I talked about fabric grain in this video about working with polar fleece. Fleece is stretchy across the fabric (when you stretch from selvedge to selvedge) and much less stretchy when you stretch the length of the fabric (along the selvedge). Watch the video to see that stretch in action.
But what difference does the grain of the fabric make when you’re sewing softies?
I thought I’d make two softies – one with the pieces cut on the grainline indicated, and the other cut the exact opposite way.
I made both of these elephants from the same pattern. I made them both from similar weight polar fleece. I stuffed them with the same amount of stuffing. The dark grey ones has larger eyes, but other than that they’re identical.
Except for the grain of the fabric.
I made the light grey one exactly as the pattern indicated – with the stretch running across his body. I wanted to emphasize his fatness. đ
I made the dark grey one with the grain running opposite of what the pattern indicated – so the stretch was running up and down his body.
Can you see the difference?
Jo said the light grey elephant looks fat, and the dark grey elephant just looks bloated – which I thought was pretty funny. đ
The dark grey elephant is clearly taller – that up and down stretch made a big difference there. And there’s a subtle difference in the seam between his face and his body. It’s a tiny bit more defined, because his body bulges a bit more above and below it. It’s also clear in person that the tummy of the light grey elephant bulges out more than the dark grey.
The dark grey elephant doesn’t look bad. And if you make a softie (especially a big bulky one like this) with all the grainlines cut wrong you won’t have a disaster on your hands. But your finished softie will look subtly different from the one on the pattern cover – and the results will be much more pronounced on a softie with skinnier, more precisely shaped parts.
So now you know!
Any other fabric mysteries you’d like me to tackle? Leave a comment or send me an email.
Oh – and if you want to make that elephant yourself – you can get the pattern here. It comes with a pattern for her little mouse friend too. đ
Hadley is a real cutie, made of super soft cuddle fleece with a snappy red bandana around his neck.
But look!
Make him up in black and white fabric and you have a zebra!
Oooh! Look again!
Change the fabrics again and add a twisty horn and you have a unicorn!
Do you have three children or grandchildren? Make all three versions of this one pattern! Or just do it because it’s fun. đ
I think I’m going to make myself a blue horse in honor of Eric Carle – one of my very favorite artists.
Want to make your own? Join the club! Everything you need is right here. Sign up now and you’ll get instant access to all four patterns released so far.
I’ve been looking forward to this book for a long time. Abby told me about it way way back in the early days when she was just starting to write it (it takes a long time for a book to come out!) and I’ve been following along with interest as she designed all the animals, took all the photos, and edited all the drafts.
And now it’s here.
And it’s fantastic!
In many ways it reminds me of Anatomy of a Doll – my very, VERY favorite doll-making reference book.
Like Anatomy of a Doll, the book is filled with detailed information showing the reader lots of different techniques (a variety of ways to attach a head, a ton of joint options, etc.). For each technique introduced, Anatomy of a Doll has loads of photos of finished dolls – showing you the many different ways that technique can be applied.
Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction goes one better and has a project! A project with detailed instructions and clear step-by-step photos showing you exactly how to do it so you can practice that new technique right away.
Brilliant!
As I said – I knew about this book long before I had a copy in my hands. As soon as I opened it up I knew I was in for a treat. People – the Table of Contents impressed me! I’m not kidding. Each chapter is the name of the animal you’ll be making, and below that is a list of all the lessons in that chapter.
In the Camel chapter (yes – there’s a very cute stuffed camel) you’ll learn. . .
How to Design a Jointed Animal
Thread Joints and Exposed Button Joints
Invisible Button Joints
Cleft Hooves
Eyelashes
Eyelashes! I love it!
I read the book from cover to cover and it’s simply terrific. Fun projects. Clear instructions. Good photography. Well organized. It’s all there!
Oooh – and here’s another nice feature. The pattern pieces are all (except one) full-sized. No enlarging needed! AND you can go to the website of Lark Books and download them so you have digital files – which would make it super easy to print them out on printable freezer paper. No tracing! (You all know how much I loathe tracing.)
