Enjoy this adorable and FREE add-on for those who have already purchased my Axolotl Sewing Pattern. This free pattern add-on includes face embroidery as well as sewing pieces for the find and cheeks
"In water, Mudkip breathes using the gills on its cheeks. If it is faced with a tight situation in battle, this Pokémonwill unleash its amazing power - it can crush rocks bigger than itself.."
With my Kawaii Axolotl Sewing Pattern already purchased you can follow the tutorial provided with it to create your very own Mudkip while using this free tutorial. If you haven't purchased my Axolotl Sewing Pattern then you likely will not be able to use these free add-ons to achieve the finished result via this blog. If you are looking on where to purchase my bag pattern please visit the link below:
Now let's get started with this Free Add-On! You will need to print off the Free Add-On Pattern pieces first. Visit the link below to collect and download the Free-Add-on pattern pieces.
Next let us discuss what you will need material wise to create this plush via the bullet list below:
Minky Fabric (1-3 Colours of Blue, orange + Cream/White) 1/2 Yard *Orange fabric can be scrape pieces in size
Bag Foam (Bosal or Pellon Brand) 1/4 Yard
Pattern pieces printed and cut out
Embroidery Machine of 4x4 Hoop Size (No Face Appliqué is discussed in this tutorial - embroidery only)
Embroidery Essentials (Thread Colours, Stabilizer Tear/Cutaway, Watersoluble Stabilizer)
Regular strength 100% Polyester Sewing Thread
Upholstery Strength 100% Polyester Sewing Thread
Hand Sewing Needle
Pins and/or Wonder Clips
Large Sharp Scissors
FINALLY we can jump into the Add-on! Lets go!
For this pattern you will need a 4x4 hoop size to complete the face embroidery.
Hoop some stabilizer and lay a piece of minky down cover a good portion of the hoop. Use the color of minky you want the main body to be. Your machine will stitch the mouth/cheek outline.
Then use some scissors to cut away the excess minky below the stitched line.
2. Lay down your alternating minky color now (I went with cream). Your machine will again stitch out another mouth/cheek outline.
Using your small sharp scissors again cut away the excess fabric ABOVE the stitching line.
3. Finally use whatever color you'd like for the cheeks and lay it down into the hoop. The machine will stitch around in a nice circle.
Use your small sharp scissors to cut away the excess fabric around the outside of the circle.
4. To complete the embroidery cover your piece with water soluble stabilizer and stitch the following in this order:
Mouth Line/Eyebrow - Blue
Cheek outline - Orange
Eye/Nose - Black/gray/brown
Eye Highlight - Any color you'd like: I went with a light grey
Eye Shine - White
Once finished tear away tthe water soluble stabilizer. Remove from hoop and rehoop new stabilizer. You will now need to "Flip" your design in your hoop to stitch the mirror opposite side. If you are unsure how to flip a design please consult your user manual for your embroidery machine as all machines can do this.
You will also noticed that I included a male/female variant for the embroidery. The only difference in the embroidery files is that the female variant has lashes on her eyes :)
5. Once all your embroidery is finished you can start to assemble the new pattern pieces I created. These are known as "Quick sew" pieces. They are very easy and 2D pieces that are assmebled in a matter of minutes. These pattern pieces DO NOT include seam allowance since there is no need.
Let us start with the cheeks for example. You can trace around the pattern pieces onto the back of the minky and then flip it over onto it's self right sides touching. You can opt to use a few small pins if you'd like; however, it really isn't nessecary if you have been sewing with minky for a while. You can now sew directly onto the traced lines. Leave the bottoms open on each cheek whisker.
6. Repeat the same with the fins as well.
Note I also have cut out 1 piece of bag foam for stability for inside the fin. I traed around the same pattern piece then cut away a little extra (approx 1/8") from the traced line. You want the bag foam a little smaller than the actual sewn piece.
