Extra! Extra! Zip-Up Zombie spills his guts!

Look what just crawled out from under a bush! Well, firstly me, after working in blog-absentia for months. (Shocking!) Secondly my latest design for a Zip-Up Zombie, which is up for voting on in this week’s Spoonflower Zombie plush toys contest. You unzip him down his middle to reveal his innards. Ew! Check him out, and vote for him if you’re lovin’ his maggot infested brain and his guts-oozing style. He’s feeling a little sad because  for some unknown reason the Spoonflower website turned his image into a little blue box on the voting page for a few days = most annoying! They’ve fixed it now but he’s lost some votes, so help him out will ya?! (You have until Wednesday to vote.)

And for once I’m ahead of the game with the tutorial, and just in time for Halloween preparation. So let’s get stuck right into the instructions!

This tutorial requires a fat quarter of Zip-Up Zombie fabric on either Kona or the linen-cotton blend. The finished sewn-up Zombie is about 11″ (27cm) tall.

ADDITIONAL NOTIONS NEEDED:

10“ (25 cm) Zipper

2 x 1/2” Buttons

Stuffing

PATTERN INFO & HANDY TIPS:

Seam allowance = 1/4″ (6mm)

Double stitch at start and end of all seams.

STEP 1: ZIPPERED FRONT

A) Press your fabric. Cut out all your pieces along the black lines. Place EXTERIOR FRONT right side up, then place TOP INSIDE LINING right side up (with printed side upwards) on top.

B) Stitch all around black dotted stitch guidelines. Carefully cut along purple cutting lines, snipping close into corners without cutting the stitching.

 

C) Push TOP INSIDE LINING through the cut hole, flatten to form the lining and press.

D) Place an 10” zipper in place under the rectangular hole, with the metal tips at least 1/4″ (6mm) past the end of the rectangular opening. Topstitch all around it to secure it in place. Trim the excess zipper ends on the back side as shown.

STEP 2: ZOMBIE BODY

A) Make a sandwich with BOTTOM INSIDE LINING right side up at the bottom, then TOP INSIDE LINING, then EXTERIOR FRONT right side up, and finally EXTERIOR BACK right side down. Pin and mark a 3” (75mm) wide gap at the feet.

B) Stitch all around the edge leaving the 3” (75mm) wide gap open at the bottom open for turning. (Remember to back stitch at start and finish to prevent unravelling.) Trim outer corners and snip inner corners.

C) Turn right side out. Turn seam allowance inwards at opening and press.

D) Stuff with stuffing between the BOTTOM INSIDE LINING and the EXTERIOR BACK. (So that you have three fabric layers on top and one below. Make sense?) Then top-stich or whipstitch the opening closed.

STEP 3: ARMS

A) Place ARMS right sides together, matching RIGHT with RIGHT, and LEFT with LEFT. Stitch all around leaving open between dots. Notch around curves and turn right side out. Turn the seam allowance at the openings inwards and press. (For tips on turning see the third pic down in this tutorial.)

B) Stitch a button hole the size of your button at the shoulder of each arm as shown. Stuff the arms and whipstitch the openings closed.

C) Stitch a button onto each shoulder of the EXTERIOR at the sides. Button your arms in place.

That’s it, you’re all done!

If you’re a Halloween keener check out my Skellie pattern from last year, as well as my Glow-in-the-dark Ghosties craft tutorial.

And I promise to try and be a better bloggie friend from now on. Have a great Halloween.