Abby has written a book that will become a well-worn reference for both makers and designers. I love that she assumes from the beginning that readers will want to design their own softies at some point. đ
We all learn best by doing and Abby gives us 16 projects to make, with 52 lessons to learn. Those lessons are so well-explained that you learn why you do things a certain way to achieve a certain effect. You’ll become better at making softies from anyone’s patterns, and you’ll be on your way to designing your own creations.
I was going to make one of the projects from the book – but every time I opened it to decide what I wanted to make I kept being drawn to the interesting joint she teaches in the Kangaroo chapter. (Here’s a little video showing more about the kangaroo.)
I’ve never used it in any of my designs, and never run across it it any of the patterns I’ve sewn. I was intrigued! I decided instead of making one of the projects from the book, I’d use this technique to design a new softie in my own style.
I thought about making a remora (or suckerfish) attached to a shark, but then I realized very few people would actually want a remora-stuck-to-a-shark stuffed animal – and for the few kids who would want that, they’d want the remora to be removable.
So I decided on a caterpillar instead. đ
A cute, bendy caterpillar with very sturdy joints between all his segments. And easy to sew! (You can get his pattern here.)
It was so much fun trying out this new technique! It’s one that kind of twists your brain around, but Abby explained it so well that my prototype turned out perfectly on the very first try – which hardly ever happens. đ
Have I convinced you yet that you need this book? How about when I show you this?
My favorite project in the book. I love those droopy eyes!
Or this?
Look at those big puppy feet!
Or this?
You all know I love zipper mouths. . .
Seriously. This is the reference book on sewing stuffed animals. I’ve read (and I own) a lot of them and this is THE BEST.
As she was writing the book, I could tell that Abby was really excited about it. She’s an incredibly passionate designer, and pours her heart into not only designing adorable stuff, but also teaching others how to make things. So, I knew this book would be good.
But now that the book is out, and I have my hands on a copy… I can tell you that this book is fabulous! Whether you’re new to sewing stuffed animals, or you’re a sewing pro who wants to get deep into designing, there’s oodles of information in this book that you’ll love!
Stuffed Animals contains 16 projects (complete patterns for sewn stuffed animals) and 52 lessons (designed not only to give you tips to complete the projects, but also to help you design your own pieces).
The book also contains a hefty introduction, so that even if you’re a newbie to sewing, you’ll be set to start on the easier projects in the book! Some of the topics covered in the introduction are:
Basic materials needed (including a big secret… using hemostats!)
Using freezer paper for making sewing patterns
How to draw/mark/edit a pattern
Tips for using your fabric, including considering the grainline
Notes about seam allowance in patterns
How to adjust/correct your sewing machine tension
Various techniques for sewing stitches, by machine and hand
Step-by-step details on clipping curves, basting, turning & stuffing
Info about the proper finishing of your animal
And that’s just some of the topics covered in the intro!
The book continues… and features adorable patterns and oodles of great tips.
And… (this book is almost 200 pages!) the pattern pieces are included in their actual size! That means that you can trace the pattern pieces without running to a copy shop to do fussy enlargements (as you need to do with some books).
Each pattern and lesson contains step-by-step photos, so even if you’re not too confident about your sewing skills, you’ll be able to follow along! Love that!
What am I going to do?
Well… the first thing I’m going to do is re-read the entire book, cover to cover, because it’s just chock-full of so much inspiration!
Then… this sheep is pretty darn irresistible:
(and get it? I knit and crochet… so he’d be sorta like a mascot!)
Or… I’m pretty drawn to these monsters that can be made up with scraps:
(you know I love using leftovers!)
Can you tell I’m inspired?
Ready to get sewing?
If you’ve been looking to sew some adorable stuffed animals, then grab yourself a copy… you’ll love it!
I think this is the sort of book that’ll last your whole sewing life: from starting out as a newbie to designing your own adorable animals. What better value is there than that?
And if you’ve already snagged a copy… let me know what you think!
(To read Wendi’s review of the same awesome book, click here.)
