Making a cuddly toy is one of the special moments you can share with your child. It’s a way of strengthening your bond and creating a bond between you, as well as teaching your child new things. What’s more, by doing so, you can personalize your child’s stuffed toy. In this way, you’ll make your child happy with a one-of-a-kind plush toy.
Whether you’re a seamstress or a hobbyist, you’ll have no trouble making your children’s stuffed toys yourself. Whether you want to sew the plush by hand or by machine, you’ll be happy with our techniques. That’s especially true when it comes to the demands of your children.
All you need is the right materials and the right method, and you’ll end up with a plush toy worthy of a great designer. And maybe afterwards, you’ll want to develop your creativity and make lots more. For example, it could be the ideal gift for your children’s friends. Of course, the idea is to make them a personalized stuffed toy.
What kind of plush to make?
First of all, you need to know what kind of plush your child wants, or what kind of plush you want to give him. Is it a geometric-shaped plush, or an animal plush, or a cuddly toy, or for the more demanding, a kawai plush?
Do you think there are that many plush toys out there? Well, don’t worry! We’re here to help you become a real connoisseur. Cuddly toys can be made from a variety of materials, depending on your taste or that of your child. There’s the one you can make with unusual materials like a sock. That’s right: a sock. This method can be used for little ones who don’t have high expectations, but who want to have their own cuddly toy.
Then there’s kawai plush. What are they? A little culture lesson: kawai is a Japanese word meaning cute. So you’re thinking this is a good idea. Well, it’s a very cute stuffed toy that can take the form of a little cat, dog, or any other animal you find cute… Above all, it’s a stuffed toy with big eyes, a big head, or which by its very shape is utterly adorable.
Finally, a fabric plush that’s shaped like animals. The conventional plush, so to speak, that your child wants or that you think you can make. This style of plush is made especially for older children who want it. In fact, it’s made for the most demanding people you want to satisfy at all costs. So get ready, because today you’re going to find out how to go about making plush, whether it’s hand-sewn or machine-sewn.
Preparatory steps for plush manufacture
Mental preparation is the first step when you’ve decided to make a plush toy. Of course, you also need to find the right time slot for sewing. That way you won’t have to put it off until later, but finish it once and for all. So you need to know when you can finish the plush: is it in the evening when you’ll be quiet, or when your children are at school?
In any case, making a plush toy will only take 10 to 30 minutes of your time. On the other hand, it’s important to know how much it will cost to make the plush. Well, don’t worry, it won’t cost you a fortune. You won’t need much, and most of the necessary tools are already at your disposal.
Tools needed to make a plush toy
First of all, you need to buy all the materials you need. These materials can be found at your local textile store, hardware store or in your home. If you know a thing or two about sewing, you’ll have no trouble making a child’s stuffed toy, and finding the materials you need to make it. All you need is :
The basic fabric – it’s up to you to choose the color and print you want, your level of sewing skills and the finish you want. You can choose between: Socks or gloves like your children’s that they no longer wear, but you need to make sure they’re clean. Lightweight fleece fabric: soft and fluffy. Your children will love them for their softness, yet this fabric is strong, washable and easy to sew.Fabric made from fleece and jersey is the ideal kind of fabric for a soft, comfortable comforter. Fabrics you can salvage from your children’s old clothes (pyjamas, sweatshirts, T-shirts, etc.) or from a pillow you no longer need. The plush you make will carry a familiar scent that your child will appreciate even more. Cotton velvet: the fabric is very soft and the result is more elegant if your child is used to wearing his stuffed toy outside the house. It is less stretchy and more fragile. Then there’s faux fur fabric: soft, but also fun to touch, it can be used to create cuddly toys, such as bears or monsters. In this case, you need to pay close attention to the quality and treatment of the fur. And finally, cotton fabric: if you want a decorative comforter to embellish your child’s bedroom, cotton is the ideal fabric. But that won’t stop him playing with it. With this kind of fabric, you can use a variety of colors and patterns, or add other fabrics of different qualities for greater creativity.
Sewing thread in the same color as the sock, if possibleA pair of scissorsFilling you can find at a craftsman’s (which can be rice, semolina, stuffing cotton, or other fabric cutters…accessories to add like: funny eyes or buttons if needed depending on your stuffed animal. Sometimes you’ll need a glue gun or felt-tip pen and textile chalk.
Next, the pattern tracing process: as in sewing, too, making a plush requires a pattern. So that you have the design of your plush in mind: its shape, size, etc.
Making the plushie pattern
Once you’ve got all the essential tools at hand, you can move on to making a pattern, which will help you make a tailor-made plush. To do this, you need to draw the animal in the shape of your choice on a piece of paper. Or you can simply print the image of the animal to the desired dimensions of the plush and cut it out. Then trace the image onto the chosen fabric. You’ll need to repeat the tracing 2 times to get the 2 sides of the plush. Once you’ve traced the pattern, you can cut out the fabric. After that, you’re ready to create a plush toy.
