Sunday, July 26, 2009

Humpty Dumpty




sat on a wall.



Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.


Whoops.



Couldn't put Humpty together again.


We can, though.


Good thing, too


since it seems to be a habit (clumsy bloke).

Early in the Spring, my cousin sent me a pattern from an
out of print local (i.e. Singapore) women's magazine that
was more than 20 years old (thank you, Merle!). The minute
I saw it I knew I had to make it - fat, round, flat eggish
softie with poor coordination and an indomitable spirit:
how could I not? The original pattern was too big and I
wanted his face to be more...... foolishly optimistic, so I
made my own (as my cousin knew I would). I love the
possibilities for black humor (all lost on my kids) with
this fellow. And I love that he reminds me of my own
Humpty Dumpty (he's about the same size) softie
I'd had as a child.

Kate pointed to his bandaid/elastoplast and said,
her eyes huge with concern, "owie!"


I considered using velcro for attaching his limbs, because
it might allow the two younger girls to independently er...
dismember him. But where is the charm in velcro? So
buttons it was. And Jenna (middle) didn't care. She ran
around hugging his eggy torso all afternoon while I was
finishing up the limbs, and tonight, she's got him (restored
to wholeness) on her pillow, smiling in the darkness
beside her own little head.


Updated Jun 15 2013: 
Pattern back again.


Too tired tonight (have wretched cold and haven't had nutella
for three days, gah) to write out instructions, so you'll have to
figure it out on your own, sorry. Just make the egg torso
separately from the four limbs and then do buttonholes on the
ends of the limbs that attach to the torso. Cut two pieces of the
head but only sew the face on the front, obviously. Please don't
traumatize your kids. And no, Voldemort Dumpty is NOT cool.
Oh, and when you cut out the shirt and pants (sorry, UK friends,
I mean trousers), don't forget the seam allowance (which is not
in the pattern). Stuff with polyfill at some point, of course. Wooo,
fat lot of good I am at this now- those are horrible instructions.

I'd better head off (ha, ha, Humpty!) to bed
before I do more harm. G'nite, all.

P.S. Still here. Just wanted to add, if anyone was wondering:
the little book is one of a series of 7 shaped nursery rhyme
books by Tracey Moroney that our kids love. They were
printed in 1996 and I don't know if they're still in print now.
All our kids started to "read" by memorizing these books.

P.P.S. I haven't forgotten I have one more summer dress to
share. The paper pattern is still at large.

P.P.P.S. I'm really going now. Really.


Edited in 2011 to add: Readers, please note that the egg-yolk details are made of PAPER. That is a PROP for the photoshoot. Humpty Dumpty does not crack open to reveal an egg of any kind. It's just a regular stuffed doll. Thought I'd add this in because of multiple cases of misunderstandings on sewing forums and email queries.

39 comments:

  1. That's just so lovely! It brings back wonderful memories for me because my mum made me a humpty toy like the one in the UK tv show "playschool". Thanks for another lovely pattern to add to the growing pile ;)

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  2. Adorable humpty! Thanks for the pattern!

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  3. SO cute!!!! What a great way to tell a story.

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  4. Some of my prized possessions as a child were some Humptys my mom made (they were limbless). She even made an empty one as a pajama holder.

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  5. the topstitching on the shoe! you are an insane woman! beautiful. i totally agree with your buttons versus velcro decision. looks so classic.

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  6. That turned out so cute, great craftsmanship! Have to mark this one as a keeper!

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  7. It's so cute! And it's not just for children, I think I'd like one for myself, haha.
    Nice to meet you, by the way.

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  8. We have been reading Humpty Dumpty too and what great timing! This will go on my 'urgent' list before N outgrows the rhyme...

    btw, this is how I sing the rhyme to N (to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle cos I never knew the actual song):

    "Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
    Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
    All the king's horses
    And all the king's men
    Couldn't put Humpty back again
    Humpty Dumpty shouldn't have had legs
    Humpty Dumpty is now scrambled eggs"

    The last line is a bit ungrammatical but it rhymes so what....:D

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  9. Ok So I am new to your Blog, But it has to be said... You are the most amazing Mommy out there...I am so inspired by you. You have brought a whole new level of fun and creativity to my mind! You are amazing. Your children are so lucky to have you as their mommy!

    Thank You for sharing all your wonderful tips, how to's and all your spunk mixed with humor! I love it!