You might be a little daunted at sewing a flat bottom to what is essentially a tube of fabric – but it’s really not that tricky.
There are two techniques – one for use with larger pieces going through the sewing machine, the other for smaller, hand sewn felt softies. I’ve got a photo tutorial for the first one and a video for the second one – because the second method involves faith and I know some of you won’t believe it until you see it. đ
Sewing a Flat Bottom With the Sewing Machine
Cut your round foot and sew your leg or body into a tube. Do not freak out when you think about putting them together. We’re going to break it up into sections and take it one section at a time.
Fold the round part in half and put a pin in the fold at each side. Open it up. Fold it in half the other way, so the pins match up, and put pins in the two new folds. You’ve divided the circle into perfect fourths without using a protractor. đ
Now we’ll divide the leg into fourths. Fold it in half so the seam is at one fold. Put a pin in the opposite fold. Now refold it so the pin and the seam match up and put two pins in the new folds. See? Perfect fourths – no measuring.
Put the two pieces together, matching pins.
Now take it just one quadrant at a time, fitting the curve of the round piece to the edge of the tube. Add more pins as needed. Fleece (like I’m using in this photo) is a dream to do this with. The fleece just stretches right into the curve and doesn’t need many pins. Non-stretchy fabrics might need a few more. I like to divide the quadrant in half and put in a pin. Then if it needs more, divide each half in half and put in a pin. Keep going until you feel like it’s all held together neatly – then run the thing through the sewing machine. I like to sew with the flat part down so I can see (and control) the excess fabric in the tube.
Sewing a Flat Foot by Hand
For smaller, hand sewn felt softies it’s even easier – but you do need to have faith in your pattern designer. It looks like there’s NO WAY this the little round bit will fit on the tube – but it will. I show you the whole process in one shot from start to finish.
See? That flat bottom fits right on there – almost like I used math or something to calculate the exact size needed. Which is exactly what I did – and then I tested it a couple of times to make sure I did that math right. đ
(In case you’re curious, that’s whipstitch I’m using to sew the foot on. There’s a tutorial here showing how to do it.)
Ready? Go give your softies some flat feet and cute sittable bottoms. đ
I made this guy years ago and I still love the macrame hair. Want to see it a little closer?
I gathered all the hair into a topknot and then knotted each four strands into a macrame twist. It’s so much fun! And it never takes as long as I think it’s going to.
Give macrame a try on your next project! I might even incorporate a bit of it into the monster quilt. . .
Everyone knows that a little Vicks Vapo-Rub smoothed onto a kid’s chest can help ease a cough and clear up a stuffy nose. But some kids (and some adults too) don’t like the sticky stuff smeared on their skin. And some grown-ups are concerned about using a petroleum jelly-based rub.
I recently had a major Mom-lightbulb-moment. I make rice bags for bedtime – usually scented with orange oil, cinnamon stick and cloves. I will sometimes put one on my “I don’t like sticky stuff on my skin” daughter’s chest to help ease a cough and soothe her to sleep when she’s sick. What if I make a special rice bag for sick times and scent it with the aromatics in Vicks VapoRub?
Awesome – if I do say so myself. Cue the chorus and trumpets please. đ
The pattern calls for 2 1/2 cups of rice. Before you put the rice in the bag, stir in 20 drops of eucalyptus oil and 20 drops of rosemary oil.
Put the rice in the bag and sew it closed. Ta daa!
The smell will be very strong at first – keep it stored in a ziplock bag to help preserve it. After a couple of months it will seem like it’s lost its scent, but microwaving will bring it right out again.
Microwave at 1 – 1 1/2 minutes (depends on the strength of your microwave and how hot you like it) and lay it on your child’s (or your) chest. The warmth will help soothe a cough, and the aromatics will help clear a stuffy head. No stickiness needed. đ
For extra comfort – sew up this rice bag cover.
I designed it especially to fit the rice bag I linked to above. Sometimes having a special critter like this monster to help scare away a cold does as much good as the aromatics and the chicken soup. đ
Here’s how to make it. . .
