Thursday, September 25, 2008

Basic Geometry

ただいま〜

HAPPI BAASUDEI, お誕生日おめでとうございます!★d(o⌒∇⌒o)b☆

Happy Birthday to Rachel, the lovely lady on Humphrey street who brews kombucha for all her friends, and who baked her own tragically delicious birthday cake. I say "tragically" because it's all gone now. ;_; That was damn fine cake, Rachel. Majide.

And now for something completely different:
A Scotsman on a horse.

No, actually, it's a pattern. Yes, I am still making patterns! I would probably have them up more often, if only I stopped making things and focused instead on writing up how to make things for a while. Also, if my camera worked better.


This is one of several techniques to make a sphere in fabric. It's one of the more decorative methods, because you can pick twelve different colors and it comes out looking all colorful. It is also very easy, because there is only one pattern piece to cut out. Download the pattern sheet (with instructions) and see for yourself. I'mma put up some process pictures, just for fun:



Inside-out, with a gap for turning...



...turned right-side-out, and getting stuffed.

Simple, right? At the stuffing phase, if you want to make your ball extra special for any pets or children that you may intend to present it to, try sinking a little rattle or jingle bell into the very middle of the ball and stuff all around it.

A rattle is simple enough to make; just get a film canister and put some rice/beads/pebbles inside. A jingle bell is only marginally harder to set up, because if you just put a bell into the stuffing, it won't jingle, but if you put the bell into a film canister, you can't hear it very well. The solution is to cut small holes in your container, or get these:



Some (but not all) medicine bottle caps come with holes already formed into the sides. Just put a little bell inside two caps, tape them together, and you'll have a nice clear-ringing jingle mechanism.

それでは、楽しみしてね。Go have a ball!

...AUGH, I said it. I tried so hard not to make that pun... チェクショ〜ウ。>,<

10 comments:

Nikki said...

I have just now made the final stitches on a proof-of-concept anteater stuffie :O GET EXCITED!!!

Pattern will be coming as soon as I make a decent lookin' one complete with eyes, ears, and a tail that turns out all the way...this little experiment was just a smidgeon too svelte for its own good.

I think I'm going to name it Rickets, because it is stuffed with toilet paper and I couldn't cram that all the way down the legs. They look very vitamin C-deficient. I should make him a wee-tiny felt lime to eat.

Ku said...

OH MY GOD AWESOME. o.o I so want to see this thing.

Also, I need to go read your blog.

ミJean★Claudeミ said...

Happy bus day, lady

Alison aka Baby B said...

I have been looking all over the internet for a fairly simple handsewn toy for a little boy's upcoming 2nd birthday...
This is perfect! Thanks!

I Purr-Furr to Craft said...

lovely stuff, so inspiring

Becca said...

By the way, when I made this ball I realized that there is an error in the pattern. One of the x's is marked on the wrong side. After tearing the pieces apart and starting over twice, I finally folded the paper pattern up into a ball and it became instantly apparent what was wrong.

Thank you for the awesome pattern and idea!

Ku said...

...ack, I forgot to take the letters off. o.o; Sorry about that! I had never even considered that people would need or want to use the flat pattern, seeing as all the pieces are pansymmetric! o.o

Will fix riiiight... now. ^^;

Insama said...

Thanks for a great pattern. You can see my result here

http://sarakansjalv.blogg.se/?tmp=10130642

Unknown said...

This is the only information I can find on the internet to help me cover a 30” ball. You gave me hope when I was about to throw in the towel. I am trying to download this pattern but your link isn’t working. Please help 😊. Thanks so much ~ Marie

Ku said...

Hello, Marie! I'm sorry, but I made this so long ago, I don't think I have the pattern file any more... The good news is there's really no pattern required.... simply cut out 12 regular pentagons, all the same size, and stitch them together along the sides. I'm not sure what size you'll need to make a 30" ball, though probably best to cut the biggest pentagons you can, then baste them together and keep adjusting the seam allowance until you get a 30" diameter shape. Sorry I couldn't be more help.