    Have a wonderful day!
    Melanie

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  10. Lier, he's LOVELY! His little boots, his little band-aid, Meep!
    And his SPLAT is hilarious! Is it felt or paper?
    Another cracking design! (Sorry, I'm powerless in the face of a bad pun).
    Seriously though, good job being the most inspiring blogger I read.
    Erin

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  11. Thanks, everyone, for the comments! I was especially tickled that so many of you had Humptys as kids- I would never have guessed. Now hands up anyone who also had giant twin raccoons named Mork and Mindy?

    Melanie and Esthy: welcome and I am pleased to meet you, too!

    Lilybee: hey, how have you been? You wouldn't believe what some other folks have done with the felt garden thing since the days it first appeared on Wee Baby Stuff. I'll post on it soon. And the splat is some random paper I drew a yellow yolk circle on. Couldn't bear to make one out of felt just for the picture!

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  12. Thank you so much for the pattern! As soon as I saw your adorable pictures, I had to make it for my friend's baby shower gift. I made it all with scraps I had on hand and it came out so perfectly. If you want to see a picture of it, I just posted it on my blog: stitchesandsnps.blogspot.com. Thanks again!

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  13. OMG! I sware this is the cuttest thing i have ever seen!!! its lovely!!!

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  14. Thank you so much for the free pattern! Your blog is amazing! I was able to make the cutest Humpty for my sister in law. Thanks again!

    www.thecraftnut.blogspot.com

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  15. I bookmarked this back when you first posted it. This week my daughter is having a lesson on Humpty Dumpty and I just had to make one for her and her little brother to play with. Thanks for such a cute pattern!

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  16. Muchas gracias por el patrón y la explicación.
    Me encanta su blog.
    Saludos desde España.

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  17. oh i just love him! thanks for sharing

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  18. I am just in love with your humpty dumpty..would you be willing and able to make additions to the directions. Also, what machine did you use for his smile:)


    Beth

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  19. I have 2 great granddaughters one is 17 months old one is 16 months I want to make this for them. When I tried to print the pattern I used legal size paper and regular size. They both came out totally different sizes and I can't get it to all print on the page. Could you please tell me the size of the body. I can't figure out how to get it to print to the right size. I just love your projects and so want to try making some of them for my babies!! Thank you so very much

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  20. jude3944: please email me (my email address is in the sidebar) and let's see what we can do to get it sorted out.

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  21. I am making this for our nephew for Easter. It's lots of fun!

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  22. Would you consider making one for me?

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  23. I love this pattern! I just have a couple quick questions....In the picture of the finished Humpty, the seams on the legs are down the front, so his feet stick forward when he is sitting but the pattern will make them stick out the sides. I like them facing forward better! He looks much more proper! Is there and easy way to correct that? Also, do I cut 3 different pattern pieces for the egg, shirt, and trousers? How will it match up on both sides if it isn't precise?

    I want to make my baby grandson this for Easter, since he is too little to appreciate the laying hen I am making for his sister from your pattern! Your work is just amazing! Next, I want the mushroom house and the pig......You're gonna keep me very, very busy!!!

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    Replies
    1. Christina, yes, you're right about the leg seam. I drew up the templates after I'd made the toy and therefore I never used the templates to sew the product - it was actually the other way around. I'll describe how I made the leg, since quite a few people have asked. What might be useful to note is the buttonhole bit at the top of the leg isn't accurately drawn in the template, because it will be twisted 90 degrees when the whole leg is sewn up. There was no way to draw it in the right way as a template, but I somehow had to show the shape on paper, so, well... I apologize for the confusion.

      1 Sew one boot piece onto one leg piece (cut the top part with the buttonholes without the shaved-off corners i.e. leave the entire leg piece as a complete rectangle with four corners).
      2 Sew another boot piece (mirror image of the first) onto another leg piece (also cut as an unmodified rectangle).
      3 Sew up both long seams of the leg+boot but leave an opening in one of those seams for turning out and stuffing. One of those seams will end up being the back midline of the leg and the other seam will end up being the front midline of the leg (extending down into the front of the boot where the shoelaces are.
      4 Embellish the boot (laces etc).
      5 Turn inside out and sew on the sole of the boot.
      6 Still inside out, sew close the top opening of the leg by lining up the front seam with the back seam. See Step 5 of this tutorial for what I mean:
      http://www.ikatbag.com/2009/06/five-stones.html

      You can sew in the corners of the top of the buttonhole portion of the leg to make the trapezium-ish shape.

      7 Turn right side out through the opening in the leg seam. Finish the buttonhole region (dividing partition, buttonholes, edge- stitching etc).

