Editor’s Note: This series of posts became a book!
Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction was published by Lark Crafts in 2013.
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Happy 2011 everyone! I’m excited to sew and blog this year! I am starting a new type of post that I’m hoping to write about regularly. It will be about the elements of soft toy design. This is a topic that I think about a lot and I have a lot to say about it! Here is what has been going through my head…
Have you noticed that there are many softie books out there full of sewing patterns (my own included)? While I learn a lot from reading and sewing through the patterns in this kind of book, I have always thought it would be really helpful to have a reference library of soft toy sewing techniques.
I’m imagining a place that would archive all the different ways to, say, attach limbs to a toy, draw gussets to add a third dimension to a head, design darts that would create a curved body, etc. It would also cover how to select appropriate fabrics for a softie, techniques for turning tiny parts right side out, how to clip curves properly, ways to reinforce seams, how to make jointed toys, constructing a wire armature, stuffing options…You name it, I want to discuss it.
All of this information collected together would allow me (and you!) to pick and choose techniques when designing an original toy which be just as those on Peluche Lilo & Stitch.
Does that seem helpful? I really hope so. I’m imagining something similar to Anatomy of a Doll by Susanna Oroyan, but in blog form. I love this book. I’ve read it dozens of times, along with Susanna Oroyan’s other doll-making books. The reason I keep going back to it, and what I love most about it is there are no patterns in there, just lots and lots of techniques. Lots of options.
She shows you examples of dolls made in all sorts of ways and then explains how they are constructed. Then, when you go to design your own doll and you are stuck or need inspiration, you can open this book and look at her examples and play around a bit and there is a good chance something she shows you will work and you can incorporate it into your own personal techniques library. But your design is still your own in the end. It is still original to you.
There is no book like this for soft toy design, at least no current, relevant book. Trust me, I’ve searched. There is this book from 1969, and this one from 1982, and, of course, there is Rudi de Sarigny but again, we’re talking 1971. (Did you know that Rudi was a woman? Yep, Rudi is short for Rudolpha. I was recently contacted by one of her descendents who corrected me. Sorry for referring to you has a “him” all these years, Rudi!).
I think it is about time for an updated collection of the elements of soft toy design, don’t you? Some of the topics I have in mind will be really basic, and some more complex. I’d like to cover the whole gamut so that people can learn something new, no matter how experienced a sewer you might be.
Okay, so let’s give it a go in 2011! Please add your own ideas to the discussion by leaving comments on these posts. I think we can all learn so much from one another and make better, cooler soft toys this year!
To get things started I thought I’d talk about stitch length. Stitch length is one of the most important factors in sewing a softie successfully. When I first began sewing toys five years ago I got really frustrated because I would carefully cut out pattern pieces, pin and sew them together, turn everything right side out and begin to stuff the toy only to find that the seams would burst. It took me a while to realize that this was happening because my stitch length was too long. I started playing with the dials on my machine and I fixed the problem.
Here is a toy part with a stitch length that is too long. Notice the burst seam:
And one with a correct stitch length:
Because soft toys are stuffed (and I like my toys stuffed really firmly), the seams become stressed. In order to avoid burst seams, and thus ruined toys, make your stitch length very short. On my machine (I have a Bernette 330 from 1988) this is a Number 2 on the stitch length dial. It is the equivalent of about 16 stitches to 1″ (2.5 cm).
I find a short stitch length to be especially important when sewing toys with quilting cotton and linen,two fabrics I use quite a bit when sewing birds. I also use a short stitch length when I sew felt toys, but I’m not sure it is as important. I haven’t done much sewing with sweater wool or other fabrics- if you have, perhaps you can tell us what stitch length you think is best for other types of fabric?
Using a tiny stitch length does have one major drawback. When you make a mistake, it is really time-consuming to unpick the seams. But generally the pattern pieces in soft toys are so small that I find it is often easier to just toss the mistake and cut a new peice. And it is worth it because once the pieces are correctly sewn together, they will be very strong and they will not burst when the toy is stuffed.
I would like to hear anything you might have to add, plus any topics relevant to soft toy design you’d like me to delve into. I have lots of ideas already, but I also want to be sure to discuss what you’re interested in. Thank you!
