My next handmade Christmas gifts were dragons! one for my SIL and one for my goddaughter. I used the Simplicity 8715 pattern, but I wish I’d known that the designer sells the same pattern as a printable download (with longer, more detailed instructions) and gotten it that way instead, because wow I hate dealing with tissue paper patterns.
These are both made of purple faux suede and a thin, stretchy teal faux leather (which is also on the underside of the wings, although it’s not visible in any of the pictures).
I didn’t follow the pattern instructions for assembly, because it’s a lot of fiddly machine sewing, and I’m REALLY glad that I looked up pattern reviews before making it (...although I wish I’d thought to do that before buying the pattern). Especially helpful was this post by @kirstencreates and I copied a lot of the modifications! except that instead of embroidering after assembly, I used the fancy stitches on the machine to add detail to the bellies, and on the horns of the second dragon. I stuffed the limbs separately and ladder-stitched them on by hand, added toes to the front feet, and I omitted the tail spikes. I also attached the wings just in the back seam on the second dragon, and I wish I hadn’t, it was SO bulky and they ended up slightly uneven. It was better to stitch them in through a little slit at the shoulder, and they lay better. I also wish that I hadn’t been too lazy to go upstairs and get the stiff interfacing to use in the wings so they wouldn’t be quite so floppy, but oh well.
