Toy making, sew easy!

SEW PLAYTHINGS!

Thinking about sewing for fun? Try toys! Below are 4 pattern categories to create adorable playthings.

Are you a beginning stitcher or want to coach a beginner? Two piece animals and cut&sew bears are easy projects for someone with limited sewing experience. Dolls and doll clothing are great toy making categories for family sewing and gifting.

Making playthings is necessary FUN! Explore below!

Sew up some animals, easy does it!

Two-piece animal patterns are a great entry level to soft toy making. Once you make one of these, you will be amazed at how fast they sew up with great results. Two-piece animals can be made up in fleece, plush, minky, knits, and cotton as shown in the photos. 

The original!

With just 2 pattern pieces, you can sew an animal out of fleece, plush, Minky, knit or cotton. They sew up in a flash!

Baby love!

Baby cuties to sew and cuddle. Make each animal and pair with themed fleece blankies. Happiness!

Let’s Party!

With just 2  to 3 main pattern pieces, sew up a party of circus and zoo buddies!

Sew some babies!

These cuties are made for some good hugging. Yes, just 2 pattern pieces do it!

More sweet babies

These little guys are my personal fave, just saying!

Sew doll clothes!

Many designers, including myself, began their sewing passion with making doll clothes. Today the 18” doll is the most accessible and popular doll to sew for. There are so many clothing patterns for them!

Below are some patterns by Elaine Heigl Designs for Simplicity Pattern Company. Many styles would be great for the cut&sew 17” PLUSH LIFE® bear… with a just few adjustments they can fit.

A day at the Ranch

Go west! Everything a doll would need for western wear. A must have!

Modern girls

Fun fashion for the modern 18″ girls!

Irresistible 80’s!

Wardrobe for 18” boy and girl dolls. Remember those 80’s! Memphis style and big hair!

Boys and Girls of the 80’s

Wardrobe for 18” boy and girl dolls. Remember those 80’s! Party with style!

Nighty night

Classic lounge wear is a must for your 18″ doll!

Playtime!

Everything you need to go have fun with friends. Mix and match for an unlimited wardrobe.

SHARING!

With some slight adjustments the 18″ doll clothing can fit the 17″ cut&sew animals and dolls. Find on this site free pdf wardrobe patterns that fit both!

SO MOD!

We love the 60’s Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

Sew dolls! For play or display

Doll making is such a joy. So many options to create a unique character. Check out pattern packs below by Elaine Heigl Designs for Simplicity Pattern Company. You can make the dolls as shown, or get super independent and try different hair design techniques or try a soft sculpture face. Check out my Pinterest boards for inspiration. You can order knit and woven doll skin fabric at the print on demand site Spoonflower.com.

Lovely lanky loungers

Pretty lanky loungers for fun or display. Great dolls for posing and hugging!

Sew some Besties!

These boys and girls are designed to be that forever friend that shares daily adventures.

Sweet girls

These adorable girls just might be that doll that is taken everywhere. Lovable and huggable.

Sew up best friends!

Find the fabrics that were especially designed for Simplicity 9440. Click here to source fabrics at Spoonflower.com.

Create a PLUSH LIFE experience with cut-and-sew fabric panels

The PLUSH LIFE® animals and dolls are easy-to-sew projects that can be sewn up within an hour. Each PLUSH LIFE® cut&sew fabric panel arrives fully printed with all the pattern shapes, complete with graphics. How easy is that!
Choose from several easy-to-sew animal and doll styles and a growing selection of clothes. Collect and build your unique PLUSH LIFE® experience. Make to give or keep. Have fun with this!

Make memories

Make dressable bears, cats, dolls and their clothing. A bear is a classic toy for both boys and girls to nurture and comfort. These are created for sweet shared memories.

Start with a bear, cat or doll

Make one or all. There are several styles to choose from!

Sleep over

A sleepover theme is a must have! Choose from a blue or pink themed sleep set.

Cut&sew panels

Each project starts with a fat quarter cut&sew fabric panel. Download pdf guidesheet on this site.

My cat Stitch’s fave is the Panda. I wonder why!

Oh you doll!

Doll making is a great creative outlet. Sew and stuff a doll blank and build your unique character. Tutorials for hair design and free clothing patterns are on this site. Let your imagination go! Make one in every color for diversity!

Sweet dream dolls for baby

These babies are sure to be that favorite lovie. A sleeping mask encourages a good night sleep.

And more hugworthy toys to sew!

Puppy love!

These big pups are 24″ sitting. Posable and expressive. A best friend for sure!

SEW UP A PETTING ZOO!

What can I say…these animals are fun to march around! See them on instagram!

BIG HUGS!

27″ tall cats, dogs and bears… poseable, loveable!

FOREVER BEARS

Love for always. Sew up some of these for heirloom treasures.

Want to sew? Toymaking is a great way to go. Have heart-warming satisfication with a project that will give someone joy.

Click here for some helpful tips for sewing toys.

Sew Fun! E

Success tips for sewing doll clothes

Shopping for 18″ doll patterns? Below are current classics by Elaine Heigl Designs for Simplicity. Click each photo to link to product information.

Sewing 18″ doll clothes gives immediate satisfaction! You can sew a finished outfit with little effort, time, and fabric! If you are here hunting for some patterns, click photos for Elaine Heigl Designs current 18″ doll patterns.

If you are sewing “in the small” (doll scale) here are a few quick tips to insure you success:

Tips about fabric choices:

Woven cotton is the easiest fabric to sew doll fashions. Below there is a link to check out some doll scale mini prints.

If sewing knits, be sure to use a ball point needle: it’s a must!

You can use iron-on featherweight knit interfacing to back thin, slippery or finicky fabrics.  It provides just enough stability. (Handy stuff, I rely on this often!)

