My Project: The Honduran White Bat
I have always been a night owl, which is why I’ve liked bats since I was young. They made me feel that I wasn’t alone during the late hours. That’s why I chose to create a Honduran White Bat. Originally, my idea was a cat paw, but even during the prototyping phase, I realized I liked bats more, and they fit the theme of night better. I also thought it would be fun to highlight the bat’s yellow nose and ears—contrasting with its white fur—using LEDs.
For the design, I wanted to make the wings very large, so they could give a cozy feeling. To add more dimensionality to the face, I cut and shaped the fabric between the ears.
The Honduran White Bat is small and snow-white, famous for its adorable look. They live by cutting the veins of heliconia leaves to make little tents, which is why they’re also called “tent-making bats.” Their yellow ears and nose against their white fur make them look like little cotton balls.
Process
- I started by sketching the pattern and sewing by hand.
- The wings were easier to make, but attaching them to the body and shaping the face was more difficult.
The wings were easier to make, but attaching them to the body and shaping the face was more difficult.
After connecting the wings and body, I inserted the battery and then attached the head.
Because the head was smaller than the body, sewing tightly caused the soldering to break, and suddenly the LED stopped working. I had to open up the back and “operate” on it—it really felt like performing surgery.
After reconnecting the broken solder, I was finally able to complete it.
I’d like to thank Jay for helping me a lot with the sewing, and Batu for drawing diagrams and guiding me through the soldering process.
Reflection
I originally wanted to add a tail so the bat could hang upside down, but hand-sewing took much longer than expected. The unexpected soldering repair also cost me time, so I couldn’t finish that part. I feel a little regret about rushing against the clock, but I plan to improve and add more details later. Thank you.
