Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Quick Craft: Turn A Tsum Tsum Into A Bookmark!

Plush Tsum Tsums are the world's snuggliest menace, you guys. They sneak their way into our homes, onto our desks and shelves and dashboards, and then they SIT THERE and they do NOTHING

You know, except be soft and look cute.


So in an effort to make one of my extra Tigger Tsums earn his keep, I turned him into a bookmark.
That's right, bub, you're pulling double duty now!

 Plus he looks even cuter this way, right? He can sit on my desk like this when not in use, then opens out like this:
 

 And tucks into a book like this:
 Now THAT is a good stretch.

Want to make your own? Then good news: it's super easy. Especially once I stopped trying to kid myself about being able to sew it and just broke out the tacky glue. (Awww yeaaah.)

So let's make one!

YOU WILL NEED:


- 1 plush Tsum Tsum
- matching polyester ribbon (1.5 inches wide is perfect)
- fast dry fabric glue or tacky glue
- scissors
- binder clips or clothes pins

 Step 1: Explain to your Tsum this may sting a little.
 Sorry.

Step 2: Make a slit in the side and remove the little bean bag, if it has one:


Step 3: Continue cutting all the way around the middle until you have 2 half-a-Tsums:

Step 4: Remove about half of the stuffing from each side:

Note: This next step should be done with two hands, so just imagine I'm doing the same thing on both sides:

 Step 5: Push the sides in like so, then pinch the top and bottom together like this:

 See how that works? Now do that again, only this time after you apply glue on all the fabric edges. (This will be a little messy, so have a wet paper towel nearby to wipe off your fingers.)

Once you're happy with the pinched seam, use binder clips to hold it together while the glue dries:

 After the glue is thoroughly dry, take off the clips and brush on a little more glue over the seam to prevent fraying:

 And once that glue dries, you can use scissors to trim off any excess fuzzies. 

Now take the edge of your ribbon - which IS polyester, right? - and wave it near a candle flame to melt the very edge. (Otherwise it could fray.) This may take some practice, but it should be a nice even edge with no scorch marks, like this:


Now glue that edge to the underside of your Tsum's front half:


 Measure out the length you want your bookmark to be, then repeat all that for the bottom half:
 

 I made mine fit this hardcover book exactly, so of course that IS a little limiting; it will only work for this height of book or shorter:


Shorter books will just have some of the ribbon hanging out the back end, though. No biggie.


Speaking of back ends, I think this pinched bottom is ridiculously adorable:



And the front's not bad, either:


When you're not using your bookmark, bring the two ends together and set it down like this:

 See? Now no one will ever guess this lazy lil' loafer has a secret second job. ;)

 One more stretch:
  
(I realize this should really be a Figment Tsum Tsum, but would you believe Disney hasn't made one yet? Boggles the mind.)


I hope some of you give this a try; I'd love to see a whole shelf of Tsum bookmarks, maybe arranged in rainbow order? (Hint hint?) Or if you have any suggestions for improvements, I'm all ears in the comments.


Happy crafting!

***

Oh, and if you want more projects and tutorials, then check out my Craft Page! I've got over 150 DIY goodies to choose from there, guaranteed to help you waste many, many hours. ;)


31 comments:

  1. Hmmm... What if you put the Tsum Tsum on a large elasticized ribbon - so it slides around the book. No risk of falling out, and you don't have to cut the poor stuffy.

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  2. That is awesome. Although I don't think my son has any dupes... yet.

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  3. Oh, my! I don't know if I could force myself do that to a poor tsum tsum. It is a cute bookmark though.

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    1. Here in Orlando we have Disney clearance outlets that sell them for less than $3 each, so they tend to accumulate. ;) I couldn't bring myself to cut any of my precious Donalds, though - even though I have 4!

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  4. I want to know about the little Figment standing against the wall in the second picture from the bottom. He's too cute! Maybe you could have the 2 Kitties and 1 Doll lady from you tube make you a Figment plush out of a sock.. Then you could turn that into a bookmark?

    I was watching her school supplies videos yesterday. They are awesome, and help to fight the boredom at work!

    -Cecilia

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    1. That's the "Nerds Rock" Figment Vinylmation - he's part of a little Figment shrine on that part of my desk, I should share a full pic sometime. Anyway, I've had him for years, but I'm sure you could find one on Ebay!

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  5. can you imagine how fast a Figment Tsum would sell out?!?!? and I thought the Peter Pan Tsums went fast!

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    1. I bet Disney is saving him for some special event or limited edition run. Because they're mean like that. ;)

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  6. My daughter got something similar as an end of year present from one of her teachers, but the middle is wide elastic, not ribbon, so it's about large paperback sized when not stretched, and will stretch out to accommodate a hardback. (Or to be launched across the room, slingshot style... you know, whatever.)

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    1. Loooove this idea, and I did consider it, but finding wide elastic in *orange* wasn't happening. :D I'd love to try one, though! Just be sure you sew it if you go the elastic route, since that's putting a lot of strain on the seam.

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  7. My eyes are 50 shades of green over your Figment Vinylmation, just saying...

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  8. I love it! I would hand sew it just so it lasts longer. But then I'm more comfortable with a needle than I am with glue.

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    1. I really did *try* to hand sew it - 3 times! - but I am SO BAD, I had to rip it out each time, because it looked awful. I'm the world's worst with thread, though, so I know you guys could rock it.

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    2. Maybe fully de-stuffing it, sewing it most of the way up and then re-stuffing through a smaller opening would work?

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  9. Brilliant! These will be making their way into my books soon.

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  10. Tiggers are made with springs!!

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  11. If polyester ribbon is anything like paracord,then using the bottom of the flame (the part that looks blue or white rather than orange or yellow) to melt the edge should work without burning/changing the color.

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  12. Rainbow order?
    All my Tsum are organized by fandom/film...

    Seriously, fun idea. Excited to try this one out!

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  13. Hay! Scott Meyer's book! I love his comic Basic Instructions.

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    1. Scott's a friend, and yes, I'm bragging. :D I'm gutted he and Missy moved away; they're the best kind of people, and he always let me proof-read his books before then went to the publisher.

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  14. Too cute! Tigger looks very proud of his new job.

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  15. I love the explain that this will sting step!

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  16. You mean your tsum tsum's don't get stolen by the cats and hidden all over the house like a cat toy? Just me?

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    1. That's what happened to mine, too! One cat loves to play with them until he gets a hole in it, and then he rips out all the stuffing and spreads it all over the house. It's horrifying!

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  17. Couldn't you just glue the strip into the seam you glued together on the tsum tsum instead of tacking it on afterwards? Or would that make the bond less stable?

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    1. This was my thought as well. I think as long as you glued both sides of the ribbon, it shouldn't be any less stable. More fiddly to get it all in the right place, but you wouldn't have to worry about fraying.

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  18. I may be slightly traumatised by this post. I don't think I could ever cut up a Tsum Tsum. They're just too adorable. It probably didn't help that the only one I own just so happens to be that exact Tigger Tsum Tsum...well, almost exact. My Tigger only ever had one ear...which somehow made him even cuter.

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  19. you could also glue a rare earth magnet to either side so it will stay together when not in use.

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  20. This is SO cute! I feel the same away about Tsum Tsums. I have a million on my desk at work but they just sit there. I don't know why I expect them to do something.

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