Hey everyone. Today we're making a stuffed plush toy, and you're going to learn how to turn a soft Luxe Cuddle into a huggable little friend.
Meet the fabric first
This is the Amber/Taupe Luxe Cuddle Red Fox from Shannon Fabrics. It's a Cuddle Fabric, sold per yard, and Luxe Cuddle is the line.
Here is what you are working with. The description calls it exclusive and luxurious, and I believe it. It has a textured, oh-so-soft surface.
That texture is the whole story. Red Fox is meant to feel like a plush you want to keep touching. It is not flat. It has body and character to it.
The colors are right there in the name: Amber and Taupe. Warm amber paired with a soft, neutral taupe. Together they give you that fox-inspired warmth without needing a printed pattern.
Shannon notes this fabric is suitable for apparel, quilting, baby products, home decor, and pet accessories, and more. We're not reinventing the wheel here. If it is soft enough for baby products, it is soft enough for a plush toy.
I have sewn a lot of Cuddle over the years. I reach for the textured Luxe pieces when the project is meant to be held, not just looked at. This one fits that job really, really well.
The project: a stuffed plush toy
A stuffed plush toy is a simple sewn shape, stuffed soft, with a face you add as simply as you like. Think a rounded fox-inspired plush, a sweet woodland friend, or just a chubby pillow-style animal.
We are making one plush about 12 inches tall finished. That is a good size for little hands to carry, and big enough to show off that Amber and Taupe texture.
Why does this fabric suit it? Because a plush lives or dies by feel. That textured, oh-so-soft surface does the work for you. You do not need a busy print. The pile itself becomes the fur.
Let's size it with real numbers. Cut your front and back from a pattern about 13 inches tall by 10 inches wide. Sew with a 1/2-inch seam allowance all around, and you land close to that 12-inch finished height once it is stuffed.
Want it smaller for a baby lovey size? Completely up to you. Shrink that same shape to 8 inches tall. Want a big sofa buddy? Go 16 inches. The steps stay the same.
Materials list
- 1/2 yard Amber/Taupe Luxe Cuddle Red Fox Fabric Per Yard — you'll have room for a front, a back, and a redo if you need one
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing, a good handful at a time
- All-purpose polyester thread to match
- Size 90/14 ballpoint or stretch needle
- Walking foot for your machine
- Paper pattern, long ruler, and sharp scissors or a rotary cutter
- Plenty of pins or clips — Cuddle likes to shift
- Hand-sewing needle, plus safety eyes or embroidery floss if you want a face
- Chopstick or turning tool for pushing out ears and corners
Brief steps
Step one. Draw or print your plush shape on paper first. Keep it simple. Rounded edges sew far easier than sharp points.
Step two. Check the pile direction. Brush it with your hand. You want the pile running down on both the front and the back. Mark the back side so you don't get turned around.
Step three. Pin your pattern to the back of the fabric and cut two pieces, one front and one back. Cut from the back. You will cut less pile that way.
Step four. Take those pieces outside and shake them well. Cut plush sheds. Oh my goodness, it just does. A good shake now saves you cleanup later.
Step five. If you are adding a face, add it now, while the front is still flat. Embroidered eyes are my pick for a baby gift. Safety eyes go in before you sew the body together.
Step six. Pin front and back right sides together, tucking the pile inward. Pin every 2 to 3 inches. Seriously, folks, do not skimp on pins here.
Step seven. Sew around with a 1/2-inch seam and a longer stitch, about 3.0 to 3.5 millimeters, roughly 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Leave a 3-inch opening along a straight edge at the bottom for turning and stuffing. Slow down or the layers creep — I have had a seam wander on me, and I had to rip it right back out.
Step eight. Turn it right side out. Push ears and corners out gently with that chopstick. Stuff it a little at a time, firmer at the edges, softer in the middle.
Step nine. Fold the opening edges in and hand-sew it closed with a ladder stitch. Brush the pile over the seam. Just like that, you're done.
Practical tips before you sew
Use that walking foot. Plush on plush wants to travel, and a walking foot feeds both layers together. That one tool solves most of the frustration.
Here is your permission beat. It does not have to be perfect. A plush with one ear a tiny bit crooked has more charm, not less. You are your own worst critic here. Take your time, it's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Keep your pattern simple the first time. You can try a second shape with the leftover fabric, and you will be amazed how much easier round two feels. Super duper cute as a gift, too — especially paired with that warm Amber and Taupe coloring.
Alrighty. Thanks for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Amber/Taupe Luxe Cuddle Red Fox Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
