Puzzle Ball, Part 2

I've made a lot of progress on my puzzle ball since the last time I wrote about it. Actually, since starting this post a few days ago, I finished it! This will be mostly pictures because I'm struggling to come up with something interesting to say. I guess sometimes all you need is: hey, look at this thing I made, tada! I tend to over think things. Just a tad.

I ironed the seam allowances outwards so that when I sewed each segment shut, it would be a nice straight seam.

Turned inside out.

Shameless Macbook plug!

I stuffed each segment with polyfill, and used a blind stich to close it up. (Why are my pictures right in front of my laptop? Multitasking: sew for a bit, do something on the internet, go back to sewing, repeat. I have a great attention span actually, why do you ask?)

I've discovered that with polyfill, you really have to work hard to get a nice full, evenly stuffed shape. You need to stuff the corners and seams first, THEN the middle. Otherwise they won't have anything in them, or it will be lumpy. Unlike water, polyfill does not spread out and take on the shape of its container. I use a narrow stick to push small tufts into each little space, and continue stuffing it as I sew it up. It's a relaxing process, and satisfying when it comes out right.

I wasn't totally thrilled with how the corners came out. They weren't as sharp and crisp as the first puzzle ball I made. Aren't we supposed to get better with practice?

All 12 segments in a pile.

Part 3 to come in a day or two.