How to Make Eyes for a Knitted Animal

After a knitted toy is done, add child-friendly felt eyes.

Knit toy animals require eyes and, while there are many ways to attach eyes to knit animals, they are not all child-safe. Button eyes and eyes made from beads may be torn away from the animal or swallowed, so instead use eyes that are made from felt and then sewn to the knit animal. Felt eyes are less likely to be torn away than button eyes.

Things You'll Need

• Felt
• Scissors
• Needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Cut out two small circles of white felt using a pair of scissors. The white circles should be as large as you want the eyes to be.

2. Cut out two small circles of felt in another color. These circles should be about 1/3 the size of the white circles. These are the irises of the knit animal's eyes.

3. Sew the irises to the white circles. For an animal that is looking directly ahead, glue the irises to the center of the white circles. If you want the animal to be looking to the side or up or down, glue the irises closer to the edges of the white circles.

4. Sew the completed eyes to the knitted animal.

Tips & Warnings

• Either an overcast stitch or a running stitch will attach the eyes securely to the knit animal.

References

• Funky Friends Family: Ideas for Soft Toy Eyes
• Crafty Stylish; How to Make a Felt Baby Toy With a Crinkly Crackly Recycled Surprise; April 12, 2009