Remember: for this method, thicker, stronger fabrics work better.
If you’re using hot glue, run a thin line of glue along the sides of your animal a quarter to one-half inch away from the edge. Press the sides together, and let the glue dry and cool completely before moving on. [2] X Research source To staple, just staple around the sides leaving, again, a quarter to one-half inch of space at the edge. Place the staples close together without leaving gaps in between. In both methods, leave about an inch open so that you’ll be able to stuff your animal. Alternatively, you can use fabric glue in place of hot glue. You’ll simply need to let it dry for several hours before manipulating it.
When you turn your animal inside out, the raw edges will be hidden, and the good side of your fabric will now be visible.
Use your hands to push the stuffing in as much as you can, and use the end of a wooden spoon, a dowel, or a chopstick to help push the stuffing into all the hard-to-reach corners of your animal. [3] X Research source
Tuck the raw edges of the fabric in so that they don’t show.
Glue on buttons or googly eyes. [4] X Research source Again, be careful with these around small children, as they can be choking hazards. Use a fabric paint or fabric markers to draw on other features. You can even use scrap fabric to hot glue or staple together clothes for your stuffed animal.
Great fabrics for beginners include cotton quilting fabric, which comes in many fun patterns, and felt. Felt works especially well if you don’t want to sew your stuffed animal. If you choose patterned fabric for your project, pick a pattern that looks nice when connected randomly. Sometimes patterns like stripes or chevron can be difficult to line up. You can buy fabric at most craft and hobby stores. If you’d rather not go out and buy fabric, consider repurposing some old fabric. You could easily use an old dress shirt, tablecloth, or towel to create your stuff animal. [6] X Research source
Some possible options include: a cat, a bear, a rabbit, a monkey, an owl, or a fish. [8] X Research source You can also make things that aren’t animals like flowers or stars.
Decide how large you want your stuffed animal to be when it’s finished. You’ll need to make your pattern one-half to one inch larger all the way around. Simply draw a two-dimensional outline of your animal. [9] X Research source If you’d rather not freehand your pattern, you can find many free, printable animal patterns online. [10] X Research source Once you’ve drawn your pattern, cut it out along the edges.
Lay your pattern on top of your fabric. Draw around its online with a dark marker or a piece of white chalk. Do this twice, one for each side of your stuffed animal. Cut your fabric along the line you drew. It’s best to use sharp sewing scissors to cut fabric, if you have them.
Pin your fabric inside out. This means that you’ll want the two finished sides of the fabric facing inward toward each other. Use the pins horizontally around the perimeter of your animal. You want your pins to be about half an inch apart all the way around.
Sew about a quarter of an inch to a half-inch from the edge of the fabric. Whether you are hand sewing or using a machine, leave about an inch left unsewn so that you can stuff your animal. This often works well at the end of a leg. After you finish sewing, remove all the straight pins from the perimeter of your animal.
When you turn it inside out, the raw stitching should be hidden, and the good side of your fabric will now be visible.
Use the end of a wooden spoon, dowel, or chopstick to help push the stuffing in all the corners of your animal. [12] X Research source
Knot the end of your last stitch so it stays in place. Trim any excess threads.
Sew buttons on for eyes or a nose. If you are giving your animal to a small child, be wary of buttons, as they can become choking hazards. Use fabric paints or markers to draw in details. This can be a good option for smaller children, as they can’t pull off small pieces of decoration.