Alterantively if you do not want to use bag foam you could also experiment with stuffing the fins lightly with poly fill stuffing!
7. Repeat same steps as head fin as with the tail fin!
Prep the tail fin bag foam the same way as previous - a smidge smaller by trimming down with your scissors.
8. Once all your extra pieces are sewn together in prep for the head you can trim away excess seam allowance.
Don't forget to make small "snips/cuts" in towards the points of the cheeks. Be careful not to accidentally cut the stitching!
This will allow the cheeks to not pucker when stuffed later.
9. Now we can insert the foam into the fins as seen to the left of the head fin.
10. To insert the tail fin you will need to fold the foam and work it in through the smaller hole.
11. Once the foam is inside the fins you can use some type of disappearing ink and draw some guide lines onto the fins.
You do not want to use anything permanent on these.
12. Repeat the guide lines drawn onto the tail fin as well .
13. Using a longer stitch length of 3-3.5mm you can now sew directly up the fins. Go in the same direction as the fur. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.
There is no need to use the same coloured thread really since white hides into the minky well.
Now your fins are ready to be sewn to the plush - but first we have to assemble the rest of the plush!
14. To prepare the head fin to be sewn INTO the plush head we really need to prepare the pattern pieces slightly. Take the head pattern piece and mark 1.5" from the tip down onto the head.
Mark the pattern piece and then transfer that mark over onto the fabric head pieces.
This is where the beginning front of the head fin will go.
15. The next thing to do is to sew the darts on all the head peices THEN sew the cheeks together along the sides of the head.
This means we will have two halves of a head once the cheek seams are sewn.
Don't forget to trim away excess seam allowance as you sew a seam!
16. Now we can start to sew the front centre seam of the head. What I like to do though is to baste this seam first with a stitch length of 3.5mm.
And I only sew up the newly marked line on the front fo the head.
17. Once basted you can open the seam/head up and see if your mouth satin stitching is lined up.
If it is off a little then you can easily unpick and retry again! Without fussing over smaller stitches.
Once you like the look of the middle mouth satin stitch seam you can then sew with a regular stitch length of 2.5mm. But remember your just sewing up to the new mark on the head where the head fin will go!
18. Finally we can add teh head fin into the actual head. Make sure you have the front going towards the front of the face and the back towards the back of the head. Place this down inside one side of the head at the mark we made earlier.
Baste to that one side of the head with a longer stitch length (3.0-3.5mm).
19. Then baste the opposite side of teh head joining the two sides of the head together while sewing the fin into the seam.
Once everything is lined up you can now finish stitching from thr front of the tail fin all the way down the back of the head using a regular stitch length (2.5mm) finishing up the head
Trim all seam allowances and turn right side out. Stuff your new mudkip head moderate to firm with poly fill stuffing.
20. Now we have a cute deflated baby!
21. You can now stuff his cheek spikes softly. Then pin them in the middle of the cheek circles on the head. Ladder stitch around the base by hand attaching them to the plush head. I like to use thicker. thread when ladder stitching to be sure my items will not ever fall off easily!
**TIP - if you find the head fin is a little floppy still you can secure it more by ladder stitching around the whole bottom of the fin securing it tighter to the head by hand. This is an extra step but will make it not so floppy on the head. Depends on the style you are looking to achieve.
22. The last part of this add-on freebie to my Axolotl pattern is to hand sew the tail fin to the back of the body. I do this very last after finishing the rest of the plush as per the axolotl tutorial.
Be sure to set your plush on the table when lining up where to attach the tail.
With that is brings your mudkip to life!
I hope you enjoyed another free Pattern add-on and enjoy sewing a little friend for yourself to enjoy! I can't wait to continue to create more free options for more patterns of mine in the future. Till next time and happy sewing everyone!
Want to check out a few more traditional sewing patterns? I am slowly working on bringing more and more sewing patterns to my shop and not just embroidery patterns! Check out the few I've published below.
