Softies are some of the most engaging crafts around. They’re also among the quickest–some take less than an hour to construct start to finish! (Here’s an example.) We love them because they’re so easy and so creative. When it comes to drawing up a design and making it take shape, there’s nothing like a softie for sheer imagination. And of course, Made with Love: Crafting for a Cause has on ongoing project, Softies for Foster Kids, where children making the unsettling transition into foster care are given a small stuffed toy to hold onto and love. So we hope you ‘ll utilize your talent to contribute to the comfort of these children. And we also hope you’ll just enjoy the rampant creativity shown in the following links. Below you’ll find, first, general links to softie help and softie patterns. After these are links to design and construction hints and demonstrations.
Patterns and general help
General softie crafting
Lists of free online patterns – multiple kinds of softies
- http://www.sewingsupport.com/sewing-how-to/free-patterns-and-projects/stuffed-animals.html
- http://thinkliz.com/free-sewing-patterns/#softies
- http://tipnut.com/sweet-softies/
- http://hobbyloco.com/plush.html
- http://www.squidoo.com/knitowl
- http://allcrafts.net/sewing/stuffedanimalssewing.htm
- http://www.squidoo.com/softie-making-tutorials-how-to-make-cute-plushies-sew-sewing-crafts
About softies
Design
- Elements of soft toy design (multipart series): http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/.services/blog/6a00d834515cdc69e200d8341bfc2c53ef/search?filter.q=elements+of+soft+toy+design
- Designing and constructing a soft toy: http://www.sovereignit.com/toys/designyourown.shtml
- Designing a simple softie from scratch: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/whileshenaps/2011/01/elements-of-soft-toy-design-pattern-drafting-for-a-simple-outline-toy.html
- Designing a stuffed toy flickr photo series: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yarn_and_coffee/sets/72157594461793833/
- Made with Love: Crafting for a Cause’s monster softie design guide: http://www.hillcrestmv.org/crafting/designing-monster-softie/
- How to customize softies and dolls: http://dollsanddaydreams.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-customize-handmade-dolls-and.html
- A study of different eye choices for one simple bunny: http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2010/04/ideas-for-bunny-eyes.html
- On commercially made button eyes and noses: http://www.planetjune.com/blog/amigurumi-help/eyes-and-noses/
- FLICKR softies pool (design inspiration): http://www.flickr.com/groups/20796593@N00/pool/
- Etsy plush team (design inspiration): http://www.plushteam.com/
- Month of Softies (design inspiration): http://loobylu.com/softies/ (Click on archived months for photos)
Construction
Tutorials and hints
- Design and construction tips: http://whipup.net/2012/03/19/guest-blog-book-sewn-toy-tales/
- Constructing a patchwork softie bear video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7gGgOrRhxc
- Turning small parts on softies: http://mellyandme.typepad.com/melly_me/2009/11/tricks-tips-1-turning-small-parts.html
- More on turning softies: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/whileshenaps/2011/01/elements-of-soft-toy-design-6-turning.html
- Tricks for stuffing softies: http://mellyandme.typepad.com/melly_me/2010/02/tips-tricks-returns.html
- More tricks for stuffing softies: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/whileshenaps/2011/02/elements-of-soft-toy-design-9-stuffing.html
- Using freezer paper for pattern pieces: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/whileshenaps/2011/01/elements-of-soft-toy-design-using-freezer-paper.html
- Leaving an opening for turning a softie: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/whileshenaps/2011/01/elements-of-soft-toy-design-openings.html
- Elements of soft toy design (multipart series)–also good for construction hints: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/.services/blog/6a00d834515cdc69e200d8341bfc2c53ef/search?filter.q=elements+of+soft+toy+design
How to do hand stitches (for softie faces)
- Running stitch instructions and variations http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/06/basic-embroidery-stitches-line-stitches.html
- Running stitch video tutorial: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-hand-sew-stitches-228379_4/
- Whip stitch video tutorial: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-hand-sew-stitches-228379_7/
- Ladder stitch (for closing up softies after stuffing) video tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CjOXMuTFXo
- How to keep thread from tangling when hand-sewing: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-hand-sew-stitches-228379_14/
- Using fusible web for appliqué: http://sewing.about.com/od/applique/ss/applique1.htm
