Stuffies (In the Hoop)
I don’t have a cat, because I’m allergic, but I do
love them. I know plenty of people with kitties,
and have heard all sorts of hilarious stories
about the things they get into, or things they
steal to make their own. You might as well give
your kitty their own toy, or they’re just going to
decide your fabric stash will be their new
entertainment.
Stuffies are perfect toys for little kitties, and
add a little (or a lot) of catnip to the mix, and
you’ve got the perfect cat toy! I’ll show you how
to make one for your little feline friend.
So, I’m going to show you how to make the
little skeleton fish stuffie, but these directions
will work for all of the in-the-hoop stuffies. You
will need:
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Printed or stitched templates
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Stuffie file
Felt or non-fraying fabric for the stuffie
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Tearaway stabilizer
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Scissors
Temporary spray adhesive
Poly-fil stuffing (and/or catnip)
Needle and thread (optional)
First, let's start by cutting out our stuffie
shapes. If you have software, you can print the
template files. If you’re unable to print them,
hoop up your stuffie fabric and “stitch” the
dielines out.
Once you’ve got the dieline on your fabric,
carefully cut out both the back and front pieces.
If you’ve printed your dielines, it’s best to add a
little bit of spray adhesive to the back of the
paper to keep it in place while you’re cutting it
out.
When you’re done, you should have two little
fabric shapes, one for the front of your design,
and one for the back.
Now grab your hoop and hoop up a piece of
tearaway stabilizer.
Start your machine sewing. The first thing it will
stitch is a dieline.
Grab your front fabric piece, and lightly spray
the back with some adhesive. Place it just inside the stitched dieline. Once it’s in place,
set your machine sewing again. It will stitch a
tack down seam all the way around your fishie.
Next, your machine will stitch all the inside
details on your stuffie, like our little fishie’s
skeleton. Once all the inside details are
stitched, it’s time to add the back.
Carefully remove the hoop from your machine,
but DON'T unhoop your design.
Flip your hoop over. Take the back piece of
fishy fabric, lightly spray the back of it with
adhesive, and gently lay it inside the dieline on
the back, like shown. Don’t press too hard on it
from this side.
To secure your fishie in place, flip your hoop
back over again, and push on it from the front.
If you push on it from the back, you might tear
the stabilizer out of the hoop.
Once your fabric is secure, carefully place your
hoop under your machine again. A note before
you start stitching again, since the stitches will
be visible on both the back and front of your
stuffie, it’s best to have bobbin thread that
matches your fabric for this last seam.
Let your machine stitch the final seam. You’ll
notice your machine will sew around your
fishie, but not meet all the way back up.
Stuffies will leave a small gap in the seam for
this final tack down so you have a small gap to
stuff it with.
Unhoop your stuffie and carefully tear away the
stabilizer, leaving just your fishie behind.
He's ready to be stuffed! You can see here the
small gap you have to work with. It’s not much,
but it’s enough to fill him nice and plump.
If you’re just making a regular ol’ stuffie, you’ll
want just Poly-fil, but if you figure this is going
to become a cat toy anyway (as they often do)
you might as well grab some catnip too.
You can fill your fishie with stuffing...
... or a mix of stuffing and catnip, or if you want
a crazy happy kitty, just catnip.
Just a warning... stuffing with catnip is messy.
About as messy as what will happen when the
kitty gets a hold of it. Stuff you fishie in a place
where you can tidy up easily.
Once your fishie is nice and plump, you can
either close the gap by sticking him back under
the sewing machine, or if he’s too big to fit,
stitch him up by hand.
Your finished stuffie! Cute and cuddly, and just
waiting to be pounced on. Especially since this
one is filled with nothing but catnip.
That’s one happy kitty. Hey, this one might not
last long, but that’s the beauty of these little
stuffies. You can always make kitty another
one!
OMNOMNOM!
The thing about making cat toys (or dog toys, for that matter) is that you’re sending your lovingly
crafted masterpiece to be torn apart by the claws and teeth of a wild beast. But they’re so cute, how
can you resist! Sew a dapper mouse out of menswear castoffs, follow tiny patterns to make a whole
zoo of cute cat toys, and entertain your felines with yarn scrap toys. Even people toys can amuse the
kitties!