I Love My Monster Pals

Wrote by Family Fun

We're meant to be one-of-a-kind critters, so grab some old corduroy and let your imagination take the shape of a round, square, or pointy-headed pal -- like me!

Materials

• 2 corduroy skirts or pairs of pants in contrasting colors (we used adult-size), 1 with a pocket
• Scissors
• Marker
• Safety pins
• Needle and thread
• Buttons
• Ribbon (we used approximately 30 inches)
• Pencil
• Fiberfill

Instructions 

 

 

 

If you're using pants, cut off one leg. Turn the leg or a skirt inside out and use a marker to draw a monster shape on the fabric, at least an inch in from any seams. (Tip: Narrow spaces are hard to stuff, so make points or spikes at least an inch wide.) For stability, pin together the fabric layers. Cut the shape from both layers, staying about 1/2 inch outside the lines.

 Unpin the layers and lay one piece of corduroy right side up. Sew on button eyes and a nose, then arrange ribbon hair along the top edge as shown. (Keep the ribbons away from the other edges so you don't sew over them.)

Lay the second shape atop the first, right side down. Use a safety pin to secure each ribbon between the fabric layers, as shown, then pin the monster's other edges closed.

Using a doubled length of thread, backstitch (see diagram) along the marker line. Leave a 3-inch opening on the monster's straightest side. To make the fabric easier to turn right side out, trim off any points and snip the edges, creating a fringe, as shown. Take care not to cut through the stitches. Now turn the monster right side out. Use a pencil to push out any horns or spikes.

 Cut a back pocket from the other pair of pants or skirt. Pin it in place, then use a whipstitch (see diagram) to attach it on three sides. To stuff the monster, push bits of fiberfill into the small spaces, then fill the body. Pin the opening and sew it closed. To finish, knot each ribbon at the creature's hairline and trim to the desired length.