PG says
Great post! I have the top three books in your pile, in fact I’m adapting a pattern right now from the Anne Dyer book, which is one of the best I have. One of the main problems I find with that one and the Rudi de Sarigny book, is that they assume that the reader already has some in depth knowledge of the subject and it is a little complicated to fathom sometimes. Bit like hearing a computer geek waffle on about systems etc, when you only have a vague idea of what they are referring to. One annoying thing I find in the Dyer book is one the pattern pages, when she stipulates ‘no turnings allowed on any piece’ – I have no idea what she means!? (see page 12 rag doll design for instance)
I am in the process of making my own patterns but am finding it hard going as my brain doesn’t think like that, though bizarrely I have no problems at all with needlefelting. Things like working out what width/length a gusset should be and why, what effect it has – I am gradually learning, with a fair bit of swearing, but it ain’t easy! An ‘Idiots Guide’ to basic pattern design would be great.
Wendy says
Yes! This will be much referred to by me so thank you in advance for setting up a series like this. I have made three Black Apple dolls for various kiddies in the past year, never following the pattern (I’m more of a “guidelines” person) and all three of them turned out… different… A series with guidance on what will work best, what alternatives are available, etc etc would be PERFECT. Looking forward to reading it.
mimi k says
One of the things I liked best about Susanna Oroyan’s books, when I first got into doll-making (and the internet for that matter!), was all the beautiful photos of finished work. I spent hours researching the artists whose work I liked and that gave me even more information! This is a great idea Abby!
And, I use just a slightly bigger stitch for my wool- my rule of thumb is that the thicker the fabric pile I am trying to stitch together, the bigger the stitch length.
Kristin says
I am so excited that you have decided to do this! If I were a more seasoned designer, I would do the same. For now, one of my favorite parts of stuffie making is playing around with techniques and figuring out how to make different shapes. I like the idea of having a “toolbag” to draw upon when designing a new friend. Right now, I’m working on how to make belly-gussets for 4 legged creatures. It’s just guesswork, and comes out ok but a little wonky. I still love them all the same! I’m sure you can help with that technique. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
abbyjane says
PG – I hear what you are saying about the assumed knowledge in the directions in the older softie books. When Dyer says “no turnings allowed” what I think she means is that she has not included a seam allowance on any of the pattern pieces. I find her very mathematical method of creating patterns difficult to follow. My process is more intuitive, for better or for worse. Thank you for your thoughts!
abbyjane says
Hi Kristin, Making gussets for the underbody of a four-legged animal is one of the most challenging parts of toy design in my opinion. This is certainly a topic I will focus on and I’d love to hear about what you’ve learned along the way, too.
Melissa H says
Yay! I love this type of info much more than patterns. I am terrible at 3-d construction so all tips/ideas appreciated. I made my first doll over the holiday (Wee Wonderfuls Louise pattern) and it was surprisingly fun with a good pattern to follow but it felt very foreign for a quilter to branch into 3-d.
Baukje says
It sounds very interesting to me. I am a sewer, mostly bags, but even then stitch length is very important.
Thank you for this very good idea!!!
sarah says
wow, i will be checking back often. gussets. for sure. we raise sheep and i’ve always wanted to have an indoor flock! i’ve tinkered but never came up with any that i’ve been satisfied with. also, i’d like to keep them in natural fibers. how will heavier fabric construction differ?
jodie says
Abbyjane, what you are proposing is a fantastic resource for softie makers and sewers of all sorts. yes, stitch length makes a huge difference. I also use polyester thread as opposed to cotton thread because it is stronger and less chance of breaking open if I get a bit over-zealous with my stuffing.
Stephanie says
I was so very excited to see this post. I love making and designing soft toys for my house and my children, but get tired of following patterns. I experiment a lot to get things to work out regarding design lines, darts, gussets and so on. This will be such a great thing to blog about.I think talking about the how of designing all of these things will be great but also the why. Why use these elements in designing. Great idea.
Denise Alonso says
Wow! I’m really excited about this. I love making softies and having somewhere to go when I get stuck will be fantastic!
jd says
I think this is a great idea and would love some insight on gussets. I had begun designing my own patterns a while back and discovered your blog when I was searching the Internet for information on gussets.
oldschoolacres says
I’ve been asked a few times to write tutorials on eyes and gussets and just never did it. Maybe I will defer to you 🙂
Audra says
Fantastic post! I’m really new to the world of soft toys and I’m excited to have a place where I can learn how to improve my work. Thank you.
abbyjane says
Gussets are clearly going to be a popular topic! Awesome. I can’t wait!
abbyjane says
Stephanie – To me, the “why” is the most important part! What can be frustrating about following other designer’s patterns is there may not be an explanation of why a certain technique is called for (why the gusset is shaped that way, or why there are darts in the feet, etc.). Figuring out “why” is the most important element in being able to design your own patterns. I hope we can shed some light on the “why” here!
abbyjane says
Sarah- Selecting the right fabric is such an important factor in the success of the toy. I want to talk about sewing with different weights/kinds of fabric and what my experience has been with each.