How to make your child’s own plush?
You’re thinking, it’s finally time. Well, when you’ve got the right materials, and you’re ready, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: making a cuddly toy. There’s not just one kind of plush, but countless shapes and forms. That’s why we’ve chosen to present you with the most sought-after plush models, simple and easy to make, but also infinitely customizable.
The plush body
The body of the plush can be a small square cushion if your baby needs a comforter, rather than an animal-shaped plush. To prepare it, simply cut 2 squares of the same size from the chosen fabric, add the stitching and you’re done. You can then modify the dimensions to make larger, rectangular or even rounded comforters. Or add whimsical accessories like little eyes, a little head or arms.
Here are a few examples to give you some ideas:
the owl: you need two white circles, a half-circle embroidered or drawn on the inside for the eyes and a pointed yellow triangle for the beak;
the pig: two embroidered eyes where you just need to draw a white circle on the fabric, or to apply underneath, in the center of the face, with two stitches drawing the nostrils for the snout;
for a bear: two drawn eyes [or two white circles with applied eyes if you’re using a fur body], a rounded white rectangle for the muzzle, an elongated black oval applied on top for the nose, and a drawn smile under the nose.
A rabbit: small black threads for the moustache, a pink button for the museum and black for the eyes, the ears will be made from the same fabric as the body, as will its limbs
But if you opt for a real stuffed animal, after tracing and cutting to size, we’ll move on to assembly. You need to pin the sides of your fabric. Then sew it by hand or machine. To personalize it, you can play with a number of elements, such as the shape and size of the plush itself. So it all depends on the design of the plush you’ve drawn up.
Making the plush face
For the face, use small pieces of felt or the same fabric as the body. To form the “features” of the face, you’ll need two circles for the eyes, a triangle for the nose and an oval for the mouth. Cut them out directly and set them aside after sewing by hand or machine. It doesn’t require much styling – a straight stitch will do. You can also use textile glue if you’re sure your child is delicate with his stuffed toy. And that he won’t swallow it or lose an eye on the first day of play.
The plushie’s ears
The shape depends on the animal you’ve chosen: does it need horns or ears, round or square, long, etc.?
Experiment with paper shapes in the same way you made the pattern for the plush body itself.
Place them on the edge, but choose the right size and position to avoid any malformation of the plush. For example, his ears are disproportionate and uneven.
When you’re satisfied, mark the locations on the body of the plush so you don’t make a mistake. In this case, draw a line on each side of the location.
Then fill the ear or horn with a little of the stuffing you’ve chosen, and do the same with the second.
And you can leave it aside until you’ve assembled the whole body.
Plush arms, tail and legs
Proceed in exactly the same way as for the ears, with arms, wings or legs placed on either side of the body. The same goes for the legs or paws on the bottom, the tail. All you have to do is prepare the shapes using a pattern. Then mark the locations on the sides and bottom of the square of fabric forming the body to find them. Then assemble and fill in each part as required.
Assembling the plush
Here’s how to assemble your plush. Make sure you don’t place the legs where the arms should be, or vice versa. It’s important that after this creation, you have a quality plush toy worthy of a great creator.
So, place all the external parts [ears, arms, legs, tail…] on the plush body you’ve previously marked.
Fold each one inwards with your finger, where the ears should be aligned with the top edge. Do the same: arms with the side edges, paws and tail with the bottom edge. Make sure all the pieces end up on the body of the plush.
Pin each piece in place before sewing, so that it doesn’t move around.
Finally sew by hand or machine, but first check that the stuffing is proportional and well distributed. And that’s how you know how to make a stuffed toy.
Conclusion on how to make a plush toy?
Making plush is a manual task available to everyone. You no longer need to go to the plush manufacturer to place orders. This would be useful if you want to have a personalized plush toy that’s simple and easy to make. You just need to know how to choose the right fabric, whether soft, furry or synthetic, you’re spoilt for choice. It’s important to note that some types of fabric are difficult to work with.
So if you’re new to sewing, it’s best to choose cotton fabrics with a quilted look and a wide choice of patterns, colors, etc. Felt fabric is also a better alternative for novices, thanks to its ease of handling. For those who are more accustomed and experienced in sewing, terry velvet can be a very good choice, and a good quality plush rendering. Since it’s a fabric that offers a better quality finish with such softness. Opt for patterns that can give a more beautiful rendering. But also one that will amaze your child’s eyes.
With these few tips, we hope that from now on you’ll have no trouble surprising your children. You can make your own stuffed animals. But also that you’ll share these tips with other parents who want to do the same. These ideas are just the basics of stuffed toy making. But you can develop and personalize the plush you create as you go along. If you already have an idea in mind, but don’t know how to apply it, well, get to work. In short, you’ve got the basics and the right sewing for you parents.