Maximus Mouse has made a huge splash in his first few weeks and I love seeing how much joy this pattern is bringing to makers. As you can read below, testers were heaping on praise for both the sewing “fun factor” and cute finished toy. Lots of sewers have already made multiple mice! Scroll down to see mice in a variety of fabrics, along with keepsake mice made from clothes, Christmas decor mice, realistic pet replicas, floral mice ready for tea parties, and playful denim mice ready for rough and tumble adventures. If you’re looking for ideas, inspiration, or pattern details, you’ll find that all below.
Read on
for more pattern details & fabulous feedback photos – in multiple colors and fabrics…
What SIZE is the finished Mouse toy?
Maximus Mouse is 23cm (9 inches tall) with a 15cm (6inch tail). For scale, here is a photo of me with the 2 pattern cover Maximus Mousies!
This is an EASY toy pattern…
According to the Testers said they found the Maximus Mouse Pattern quick and simple to sew even though some of his parts are quite small like his hands and feet – there’s a turning tip included to help you with those pieces.
Maximus has LOTS of cool features!
- He is an unjointed, sturdy ‘standing toy’ designed for playtime, memory toys or even decor!
- He has cute cupped ears that stand up on their own (without stuffing).
- His playful tail is 6 inches / 15cm long.
- He has cute floppy mousey feet.
- His dainty arms can hold snacks – cheese & strawberry included in the pattern!
Is there a Photo tutorial for the Mouse Pattern?
YES! I have created a step-by-step photo tutorial so you can see EXACTLY how to sew the Maximus Mouse Pattern – with lots of clever keepsake making tips and tricks! Access the tutorial using the link in the See-Me-Sew section of the pattern.*
(*Please check you typed this link in correctly ~> or you’ll get an error page!😱)
What fabric should I use/not use for a toy mouse?
You can use ANY COLOUR for sewing the Maximus Mouse Toy pattern – as you will see from the feedback photos below…
Here are just some
of the lovely feedback photos…
We had some WONDERFUL WHITE mice!
Absolutely adorable! Low-pile fake fur looks super cute combined with delicate pink spotty highlights💗. Look for cotton fabric with mini, mouse-sized dots (usually called “Swiss dot”) if you’d like to make a similar combination to Christy Rupe‘s Maximus Mouse.
AND look at that cute spotty pink tail!!!💗
Melissa Morrison used a cream-colored velveteen for her cheese-loving Maximus Mouse.
Shirley Bray sewed this sweet little Maximus Mouse in mouse fabric!!!! He looks like he’s wearing pajamas (to me!)
Some BEAUTIFUL BROWN field mice…
Maximus Mouse looks sweet sewn in tweed by Sandie Oravec. She used heat transfer vinyl for the eyes to make her mouse baby-safe
Glynis Duckenfield sewed her Maximus Mouse out of mohair teddy bear fabric for a ‘realistic’ looking mouse.
This sweet Maximus Mouse was sewn by Erika De Niet of @stitchee out of mottled brown wool felt.
…GORGEOUS GRAY & BRILLIANT BLACK mice too!
This sweet Maximus Mouse was sewn in Shannon Cuddle by Erica Woolmington… he looks so soft and cuddly!
Jacqui Hardy-Lane made Maximus Mouse as a gift for her daughter’s mother-in-law who is going to be a first time nanny and is calling herself Nanny Fieldmouse! 🐭 There are several spaces on Maximus that are suitable for adding embroidered text or special fabric details for a keepsake. Each side of his lower tummy and both sides of his back have perfect spots.
Terrific textures for a mouse!
Tracy Belshaw used a curly fake fur for her adorable strawberry-loving brown Maximus Mouse. This type of fabric is often called “teddy fur” in Europe or “sherpa” in North America. The contrast fabrics are fleece.
Peggy Hutchison used a thin terry cloth toweling for her adorable brown Maximus Mouse. I think the toweling gives Maximus a cute furry look! The pink hands, feet ears and tail were made out of an old pair of pink denim jeans, but Peggy says she wouldn’t recommend denim for a beginner on small pieces. Denim is stiff and harder to deal with turning small pieces right side out like the tail.
Jenn Bilodeau used faux fur for this adorable fluffy Maximus Mouse. He looks almost real!
