Kids Craft: DIY Soft Toy

Kids Craft: DIY SOFTIE TOY

Here’s a fun and easy project that you can make together with your kids, DIY Soft Toys. They will love creating their own unique designs for themselves or as a special gift to a friend. Even with basic sewing skills these stuffed toys are easy to make. Sadly I accidentally deleted the step-by-step photos, but hopefully the instructions are clear enough to follow.

Emma has made a couple of DIY softies, a smiley rainbow pillow and a mini Princess Bubblegum doll.

You can use fabric markers or fabric crayons. They are all suitable for this project, just follow the manufacturers instructions for heat setting.

You will need:

  • 1 fat quarter white cotton drill or similar mid weight fabric (for front)
  • 1 fat quarter printed quilting cotton (for back)
  • Poly fill or similar toy stuffing material of choice
  • Pentel Arts Fabric Fun Pastel Dye Sticks (or similar fabric marker kit)
  • Scissors
  • Scrap fabric or greaseproof paper for ironing
  • Iron
  • Masking tape
  • Sewing machine
  • White thread
  • General sewing supplies

How to make a DIY Soft Toy:

  1. Preparation: Prewash white fabric to remove residual starch and iron.
    Stretch white fabric onto a smooth hard surface and tape down edges so the fabric is taut.
  2. Child to do: Using pastels, or markers child can draw design onto white fabric. Ensure a min 1” border is left around illustration to edge of fabric.
  3. Assembly: Remove tape and permanently set design by covering with scrap fabric or greaseproof paper and ironing on a hot setting for several minutes. (See manufacturers instructions on chosen fabric pastel/marker kit for best results).
  4. Cut out design leaving a 1” seam allowance around drawing.
  5. Lay face down (right sides together) on printed fabric and using the white fabric shape as a template, cut out the same shape from the printed fabric.
  6. With right sides of fabric facing, sew around edge with a 3/8” seam allowance leaving a 3-5” opening for turning and stuffing.
  7. Clip curves and turn right side out. Press again if required.
  8. Stuff moderately firmly.
  9. Hand stitch opening closed.

Kids Craft- DIY soft toy

Kids Craft: DIY SOFTIE TOY

This project was originally commissioned by and published in Handmade Magazine

Kids Craft: DIY SOFTIE TOY

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