begin and end to secure the thread.

3. As you did with the first piece, stitch on another 3rd piece.  With 3 pieces sewn together you’ll have created ½ of the sphere/ball.
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 with the other 3 pieces of fabric but keep the 2 halves of the ball separate for now and set aside.
5. Machine or hand stitch monster features: 
-Stitch together the 2 pieces for the foot – add a little fiber stuffing if you prefer. 
-Layer and stitch together pieces for the eye and add white embroidery stitches to the black pupil for detail.
- Stitch together pairs of orange triangles.
- With the yellow/orange fabric, turn right sides facing in stitch along the length and turn right side out to create a narrow tube for the tail.  Take embroidery thread and insert into one end and stitch closed for a furry tale if you choose.

6. Add character’s features to the 2 hemispheres:
- Cut small slit in back piece, insert tail and stitch closed.
- Machine stitch heart onto back piece
- Add eyes, mouth and tooth to face
- Embroider mouth across face and below eye with black embroidery thread.

7. Now with right sides of 2 halves facing in pin together the edges.  Tuck orange triangle horns inside at top of head and pin in place.  Stitch almost all the way around – leave a 2 ½” hole to add fiber later.  Be careful to tuck the tail out of the way.   Turn monster right side out.

8. Hand stitch foot to base of sphere to secure.
9. Create a small bean bag from circles of fabric and place inside at bottom of monster.  OR simply add dried beans to bottom of sphere.

10. Fill rest of monster with fiberfil or cotton fiber; handstitch opening closed and you’re done!

Other variations using the fabric ball: 
• Try creating your own silly monster design by incorporating various Fiskars tools.
• Create an animal character – cat, bunny, bird

Supply List:
Fiskars Brands: 99947097 Non Stick No. 5 Micro-Tip® Scissors
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_no-5-non-stick-scissors.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 9997 7097 Non-Stick #8 Bent Scissors
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_no-8-non-stick-scissors.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 4800 7097 Ultra ShapeXpress™
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_ultra-shapexpress.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 4850 7097 ShapeTemplate™ Tool - Circles-1 w/Scallop Border
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_shapetemplate-tool-circles-1-wsca.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 8608 7097 12 x 12 Craft Mat
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_125-x-125-cutting-mat.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-7424 7097 Large Squeeze Punch - Round n’ Round
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_roundnnroundl.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-74197097 Extra Large Squeeze Punch - That’s Amore
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_thats-amore.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-74217097 Extra Large Squeeze Punch - Nice Tri
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_nice-tri.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-25637097 Pop-Up Punch – Circle
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_pop-up-punch-circle.aspx

Fiskars Brands: 94457097 Pinking Shears
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_pinking-shears.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-97987097  28 mm Stick Rotary Cutter
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_28mm-stickrotary.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-59777097 12-in-1 Sewing Multi-Tool
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_12-in-1-multi-tool.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-87287097  3” x 18” Acrylic Ruler with Grid
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_3-x-18-acrylic-ruler-coastal.aspx
Fiskars Brands: 12-83727097  24” x 36” Cutting Mat
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_24x36mat.aspx
Other: Fabric scraps (at least 7” x 3”); Felt scraps; black embroidery thread; dried beans or bean bag plastic pellets; Fiberfil or cotton batting