tutorial peluche sin cara 1

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I'm going to illustrate the technique I used to applique the mouth and facial details onto this original designed, Miyazaki inspired No Face character plushie cell phone holder.

I'll provide some links to stitching diagrams for your reference and most importantly, the link to the quilter's preferred method of blind stitch applique. The version I have adapted here is primarily for sewing with thick materials and very small, awkward shapes where utilizing a freezer paper stabilizer isn't practical or possible in most cases.

If you are quilting rather than making items like plushies, from polar fleeces and thick velveteens, you may find the linked references more applicable to your situation.

*See below for links.*

Gather all the supplies you think you may need in advance. It is much nicer to work with everything in front of you, rather than continue to get up and down.

For this lesson, I have used polar fleece and felt in several colors.

I prefer hand quilting thread but will use all purpose thread if I do not have all the colors I need. If I am sewing an item that will receive wear, like a hat which will stretch, I use 100% polyester thread, so it no stitching will break due to use.

You will need at least 2 needles. The first one for standard thread but sturdy enough (not too small) to poke through thick layers of material, if using fleece or velveteen. The second one should be large enough to easily thread several strands of embroidery floss through. I keep mine in a magnetic case while working on a project.

These are tiny applique pins. The advantage is, when you have small parts and you need some edges held in place while working around, they do not extend so far across the material as regular pins and poke you. They can be expensive and are not a must have. I sew enough small parts that I feel they are worth the investment.

When you thread your needle with the standard thread (I'm using hand quilting thread here), make it a double strand and tie a knot in the end of about 3 looped over passes. You want the knot to hold in the material well with a good tug.

This is beeswax in a handy holder made especially for sewing. It is fairly inexpensive and found at fabric and craft stores. After threading your needle, run the thread through one of the slots to coat it with a small amount of beeswax. This helps prevent the thread from tangling while working. You want to use a decent length of thread; however, never use so much that it is difficult to work with. This should be easy sewing. It is much better to tie off and begin again, if you do not have enough thread to get around the piece you are working on.

The last of the handy tools you may wish to use is a leather thimble. I have two. Sometimes, the pieces I work on require manipulating the needle and thread through many layers of material and i use one on each hand.

Bandaids work very well also and are less bulky, for those who are not use to the feel of the leather thimble.

Let's Begin!

These websites have wonderful diagrams and instructions for how to make a variety of stitches. I have included the index page first and then the 3 stitches I use the most when making a plushie. The blind applique stitch in their tutorial utilizes a freezer paper method, primarily for quilting. The back of the material must be cut and the paper removed when you are finished. Since I layer many tiny items on top of each other to create dimension and complete various detail, it is not practical for me to make these extra steps. However, I highly recommend them if you are working with larger pieces or making a quilt. I learned this stitch while being a member of a quilting guild in the early 1990's and it has been the stitch I have used the most, ever since.
http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/stitches/index.html
(index of stitches)
http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQuiltingPages/startquiltingfour.html
(blind applique stitch)
http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/stitches/running.html
(running stitch)
http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/stitches/back.html
(back stitch)

I also have a book called, "The Complete Stitch Encyclopedia" by Jan Eaton
with over 700 unique, full-color, step-by-step photographs. It is a stich bible in my opinion!
consider using a website like Half.com if you are unable to locate this book in a store near you or Amazon is all out.

I like to use tracing paper to make my pattern pieces. I store the completed pattern pieces in a large ziplock bag labeled on the front.

When creating small detail, I often do not bother with a pattern piece (like the 2 teeth on top) and just cut a shape larger than the finished piece should be. I like to tuck about 1/8 inch or slightly more under as I applique around my work. On larger pieces, I tuck up to 1/4 inch of material under.

For detail work, it is important to think in layers. I start with the upper most piece and sew backwards until I am sewing onto the largest piece of material. This way, if I make a mistake that is difficult to remove the stitching from to start over, I have not wasted a large piece of fabric.

As noted in the tutorial stitch guides linked above.... you will begin by holding the edge of the upper piece, tucked under slightly and placing your needle up through the top layer, just near the edge. This will place the knot at the end of your thread under this layer. You will next poke your needle straight down from where the thread is coming up and run it to the left about 1/4 inch under the second layer of fabric you are attaching to. Bring the needle back up through the top fabric, again just near the edge. Each time you do this the stitch will barely be visable. Before you get to corners and turns, plan ahead by tucking the material as you go, if it is not already pinned in place. I make adjustments for these areas as I'm stitching small pieces and use very few pins. I did not sew the bottom edge of the teeth to the tongue because I knew it was going to be tucked and sewn into the red area of the mouth.