Sewing with heavier fabric can make turning small parts right side out very difficult, but if you are sewing something relatively large it may not be a problem. Plus, heavy fabric is sturdy and won’t tear when stuffed, so that is a good thing.
Cynthia/fairiesnest says
What a wonderful idea! I’ve often wished there were more craft books out there like “Anatomy” (one of my all time favorites too). It’s so nice to have the tools and inspiration… and then go design something entirely your own!
Oh, and I make softies mostly from wool and like Mimi I find a slightly larger stitch works best. And yes to gusset info…woo hoo!
Beetlegirl says
Lovely post, and I look forward to those to come!
Another benefit to using a shorter stitch length is that it is easier to sew curved pieces.
Jean says
I will be back to your site to learn about soft toy making I have made dolls all from patterns. I like to embellish my way and tweak a pattern but like the hard work to be done. Looking forward to your book
mariana says
great project!! thank you for your generosity!
twitter.com/CandiedFabrics says
I’ve just begun to dabble in this area, and I think that your project here is genius – just what i was looking for! Thanks so much for doing it, I can’t wait to learn buckets of info!
Amanda Pedro says
awesome! Can’t wait to see what you’re going to to next. I just realized that in my softie making this year, I haven’t done anything with gusset. I guess this will be my next challenge.
thanks so much for doing this. I am open to learning.
Lemon Tree Tami says
Fantastic post!! It seems that everyone wants gusset info. How about a post or two about basic shapes – building blocks of a softie? Sort of how you learned drawing in school that was based on spheres, squares, cones, etc?
Linda says
Thanx for the book leads and more!
abbyjane says
I think a post about breaking a design down to basic shapes would be fantastic. That is, after all, the very first step in designing a new pattern. Good!
Lovely World says
Thanks so much for writing this, and for promising more. I have a few of those older classic soft toy books, and some others. But, There are a variety of techniques that I feel I need to crack the code on when it comes to designing my own patterns. I have quite a few successful patterns – but sometimes I feel I arrived at the pattern through luck rather than purpose. I will be a faithful reader and contributer to your forum!
abbyjane says
Luck certainly seems to play a role in my process, too, although I know there are certain aspects that I do have control over. Hopefully as a group we can help each other to get a sense of mastery over those aspects of pattern drafting that are particularly challenging.
Kenzie Jardina says
Awesome series of posts! I would love to see how you draft a pattern for a curved horn that protrudes from the head, such as the ones on the goat pictured in this post. I can’t figure it out for the life of me!
abbyjane says
Kenzie – I think I could do a post or two about various methods of attaching parts to an animal’s body. With the elephant’s ears I showed how to attache parts by cutting a slit and sewing the part into the slit, but there are several other good ways to attach parts, especially larger and stuffed parts.
Kenzie says
I can’t figure out how to reply to your comment, sorry for the new one!
I don’t have trouble attaching the horns, just making them curl outward from the head. Does that make sense? Or is the trick in the attachment? The horns I’ve tried all end up as flat spirals, even when stuffed, poked and prodded.
V. says
This series of posts is simply genius and informative like nothing I’ve found.
I’ve made my first plush last summer, all from my own design and all by hand, and it would’ve been so much easier having those info back then.
But then again it’s been a great learning experience.
One of the most challenging things I’ve found designing my little friend was figuring out a way to add palms and feet. Baiscally a way to design arms and legs that was not sewing 2 identical pieces together, which I ended up doing.
I look forward to learning a lot from your posts here. I already did.
abbyjane says
Oh, figuring out how to make a foot go forward instead of straight down was a big step for me! Again, it is one of those things that is so hard to envision. A great topic for a future post. Thank you!
abbyjane says
Okay, now I see! I have to go back and look at that particular pattern. I think the trick might be in stuffing. If I remember correctly, I just drew a big spiral with a seam allowance and sewed it in wool felt. Then I stuffed it really firmly and it naturally curled. Firm stuffing may be the key. Or it may have to do with whether you cut your pattern piece with or against the grain of the fabric (if you are using a woven fabric). Try one of each and see what happens.
carrie says
Ahh!! This is awesome!! I love this idea. I’ve been wanting to create my own for so long and needed something just like this to help me! You’re the bestest!
Gloria says
Perhaps sometime we can discuss how to show muscular structure for the big animals. For instance, stallions, unicorns, gorillas, cheetahs, that sort of thing. You can actually “see” their muscles. They are well developed and separate from the other muscles. Whereas, other animals have a softer look. I saw someone create a muscular animal out of just cloth and the detail of the muscles was amazing. It might be in the stuffing and padding but I’m not sure if needle sculpting was used. I didn’t think so. I could be wrong.
