Stuffed Toy — A First Sewing Craft to Do With Kids

Looking for fun crafts to do with kids? Try sewing this stuffed toy, a great first for kids new to sewing but looking for a little challenge.

Tools & Materials:

-Pattern for Your Little Friend (see below)
-Cotton fabric, 2 pieces as big as a sheet of paper
-Chalk
-Scissors
-Notions
-Pins
-Sewing needle
-Thread
-Stuffing

Before you begin, you’ll need to know how to:

-whipstitch
-sew a running stitch
-sew on a button
-stuff a pillow

A Note for Grown-Ups:

After making a few pillows, kids will be ready to hand-sew a friend to hug. (Machine sewing is not recommended for this project.) Often times when making dolls and stuffed animals, the legs and arms end up too skinny to sew or stuff. The proportions on this pattern work well. Advise sewers to decorate the face and body before sewing the sides together. You may also need to help when it comes to stuffing the arms, legs and ears.

Source: ,Amazon.com: Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Lo...

Step 1

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Use chalk to trace the toy pattern onto one of the pieces of fabric, or consider free-hand drawing shape. Now, trace the pattern again onto the other piece of fabric.

Step 2

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Cut out both pieces of fabric.

Step 3

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Decorate the pieces before you sew them together. Use buttons or other notions to add a face, tail, clothes and anything else to make it yours!

Step 4

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Put the front piece on top of the back with the decorated sides out. Pin the pieces together.

Step 5

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Time to sew! Sew around the edge with a whipstitch or a running stitch.

Step 6

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Leave a hole for putting in the stuffing. Remove the pins and take off the needle.

Step 7

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Stuff your little friend. Be sure to get stuffing into all the small areas.

Tip: Use a pencil or chopstick to push the stuffing into small areas.

Step 8

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Rethread the needle and sew the hole closed. Make a knot, and cut the thread.

Step 9

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Now, say “Hi!” to your new little friend!

Step 10

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This kids' sewing project is adapted from "Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make" by Andria Lisle and Amie Petronis Plumley, published by Storey Publishing. Images from Justin Fox Burks.