💡Tester’s TIP💡
Don’t use THICK
or VERY FLUFFY fabric
for the Contrast fabric!😱
The testers found it was hard to turn and stuff the small parts (like the feet and tail) when they used thicker fabrics like denim — or fluffy fabrics like sherpa, teddy fur or terry toweling — for the contrast pieces.
💡Not sure which pieces are contrast pieces when you’re tracing? Don’t worry, the main fabric and contrast pieces are always shown on the fabric layout diagram on page 2 of your pattern, so you don’t have to guess about which pieces should be made with each fabric.
Maximus is magnificent in Minky!
Jennifer Bilodeau used a combo of soft minky fabrics for this dark grey Maximus Mouse. He looks quite pleased with his cheese hanging out in this grassy field.
Cute and cuddly in Shannon Cuddle®!
This beautiful dark blue Maximus Mouse was sewn by Laura Peters of Wanderchild Creations, in dimple Cuddle® fabric.
A mouse toy is Delightful in Denim!
If you’re going for a country mouse look rather than a city mouse style, upcycled denim might be a great option. This denim Maximus Mouse sewn by Jennifer Epp looks right at home in a field of fresh hay. Jennifer said, “Cute fat mouse. Easily sewn. I stuffed it and added beads so it can be a doorstop.”
Look at his sweet little face!
Kimberly Roberson’s denim Maximus Mouse is completely made of upcycled items, including stuffing! Kimberly said, “I love natural fiber and recycling.”
Quilting cottons and pretty prints!
Janet Loomis sewed this adorable purple floral Maximus Mouse in quilting cottons.
This sweet little Maximus Mouse sewn in pretty pastels and floral quilting fabric by Vickie S. looks like she’s ready for a tea party!
And this cute aqua and grey floral Maximus Mouse was sewn by Kylie of Voodoo Rabbit fabric!
This sweet Maximus Mouse was sewn by Kelli Bordignon in pretty pink rosebud fabric with a co-ordinating peachy polka dots.
This sweet Maximus Mouse was sewn by Sherry Bristol in a bold pink floral with purple highlights – 2 of my favourite colours – perfect for a mouse, don’t you think?💜💗
If your Maximus Mouse can’t decide which snack to eat, the cheese or the strawberry, why not include BOTH like Sandy Thurlow did in this Maximus Mouse sewn in a cute combination of blue quilting cotton prints.
How sweet is this flower-loving little purple Maximus Mouse? Tester Kathy Cuthbertson left this nice note: “Congratulations on another genius design. He goes together so quick and easy and would look awesome in a wide variety of fabrics. This guy was created from a $1 thrifted top and stabilized with pellon sf101. I love him 💜 my brain is spinning with possibilities. I can’t wait to do more 🐭”
And ALL the colours!🥳
Wow! Lots of bright colors make for a Maximus Mouse that certainly won’t get lost in a field! This rainbow mouse was sewn by Tina Carpenter.🌈
Several tester mice enjoyed picking flowers, including this little brown version of Maximus Mouse sewn by Almira S. She says, “this specific Maximus is not that keen on food but rather in a romantic mood…”.🌹😍
and later…. when she’d made Maximus a lady friend, he proposed!!!
Want to make a keepsake mouse toy?
I thought Maximus would be too small for a keepsake toy BUT now I see he is a perfect size for baby clothes – especially the small outfits from a baby’s first Christmas like this cute Christmas memory Maximus Mouse sewn by Clare Pownal.
💡Tester’s TIP:💡
USE INTERFACING
if you are sewing a toy
from baby clothes!👶🍼
If you don’t interface stretchy clothing items your Maximus Mouse will really live up to his name because he will stretch and become EXTRA round when you stuff him – or as Tara White said, “I used baby clothes that could stretch so my mouse was a little fatter than yours!”
💡 If you’re not sure HOW to use interfacing – see the Interfacing TIP below the next photo.
With his relatively small pieces and super cute charm, I think Maximus Mouse will be a really popular for upcycling tiny onesies. Tara White used old baby clothes to make a memory mouse. Tara said, “I liked the simplicity of it and I loved the little strawberry!”
HOW TO use iron-on interfacing:
- Trace all the pieces, including all the ‘reversed pieces’, onto the smooth (NON-STICKY) side of the iron-on interfacing.
