How to Make Plush Toys

A wide world of plush toys can be made with materials you might already have around the house. The best part of this project is that you design it from start to finish, allowing you to make highly personalized gifts for your loved ones or decorations for your own home.

Things You'll Need

• Paper and pencil
• Chalk or a fabric pen
• Designs
• Felt, fleece and fabric
• Scissors
• Cotton batting
• Thread
• Embroidery floss
• Needles and embroidery needles
• Other decorative items as needed

Instructions

1. Design your plush toy. Since you're making it, it can be anything you want: an animal, a doll, a creature from your imagination-even a mushroom. If you can draw it, you can turn it into a plush toy.

2. Draw or trace your design onto thin, white paper. This will be your transfer.The basic model for for people and many land animals is an abdominal region (two pieces of the same size), arms (or front legs) (two pieces same size per arm), legs (or hind legs) (two pieces same size per leg), a head (two pieces the same size), and, depending on the design, a tail (one or two pieces, depending on the desired thickness). Additional pieces may be required for ears, mouth, nose and eyes.

3. Pin your design to your desired fabric and carefully trace it with a pencil, chalk, or a fabric pen (something that washes or wears off and will not appear on the final project). Carefully cut around what you've traced and make a neat arrangement of the resulting pieces.

4. Attach facial details to one half the head (if applicable). This can be done either by gluing or stitching. When complete, sew the two halves of the head together, leaving room to stuff with cotton batting. (If you don't want the stitching to appear, turn the project inside out and turn right side out when ready to stuff.)

5. Continue with the other parts of the project. If you intend to insert the legs and arms (or fore and rear limbs) into the body of the piece, they can be sewn and then stuffed and then stitched shut. The head can either be inserted into the body, the body into the head, or the head and body can both be closed and then sewn one to another.

6. Add finishing touches. These might include colored pencil details for faces, string for hair or tails, clothing-anything you want.

Tips & Warnings

• Look to other toys for inspiration if you're stuck. There is a booming industry of home toy-making, and you'll find many models.

• Experiment with multiple designs, fabrics, and sizes for your toys. Remember, you can make almost anything into a plush toy using these basic techniques.

• The amount of batting in a project affects more than anything else how rigid or pliable it is. The more batting you use, the more rigid the project will be.

• Sewing by hand will not take much longer than by machine with these projects and creates a nice, homemade look.

• Different-sized French knots (an embroidery stitch) can be used to create eyes and noses (or other round things, like rosy cheeks). Small French knots can even be used to spot an animal, such as a Dalmatian.

• Children should always be supervised when working with sharp implements, such as scissors and needles.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Sewing resources
• French knots