• Categories

  • Archives

felt spheres

Your first question here may very well be “Why?” And that’s understandable. But I promise you there are some excellent reasons to want to make little felt spheres, and they have nothing to do with making juvenile jokes about how many balls you have. Though you can do that too.

This tutorial is the beginning of me teaching you how to make little round felt pigs. This week we’ll do the ball part, and next week we’ll add the snout and feet and ears and tail. And then you’ll have the basic know-how to add different kinds of noses and feet and tails and such to make all kinds of different little roly poly animals:

Spheres are also just generally useful. You could make them into creepy eyeball chew toys for pets. Make a baby toy by putting a bell or rattle inside, making the sphere out of 5 different colours, and sticking little ribbons and other tactile things out the sides. Make a whole ton of white felt spheres and have a June snowball fight with your friends. Make different sized balls in appropriate colours to create a solar system mobile. And of course: have a friend who lacks balls? Give them some!

 ——————————————

What you’ll need

materials:

  • acrylic felt in the colour of your choice. Note: If you intend to make this ball into a pig or anything else with added-on limbs or other details, you need to use acrylic felt – the cheaper, not-super-high-quality stuff. The stuff you get at craft stores, or even dollar stores. This is because next week we’ll be needle felting details onto the ball, and that only works well with the cheaper material that isn’t so tightly felted together already.
  • thread in a colour that matches your felt or other fabric
  • stuffing – if you are planning to add needle felted details to the ball, I recommend this specific sort of stuffing, if you can find it (pictured below). It’s Soft Loft polyester fiberfill, which is a very densely packed polyester fiber stuffing. It packs very tightly and firmly, making the finished shape quite solid, and it can be needle felted into effectively. Other stuffings should work too though, just pack them in as tightly as you can for the easiest time needle felting them.
tools:
  • fabric scissors
  • straight pins
  • needle
  • small sphere pattern – number 14. under “Sewing patterns.”

——————————————

Putting it all together

1) Print and cut out the sphere pattern. I’ve provided four different size options on the pattern, since there was extra room on the page. For my pigs, I use the smallest pattern size.

You can then either pin the pattern piece to your felt, or, if you print it on cardstock, you can just trace it onto your felt with a pen. Use the pattern piece to cut five pointed ovals from your felt. 

Important Note: Do not throw away the felt scraps! When you’re cutting out your pieces, you’ll end up with little scraps of material from around the edges of the cut out pieces. Keep these! You will need them later for felting on the nose and feet and any other details.

 

2) You should now have five identical felt shapes. Stack two of the shapes, matching their edges up exactly and pinning them together along one side. Do the same with two more of the shapes.

 

3) Sew the stacked pieces together along the pinned edge. With felt, I do only a very small seam allowance – about 1/8 to 1/4 inch (I match the edge of the fabric up with the inside cut-out bit of the presserfoot). With another fabric, I’d use a larger seam allowance – probably 3/8 of an inch (which just means lining up the edge of your fabric with the outside edge of your presserfoot).

Throughout this and the next couple steps, it’s important that you get all the pointy ends of the felt matched up and sewn together as precisely as possible.

 

3) Now you have two pieces, made up of four sewn-together segments. Pin two of the open edges of the pieces together, then sew along that pinned edge.

You should now have a nearly complete sphere and one last, lonely, unsewn felt wedge:

 

4) Take that last lonely felt piece, and pin one edge to one of the open edges of the sphere. Match everything up as precisely as you can, especially at the tips of the shape. Sew along the pinned edge.

You should now have a complete sphere with one open edge:

 

5) Pin the last open edges together, marking (with pins or a pencil) a 1 1/2 inch gap in the middle of the edge.

 

6) Sew either end of this last opening together, but do not sew across the gap you marked! Leave that as an opening in the fabric.

 

7) Using the gap left in that one piece of the sphere, turn the whole thing carefully right side out.

 

8) Stuff it. Make sure you fill it as full as possible! You can usually pack in a lot more stuffing than you’d first think. Also, be sure to see the notes about stuffing in the materials list at the top of the tutorial – if you’re planning to make a pig with this, it does actually matter what sort of stuffing you use.

 

9) Thread a small sewing needle with a thread colour that matches your felt, and sew the gap closed. To do this, insert the needle at one end of the gap, then make a small stitch in the fabric on one side of the opening. Now make another small stitch across from it in the fabric on the other side of the opening. Now make another stitch back on the first side of the opening, slightly further ahead. Stitch back and forth like this, pulling the thread (and the gap) gently but firmly closed as you go. At the end, knot the thread and cut it.

