DIY Project: The Alot

This was inspired by a 2D creation at Hyperbole and a Half, a hilarious blog that I follow. The post in question is here.

Allie Brosh created it, not me. But I thought it looked incredibly huggable, so I made a 3D replica-stuffed toy. It's not to scale though (it's a lot smaller. I'm on a budget!). He's rather tiny, and I can hold him in one hand.

How I made him:
I used some brown faux fur fabric that I bought from Spotlight. It was called "Kangaroo Fur", which I found rather disturbing.

The very exotic faux fur

The horns, feet, claws and mouth were made by using leftover beige and brown felt that I had from making the Harry Potter Puppet Pals. The batting that went inside was also from that project.

The Alot Pattern for Alot Feet

Alas, there is only this drawing of the feet as a pattern because I have rather poor drawing skills..

I tried various ways to make great eyes, and in the end I used some white stretchy cloth that looked a bit like fleece, but thinner. I did a bit of experimenting, and I think I figured out a way to get round cloth eyes (like the sort on Sesame Street puppets?)

Anyway, instructions:

How to make round eyes out of cloth.

1. Cut a circle of cloth in white
2. Straight stitch around the circle (to prevent the thread from snapping, use double thread
3. Stuff the circle & pull the two ends of the thread like a mini drawstring closed to form the eyeball.
4. Knot the thread
5. Sew on the pupil of the eyeball.

As for the waffle-looking thing on the side, that is how to properly embroider the pupil.

Go over the pupil horizontally in black thread (unless you want the pupil a different colour), then vertically, then stitch a ring around it to define it.

I'll put in more pictures of the alot later. I can't find any more. :/

- christine