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So, I was sitting watching “monster movie” as the Goof calls it, the other day with my family. I love Monsters Inc! Love that movie! I always dreamed of them making a ride of the scene where they are riding on the doors looking for Boo’s. That would be an awesome ride!
Anyways, while sitting there, I remembered that I have a TON of green fabric. More than I will ever need for Goofy Hat shirts, or anything else I could make. So, the wheels in my head started turning and then I made this. A stuffed Monsters Inc Mike.
Anyways, while sitting there, I remembered that I have a TON of green fabric. More than I will ever need for Goofy Hat shirts, or anything else I could make. So, the wheels in my head started turning and then I made this. A stuffed Monsters Inc Mike.
So today I am excited to share my pattern and tutorial with you. Before I begin, I want to say a couple things. First, I am a beginner. There may be fancier, etc ways to do this, but this is what I came up with for my skill level. Second, I am not a perfectionist. If something is close enough, I will not unpick a seam to make it perfect. Third, I do have a few things I think could be different. I will list them at the very end of this tutorial. Finally, I hope this tutorial is easy to follow. I have been put on some pain meds for a recent procedure and they make it a little hard to focus. (I promise, I will re-read this later. I just don’t want to keep this tutorial away from you any longer.)
In order to make Mike, you will need:
- 1/2 yard of a thick green fabric. I used jersey because I had a ton, but I can tell if there is too much tugging, the fabric could easily rip.
- Scraps of khaki for the horns
- White t-shirt or knit fabric for the eye and mouth (something that won’t fray), I used actual shirts
- Teal t-shirt or knit fabric for the eye
- Black t-shirt or knit fabric for the eye
- Black Fabric Marker
- Heat N Bond Lite
- Stuffing
- Thread
- Sewing machine and/or needle to sew by hand.
- Print out of the pattern at the bottom of this tutorial
To start, print out the pattern and cut out the pieces. Cut out all of your fabric pieces.
Begin by making half of the ball that will be Mike’s body.
Take 4 of the 8 pieces to make the front of the ball.
Take 2 pieces and put them right side together. Go along one edge, corner to corner, and sew a seam. The pattern allows for a 1/4 inch seam.
Then add another piece, and then the fourth piece. It should end up looking like this when you turn it right side out.
Next, Take the 3 circles for the eye pieces. Trace them on to your heat n’ bond. Cut them out and iron them on to the wrong side of the fabric for each circle.
Once they have cooled, cut out each circle. Then, starting with the white circle (biggest) remove the paper and iron each one on to the front side of the ball, then stitch around the circle with a coordinating thread.
Now it is time for the mouth. I at first thought of doing black, appliquing it and then adding on the teeth, but I thought of a simpler way.
Trace the mouth piece onto the RIGHT side of the white fabric using a black fabric marker.
Once you have the first outline done, apply some heat n bond lite to the back. The marker goes on a lot smoother in the middle of the mouth with it on the back.
Fill in the mouth, and then thicken the outline (this is shown on the pattern). Use the heat n bond to applique it to the front of the half-ball. Stitch around the edge in the black to help hold it in place.
Now it is time to make the arms, legs and horns.
For all of these, you will sew them inside out and then flip them right side out.
Take 2 horns and sew them together leaving the bottom open. Do the same with the other 2 horn pieces. (The line across the bottom is where I zig zagged it, however this is not necessary since it will be sewn together and the edge will be on the inside of the “ball”) Then, trim the excess fabric as shown below on the left.
Do the same thing with the arms and legs.
Flip them all right side out. Now it is time to stuff them. On the arms and legs, I used a dowel rod to get the stuffing all the way to the ends. Leave about 1 inch from the end unstuffed. Make sure up until that point it is stuffed nice and tight.
On the legs, after stuffing the feet, I simply tied a not (since I was using jersey) to make an “ankle joint.” You can do this, sew a seam across (I didn’t have actual green thread so I chose the knot) or even just leave it without an “ankle joint.” Then stuff it the rest of the way up.
Now that you have all your appendages stuffed, it is time to sew them into the ball. Take another ball piece and your face. Line up the new piece to be sewn together (right sides together again). Then, stick your appendages in between. I am really bad at explaining this, so after I explain, there is a picture that will hopefully clarify.
The appendages should be in between the right sides and stick out the other end into the “wrong side” which will be the inside of the ball. It should look like this, just maybe pinned a little nicer.