Step 1 Cut 1 square of fabric or faux fur 10 1/2 inches square, for the back of the rice bag cover.
Step 2 For the lower jaw, cut two rectangles, each 4 3/4 inches tall and 10 1/2 inches wide. Cut a piece of white jumbo rickrack 10 1/2 inches long.
Step 3 For the top of the face, cut one rectangle 8 1/2 inches tall and 10 1/2 inches wide.
Step 4 Make the eyes. Trace a 3-inch circle on the back of one scrap of white fabric. (I used the inside of a roll of masking tape.) Layer that scrap and another scrap of white fabric right sides together. Sew around the circle, right on the line you drew. Sew all the way around. Trim away the excess fabric, leaving about 1/4 inch seam allowance all the way around. It doesn’t need to be exact.
Pul the two layers of fabric apart slightly and cut a slit in the center of one of the layers. Turn the eye right side out through the slit, smooth out the curves, and press the eye flat.
Youâll need to add the rickrack teeth to the bottom of the face. Draw a line 1/8â˛â˛ from the long edge of one of the smaller rectangles, on the right side of the fabric.
Lay the rickrack on the right side of the fabric so the valleys line up with the line you drew. Stitch the rickrack in place along the 1/8â˛â˛
line.
Lay the second small rectangle over the first, right sides together, with the rickrack sandwiched between the layers. Stitch them
together using 1/4â˛â˛ seam allowance.
Flip the two rectangles right sides out and smooth them down where the rickrack comes out of the seam. Press. You can watch a video demonstrating the technique here.
Step 6 Hem the bottom edge of the larger rectangle for the monster’s face. Turn up the bottom edge of the rectangle 1/4 inch and press. Turn it up another 1/4 inch and press. Sew the seam in place. This video will help with that hem if you’ve never done it before.
Step 7 Position the eyes on the rectangle so they’re centered, and the top edge of the eyes is 2 inches down from the raw edge at the top of the face rectangle. Stick them in place with a quick swipe of fabric glue stick. Sew around the edges of the circles with matching thread. This video will help if you have trouble sewing those curves.
Step 8 Add a couple of black buttons (I used 5/8″) to make pupils in the eyes, and a couple of tiny black buttons (I used 3/8″) to make nostrils below the eyes. You’re almost ready to sew all the pieces together!
Step 9 Lay the back of the rice bag right side up on a flat surface. Layer the jaw rectangle over the fur so that the bottom edge of the jaw rectangle is lined up with the bottom edge of the fur square. Smooth all the fur to the inside, so it’s sandwiched between the two layers and pin or clip into place.
The bottom of the face is it the top of the photo here; I like to pin toward myself. See how all the fur is tucked inside the pinned edges? Thatâs what you want.
Step 10 Layer the rectangle with the eyes face down over the top of the fur. Smooth the fur to the inside and pin or clip into place. The bottom of the eye rectangle should overlap the top of the teeth rectangle.
Step 11 Sew all the way around the edge using 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Using 1/2â˛â˛ seam allowance, sew again up the two sides (not across the top and bottom). That will help reinforce the stress points at the sides of the âmouth.â
Turn the cover right side out and slip a warm rice bag inside!
Happy sewing! And to everyone fighting the cold and flu this season – get well soon!
I love to use a bit of fake fur in my quilts and stuffed animals, but I get a lot of questions about how to make the eyes and other features work. How do you applique ONTO fake fur?
See the eye on the crazy blue bird monster, above? Or the giant eyeball on this monster made with the Eggheads softie pattern?
That’s the kind of thing people are asking about.
I get the same question about working with fleece, like the eye on this fleece bird/monster.
All of these use appliquĂŠ onto fake fur or fleece to sew on those eyeballs.
This video showed you how to cut faux fur without leaving your sewing space looking like a Muppet abattoir, and how to sew the pieces together so all the lovely fur ends up on the outside of your softie (without tedious seam-picking).
Now I’m showing you how to appliquĂŠ directly onto the fake fur. This is a good way to attach eyes, mouths, bellies, spots, stripes – any smooth surface you want on top of all that fur. It’s surprisingly easy!