Once you have completed going around a layer, turn the fabric over and finish off by making a few back stitches in the bottom layer of the fabric, where it cannot be seen on the front and knot off.

Please note: You will use a thread color that matches whichever fabric layer is on the top of the two pieces you are joining. So, in the case of the teeth, I used white to sew to the pink tongue. When I began sewing the tongue to the red mouth, I used white around the teeth area and switched thread color to pink around the tongue area. This is what aids the disappearing or 'blind stitch' look.

Next, I am ready to sew some definition and dimension on the teeth. I am using pink embroidery floss so it will appear as if the tongue is showing through from behind the teeth. I use several strands together, as it comes off of the skein. So, I prefer the larger, wide-eyed needle for this work.

Next, I place the large teeth where I'd like them to be and repeat the same process as before. I do not sew the edge of the tooth that is on top because this layer is going to be sewn to another piece of fabric next and will be tucked under at that time. This helps to reduce unnecessary bulk.

When sewing a piece that has corners or intricate detail and turns of any kind that are not round, you will need to 'cut into' those areas first. This allows you to turn in and tuck the material and maintain the shape you desire.

This is where the freezer paper method for quilting with lighter weight fabrics comes in very handy. The freezer paper allows very intricate clipped areas and holds the material in place nicely. It doesn't apply with this modified technique as the material is too thick and applied in many layers.

I have done the same thing with this layer. This is the third layer I'm attaching with applique to the fourth piece of fabric. I am careful to begin away from the very edge of a corner. It is much easier to leave corners or detailed areas for sewing that occurs in the middle of a 'thread run', instead of beginning there.

Now, all of my mouth layers are attached to the base piece of the pouch that will be joined to the plushie body.

If you haven't done so already... TAKE A BREAK at this point. Detailed sewing work can easily cramp the fingers and hands. You may also tend to bend your neck and shoulders over your work. And eye strain can begin to set in.

Get up and stretch. Even better, have a delicious snack. V8 and Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese is my favorite sewing snack.

I have pinned the bottom pouch to the body of the plushie to judge the size of the face piece. After it has been tucked under and appliqued down, it will have the fit I desire.

If you are designing patterns, this is something to keep in mind. It may look like you are cutting your pieces too large but remember it is always easier to trim a little off or tuck a little extra under, than to waste material by needing to cut a larger piece a second time. Of course... don't throw those small pieces away. As you can see, small pieces are perfect for small detail.

The same process is repeated for the eyes and mouth on the face. You begin with sewing the smaller pieces to the face shape before sewing the face to the body fabric.

As you can see, I am not concerned with cutting a perfect shape. I do my detail shaping as I sew the pieces to the work.

The mouth and one eye are now appliqued to the face shape. I am showing you the remaining eye, pinned in place in the center, to illustrate how placement looks as you proceed. It almost looks as if the left eye is too close to the right. However, it will be tucked under as it is shaped and will be spaced evenly apart, at the intervals I have chosen.

With the face details appliqued down, I am now ready to sew some very tiny detail. I could use applique, however, the pieces are so small, they would appear much too bulky when finished. And I find it unnecessary to add this bulk and deal with extremely difficult turning and sewing, without a good reason. I like the hand sewn look of an original created piece and so the next stitch I'll show you will be a back stitch.

The back stitch is very easy and goes very fast. You can check out the link above for a close up detailed drawing and word for word description.

I begin by pushing my knotted and threaded needled up from the back of the face material. I do this about 1/4 inch from where I want the stitching to begin. Next, I place the needle in the fabric back to that 1/4 inch position and poke it down into the fabric and bring it up at a 1/4 space from where the original stitch began.

As you continue around this way, it forms a straight line of stitching. It is like a running stitch but because you go backwards each time before going forward again, you do not have the gaps that a running stitch leaves.

With all of the detail sewn onto the face piece, I am now ready to blind stitch applique the face to the body front fabric piece. I decide how much to turn the fabric under based on how much of a seem allowance I will need to sew my front and back body fabric together. I use a 1/4 inch seem allowance on most plushies, so the size here is going to work perfect.

Now, the face is attached and I can begin the actual construction of the plushie body. This plushie was designed with arms that are posable, using pipe cleaner wire and a front pouch that will hold a cell phone (or any other objects of similar size).

It was a complicated construction without a pattern and the photography of black on black material was difficult to illustrate the process.

Therefore, my lesson is isolated to the blind stitch applique technique for this project.

Here is No Face, holding my cell phone for me.

He is weighted down inside his bottom with non-toxic plastic pellets (in a breathable mesh bag). (do not use beans for this purpose as they may cause insect infestation problems.)

No Face is approximately 10 inches tall.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and the numerous detailed photos I have included.p