Flip it open to make sure everything is where you want it. If it is, turn back inside out and sew down the seam of the ball pieces. When you go over an appendage, be sure to reverse and sew over it, and then sew over it forward again so it has 3 seams and is in there nice and secure.
Now do the same on the other side. Be sure the pieces line up in the same spot as the opposite side.
Now it should look like this
You should still need 2 pieces of the ball. Sew a piece on each side (remember, right side together). Then, turn Mike inside out (tucking all his appendages inside) to sew the last 2 edges together. Only sew 1/3 up from the bottom of the ball and 1/3 down from the top. Leave a hole large enough to pull Mike right side out again.
Before you turn Mike right side out, run a seam at the top and bottom of the ball. Straight across. It will reinforce the ends.
Now turn Mike right side out.
Stuff Mike with stuffing. Make sure he is very stuffed. Once you think it is good enough, stuff him some more.
Once he is stuffed really well, hand stitch the opening shut. Now you are done.
He is all ready to cuddle and play with.
I promised you a few tips. So here they are:
Put the legs farther down then you think they should be. When you make the body into a ball, they end up being a bit higher on the body.
The horns only need a tiny bit showing. I feel Mike’s horns are a bit long. So, after you pin them, and before you sew them in, flip Mike outright and put your fist in that part of the ball to round it out. This will let you see how long the horns will look once you stuff it.
You can see in this picture below how I could have done better in those areas.
The Goof doesn’t seem to mind though. He loves his stuffed Mike a ton!
To download the 2 part pattern, CLICK HERE
A few things about my pattern:
This pattern is for personal use only
If you use my pattern for a post please give credit to Love Our Disney, with a link back to this post/blog
If you give out a printed copy of my pattern, please be sure to leave the credit to the site on it.
Want to know more? Finish reading this article on our site!
Love! I understood it just fine. Thanks for the pattern and tutorial. My son is having a Monsters Inc birthday party and this will be a cute gift for him!
This is so adorable! And you know what is SO funny? On my blog this coming Tuesday, I allowed my 12-year-old to share some of the ride ideas she has for Disney. The very first one is almost exactly what you described – a Monster’s Inc. ride with all the doors!
I can’t believe they haven’t done it yet. Everyone I know thinks that would be an amazing ride!
Awesome! Reagan loves Monsters, Inc. One of her favorites!!! So cute!
Thank you for linking your favorite post to Raising Imperfection.
Please come back Friday to see if you were featured! Good luck
Lanaya
http://www.raising-reagan.com
Awww, he is so cute! You did a great job. I am so excited for the new Monsters Inc movie this summer.
Thanks for sharing your favorite post at Raising Imperfection! We feature our favorites on Friday, make sure to come back and check.
Leslie
http://www.violetimperfection.com
I was thinking the same thing about the ride! This is an amazing tutorial! I think I’m going to have to make a couple for my babies! I think he turned out to stinking cute! You are so talented girl!
Thanks! He is getting plenty of love by the Goof, that is for sure!
I think you could probably use a T-shirt (adult XXL) for the fabric for the body. Might be cheaper to buy those off jiffy shirts or something (you can even find them at $ stores sometimes) then to buy fabric.
This is great! I love Monsters Inc!
🙂
Leslie’s feature @Violet Imperfection sent me this a’way, and this is really great! You do good work. 🙂
Oh wow – that looks so awesome! Monsters Inc is [I love them all really!] one of my favourite Disney Pixar movies 🙂
I would love for you to come and share this at my Cook, Craft, Create Link Party on my blog – hope to see you there!
Michelle xx
Thank you so much for sharing this at The Purple Pumpkin Blog! Hope to see you again at the next party
Have a wonderful week
Michelle xx
First of all congrats on an adorable little Mike, it is perfect. It looks way too hard for me so that adds to my being impressed! Secondly I too always wanted a ride out of the door scene and even though I like the Monsters Inc ride in CA I wanted it the way I pictured it so I was disappointed.
I promise- it wasn’t hard! I am a beginner when it comes to sewing, so if I can do it, anybody can!
Pinned this cute guy.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Marcie
so cute! I pinned as well 🙂
Rachel
Consider yourself pinned!
Ashley:)
This is darling!! Great job!
i am just asking how much stuffing would i need and how big is the toy after it has been finished?
Hi Jess!
I actually just bought a big bag of stuffing and it was enough to make several of these. I no longer have the bag so not 100% sure on the size, but it was about the size of a pillow.
ohk thanks Becca its cause im making it for Child Studies in Yr 12