Spheres Pattern

Copyright/Licenses

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

If you're not sure what that means, the Open Source Sewing index has more details.

NB: The copyright does not extend to the actual "pattern", since it's really just a set of ::sinusoidal projections. While some people may think you can ::copyright a number, I don't agree, and I don't think you can copyright geometry either. So you only need the license if you're copying/deriving something from the text itself (which is actually pretty unlikely).

The graphics files (sphere3.gif through sphereA.gif) have been committed to the public domain (email me if you need formal certification), as well. (Just please don't link directly to my copies.)

The Pattern

It's amazing how useful sphere patterns can be. The Wacky Chickens are based roughly on two three-part spheres, and I'm working on a pattern for a critter head (which is pretty far down the to-do list) based on a five-part sphere.

So for future reference, I've worked up spheres made from three to ten parts. I'm not sure why you'd want to go to that many parts, but the Christmas 1970 magazine I posted about some while back included a variety of plushies based on two joined eight-part spheres. Really, unless you're making a giant plushie out of completely stretchless fabric, six is probably plenty. If you're using stretchy fabric, you can get by with three.

Three-Part.
Four-Part.
Five-Part.
Six-Part.
Seven-Part.
Eight-Part.
Nine-Part.
Ten-Part.

As usual, those patterns are the sewing lines, not the cutting lines - after you've enlarged or reduced the pattern to your liking, add seam allowance.

While I use these as the base for more involved patterns, you could use them as-is to sew a plush/softie ball. Never underestimate simplicity.