We all cannot stop adoring the brightness plush toys add to our lives. Thus, making a homemade plush toy sounds very interesting for the homely feel it adds. Also, think about how much fun creating a soft stuffed koala plush toy will involve? Won’t it be a creative process at whole another level? Nevertheless, if you think you aren’t good with stitching and fabrics, this short guide about what you will require to make your squishy plush toy will help you tremendously. Keep reading to know how to make DIY stuffed toys.
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What fabrics to choose for making DIY plush toys?
- Cotton
Cotton is one of the best ways to make homemade DIY plush toys. You can use colorful cotton fabric to assemble your stuffing. It is the safest break from unhygienic and harmful materials like nylon, mohair, and polyester. In addition, it is not only an eco-friendly option but also an easy fabric to take care of. Ensure you use enough stuffing inside the cotton fabric to make your plushy look fluffy.
- Wool
Wool is a great choice to stuff plush toys because it is easy to form yarn patterns with wool. It requires almost no effort to knit wool threads using knitting machines or knitting needles. In addition, the benefits of using a wool thread to make homemade plush toys are plenty as you can avoid circumstances of catching your plush toy fire as they are fire redundant and are super easy to wash. Moreover, the squishiness and softness of wool are heartwarming also.
- Polyester
Polyester is a suitable fabric to use for stuffing plush toys. Polyester’s natural fluff and volume are very convenient for stuffing a plush toy. Moreover, the durability, stain-resistant quality, and color retention are just a few merits of using polyester to stuff teddy bears. Hence, if opting for a man-made fabric doesn’t bother you much, it is the best option to pick to stuff your plushies.
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What to use as a toy filling?
Selecting the right toy filling can be very hectic in making a DIY stuffed animal. First, ensure that the toy filling you pick is washable and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. There are some materials you can find in your home that are easy to use as toy fillings and are super safe.
Materials you can use for toy fillings:
- Socks
- Cotton
- Worn out clothes
- Handkerchiefs
- Old cushion fillings
- Pillow fillings
- Tissues
Various sewing methods to make homemade plush toys:
- Knitting
Knitting is one of the easiest and oldest methods to make several clothes, garments, and even plush toys. You just need knitting needles and yarn to make a squishy toy. Use double-pointed needles to form circular patterns, or you can use flat knitting needles to create balanced and effortless designs with yarn. Therefore, you can make an adorable fluffy plush toy in no time by using knitting machines to form cute patterns. Moreover, it can also save a lot of time if you cannot give much time to make a plush toy.
- Sewing amigurumi
Did you know that amigurumi is also an art of making soft cuddly plush toys? It is a simple technique to make a DIY stuffed animal. A school teddy bear made of amigurumi patterns will definitely bring a smile to your kid’s face. You just need heavy-weight yarns and yarn needles to form beautiful patterns on your stuffed toys. This method involves working in round designs like a circled loop. Then, create some crochet stitches to complete the whole DIY look for your plush toy.
- Crochet
Crochet is an endearing technique for bringing your plushies to life, giving a 2D look to stuffed bears. They can give an adorable look to your stuffed toy if you are great at sewing patterns. Even in a crochet pattern, you sew a yarn manually; it looks more aesthetic and cheerful. The technique requires only basic stitches to sew a thread, repeatedly forming interlocks in a row. However, there are almost 150 crochet pattern techniques to choose from. So, you can choose a pattern that is easy for you to stitch.
Five easiest DIY adorable plushies you can make in no time
- Koala Bear
A koala bear is one of the easiest DIY animals to make at home. A mini plush koala is easy to make using cotton, fleece, and yarns. In addition, you can choose gray-colored fabrics to match the color of a koala bear. For instance, if you are not good with traditional methods of sewing, then try filling gray-colored socks with various stuffing options. Finally, a stuffed koala bear will look absolutely adorable and super cuddly.
- Mini-stuffed octopus
Are your kids also a fan of Oswald? If yes, gift them a tiny blue-colored handmade mini octopus that will bring a wide smile to their faces. Moreover, you don’t need much to make them. You can also take help from tutorials available on the internet. Therefore, you can use crochet patterns to create a stuffed octopus plush toy, as they will look unique also.
- Cute bunnies
Rabbits will always look evergreen for their child-like innocence. You can cut out torn-out blanket pieces to make spongy bunnies. Choose light pastel shades and use soft fabrics to make it warm to cuddle. In brief, they are perfect for giving as a gift to someone.
- Teddy bears
Everyone has been in love with the idea of Mr. Bean’s teddy bear, who used to travel with him everywhere. Similarly, if you also want a little companion buddy who can go to your office, school, or a picnic, then a creative DIY session can give you that. Especially a school teddy bear for kids is a great way of evoking a factor of joy among them. Hence, there are a lot of DIY teddy bear kits available on the internet.
- Stuffed monkey
A crochet pattern is excellent in giving bright and cheerful details to the plush toys. In brief, a stuffed monkey with crochet patterns will look adorable. You can use shades of brown to make it look realistic.
Conclusion
Therefore, making a homemade plush toy is fascinating, but ensuring the right materials, fabrics, and colors will improve your DIY experience. Moreover, ensure that you use good-quality fabric glue, scissors, and needles. Hence, you are ready to move ahead with your stuffed toy-making journey.