FINALLY! I've been searching in earnest for a way to create a sewing pattern of a 3D object. Today a tutorial was posted on instructables.com that shows a brilliantly simple technique for breaking a three-dimensional shape down into flat pieces ready for cutting. Trace the shapes onto your fabric, cut and sew, and voila! A plush version of your original object!

For years I've been aching for a way to easily sew puppet heads that are the right shape. This method holds promise.

Link: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-sewing-pattern-from-a-packing-tape-mould/

J.

Nice find ..... Thanks for sharing.


Billy D.

I have been thinking about making my own pattern's lately and I was thinking of adopting a similar technique. So a huge thanks J. for the website. I can now see more clearly on screen what I had in my head.

yeah but....don't you need a 3d shape to fit with the bag and tape to make the pattern for the 3d shape you want?  ouch my brain....I think I pulled something......If I had a time machine I wold take it apart to backward engineer it so I could make myself a time machine.....

Ah yes that is the one thing about this method that can be an issue.   The thing is often you can find something that is shaped like what you want your puppet to look like and use it as a template so to speak. I can see useing the shape of the helmet as a puppet head for example.

Or you can make a mock-up with papier mache or carved out of a block of foam. That's the original 3-D object, then you can suffocate it with the plastic bag and packing tape.

I've actually seen that method used for making life-sized puppets or costumed characters. You use a mannequin's head, do the suffocation by plastic bag and duct tape thing, then cut your foam and glue it using the head as a base. I saw one person who actually made a plaster cast of their own head, then used that.

I often start with a drawning which I break down into it's basic geometric shapes. I use paper to create these shapes. I then nip tuck and tape until it it as close as I can get it to the shape I want. Then I cut it into the biggest pieces I can a still make them lie flat. These become the pattern for my foam and fabric. I'm using this method for a project right now. I'll try to post some pics

I've actually seen that method used for making life-sized puppets or costumed characters. You use a mannequin's head, do the suffocation by plastic bag and duct tape thing, then cut your foam and glue it using the head as a base. I saw one person who actually made a plaster cast of their own head, then used that.

I'm pretty sure you shouldn't wrap your head in plastic bags and tape it down.

I believe the bag was put over a plaster life cast, not the person's actual head.