 

10) Done! Now remember to save your felt scraps for next time, when we add all the details to turn this into an adorable little porcine companion. If you have more time & creative urges, make several future pigs, and later you’ll have a whole… what do you call a group of pigs, anyway? A slop of pigs? A pork of pigs? Hang on…

Ok, Google says a group of pigs can be referred to as a drove, a passel or a sounder. But I think we’ll just go with “a pork of pigs.” So come back next week to make a single pig or a pork of pigs, as you choose.

 

See you next week!

 

 

 

 

Share
Next Post
Leave a comment

55 Comments

  1. These are cute! Thank you bunches for the tutorial! <3

    Reply
  2. Ulebeam

     /  June 13, 2012

    These are really awesome! I am going to try these :)

    Reply
    • Tally

       /  June 13, 2012

      Sweet! If you want to share how yours turn out, you can send pictures for the Crafters’ Gallery. :)

      Reply
  3. Thanks for a great tutorial. I made a white and pink sequined one for a friend’s niece and I’ve got the bug now. Was a bit tricky to machine sew a small one but got there eventually.

    Reply
  4. ita

     /  February 9, 2014

    Adorable, please make another animal tutorial :)

    Reply
  5. rob

     /  May 30, 2014

    i was thinking of making a bunch of these in gray and making a Gyrados plushie!

    Reply
  6. Hello there, You have done a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it and personally suggest to
    my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited from this website.

    Reply
  7. morgan ashenfelder

     /  November 30, 2014

    i love these little piggies. but how do you make all the other animals as well

    Reply
  8. mina

     /  January 3, 2015

    I dont get it, you only made a ball, no ears, no nose, no eyes….

    Reply
  9. Judy Hudgins

     /  September 29, 2016

    These are really great. Thanks. Can you tell me what size balls these 4 different patterns make?

    Thanks Judy

    Reply
  10. Mikaeli

     /  October 16, 2016

    Thank you so much! Your tutorial got me out of trouble.

    Reply
  11. Trista

     /  December 14, 2016

    So glad I found this! I make fascinators and have been wanting to make some fun geeky spheres and now I can!! Took me a few tries but I got it and I am soooo happy!! Thank you!

    Reply
  12. ブランド財布コピー、ブランドコピーバッグ、ブランドコピー時計
    ブランドコピーブランド時計、財布、バッグコピー商品販売!
    ルイヴィトン、シャネル、グッチ、エルメス、ロレックス、オメガ全品無料配送!
    弊社は「信用第一」をモットーにお客様にご満足頂けるよう、
    発送前には厳しい検査を通じて製品の品質を保証してあげますとともに、
    配送の費用も無料とし、品質による返送、交換、さらに返金までも実際 にさせていただきます。
    また、従業員一同、親切、丁寧、迅速に対応 させて頂き、ご安心になってお買い物を楽しんでくださるよう精一杯力 を尽くしていくつもりです。
    是非ご覧ください!
    営業時間:年中無休
    ホームページ上でのご注文は24時間受け付けております

    Reply
  13. Mandy

     /  July 23, 2018

    How to make the rest of the porky features??
    Thank you this porky look easy to attempt

    Reply
  14. 良いお店です。梱包に感動しました。今まで、他の店で購入した事がありますが、こんなに、丁寧な梱包は初めて見た。商品が、崩れない、梱包。ありがとうございます。
    【最短当日発送】遅くとも1~2営業で出荷可能、全国一律送料無料。販売価格はフリーダイヤルにてご相談させてください♪クロエ トートバッグ エクリプス 8AS527 ブロンズ レザー新品 Chloe
    ブランド長財布コピー https://www.giginza.com/protype/list-2-301.html

    Reply
  15. レビュー遅れましてすみません。無事に商品が届きました。プレゼント用と頼んだのですがしっかり梱包してありました。商品も未使用でキレイで写真とおりで良かったです。大切に使わせていただきます。スタッフの対応もよかったです。とても気持ちのいい買い物ができました。また機会がありましたらよろしくお願いします。
    コピーグッチ財布偽物 https://www.nawane111.com

    Reply
  16. 丁寧な梱包で満足しました。
    カードも添えてあり、商品や顧客にたいしても丁寧なショップだと
    おもいます。
    また購入したくなるショップです。
    クリスチャンディオールトートバッグ♪送料無料 新品SAランク クリスチャンディオール トートバッグ パナレア スモール ショッピングバッグ M1010PPCD PVC カナージュキルティング レザー カーキ 新品 ショルダーバッグ 革 141104019 (旭) Chiristian Dior C.Dior PANAREA
    仕事用にぴったり
    A3書類が入り、なお、軽いバッグを探していました。
    仕事用ですので、お値段も手ごろ。
    色も、グレイに近い色で気に入りました。
    ロレックス偽物 https://www.jpbrandok.com/brand-20-fake-0-min-0-max0-attr0-4-sort_order%20Desc,goods_id-DESC.html

    Reply
  17. Helena

     /  January 7, 2019

    Hi. I like the pig pattern. But u only show how to make into ball. What about to tail, ears, eyes and the nose?
    Can u show me?
    Thank you
    Helena

    Reply
  18. JENNY YOST

     /  June 17, 2019

    Where can I find the template to cut out the pig ears, snout, legs and tail?

