What you need:
• Two large pieces of cotton or felt fabric
• Scissors
• A pencil or pen
• Fabric glue, needle and thread, stapler, or low-temp hot glue gun. (There are several ways to connect the two pieces of fabric
for the soft sculpture. Adults should direct kids in choosing the safest and most effective method.*)
• Pillow stuffing – available at any craft store.
• A large piece of paper
• Embellishments: sequins, googly eyes, buttons, fabric remnants, markers
What you do:
1. Draw a whale outline on a large sheet of paper. Think big! Add the details later.
2. Cut out your whale outline and place it on the fabric. Trace your design on the fabric and cut out the shape. Do this again.
3. Put the two sides of your sculpture together so that they match perfectly. Lift a small section of the top half of the fabric and using fabric glue (or glue gun, or stitches, or staples) carefully connect the two pieces of fabric. (If using a glue gun, carefully press the fabric together; it will be hot.) Continue around the edge of your whale, several inches at a time. Be sure to leave a portion about the width of your hand open, so you can turn your sculpture inside out and stuff it.
4. Once the glue has dried, carefully turn your sculpture inside out as you would a T-shirt. Use the eraser end of a pencil to help push the fabric through near the tail.
5. Now it is time to stuff. Make your sculpture as plump or flat as you’ d like.
6. Carefully glue the open seams together and let glue dry. (Or stitch or staple the sculpture closed.)
7. When your seams are dry, use googly eyes, sequins, or contrasting fabric to add eyes and barnacles.