Sarah Gough says
I’m so excited for this series – this has helped already! Thank you!
Katherine says
I love this idea. I sew quite a bit and sculpt but never have had a lot of success combining the two in a way I am happy with. I would love a good primer on techniques. One thing I have found frustrating with “softie” patterns is the lack of showing a grain orientation. This makes such a big difference in the overall shape after being stuffed. I’m looking forward to seeing what goodies you have for us.
Colleen says
Thanksfor the info! Im exciteda about this series!
Cheryl says
I’m very excited about the series too!
I’m excited about getting your book, The artful bird!
I have ideas of a soft toy to make but I am just starting to learn.
Thank you for the download of the darling goldfish!
Wow!
Caren Adams says
Excellent! I’m new to softie making, so this is going to help me out a bunch!
tammy says
Yay!! Excited about checking in, have been slowly dipping my toesies into my own soft doll creations and have been warmly embrassed with requests. But thought wouldn’t it be wonderful for a new-by like me to have a “go-to” place for simple directions and help.
Fenn says
Not sure if this has been said, but I do have something to add, I think.
1. I LOVE this. I’m definitely going to remember that.
2. I work a lot with recycled fabrics. My prototype stuffed snail was made from sleeves from a gold jacket from the 70s, I think. VERY fray-ing material. I reinforced my seams by zig-zagging over my straight stitch.
3. Also, sometimes I hand sew my boo-boos. But that is in keeping with the style of stuffies I make.
Thanks for such a great post and I am totally bookmarking this blog nowly!
-Fenn
Kitty says
Just came across this series. Thanks! Love the book, btw.
Couple of ideas for those without ready access to freezer paper. For those outside of the US: What kind of paper do your butcher shops use? Apparently, our freezer paper is actually a type of butcher paper with a very thin wax or poly coating. This type of paper holds it’s strength even if it gets wet. If your local butcher’s paper has a coating, chances are it’ll work for patterns as well.
Another option is to make your own. Here’s an instructible on it. http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-freezer-paper./ One tip: plastic dry cleaner bags work well for fusing to paper. Cheers
Playmobil says
I really like how making a soft toy works, it’s really though to create an 4 legged toy or with a tail, cause it must be soft yet accurately stitch so it won’t be easily damaged.
susan says
i love to use vintage upholstery fabric for my softies and also buy newer stuff in the back of joanns. my issue is the newer stuff has a different backing. more open of a weave. is there anything to do to reinforce seams so they dont bust open? besides stitch length? i sew them by hand because they are tiny. i just read thru your series and saw your little stuffing tool. i followed thru to the other site and saw they have a type of glue to use on seams for strengthening. has anyone used this?
i would love to have a first hand account of it. great series abby!
susan says
oops! me again, do you think ironing thin interfacing to the pattern pieces would work? for strengthening..
abbyjane says
I am going to email you so we can hash out specifics and see if we can figure this out. Thanks!
laura lee says
I just made my first couple of stuffies because my “darling” sister signed me up for a pincushion swap without my knowledge. It was so much fun! Now, I’m an experienced quilter, but have little confidence in going 3D. I’m so excited to find this site so I can learn design. My sister is already asking me to design animal softies for which we haven’t been able to find patterns. I’d like to do original work anyway. Thanks for your generous series.
abbyjane says
You're so welcome, Laura Lee. And this series led to a book that's just about to go to press. It'll be published in May 2012 by Lark under the title, Stuffed Animals. I had so much fun writing it and I hope you'll find it helpful! To keep up with book news come on over to my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/AbbyGlassenbergDesign)!
Kelekona says
Even with Anatomy of a Doll, it seemed like there weren’t any resources that really talked about how to create a pattern. It seemed like I just had to stare at what other people did until I finally understood enough to start noodling.
The Complete Book of Stuffedwork, isbn 0 395 25769 7, is another old one, and I think it has equal space devoted to quilting and art dolls as does to stuffed shapes, but it has been handy.
Fool on the Hill says
Well I’m an idiot. I’ve been half-hazardly trying to figure out sewing stuffed critters for a few years now and I never put it together that long stitches = seams bursting. Ugh, it seems obvious now. hah, puns.
Abby Glassenberg says
You aren’t an idiot at all! When I first started sewing stuffed animals this was a huge stumbling block for me! I hope a short stitch length helps you in your work. Happy sewing!
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