How to Make Stuffed Quilted Animals
While toys have been around for as long as there have been children, stuffed animals did not become commercially available until the 1800s. The first commercially made stuffed toys were by Steiff, that venerable German toy company that invented the Teddy Bear in 1902. You can make your own stuffed animals with quilted fabric. By creating your own stuffed toy, you will be continuing a long tradition of toy making while creating something handmade as well.
Things You'll Need
- Quilted fabric
- Brown paper bag
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Tailor's chalk
- Sewing machine
- Thread and needle
- Beads
- Fiberfill
Instructions
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1
Select quilted fabric for your stuffed animal. The amount of fabric depends on the size of your animal. For example, if your stuffed animal will be a pig that is 5 inches by 7 inches, then you would need 1/2 yard of fabric. You will need to adjust the amount of fabric according to the size of your finished toy.
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2
Cut open a brown paper bag to create one large piece of paper. Use this paper to make your pattern.
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3
Draw the patterns for your stuffed animal. The number of pattern pieces depends on the complexity of your stuffed animal. Cut out the pattern pieces. For example, if you were to make a stuffed pig, you would need one pattern piece for the head and body, one pattern piece for the belly, one pattern piece for the ears, and one pattern piece for the tail.
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4
Fold the quilted fabric so that the right sides are together. Place the pattern pieces on the fabric and pin them in place with straight pins. Trace around the pattern pieces with tailor's chalk. Trace around them again, adding 1/2 inch of seam allowance around the pattern. Cut out the fabric.
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5
Pin the pattern pieces together, right sides to right sides. Sew them together with a machine, allowing a gap of at least 2 to 3 inches through which you will turn the stuffed quilted animal right side out.
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6
Add finish details such as eyes, nose, and mouth. These can be made with beads and similar materials.
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7
Fill the animal with fiberfill and then sew it closed. Enjoy the toy.
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