How to Make a Plush Animal

Some plush animal patterns are extremely complicated, but that's no reason to avoid the craft completely. With this quick method and a few common supplies, you can make a plush animal using only basic sewing skills. Better yet, you can design your own animals and create handmade toys for the kids (or adults) in your life.

Things You'll Need

• Faux fur Fabric shears Pins Sewing machine with heavy-duty needle and thread Pencil Stuffing Hand-sewing needle Chalk Accessories like buttons for decoration

Instructions

1. Fold the faux fur in half on a flat surface, fur side in.

2. Use chalk to draw a rough animal outline on the back of the fur. It's hard to create fine details with the bulkiness of fur, so keep it simple. Also keep in mind that this method will make a plush animal that's more-or-less two-dimensional (though puffy), so think about which angle to draw the animal from.

3. Cut out the animal shape, cutting through both layers of fur. If the fur is so thick that this is difficult, cut out one layer first, then put the backs of the fabric together, trace the shape, and cut it out again.

4. Sew features, like button eyes, on one or both pieces of fur now. You can do this once the animal is stuffed if you prefer, but it's harder at that point because you can't reach the back of the fabric.

5. Line the shapes up on top of each other, fur sides together. Pin together, from the outer edge toward the center, every inch or so around the outline.

6. Sew around the outline, using a generous seam allowance and leaving a few inches open at the end of the seam. Go over this seam again for extra toughness.

7. Trim the seam allowance quite close to the seams, especially around corners and in small areas like legs.

8. Turn the animal right-side-out. Use a pencil to poke small areas into position if necessary.

9. Stuff with stuffing, starting with any small parts. Keep in mind that stuffing may settle a little, gradually starting to make a plush animal less plump, so be reasonably firm now (though of course, not firm enough to strain the seams).

10. Turn the edges of the stuffing gap under, pin together if you like, and hand-sew this seam using small stitches and strong thread.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider involving kids in deciding how to make a plush animal with this method. For example, many kids' drawings could be used as a basis for this type of toy.

• Faux fur is thick enough that it can be hard to run through a sewing machine, especially with the presser foot down. If necessary, sew with the foot up, gently pulling the fabric through. However, exercise extreme caution with this method, since the presser food usually provides some protection from sewing machine injuries. Maintain constant awareness of keeping your fingers away from the needle.