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ThisUsernameFails — Needle Sculpting Tutorial

Published: 2011-06-21 05:32:05 +0000 UTC; Views: 137256; Favourites: 2238; Downloads: 601
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Description A quick tutorial on how to needle sculpt!

Needle sculpting can turn a sphere into a wonderfully feline shaped head! Needle sculpting is nothing more than a glorified method of pinching spots and securing those pinches with thread.



I ALWAYS double my thread, and fold it over. I then use the two tails to go through the eye of the needle, leaving a loop where the knot usually is. That way there's nothing to snip or tuck in, it's all done for you! It does make it kind of troublesome though, since the thread slips out sometimes.

PLEASE let me know if you have any questions at all! I'll be more than happy to take additional pictures and/or provide a video the best I can.

The revamped video is up! [link]
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Comments: 134

doof-ish [2019-07-15 09:36:32 +0000 UTC]

I just want to say thank you so much for this tut!!
it was super easy to follow and aa, the results are stunning!!
I used this to make my first ever plush and it honestly ended up looking super sweet, and way better than my expectation, all thanks to this tutorial

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BluShneki522 [2019-06-22 03:03:40 +0000 UTC]

Knotty: *falls in love with Sweetie*

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Puffylover1 [2017-10-23 02:19:28 +0000 UTC]

Mind blown

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Mortemire [2016-09-12 22:07:03 +0000 UTC]

What material is this?

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

ThisUsernameFails In reply to Mortemire [2017-02-04 02:14:24 +0000 UTC]

Non pill fleece! Now a days I'm using luxe fleece though.

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AsteriiStar In reply to Mortemire [2016-10-21 15:27:25 +0000 UTC]

I think what they are using is fleece ^^

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Mortemire In reply to AsteriiStar [2016-10-21 18:22:44 +0000 UTC]

Oh okay, thank you!

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SqueezeMeLittle [2015-12-28 19:48:43 +0000 UTC]

how would you do a body? Would you make it bean-baggy? or stiff plush

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to SqueezeMeLittle [2015-12-30 05:28:18 +0000 UTC]

Either way!

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Castiel-and-TARDIS [2015-07-10 02:29:08 +0000 UTC]

Question: How do you 'seam pinch'? I don't understand that. 

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to Castiel-and-TARDIS [2015-07-13 01:28:18 +0000 UTC]

it's just like using a seam/stitch to "pinch" the fabric together! If you take a thumb and forefinger to squish/pinch your plush, you have a stitch run inside say, the face, from one finger tip to the other! Your tie it in a knot to hold the fabric in place the same way you did with your fingers!

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craftycavy [2015-06-02 17:19:46 +0000 UTC]

This is really helpful thanks!

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ShimmerVenom [2015-04-26 17:42:28 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for this! this is helpful

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chibifiedWolf [2015-03-23 23:16:15 +0000 UTC]

I just found this account through your video on YouTube. Such helpful tips! Excellent work. I look forward to following you here on DA.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ThisUsernameFails In reply to chibifiedWolf [2015-03-24 22:15:09 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Unfortunately I'm not very active on here, but you can follow my art blog at offalteeth.tumblr.com !

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chibifiedWolf In reply to ThisUsernameFails [2015-03-25 03:56:14 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for the heads up. I think I will follow you on tumblr.

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Trickntreat [2015-01-18 16:28:50 +0000 UTC]

This was incredibly helpful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to Trickntreat [2015-02-22 00:35:10 +0000 UTC]

My pleasure, I'm so glad it helped!

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PonyUniverse [2014-09-08 16:57:39 +0000 UTC]

This looks helpful! :3 I'll add it to my plushie tutorial folder on my computer XD.

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Iluarts [2014-07-28 11:09:37 +0000 UTC]

This was helpful with making my James Bond-plushie's face and muscles! thank you! Check my gallery and you'll find him and I'm making the new Bond too

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to Iluarts [2014-08-02 23:43:41 +0000 UTC]

It turned out so well, wonderful work! I'm so happy I could have helped!

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JoeMadride [2014-03-27 07:02:30 +0000 UTC]

Very helpful

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ThisUsernameFails In reply to JoeMadride [2014-03-28 19:54:40 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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RomKom [2014-03-19 23:11:00 +0000 UTC]

Yay now my ponies are going to have mouths!

