Tutorial: How to Sew Scales

One issue that I had with my Hogwart pattern when I was having it test knit is the scales! Yes, it's a finishing aspect, so it's not really knitting, but it was so hard for me to describe how to do them.  So, this is my attempt to explain how to add scales to your knit toy. 

To add scales, you need: Felt, a sewing needle, embroidery floss or thread that matches your felt, and pins.  Pins are essential! If you don't have sewing pins, quilting pins, or dress pins, you can use safety pins.

Step one is to cut out the scales.  I cut felt into one-inch strips, then cut those strips into rectangles.  I don't really about size consistency - that's kind of the charm, that some scales are bigger or longer than others.  So, there's no template.  After the rectangles are cut, I round two corners of the rectangles to make the scales.  Most of them are about the size of a nickle.

Then, out come the pins! Starting at the bottom of your scaled-area, pin your first row of scales.  Because hedgehogs kind of taper off at the end, I like to start with three scales around the hedgie's bottom, but if you were doing a square object you would just place them in a row.  Whipstitch across these scales (3 stitches per scale should hold it on.)

After the first row, lay the second.  To give it the right effect, stagger the scales so that each row overlaps with the space between the scales in the row below.

And then just keep laying rows until you've covered the area that you want to cover!

I hope this helps people that are having trouble making their own hedgies.  You could also use this on other toys, throw pillows, etc.  I've been wanting to make a sewn fish with lots of different blue felt scales - which would be easy on a sewing machine, because you can just zip it through.  I'm not ballsy enough to do that with knit fabric.

Once you get the hang of adding scales, it's really relaxing.  Soon you'll be drowning in knit hedgehogs!