How to Make a Stuffed Animal
Outline your frog design., Cut out the outlines of your stuffed frog., Decorate the front and back sides as you please., Pin and sew together your two body outlines together., Remove your pins and add accents., Stuff your toy frog., Tuck fabric...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Outline your frog design.
You might choose a cartoonish image, or maybe you want to make something more true to form.
In either case, take your washable fabric marker and draw the outline your animal onto the side opposite your fabric pattern for two separate pieces your fabric.
If you are less than confident in your drawing skills, you might look into how to draw a frog first, or you can get some inspiration by searching for the images of cute cartoon frogs online! To make sewing easier, draw an outline of your desired doll size, measuring a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) seam allowance around your outline.
One of your outlines will be used for the front, the other for the back. -
Step 2: Cut out the outlines of your stuffed frog.
Use your scissors to follow the outer line you have drawn to outline your stuffed animal.
The inner line will be your seam guideline.
This marks where you will sew the two pieces of your frog together.It may be easiest to cut two identical front/back pieces by folding your fabric in half, drawing your design in washable fabric marker, and then cutting both halves at the same time.
You can make cleaner and more distinct eyes by cutting each out separately from extra fabric you have.
This way you can sew each onto the head at the seam allowance.
If you want to add a snout to the front, cut a small circle of fabric.
Later, you can sew it in place and fill it with stuffing. , You might want to design your frog off of a vibrantly colored tropical variety.
You can do this by adding bright spots across its body with a washer safe fabric marker.
Draw a cute face or some contour lines for the eyes and have fun with giving your stuffed frog character.
Use yarn or string to put a mouth, eyes and nose on.
Buttons also work well as eyes, and are fairly easy to sew.
You may want to sew on plastic eyes or felt if you want more dimension., You'll want the guidelines you've drawn on your fabric facing each other.
These will form the inside of your stuffed toy.
The extra line you drew as a seam allowance should be visible on both sides after you pin.
Use this as your sewing guide.
Hand-stitch or use a machine to sew your outlines together, leaving a 2 to 3 inch (5
-
7.6 cm) gap in your stitching.
The gap will be where you put the stuffing into your frog.
The outer parts of your outline, like the flat section of a leg, are ideal places to leave a gap.
Sew your eyes along the top head part of the seam allowance, folding each down inside the animal while sewing to prevent interference with your seam stitch.
When you turn your animal right-side-out so the pattern is returned to the outside, your eyes will look great! , First you'll need to turn your frog right side out.
Take the end opposite your stitching gap and feed it through the gap until the right sides are facing outwards.
Now you can sew accents, such as your frog's snout if you've made one, to your fabric.
Simply sew your snout and/or other accents into place.
You should leave a small gap in your stitching for stuffing.
Added on parts, like the snout, will be stuffed separately from the main body.
It may be easiest for you to fill these with stuffing right away and sew the gap closed, though this can be done later as well. , Take your stuffing and feed it through the gap you've left in your stitching.
You'll want to pack it in until the doll holds its shape well, but you can adjust fullness to your liking until the animal is as firm as you want. , Take one side of the fabric and push it through the gap in your stitching.
Then sew the gap shut, being sure you stitch the tucked as well to make a strong seam.When sewing the gap shut, you may want to use a ladder stitch to make the seam look smoother., If you have extra fabric, you might use a thin strip to give your frog a scarf.
With enough fabric, you could even sew a shirt or dress for your frog.
Don't forget features like ear and nose holes! These can be made with dots of your washer safe fabric marker. -
Step 3: Decorate the front and back sides as you please.
-
Step 4: Pin and sew together your two body outlines together.
-
Step 5: Remove your pins and add accents.
-
Step 6: Stuff your toy frog.
-
Step 7: Tuck fabric inside the gap to reinforce the seam.
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Step 8: Add finishing touches.
Detailed Guide
You might choose a cartoonish image, or maybe you want to make something more true to form.
In either case, take your washable fabric marker and draw the outline your animal onto the side opposite your fabric pattern for two separate pieces your fabric.
If you are less than confident in your drawing skills, you might look into how to draw a frog first, or you can get some inspiration by searching for the images of cute cartoon frogs online! To make sewing easier, draw an outline of your desired doll size, measuring a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) seam allowance around your outline.
One of your outlines will be used for the front, the other for the back.
Use your scissors to follow the outer line you have drawn to outline your stuffed animal.
The inner line will be your seam guideline.
This marks where you will sew the two pieces of your frog together.It may be easiest to cut two identical front/back pieces by folding your fabric in half, drawing your design in washable fabric marker, and then cutting both halves at the same time.
You can make cleaner and more distinct eyes by cutting each out separately from extra fabric you have.
This way you can sew each onto the head at the seam allowance.
If you want to add a snout to the front, cut a small circle of fabric.
Later, you can sew it in place and fill it with stuffing. , You might want to design your frog off of a vibrantly colored tropical variety.
You can do this by adding bright spots across its body with a washer safe fabric marker.
Draw a cute face or some contour lines for the eyes and have fun with giving your stuffed frog character.
Use yarn or string to put a mouth, eyes and nose on.
Buttons also work well as eyes, and are fairly easy to sew.
You may want to sew on plastic eyes or felt if you want more dimension., You'll want the guidelines you've drawn on your fabric facing each other.
These will form the inside of your stuffed toy.
The extra line you drew as a seam allowance should be visible on both sides after you pin.
Use this as your sewing guide.
Hand-stitch or use a machine to sew your outlines together, leaving a 2 to 3 inch (5
-
7.6 cm) gap in your stitching.
The gap will be where you put the stuffing into your frog.
The outer parts of your outline, like the flat section of a leg, are ideal places to leave a gap.
Sew your eyes along the top head part of the seam allowance, folding each down inside the animal while sewing to prevent interference with your seam stitch.
When you turn your animal right-side-out so the pattern is returned to the outside, your eyes will look great! , First you'll need to turn your frog right side out.
Take the end opposite your stitching gap and feed it through the gap until the right sides are facing outwards.
Now you can sew accents, such as your frog's snout if you've made one, to your fabric.
Simply sew your snout and/or other accents into place.
You should leave a small gap in your stitching for stuffing.
Added on parts, like the snout, will be stuffed separately from the main body.
It may be easiest for you to fill these with stuffing right away and sew the gap closed, though this can be done later as well. , Take your stuffing and feed it through the gap you've left in your stitching.
You'll want to pack it in until the doll holds its shape well, but you can adjust fullness to your liking until the animal is as firm as you want. , Take one side of the fabric and push it through the gap in your stitching.
Then sew the gap shut, being sure you stitch the tucked as well to make a strong seam.When sewing the gap shut, you may want to use a ladder stitch to make the seam look smoother., If you have extra fabric, you might use a thin strip to give your frog a scarf.
With enough fabric, you could even sew a shirt or dress for your frog.
Don't forget features like ear and nose holes! These can be made with dots of your washer safe fabric marker.
About the Author
Alexander Williams
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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