Finding good quality and interesting faux fur can be tricky. None of the big box stores carry anything really fun, and it can be hard to shop online because you really want to touch the stuff. Plus a lot of online shops make you buy a minimum of 1 yard. That’s a LOT of fur – especially since it’s usually 60 inches wide – and can get expensive quickly.
So today I’m sharing my favorite source for faux fur. It’s called Luxury Faux Fur and it’s an Etsy shop.
The prices are good. Better than any others I’ve found.
They sell 1/2 and 1/3 yard cuts. And they’re not cut the long way! This is HUGE. A long 1/3 yard cut would be 12 inches tall and 60 inches wide – not very practical. A 1/3 yard cut from Luxury Faux Fur would typically be 20 inches wide and 36 inches tall. That’s a much more usable cut – very nice!
The quality of everything I’ve bought from them has been great. My favorite has to be the Mongolian Shag. It has a nice shaggy 3 inch pile and comes in great colors, like this hot pink.
Jo really likes the sparkle shags – like this yellow one. The pile is longer (4 inches) and more fluffy than shaggy, with metallic mylar-ish threads scattered through it.
Unless you have these fire-breathing hand warmers, of course!
These pocket-sized monsters are easy to whip up, use scraps of fabulously fun faux fur, and are filled with rice so you can pop them in the microwave for hand-warming goodness. Add a few drops of essential oil or a bit of herb or spice to the rice and you get scented breath from your fire-breathing beasts!
Trace around the pattern template (I like to glue mine to cereal box cardboard before I start) and cut out one oval from from the woven fabric and one from the faux fur. If youâve never worked with faux fur before, watch this video before you cut to eliminate the flying furry bits.
Trace the face onto the non-furry fabric. Use paper-backed fusible adhesive to applique eyes, teeth and/or mouth onto the face. If youâve never used paper-backed fusible adhesive, you can see how to use it in this video.
Youâre going to heat these babies up, so be sure to stitch around them so the pieces donât come unstuck when they get hot. I just straight stitched around all the edges in matching thread.
Use embroidery thread to hand stitch the pupils of the eyes, the line mouths and the nostrils. I used 6 strands of DMC #3371â a very, very dark brown.
Just take simple straight stitches for the pupils of the eyes and the small nostrils. Use lazy daisy stitches for the pink nostrils (this video shows how) and backstitch the mouths. Watch this video if you donât know how to backstitch.
If you donât want to fuss with hand embroidery, no problem. You can use satin stitch on your machine or even use a fabric marker. Itâs all good.
Pin the face to the furry back, right sides together. Tuck all the fur to the inside of the layers so you get a nice furry halo around the edge of your monster. Watch that Intraux to Faux Fur video to see how and why.
Sew the two layers together around the edge using 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave a small opening on the side to turn it right side out. Keep that opening as small as possible – the faux fur is not fun to sew up by hand. I left about two inches.
That opening wonât be fun to hand sew, but the fur is totally worth using becauseâŚ
Holy Wow! Look at that fur explosion! Tell me thatâs not fun and totally worth the swearing youâll do in a few minutes!
Fill him up with 1/4 cup of uncooked rice and any scents you want to add. This guy got 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary leaves (my daughter’s current favorite scent).
Sew up the opening. I think ladder stitch is the easiest to do on faux fur; watch this video to see how. Make sure you stitch through the backing of the faux fur, not just the furry pile.
Done!
This fiery redhead has two drops of orange essential oil stirred into the rice, along with a few bits of broken cinnamon stick and some whole cloves. My favorite.
This guy looks grumpy so I gave him a less pleasant scent: a few peppercorns mixed in with the rice. Mustard seed is a good angry option too.
Recommended microwave times to heat them up will depend on the strength of your oven. I do mine for 15-30 seconds each.
I made both of these elephants from the same pattern. I made them both from similar weight polar fleece. I stuffed them with the same amount of stuffing. The dark grey ones has larger eyes, but other than that they’re identical.
