How to make a plush toy?

Making a stuffed animal is one of the privileged moments you can share with your child. To reinforce your complicity, and create a bond between you; but also to teach him new things. Moreover, by doing this, you can personalize your child’s stuffed animal. In this way, you will make him happy to have a unique plush.

Whether you are a seamstress or a hobbyist, you will have no trouble making your children’s stuffed animals yourself. Whether you sew the plush by hand or by machine, don’t worry, the techniques we use will give you satisfaction. This is especially the requirement of your children.

All you need is the right materials and the right method so that in the end you have a plush worthy of a great designer. And maybe afterwards you will want to develop your creativity and make many more. For example, it can be a great gift for your children’s friends. Of course, it is to make them a personalized plush.

What kind of plush to make?

You need to know beforehand what kind of stuffed animal your child wants or what kind of stuffed animal you want to give them. Is it a geometric shaped plush, or an animal plush or a cuddly toy, or for the most demanding, a kawai plush?

You think there are so many plush toys? Well, don’t worry! We are here to help you and make you a good connoisseur. The plush can be made by several materials according to your taste or that of your child. There is the one you can make with unusual materials like a sock. Yes! you heard right: a sock. This method can be done for the little ones who don’t have many requirements, but who want to have their own comforter.

Then, there are also the kawai stuffed animals. What are they? A little culture lesson: the word kawai is a Japanese word that means: cute. So you think it’s a good idea. Well, it’s a cute stuffed animal that can be a little cat, a dog, or any other animal you find cute… It’s mostly a stuffed animal with big eyes, big head, or that by its shape itself is quite adorable.

Finally, a fabric plush that is shaped like animals. The conventional stuffed animal, if you will, that your child wants or that you think you can perform. This style of plush is made mostly for older children who want it. It is indeed made for the more demanding ones that you want to satisfy at all costs. So, get ready, because today you are going to know how to proceed with plush making, whether it is hand sewn or machine sewn.

The steps to prepare for plush making

Getting mentally prepared is the first step when you have decided to make a plush toy. Of course, you also need to find the right niche for sewing. That way you won’t have to put it off until later, but finish it once and for all. Then you need to know when you could finish the plush: is it in the evening when you are quiet or when your children are at school?

Either way, making a stuffed animal will only take 10-30 minutes of your time. On the other hand, it is important to know the price of making the plush. Well, don’t worry about it anymore, it won’t cost you a fortune. You will only need a few things and most of the necessary tools are already at your disposal.

The tools needed to make a plush toy

First, you must buy and have all the necessary materials. These materials can be found at the textile store, the hardware store or objects that you no longer use at home. If you know a little bit about sewing, you will have no problem making a plush toy for a child, but also to find the necessary materials for this achievement. All you need is :

• The basic fabric, it will only depend on you to choose, whether on the color or the desired prints, as well as for your level in sewing and the desired finish, you can then choose between:
  • Socks or gloves like your children’s that they no longer wear, but you need to make sure that they or they are clean. If not, buy new pairs.
  • Lightweight fleece: which is soft and fluffy. Your kids will love it for its softness, yet it’s strong, washable and easy to sew.
  • Fleece and jersey fabric is the perfect kind of fabric for a soft and comfortable comforter. Fabrics you can salvage from your children’s old clothes (pajamas, sweatshirts, t-shirts, etc.) or from a pillow you no longer need. The stuffed animal you make will carry a familiar smell that your child will appreciate even more. This fabric is stretchy and easy to sew for you sewing enthusiasts.
  • Cotton velvet: the fabric is very soft and the result is more elegant if your child is used to wearing his plush outside the house. It is less stretchy and more fragile. So, it is made for older children who know how to take care of their plush or who are not too rambunctious or as a decoration for the bed and the room.
  • Then there is the faux fur fabric: soft, but also fun to touch, it can be used to create plush toys, such as bears or monsters. In this case, you have to be very careful with the quality and treatments of the fur. Make sure that the fur is not easily lost, as your child may inadvertently swallow it or choke on it when putting the stuffed animal in his mouth.
  • And finally, the cotton fabric: for you who want to have a decorative comforter that will beautify your child’s room, cotton is the ideal fabric. But it will not prevent him from playing with it. With this kind of fabric, you can use several colors; patterns, or add other fabrics of different qualities for more creativity.

• Sewing thread in the same color as the sock if possible
• A pair of scissors
• Stuffing that you can find at a craftsman (which can be rice, semolina, cotton stuffing, or other fabric cutters..
• accessories to add such as: funny eyes or buttons if needed according to your plush. Sometimes you need a glue gun or a felt pen and textile chalk.

• Next, the pattern tracing process: as in sewing too, making a plushie requires a pattern. So that you have in mind the design of your plush: its shape, size, etc..

Making the plushie pattern

Once you have all the essential tools at hand, you can move on to making a pattern, which will help you make a custom plush. To do this, you need to draw the animal on a paper in the shape of your choice. Or you can simply print the image of this animal according to the desired dimensions of the plush and cut it out. Then trace the image onto the chosen fabric. The tracing of the pattern will have to be repeated twice to have both sides of the plush. Once you have traced the pattern, you can cut out the fabric. After that, we can say that you are ready for the creation of a plush.

