DIY Craft Project For Kids

Bubbles Shows You How To Make Your Own Plushie!

originally post December 29, 2020

Bubbles has always loved to make these little stuffed paper animals. They call them “plushies” which I think is sort of funny, because they are paper. However, it gave me the idea of helping them take one of their paper creations and turn it into a stuffed friend. We had so much fun with this.

The first step was for her to draw what she wanted to do on paper. Then we needed to make the individual pattern pieces.

We cut them out and added a quarter inch seam allowance around each piece because she drew the pattern pieces and made them so small to begin with. (The fabric is scraps left over from the blouse she is wearing in the picture here)

Before sewing any of the pieces together we needed to create the face on one of the head pieces. Bubbles marked where she wanted the eyes and nose. Then she appliqued the nose in place and selected buttons for the eyes and sewed them on as well.

The next step was to sew the pieces together, leaving an opening in each so that we could turn them right side out. They have always jumped at the chance to use the sewing machine, and she has finally learned not to press the pedal too hard and go too fast

Bubbles then learned a new sewing skill, that of clipping the seam allowances so that the fabric will curve like it needs to. She loves using my little stork snips, and that was so much easier for her than using the bigger scissors.

Using a crochet hook to help turn the pieces was also a new technique that she put to use.

Stuffing her plushie was a step she was really looking forward to. Using the crochet hook here helped as well.

We sewed all the pieces together and tied a bow around the kitty’s neck. Now she has a FABRIC plushie that she made!