- Cut out the pieces adding about 5mm (¼ inch) around them.
- Iron the interfacing pieces onto the fabric of the clothing items, with the STICKY (GLUE) side facing the BACK of the fabric.
- Cut the pieces out on the traced lines.
WHEN do you NEED to use interfacing?
Use interfacing if you are sewing a memory bear or a keepsake toy from clothing items , especially very thin or stretchy fabrics like baby clothing or T-shirts and for fabrics that fray easily. It is best to interface all of your fabrics if you are using aMIX of woven (non-stretchy) and knit (stretchy) fabrics.
💡Not sure which interfacing to buy? You can learn more about the interfacing brands most people use in this blog post – Top 10 Tips from Makers. (Go to tip #6).
Lisa Nelson of Sewn for You Keepsakes sewed Maximus Mouse from upcycled jeans and and a flannel shirt. Lisa said, “I used one of my boys old check shirts and jean shorts. I keep their old clothes to use for practice toys as I make memory keepsakes I like to keep within the style I create.”
Maximus looks terrific in tartan! Bek L of made_by_bek sewed this super cute tartan Maximus Mouse. I love Bek’s idea of the black for the contrast!🖤
And I want to acknowledge Bek for adding a pattern credit on her labels. She said: I have included photos of the tags I put on my toys to show that I give credit to you for the patterns. I don’t sell them, they all get made as gifts, but I still like to put tags on them anyway.
THANK YOU so much for the credit on your labels – this is so lovely to see as I am dealing with other people blatantly infringing my copyright and it gives me hope when nice people like you ‘totally get’ that it’s a win-win for us to support each other! 🥰
👉FREE printable tags:
If you’d like some free tags that come pre-printed with the correct copyright notice, you can download these tags for free HERE. I’ve included some tags for Funky Friends Factory patterns AND a blank version to use for ANY pattern designer you use!
Lots of cute mice in fleece!
Tanya Heron sewed this sweet fleece Maximus Mouse with pink highlights.💗
💡Tester’s TIP💡
Don’t worry if your mouse looks like he’s eaten ALL the cheese or strawberries!😁
Maximus will be a little plumper in polar fleece. Shirley Bray sewed Maximus Mouse in 3 different fabrics and left some helpful advice about how different fabrics have different amounts of stretch.
We had lots of Christmas mice!
Not a creature was stirring…except Maximus Mouse finding his cheese! Susan J. says her Maximus Mouse is already getting festive! She used the smallest size in the Funky Friends Factory free Christmas Hat pattern to dress up her mouse. Find a link to the hat pattern (in human and toy sizes) in the TIP box below this next feedback photo!
TIP: Free Christmas Hats Pattern
for you & your TOYS!🎄🎁👉If you’d like to make a Santa hat for any of your toys, you can download my free Christmas Hat pattern with multiple sizes HERE!
Maximus makes a cute Christmas gift!🎅🎁🎄
Looking for a quick project to use up the holiday-themed fat quarters you’ve collected AND make a cute gift? Follow Steve Palmer’s example to make a Christmas Maximus Mouse. I love the green contrast fabric and the way the cheese brings out the yellow in the main print.
Definitely a family heirloom in the making!
Here’s another Christmas Mouse, and this one is holding a sweet candy treat! Shirley Bray sewed this Maximus Mouse in quilting cotton.
And Jennifer Wilson sewed her little Christmas Maximus Mouse using velvet for the boy and a Tilda Christmas print. 🎄🎁
And this cute little ‘mistletoe-covered’ Maximus Mouse was sewn by Mary I. I can just picture him sneaking about on Christmas night, nibbling on the cookies left out for Santa!
AND last BUT not LEAST!!!
If someone in your life has a pet mouse and you’d like to make a pet replica, you can follow Jennifer Bilodeau‘s example with this white mouse and add pink eyes for that extra touch of realism. Jennifer made this white Maximus Mouse with pink eyes to match a child’s pet.
All that’s left to say is:
THANK YOU ~>
I love ALL of your lovely feedback photos!!!!
In case you missed the link above – the Maximus Mouse Toy Pattern is available to download from the website NOW!
Till next time – Happy Sewing!
xxx
Pauline
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