    Reply
  19. It’s a really cool pattern but is there a pattern for the other animals because I attempted making the whale and the tail came out really wacky

    Reply
  20. Looking forward to reading more. Great post.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

    Reply
  21. This is one awesome post.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

    Reply
  22. Say, you got a nice post.Really thank you! Really Cool.

    Reply
  23. This unique blog is no doubt interesting additionally diverting. I have picked up many handy things out of this source. I ad love to go back again and again. Thanks a lot!

    Reply
  24. That is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Simple but very accurate info Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!

    Reply
  25. Really informative post.Really thank you! Really Great.

    Reply
  26. Thanks for the great post, I adore the blog.

    Reply
  27. Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic article.Really thank you! Much obliged.

    Reply
  28. We think you should read this I am still learning from you, as I am trying to reach my goals. I definitely love reading all that is posted on your blog.Keep the tips coming. I enjoyed it!

    Reply
  29. 東京第七家信用ブランドコピー時計の実体の店
    ブランドコピーバッグの誠実と信用の店、
    24時間以内に出荷し、3~4日に到着して、
    当社の販売のさまざまな国際ブランド、
    ルイヴィトンバッグ、エルメスコピー、
    ロレックスコピー、オメガ コピー、
    シャネル時計コピー、ブランドコピーバッグ、
    当社は誠心誠意あなたのためにサービス、

    Reply
  30. Vitamin E is another treatment that is best

    Reply
  31. Yüzlerce kadın,erkek ve çocuk termal içlik modeli Gipaş Tekstil’de!

    Reply
  32. Bein Sports Paketleri

    Reply
  33. Bryson Ford

     /  August 30, 2021

    Wow, what cute things! How do you make it? You can post the video on youtube how you make it. From here https://viplikes.us you can get youtube views for your video

    Reply
  34. Al Hirt Pete Fountain New Orleans Jass https://businessinsider.stringfellows.biz/42.html Vecinos Lokox Todo Esta Oscuro

    Reply
  35. Uyducu Karaköprü olarak uydunuzda oluşabilecek bütün arızalarınız için hizmetinizdeyiz.

    Reply
  36. เกมสล็อต BETFLIXAUTO89 อันดับหนึ่ง ในประเทศไทย โปรโมชั่น และ บริการของเรานั้น เรียกได้ว่า เป็นที่ยอมรับ จากผู้ใช้งานมากมาย เครดิตฟรี โบนัส100% 50 รับ 100

    Reply
  37. เราขอแนะนำ BETFLIX เว็บใหม่มาแรง รวบเกมสล็อตที่ดีที่สุด มาให้ท่านได้ใช้บริการ เป็นเกมเดิมพัน ในเครือข่าย betflix โดยตรง ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์

    Reply
  38. มีผู้เล่นจะทุนน้อยก็สามารถเล่นได้ หากอยาก ทดลองเล่นสล็อต ฟรี ไม่ต้องทำอะไรให้ยุ่งยาก เพียงแค่ผู้เล่นหยิบมือถือออกมา เข้ามาที่เว็บไซต์ของเรา ทางเราจะมีการให้บริการ

    Reply
  39. That appears to generally be wonderful Conversely I’m continue not to significantly much too certain which i like it. At any demand will appear way more into it and judge Individually! ทางเข้าสล็อต

    Reply
  40. Numerous thanks for a further excellent write-up. The position else could any one get that kind of details in these a wonderful means of composing? Individually, my looking to discover has completed now.

    Reply
  41. I acquired abnormal intriguing stuff within the weblog. I assume I am not the one somebody getting just about every among the enjoyment appropriate right here! Sustain The nice operate. บาคาร่าออนไลน์

    Reply
  42. Amanda

     /  February 15, 2023

    So much fun to make I just love these

    Reply
  43. Reading customer stories and testimonials helps me connect with the brand prior to making a purchase. Best sellers 2023

    Reply
  44. Tayla

     /  February 14, 2024

    Thanks! Very helpful for making my imaginary species of round beetle-like creatures!

    Reply
  1. felt pigs | Tally's Treasury
  2. Pokemon plushies | Tally's Treasury
  3. commissions & creatures – last month’s cute things | Tally's Treasury

Leave a Reply to grove-white Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *