jbsstrawberry

Good idea :)

MissTreated

Fur can surely be a challenge. Are you using a fake fur, or a real fur? In either case, be sure to cut the fur from the back, preferably with a scalpel, using a mirror image of your pattern, so when you turn it over to the right side, it's the way you intend it to be.

When you sew it, secure it well with pins. As you sew around it (with a machine, I assume) use a smaller zig-zag, sweeping the fur away to the side as you stitch. The fur will cover the stitches with a little coaxing after you are finished.

The worst part of the whole procedure is getting fur up your nose!

M

vicki reno

The little guy is sooo cute! I hope you decide to do him, its going to be really adorable :-)

Flying_V_Goddess

Fake fur. I didn't think there was anyplace the average person could get the real stuff (besides going into the woods and hunting for the animals myself).

Smaller how? Width wise or length wise (or both)? I assume you mean width...

Oh my God! I totally forgot about getting fur up my nose! I took a sewing class in the 10th grade and after we learned the basics and took time to think what we wanted to make we went to Hancock Fabrics to buy the materials. I saw this blue fur and thought of this top the drummer of my favorite band wore for a music video. So I bought half a yard of the stuff and tried to re-create it. There was fur EVERYWHERE and I ended up snorting the stuff. It was awful...

Flying_V_Goddess

You think he's cute now you should see him animated. Extra cute!

I think I'll do him once my applique skills are up to par (along with that giantic wall hanging of the sea map from The Wind Waker). I'm not quite sure what I'll do with him. Either have him on a solid background (like in the montouge of him and the kids against the orange backdrop in the credits) or something related to nature (since he's a forest spirit). Probably will add the little Totoro with him, but it might be hard finding a dark blue fur for the medium sized one (I know Hancock's has blue fur, but I think it might be too bright). I'm not sure what to do with his eyes, whiskers, claws, etc.

MissTreated

I'm talkin' like 2-2.5 wide and about the same in length. It really doesn't take much to keep it attached.

M

quilterj

Would like to see a picture when you are finished. Never heard of a Totoro.

vicki reno

I love to see your projects/dreams. You are so crative. I think what I come up with might be a tad bit dull compared to your dreams. Keep it up :!: :D I see a future in design somewhere down the road.

Flying_V_Goddess

Maybe because he's from a Japanese animated movie. Ever hear of Hayao Miyazaki? He's the one who created the Totoro...he is simply amazing. Besides most of the animation and the music, he pretty much does all the work in his movies...storyboards, script, some animation, directing, etc...he does what it takes an entire team of people to do. And rarely do you ever see a movie which has something you've never seen before...well, each of his movies has about a dozen things you've never seen before. They are inspiring, creative, and they're just fun to watch. I'm thinking when I get around to this Totoro I might do the castle from Howl's Moving Castle.

It probably will be a while before I do Totoro. My applique skills aren't exactly the greatest and the closest place I know that sells the fur I need is at Hancock's and it will probably be a while before I go there.

Pam Pollock

Here is an idea. If you were going to enlarge it enough it wouldn't be a big issue to cut out all the different shapes of fur for each seperate color. Break it down into different shapes for different colors ie:shades of browns, whites & markings on his belly as seperate pieces. I'm not suggesting that you put a layer of fur over a layer of fur, but instead for example, on the white tummy you could cut the whole shape of the tummy out of white & then mark on the back side of the tummy where the 7 spots need to be & then cut the white spots out to make room for the brown ones you'll put in there instead. You could applique them all onto a background piece that has the drawing transferred onto it. Start basting on pieces like a puzzle & then just watch it grow. Sounds like a fun project & hope you share your results with us!