How to make your child’s stuffed animal yourself?

You’re thinking, it’s finally time. Well, when you have the right materials, and you’re ready let’s get to the heart of the matter: making a stuffed animal. There is not only one plush, but it is possible to have countless shapes of cuddly toys. That’s why we’ve chosen to present you with the most sought-after plush models, simple and easy to make, but also infinitely customizable.

The body of the plush

The body of the plush can be a small square pillow if your baby needs a comforter, more than an animal-shaped plush. To prepare it, you just have to cut 2 squares of the same size in the chosen fabric, add the sewing and that’s it. You can later change the dimensions for larger, rectangular or even rounded comforters. Or add little fancy accessories like little eyes, a little head or arms.

Here are a few examples to give you some ideas:

• the owl you need two white circles, a half circle embroidered or drawn inside for the eyes and a yellow triangle for the beak;

• the pig the pig : two embroidered eyes where you only have to draw on the fabric a white circle or to apply underneath, in the center of the face, with two stitches drawing the nostrils for the snout ;

• for a bear two drawn eyes [or two white circles with applied eyes if you are using a fur body], a rounded white rectangle for the muzzle, an elongated black oval applied on top for the nose, and a smile drawn under the nose.

• A rabbit a rabbit will be made with a small black thread for the moustache, a pink button for the museum and black for the eyes, the ears will be made of the same fabric as the body as well as its limbs
  

But if you opt for a real plush, after the tracing and cutting stage, we will be able to move on to the assembly. You must pin the sides of your fabric. And sew it by hand or machine. To customize it, you can play on several elements like the shape and size of the plush itself. So it all depends on the design of the plush that you have drawn.

Making the face of the plush

For the face, use small pieces of felt or the same fabric as the body. To form the “features” of the face, you need two rounds for the eyes, a triangle for the nose, an oval for the mouth. Cut them out directly and set them aside after sewing it by hand or machine. It doesn’t need much styling, a straight stitch will do. You can also use a textile glue if you are sure that your child is delicate with his stuffed animal. You can also use textile glue if you are sure that your child will not swallow it or lose an eye on the first day of play.

The ears of the plush

The shape depends on the animal you have chosen, does it need horns or ears, round or square, long, and, etc.

• Experiment with paper shapes as you made the pattern for the body of the plush itself.

• Place them on the edge, but you need to know how to choose the right size and location to avoid a plush malformation. For example, his ears are disproportionate and uneven for example.

• When you are satisfied, mark the locations on the body of the plush to avoid mistakes. In this case, draw a line on each side of the location.

• Then fill the ear or horn with some of the stuffing you chose, then do the same with the second.

• And you can leave it out until the big assembly of the whole body.

The arms, tail and legs of the plush

Proceed exactly as for the ears, the arms, wings or legs are placed on each side of the body. Similarly for the legs or paws on the bottom, the tail. You only have to prepare the shapes always using a pattern. Then mark the locations on the sides and bottom of the square of fabric forming the body to find them. Then assemble and fill in each part as needed.

Assembling the plush

Here are the steps toassemble your plush. You don’t want to make a mistake and put the legs in place of the arms or vice versa. It is important that after this creation, you have a quality plush worthy of a great designer.

• So, place all the external parts [ears, arms, legs, tail…] on the body of the plush you previously marked.

• Fold each one inward with your finger, where the ears should line up with the top edge. Do the same process: arms with the side edges, legs and tail with the bottom edge. Make sure all the pieces end up on the body of the plush.

• Pin each piece first before sewing so it doesn’t move in its place.

• Finally sew by hand or machine, but first check that the stuffing is proportional and well distributed. And that’s how you know how to make a plush.

Conclusion on how to make a plush?

The manufacture of plus h is a manual work available to everyone. It is no longer necessary for you to go to the plush manufacturer and make orders. It would be useful if you want to have a personalized plush, simple and easy to make. You just need to know how to choose the right fabric, whether it’s soft, or furry, or synthetic, you’re spoilt for choice. It is important to note that some types of fabric are difficult to work with.

So if you are new to sewing, it is best to choose cotton fabrics with a quilted look that offer a wide choice of pattern, color, etc. Felt fabric is also a better alternative for novices because of its workability. For those who are more experienced in sewing, terry velvet can be a very good choice, and a good quality plush finish. Since it is a fabric that offers a better quality finish with such softness. Opt for the patterns that can give a more beautiful rendering. But also that will amaze the eyes of your child.

With these tips, we hope that from now on you will not have trouble to make a surprise to your children. You can make them their own stuffed animals. But also that you will share these tips with parents who want to do the same. These ideas are just the basics of making a stuffed animal. But, you can expand and personalize a stuffed animal you create as you go along. If you already have an idea in mind, but don’t know how to implement it, well, get to work. In short, you have the basics and the right sewing to you parents.