The Plucky Penguin is the first free Fostering Sewing Pattern. You can download it in the Fostering Sewing Patterns Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/472616427920523/ or for a few dollars on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FosteringSewing
As always, I had an amazing group of testers to work with on this project, and I wanted to highlight their creations and ideas in a little roundup.
Steph Edinga: This penguin's furry tummy is a show stopper. The smocking gave it great texture, and Steph recommends adding weight to the base of the penguin if you are going to smock a heavy fabric in the front. Steph also added some stuffing to the wings to give them a bit of dimension.
Ashley Walker: This cute strawberry penguin shows off the lines of the tail and stomach .It was Ashley's first time making a stuffed animal and it is as sweet as a berry :)
Danielle Newman: If you want to use an embroidered eye, Danielle recommends Choly Knight's patterns. They give the penguin such a sweet expression, and the minky makes for such a cuddly companion.
Ashley Johnson: "I am a mom to 4 with no shop or Instagram. Most of my creations are made for my humans with their interests as my inspiration. We have had sequins fabric in the stash for actual YEARS...I'm thinking 5 years... but the penguin was the first time I felt the need to cut into it. The smocking was a must after the Loki gator! That portion took the longest. I invested an hour with a ruler and marker but the effect is worth the labor. I used the projector file to cut and a standard Brother sewing machine to assemble. I veered from the pattern on the cheek applique. In an attempt to avoid hand stitching, I used my machine to sew the cheeks on before I attached and stuffed the face. Admittedly, I had to seam rip one side and try again a second and third time. Even then they were still not perfect but close enough that I stuck out my plan. If I had any regrets, it's that I did not add weight to the tail end before closing the back. My non-smocked penguin sat on it's own but my sequined smocked penguin leans to one side and easily tips over. The smocked fabric adds additional weight to the front. If I can impart any advice, add the poly pellets / rice ect to counterbalance the weight. The instructions are easy to follow, with clear photographs. The final product is adorable and unquestionably a penguin. Thank you for allowing me to contribute and be a part of your magic. "
Alejandra Taylor: This squishy penguin friend was made using the projector pattern and looks so at home in the snow. They used double sided heat n bond for the cheeks but recommend sewing them if the penguin will receive heavy use.
Samantha Burton: "My name is Sam and I'm from Pennsylvania. I've been sewing mainly for my family of 3 boys for over 3 years now. I was so excited to test the penguin pattern since penguins are one of my favorite animals. My whole penguin was made of Flannel and stuffed with the standard Poly fil. I drew the eyes on with fabric paint markers, just so I didn't have to worry about my 2 year old ripping them off somehow. To finish it up, I used (2) 20" long pieces of ribbon and tied a matching bow on the penguin for a little extra pizazz!"
JL Talamnates: "Hi, I’m JL, I jumped into this project as a complete stuffie beginner. I’ve always thought about making something for my kids but for one reason or another I always let it intimidate me. This Penguin was special. It’s so adorable and my youngest kid really loves Penguin Town on Netflix. He also really loves wearing anything I make him; so I really wanted to make him something special. I made it even more special by using my husbands retired flannel shirt and the main fabric. Fleece was used for the belly and cheek appliqué. I also reused the cuff buttons for the eyes. When I was almost done I asked the family if the wings looked good the way I was pinning them. My husband asked if I could make it hold a pebble. Some penguin males give a female the smoothest pebble he can find during courtship. If the female accepts his proposal pebble she puts it in the next where she will later lay her eggs. So I turned the wings around so it could hold its pebble. This project was so much fun and my kid loved his penguin so much they’re inseparable. "
Sharon Finberg: Sharon made these pair of penguins as a team special project "Mine is the smaller penguin, at suggested size. 12yo’s is the larger penguin. I took it to the copy shop and enlarged the pattern by 139% (just 8.5x11 to 11x17). "I’ve been sewing for decades, but mostly very easy things and consider myself sort of a perpetual beginner. I’m a physicist, and very math oriented, so I’m always looking at patterns as a 3D geometry problem.
My youngest child is 12, and we like to do projects together. Mostly we sew simple items, but also other crafts. Projects like the stuffed animals are fantastic, where we each do our own, but at the same time."
Marianne Savin: "Hi, I'm Marianne, aka Mamanfaitlacouture, a french mum you like to sew a lot for her children. Since they are little they love that mummy sew them plushies, maybe as much as I like to sew some for them. So when I showed Plucky the Penguin to my daughter and saw her reaction I knew it would be a hit. I used both side of a brushed french terry for the bodice and the stomach. I only regret not to have received my safety eyes for a more serious look !
I didn't expect this pattern to be so easy to sew and the tutorial easy to follow, so don't hesitate if you're new to plushies, this one will be a success for your loved ones, whatever age they have."
Jennifer Epp: Look at the eyelashes on this one! "Jewel came to visit the farm and felt quite at home in the freezing temperature! This is a quick sew! Not complicated but teaches a few potentially new sewing techniques like darts, sewing a circular base and even smocking!
Did you know a group if penguins on land are called a waddle? Other names for a group of penguins include rookery, colony, and huddle. Time to make a waddle!"
Randi Dueck: The fur on this amazing penguin runs up instead of down and it gives it such amazing fluff. Definitely consider this style if you have some fluffy fur on hand!
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