Rat Spats

I designed, patterned, sewed, and stuffed the rats to go on the feet of the rat tap dancers in the number “Morning Person” for Spanish Fork Community Theater’s Summer 2025 production of Shrek. In total, I made just over 40 rats for the show. I also put small amounts of matching embroidery or beading on each pair to ensure that actors knew which pair belonged to who.

Initial sketches of ideas for how to construct the rats.
First pattern draft (Prototype rat not pictured due to time constraints for problem solving)
Approximate measurements for pieces to re-draft
Final pattern draft
First prototype rat (Named "Timmy" by a child cast member) as viewed from the front.
Timmy as viewed from the side.
Timmy as viewed from the top.
Cutting out pieces for the rat bodies
Cutting out the pinks for the rat ears.
Piles of the grey parts of the rat ears.
Piles of the grey and pink pieces of rat ears
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
One of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together.
The final photo of a series of images taken as instruction for how to sew the rat bodies together, showing a sewn rat body, ready to be stuffed and finished.
An image of me sewing a rat body around the Second or Third step of the process.
Attaching the Elastic for the ankle.
Attaching the elastic for the foot.
First photo for progress on the number of rats constructed.
Second photo for progress on the number of rats constructed.
Third photo for progress on the number of rats constructed.
Final photo for progress on the number of rats constructed, showing all the rats finished and packed to go to the theater.
An example of a finished pair of rats
The rat tappers showing off their rats.
The rat tappers showing off their costumes backstage.
Previous

Ballet Dress
Next

Winged Shoes