Stitching tips and aids:

Since seams for 18″ dolls are usually 1/4″, it’s handy to use a 1/4″ presser foot. (Specialty feet really do make sewing easier!)

When starting to machine stitch a seam, it’s good to hold the thread end. For some reason when stitching 1/4″ seams (especially knits), the beginning stitches and fabric sometimes get caught in the feed dog and won’t allow the fabric to move on. (Problem avoided!)

Have a long needle nearby, it’s a handy (sometimes necessary!) tool to help guide fabric along while machine stitching. I probably use my long needle 50% of my sewing time.

Have fun making doll clothes, Tell us about your experiences in comments. Any advice and questions are welcome!

CLOTH DOLL DESIGN: Create yours!

Looking for a creative outlet? Consider doll making, a sewing hobby that allows you to design your unique world of little friends. 

Have fun with this!

START WITH A VISION

When creating a doll, it is helpful to have a vision for a character or theme. To start a vision board, collect favorite references of cloth dolls, and childrens clothing. Collect swatches of fabrics, yarn, buttons, and trims. Once you start this process, most probably you will come up with many ideas…no problem, make many dolls! Check out Pinterest for a wealth of ideas. Be traditional or eclectic, express yourself! .

DOLL BODIES

CUT & SEW

You can sew 17″ dolls using a cut-and-sew fabric panel. Make a doll blank or a fully illustrated baby doll. Cut-and-sew bear, cat dolls and fashions are also available.

Order a fat quarter to make one doll, order one yard to make four dolls. Be sure to order in recommended fabric.

 

PAPER PATTERNS

If you prefer a home sewing paper pattern of doll sets with complete wardrobes, check out the doll patterns at Simplicity.com by Elaine Heigl Designs.

If you like total creative freedom, sew up a cut & sew doll blank. Choose from several skin colors, or sew up a diverse set.

A fully illustrated cut&sew baby doll is a quick sew. This is a perfect first doll lovie!

DOLL HAIR

Yarn is my first go-to choice for doll hair.

There are many mays to create a doll hairdo with yarn,  click here for several techniques to consider.

EYES

For eyes, shank or dome buttons are acceptable. Use lock in eyes if this doll is for a very young child. Eye placement is totally up to you.

When deciding eye size and placement, I find  test eyes are super handy! Test eye assortments are available at CR crafts.

Design in progress! The vote is for a 10mm dome eye button.

A WARDROBE FOR YOUR CUT&SEW DOLLS

 

Build a doll’s wardrobe with the cut-and-sew PLUSH LIFE® clothing fabric panels. Download the instructions on this site.

OR you can use a pattern for 18” doll clothing and adjust the fit to your preferences. Check out my blog for current 18″ doll clothing designs by Elaine Heigl Designs.

START A WARDROBE!

You can start a wardrobe now with this free pinafore and collar pattern.

SHOP FOR FABRIC BY INDIE DESIGNERS

Spoonflower is a print on demand (POD) site for fabrics. Thousands of artists post unique designs that are available to you. If you would like to check out my growing collection at Spoonflower.com, click here. Perhaps you will find a fun print for your little cutie’s wardrobe!

Have fun with this! Will love to see your unique creations on facebook and instagram! Hope to see you there! 

Sew happiness! E

 

 

My little valentine. PLUSH LIFE® unfolds!

Hello! Need some valentines? Print this “PLUSH LIFE® unfolds” original by Elaine Heigl Designs. Find PDF link and directions at the bottom of this post.

You have someone you want to give more than just a card? Consider giving a softie too! On this site you can find plenty of softie ideas for all levels of stitchers. Meanwhile hugs!

Sew be it! E

1)PRINT AND FOLD

Download pdf below. Set printer for 2 sided printing with no margins. Print on letter size paper. Once printed,  fold “I am” corner as shown. 

2)FOLD AGAIN

Fold as shown.

3)FOLD AGAIN! LAST ONE!

Fold as shown.

GREETINGS READY!

These cards fit neatly inside a 4 3/8” x 5 3/4” invitation envelope.

Sew the PLUSH LIFE®: a free pinafore pattern

Today I have a little special freebie pattern for you to make a cute little pinafore and collar set that fits the PLUSH LIFE® animals and dolls. This is a super easy project for a beginner. Also this pattern is great for a seasoned stitcher to teach elementary sewing skills.

I hope you have been enjoying watching the family of my cut-and-sew PLUSH LIFE® characters grow! If you have made PLUSH LIFE® characters, you can dress them up by sewing the cut-and-sew printed fabric panels. If you prefer a commercial pattern, you can adapt 18” doll clothes to fit. The PLUSH LIFE® characters measure approximately 16” tall, and an adjustment in clothing hem lengths can often be all it takes to make some commercial patterns fit.

Want a PLUSH LIFE® dress pattern NOW? Here’s a free one to download, complete with instructions. Click link below for download and ENJOY!

Less that a fat quarter fabric is all that is needed to make one pinafore. Perfect for you quilters that have a stash of fat quarters. Perfect for Spoonflower fans that want to use fat quarters of wonderful fabric designs created by amazing talented designers on spoonflower.com.

The little flouncy pinafore is cute as is…or if you want to let your creative imagination go, trim the pinafore and collar with lots of lace and ruffles. Its so fun to have an excuse to shop the trim department at the sewing centers!

 Check out my collection of small scale prints for doll clothes at spoonflower.com to view fun fabrics of many talented designers. A fat quarter of petal cotton is more than enough to make one pinafore. With some more yardage, you can add to the experience and make a matching outfit for a PLUSH LIFE® friend.

If you have designs at spoonflower that you think would be perfect for doll clothes let me know and send me a link, so I can include your surface art in the collection.

SEW SILLY!