How to Make a Three-Dimensional Cat Stuffed Toy

Making your own stuffed cat toy allows you to custmize the cat's shape, color and facial expression.

Make a three-dimensional cat stuffed toy in a real or imaginary breed using new and recycled materials. When you make your own stuffed cat, you can decide exactly how you want it to look, choosing colors, patterns and a facial expression that appeals to you. Create a gigantic toy as a tribute to a real cat you love or many smaller cats to give away at a baby shower. Making simple stuffed cat toys requires only basic sewing skills, but skilled seamstresses can make more elaborate animals, incorporating movable joints, hand embroidery and soft sculpture techniques for lifelike results.

Things You'll Need

• Pattern-making paper
• Pen
• Fabric
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Polyester fluffy stuffing
• Decorations such as buttons, yarn, fabric paint and beads

Instructions

1. Find a pattern for a stuffed cat at craft supply stores or online, or design your own pattern.

2. Make a simple profile pattern by tracing the profile of a cat's body and using a photocopier to enlarge it to your desired size.

3. Make a complicated pattern with several pieces forming each part of the cat. Sketch a picture of a cat, then break it down into three-dimensional sections that you can sew. Create pattern pieces that sculpt a roundish head, triangular ears, legs with attached paws, a full body and a curving tail.

4. Cut the pattern pieces out.

5. Pin the pattern pieces to the fabric.

6. Cut out the fabric around the pattern pieces. Cut two identical pieces of fabric if you are using the simple profile pattern.

7. Sew the pattern pieces together according to the pattern instructions or by following your own pattern design. Sew the simple profile pattern together by placing the two fabric pieces with their right sides facing each other. Sew them in place using a straight stitch about 1/4 inch from the edge of the fabric. Leave a 2-inch opening so that you can turn the fabric right-side out.

8. Turn the cat right-side out. Fill it with the stuffing. Sew the opening closed using the machine or using an invisible hand stitch. Hand stitch by threading a needle, tying a knot in the thread and starting the stitch inside the toy so that you hide the knot. Fold in the seam to hide the fabric's raw edges. Wrap the stitches around the edge of the fabric until the hole is closed and tie the thread in several knots to secure the closure.

9. Decorate your stuffed cat in any way you choose. Use buttons for eyes; glue on a felt nose shaped like a triangle; add polka dots or spots to the cat's body with fabric paint; add a name tag necklace made of letter beads and yarn. Remember to give your cat a mouth --- embroider it on with thread, attach yarn with glue or draw it using fabric paint or pens.

Tips & Warnings

• For a washable cat, be sure to use pre-washed fabrics and avoid glued-on decorations.

• Use plush fur for a fluffy cat, wool for a country feel or a recycled sweater in a bright color for a quirky character.

• Try sewing contrasting fabrics together to create stripes to add visual interest to the simple profile pattern, or make the cat using solid cotton muslin that can be decorated with fabric paint.

• Mix striped and solid cottons for the ears, head and paws of a complicated pattern for a cute color-blocked cat.

References

• Dollmaker: Cloth Doll Making: Terry Cat
• Make It And Love It: Basic Stuffed Animals Part I
• Love to Sew: About Sewing Stuffed Animals

Resources

• All Crafts: Over 50 Free Stuffed Animal Sewing Patterns