Actually, no.
In addendum to the Easy Softie Ball in 12 Pieces, there exists an even easier way to make a ball in six pieces. The 6-piece version, like the 12-piece, only requires the copying and cutting out of one form, but there are only half as many copies to make. Ergo, easier. Yay!
Now, if you're interested in the math behind the form, a 6-piece from peels is actually a little more complex than a 12-piece from pentagons. The 12-piece ball isn't actually a ball in Euclidian geometry: it's a dodecahedron that becomes a ball when you sew it up and stuff it because the pressure of the stuffing inside applies evenly across the planes, seams, and vertices. The 6-piece ball, on the other hand, is an actual, true sphere in design and execution. This is because it employs the relationship between the circumference and diameter of the circle formed by the cross section of the final sphere at maximum diameter.
And you thought this was a post about softies. >w<
By now, you might be asking "hey Ku, what am I supposed to do with all these plush balls?"
Here is your answer:
Inexpensive, unbreakable, toddler-safe Christmas ornaments. Ta-da~!
16 comments:
Iḿ so happy I found your blog. Immediately added to my bloglines.
I'm new in the world of sewing. I recently got a sewing machine as a gift and for the first time in my life I sew something...quite rudimentary my firrst item. But now a whole new wolrd has oppened up. Im moslty a ceramist and handfelter.
I've been wanting to make an apple...yes, and apple. Why? dont know. I just want to make a softie apple...and can't figure out how (ok, Im not dumb...just a bit maybe, remember...new world. Im a psychologist, this is new territory!).
So, you have tutorials to "fruits" and other things so this might give me an idea.
THANKS FOR SHARING!!
Will check back often when you update!
Florcita
Hello and welcome! It's nice to meetcha. XD Thanks for stopping by!
Sewing is great! I'm no pro, either, but I've made a few Halloween costumes and such in my life. I actually don't use a machine very often since I work in felt, which isn't the most machine-friendly fabric... If you decide to make anything from this blog, I would suggest hand-sewing with a running stitch , or using cotton fabric instead of felt. ^^;
Handfelting~ *drool* @,@ I've always wanted to try that since I first read the Sinco books, but there's no source of wool around here. >.< Maybe I'll break down someday and order a needle and fibre online. :)
It's funny that you should mention an apple... I've been trying to figure that one out for a while now. ^^; Softies have the highly limiting characteristic of being entirely convex. That is, when you put the stuffing in, everything wants to push out, so getting "dimples" such as those in the top and bottom of an apple is actually a big conundrum for me. (Haven't given up yet, though... I'll let you know if I ever get it right!)
Doumo sa! Thanks again for popping by! XD
Yanno, an easy-peasy-probably-cheating way to get a dimple would be to make a knot at once end, run the thread through the entire dealy, and pull it taut through the other end, then knot again.
Actually now that I think about it that would just make a blood-cell-shaped blob...unless you could somehow vary the concentration / density of stuffing in the dimpled and non-dimpled ends. Hmmmm...gorrammit, you've gotten me all intrigued now.
BTdubs, I'm a lazy hobo and thus am waiting 'til I get home fer Yule to send you my anteater pattern. Also the scanner is at home, so... ;(>.>)
ある日、一つのいわゆるポストにすがたをあらわす物gat
HAHA, I intrigued you! Nya-na-na~
You're right... it does make a blood-cell blob. But, hey! Now we can make softie blood cells! XD The "variations of stuffing density" idea is interesting. I'm thinking, what if you sewed the shape with two, three, or four upright "chambers" together, such that the stuffing would be forced to apply pressure along the seam boundaries formed by the panels on the inside? ....if that makes any sense? o.o
PS: BOX AT YOU. It's not time-sensitive, so no worry if you donnae get it before your Yule pilgrimage.
ジェアンクロード様、ヨーホ！いったいなんなんだろう？O.o
何、このにおい？
looks great as Christmas tree ornaments
I think this is a beautiful geometrical picture. I was going to ask you how you figured out what the radius (R) for the circle the pattern arc is taken from, I worked it out though, and I came up with R=(l*l + w*w)/(4w), which seems to work out when I lay out the circles on graph paper. Thanks for inspiring some morning math.
-Katherine from OneInchWorld.com
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Your blog has everything I've been looking for today, and more! My home made Christmas will be perfect this year! Thanks again!
Katherine and Jessi, nice to meet you! :D Thanks kindly!
this is PERFECT! you know what im going to do with this pattern? im going to make a 'boo' doll. remember those ghost from mario? XD
i had no idea where to start since idk how to make a ball, so many, many, thanks!
btw. i have to say, i kinda started zoning out when you talked science/geometry or whatever that was. lol. that kind of stuff just goes over my head! XD
aww this is very useful..thx :)
awesome layout btw, how did you make one? xD
I made plushes too, if you have time please visit^^
http://judithchenartworks.wordpress.com/
xoxo
Judith
i was googling for softie tutorials and found your blog. you are very good and i love ur dieas. thank u very much for posting them.
Thank you so much!! I stumbled across your instructions just in time for making a huge disco ball prop out of material for an upcoming show!
Thanks so much for the easy instructions.
So grateful to you! I was able to volunteer today with 20+ at-risk kids from http://www.anewdaycambodia.org/ showing them how to make a Christmas ornament http://picasaweb.google.com/canadasue/2010ChristmasAtANewDayCambodia?authkey=Gv1sRgCOPA6uK9vqn4Ow&feat=directlink
because it was in cotton not felt it threw off the "math" a bit but the boys were delighted with the "Christmas Football" tee hee!
Thank you x 1,000,000 You made some kids really happy today!
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