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to RomKom [2014-03-20 00:32:11 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

RomKom In reply to ThisUsernameFails [2014-03-20 00:38:26 +0000 UTC]

Can you needle sculpt pony ears? And how?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ThisUsernameFails In reply to RomKom [2014-03-23 03:04:21 +0000 UTC]

I feel like pony ears would be better suited to two triangles sewn together, then sewn onto the head where one side is kind of folded over the reast of the ear.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

RomKom In reply to ThisUsernameFails [2014-03-23 19:31:12 +0000 UTC]

yes but if you look at a plush maker named nazegoreng new updated rainbow dash, she has sculpted ears. im new to all of this...

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to RomKom [2014-03-26 22:33:16 +0000 UTC]

Hers aren't sculpted, they look like there's a separate pattern piece/allowance for it to be attached to the head with a "lobe" area? I'm not entirely sure. I haven't seen or tried that type of ear myself, I normally go for flatter ears and just sew to the head to shape them. Maybe message the artist?

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teasla3 [2014-03-17 23:47:34 +0000 UTC]

Neat tutorial!
I've gotta' ask though, how do you measure up the four ()'s that make up the sphere-base?
I can't get the rounded sides right.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ThisUsernameFails In reply to teasla3 [2014-03-20 00:32:41 +0000 UTC]

Do it as a 1:2 ratio. Say 5" at the widest part, 10" at the tallest. Hope that helps!

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Scourgefrost [2013-11-06 00:55:00 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! It's really helpful! :3

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Naehmaschine [2013-07-26 11:23:44 +0000 UTC]

Hej,

just wanted to thank you for the wonderful tutorial and also the video. With this I was able to give the Gatomon plushie I made a really cool face
So it was a great help!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ThisUsernameFails In reply to Naehmaschine [2013-08-06 02:00:12 +0000 UTC]

I checked her out, she looks wonderful! So happy to have been of help.

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Seiren-hime [2013-06-17 12:34:32 +0000 UTC]

So cute! Thank you for the tutorial!

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to Seiren-hime [2013-06-18 03:46:02 +0000 UTC]

My pleasure!

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Called1-for-Jesus [2013-05-30 19:58:48 +0000 UTC]

Excellent tutorial! I found this super helpful!

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to Called1-for-Jesus [2013-06-02 23:18:04 +0000 UTC]

That makes me so glad!

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DemonicTemerity [2013-04-05 00:47:22 +0000 UTC]

How do you make a pinch seam? I'm a bit confused

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to DemonicTemerity [2013-04-17 16:53:45 +0000 UTC]

It's just making a single stitch where one eye (closest to the nose bridge) meets the other across the nose bridge. Nothing technical, but you want to have the thread tight, to simulate you pinching that spot.

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DemonicTemerity In reply to ThisUsernameFails [2013-04-19 01:23:16 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much! xD

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TheFelinianWithWings [2013-03-25 17:02:03 +0000 UTC]

Looks neat. And I can actually follow the instructions, so yay!

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Sabjic [2013-02-11 19:13:09 +0000 UTC]

Very nice!!
Can you explain how do I make the base of the head and what materials I need?

-Sabjic

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to Sabjic [2013-03-03 16:37:40 +0000 UTC]

The head itself is four () shaped pieces sewn together. You leave about 1/2" unsewn at the bottom so you can stuff it. Then you can use a baseball stitch to sew the head onto the body.

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Free-Falling [2012-12-16 20:19:19 +0000 UTC]

Very helpful! Thank you!

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DahBunnahKing [2012-12-03 21:32:28 +0000 UTC]

Super helpful, thank you!

Will this also work with more humanoid heads (/chibi-ish)?

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to DahBunnahKing [2012-12-09 07:47:38 +0000 UTC]

Of course! Make sure to try it out first, it depends a lot on how exaggerated/understated you want the features.

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DahBunnahKing In reply to ThisUsernameFails [2012-12-09 21:12:34 +0000 UTC]

Alrighty! I'll keep that in mind the next time I decide to sew up a little person. Right now I've got monsters to work on. 8Y

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ThisUsernameFails In reply to DahBunnahKing [2012-12-12 02:36:44 +0000 UTC]

Make sure to link me when you finish! I love little monsters <3

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TheFlyingChemist [2012-11-21 20:37:59 +0000 UTC]

This is amazing! You make it look so easy...
One quick question. Was the shape you started with a sphere? I can't quite tell from the angle of the picture.
Thanks for the great tutorial!

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