      8 Stuff the leg and sew up the opening, adding the knee partition seam.

      To answer your other questions: Yes you cut three pieces like a jigsaw puzzle for the egg, shirt and trousers OR three pieces in a layering formation i.e. entire egg, shirt+trousers shape and just the trouser shape. Whichever you prefer. To get them to line up at the side seams, you'd have to be precise. There is no shortcut, I'm afraid. Mark the edge positions of those three pieces to be sure they line up.

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  24. Lier, As promised in email http://pinterest.com/darklordsmommy/my-pinterest-accomplishments/ (hopefully the link works) let me know. :)

    Your beautiful project has a new alter ego in my finished doll. LOL I'm a failing over achiever. I attempt things out of league and have to live with my results. :)

    I wanted to make a valentines themed Humpty Dumpty doll for my 1 year old son, which exluded hearts and pinks of the Valentine's array. So i looked to see what I already had in the house. Meaning material substituitions and to make it even more complicated I changed the buttons to velcro - safety for my son - and made it so he does break open and show yolk.

    I also added a collar and what I'm calling cuffs but are actually there to hide that I had to hand stich the hands and feet on to the limbs because I didn't do it as you suggested and had no more material.

    Other additions were an extra bandage and the inside inscription for my son. Inside is back of the face has inscription and the yolk is opposite it in the middle of the egg.

    I used a waffle print fabrick for the bandage insted of stiches and padded it with white felt like a real bandage. Why? Because I moved the placement of the bandage to me used as a velcro strap to connect the front of the head to the back, requiring two bandages (one on either side) but placed it so it was gause over crack and one side of the bandage velcro to the front and the other side of the same bandage sewn on.

    I gave him little leather boots and had to add a middle piece of white felt to be able to velcro head on.

    So it's HEAD (front and back)
    white felt with velcro
    Shirt
    trousers
    shoes

    I consequently used all my white felt and used a mans dress shirt as the material for my egg head which is probably where I messed up but I did overstuff him.

    Either way I gave him to my son and asked him what happens to Humpty and my son pushed the doll and he fell on the ground and busted to pieces as expected.

    LOL.... I'll try not to mess up the next project I do!

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  25. My name's Mila and I'm a spanish kindergaten teacher, when I saw your Humpty I thought it was just what a needed for my little children.
    So this summer with my mum's great help, we have a Humpty of our own.
    We had so much fun cutting, sewing and introducing life to him. Humpty is now part of our family and I'm so proud about him.
    Thanks for all your help, for the pATTERN, it's great. Thanks for sharing so many lovely crafs.

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  26. I wondered if you would ever consider selling this Humpty Dumpty? My son loves Humpty Dumpty and would love it. My e mail address is christiansen.ashley@gmail.com

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  27. Yours is the best Humpty Dumpty pattern I can find. When will it be available again. I want to make one before August 2013.

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  28. So sorry you had to take the pattern down, would also love to try to make it. This is one of the cutest patterns I've seen. Please reconsider putting the pattern back up or making it available. Thank you.

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  29. yay i just checked back and have seen the pattern back again, I was dreading having to work out how to make your Humpty without it! Thanks heaps for sharing the pattern, it s the cutest Humpty on the net :) From Megan in NZ

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  30. would you be willing to make a humpty to sell? I just love this one in particular but don't think I could sew it. Please let me know. My son would love this!

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    1. Jennifer: unfortunately, I don't have the time to at the moment. I am so sorry!

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  31. Today I finished Humpty Dumpty using your pattern. Thank you so much for sharing. I'm absolutely delighted with the result and I hope my grandson will be too.

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  32. this is so adorable, and clever. thank you so very much for sharing this with us. I found your website via #‎6weeksofsofties‬

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  33. Hi,
    Your daughters are sooo BeAuTiFuL !!! YuMmY lItTlEs OnEs ...XoXoX

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  34. Hi, I just finished making him for my daughter. She loves humpty and you can't buy a toy anywhere so I decided to make one. Your pattern was so easy to follow for an amateur like me (thanks for the separate post about the legs!) and I don't have a sewing machine so I did him entirely by hand. He is soooo cute and will now accompany my daughter everywhere I expect �� Thank you, thank you, thank you

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  35. My son is obsessed with Humpty Dumpty. I cannot find a doll that we like for him. I want to make him this but I need help please! I don't know how to sew and have never sewn before. Somebody gave me a sewing machine and I would like to use it to make this. I downloaded the template but there are absolutely no measurements I have no idea what to do! Is there some way I can get some help on this please? My son second birthday is in August and I want to have it ready by then. If anybody could please help me that would be great thank you!! I don't even know what kind of material to get. Thank you so much

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  36. I followed this pattern to use in my classroom but decided to not have detachable limbs

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