Plush toys and soft toys for kids are always a striking as gifts. Only handmade plush toys?! Even better!

Soft toys and wooden blocks on the floor in a kids room.

Beautiful little soft toys are such great gifts for kids and/or expectant momshoped-for. And the fact that these are DIY-able AND super affordable to create, make them fifty-fifty better in my eyes. So, I idea I'd bear witness you lot how to make your own.

I had a few of these made for Hayes earlier he was born and he withal plays with them to this day. The rainbow toy is his favorite. Click through for the tutorial.

Custom plush toys like this are really quick sewing project and cost less than $ten to make.

Wanna make your own? Hither's how…

Closeup of neutral color rainbow plush toy with kid playing nearby.

Materials Needed to Make Soft Toys

  • scrap textile (I used linen)
  • organic cotton stuffing, more fabric scraps, or like*
  • sewing machine
  • thread
  • scissors

*Annotation before getting started / disclaimer

Because parts of these blimp toys are sewn by hand and also include some kind of filling inside each item to make information technology soft, please utilise circumspection with these toys and monitor small children while they are in use.

I recommend using stuffing that is not-toxic like organic cotton (I used organic cotton roving scraps that I already had for this projection), wool, or more fabric scraps.

Or as another option, you could use buckwheat hulls, flaxseed, or millet – which are also great natural options for stuffing. But again, would require monitoring to ensure the stitching doesn't come up undone.

Cutting rainbow pieces for simple kid's soft toy.

Making stuffed toy and tracing cloud onto fabric.

How to Make Plush Toys

one. Create a template out of fabric or paper for the shape(s) y'all want to create – deject, rainbow, teardrop, etc.

You can employ my memory game shapes template as a guide for a few of those (just blow them upwardly bigger when printing).

Then trace onto textile and draw an additional line all the mode around the shape that is i/4 to 1/2 inch out from the original line. This will be your seam allowance.

2. Pivot the 2 pieces of cloth (which will be your front and back pieces) together before cutting out along the seam allowance line.

Sewing a small cloud toy for a kid's room.

3. Sew along the shape lines merely leave about a 3 inch (or more than to brand information technology easier) opening for the stuffing to go into. Be sure to dorsum stitch on either side of the opening.

For deject, raindrop, moon, or star shapes this is all you lot will need to practice before moving onto the side by side step.

But if you're making the rainbow shape, you volition need to sew dissever pieces for reach bow in the rainbow. In this instance, iii different ones.

4. Flip inside out. We used a pen and a skinny dowel rod to push everything through.

Adding stuffing to DIY soft toy project.

Stitching together a fabric rainbow plush toy.

5. Fill with your option of stuffing with the fill of your choice. Stuff the corners first and then fill out the middle.

We found that teasing the stuffing eliminates lumps in the pillow, if you're using organic cotton, or something similar.

If y'all're using loose filling (similar millet, buckwheat, flaxseed, lavender), you won't demand to worry nearly this.

Finishing stitch lines for a soft toy rainbow.

6. Hand sew the opening, using an invisible stitch, and secure on the ends with double or triple knots. Make sure that the stitching is very secure to stand up to use from children.

And if creating the rainbow toy, you'll too need to adhere each of the bow pieces / arches together after the openings are stitched up.

You lot can again use an invisible sew to adhere each arch together to form the final rainbow. Be sure to tie off ends in double or tripe knots.

Toys scattered on the ground in a neutral, modern kids room.

Looking for more DIY toy ideas like this one?

Check out these additional DIY projects that you might like…

  • DIY baby gifts – This tutorial post includes instructions for a soft, handmade fabric book, a DIY memory game, and DIY design swaddle blankets.
  • DIY leaf pillow – Y'all tin can brand a giant stuffed monstera leaf pillow (like three feet long or longer) OR a smaller, more normal sized foliage pillow. Both sizes are super cute and would use the aforementioned materials needed for this projection. So, you wouldn't need any additional supplies.
  • DIY star pillows – You can brand giant star pillows or teeny tiny ones that are more like toys. Either way, super cute!
  • reversible pillow thought – This i isn't specific to child toys, but if you have some larger pieces of cloth laying around, this reversible pillow would be a good one to endeavor. Information technology's really like shooting fish in a barrel to make!

Rainbow and cloud plush toys on a blanket in a neutral, modern kids room.

Toys on the ground in a child's room. Neutral colors and textures.

Sewing Emma Spear
Photography Brittni Mehlhoff

How to Make Custom Soft Toys for Kids (Diverse Shapes)

Cute little soft toys are such great gifts for kids and/or expectant moms-to-exist. And the fact that these are DIY-able AND super affordable to create, make them even better in my optics. So, I thought I'd show you how to make your own. I had a few of these made for Hayes before he was built-in and he still plays with them to this twenty-four hour period. The rainbow toy is his favorite.

Keyword: child toys, kids, quick sewing project, rainbow, sewing, toy

Cost: 10

  • fleck material (I used linen)

  • organic cotton wool stuffing, more than fabric scraps, or similar*

  • sewing machine

  • thread

  • Scissors

Create a template out of fabric or paper for the shape(s) y'all want to create - cloud, rainbow, teardrop, etc.

  • You lot can use my retentiveness game shapes template as a guide for a few of those (simply blow them up bigger when printing).

    So trace onto fabric and draw an additional line all the way around the shape that is ane/4 to 1/2 inch out from the original line.This will be your seam allowance.

Pin the two pieces of fabric (which volition be your forepart and back pieces) together before cut out along the seam allowance line.

    Stitch along the shape lines but exit well-nigh a 3 inch (or more than to get in easier) opening for the stuffing to go into. Be sure to back stitch on either side of the opening.

    • For cloud, raindrop, moon, or star shapes this is all you lot will need to practise before moving onto the side by side step.

    • Only if you're making the rainbow shape, yous will need to run up separate pieces for reach bow in the rainbow. In this instance, iii unlike ones.

    Flip inside out. We used a pen and a skinny dowel rod to push everything through.

      Fill up with your selection of stuffing with the fill of your choice. Stuff the corners commencement and then fill out the heart.

      • We found that teasing the stuffing eliminates lumps in the pillow.

      • If yous're using loose filling (like millet, buckwheat, flaxseed, lavander), you won't need to worry about this.

      Hand sew the opening, using an invisible stitch, and secure on the ends with double or triple knots. **Make sure that the stitching is very secure to stand up to use from children.**

      • And if creating the rainbow toy, you lot'll also need to adhere each of the bow pieces / arches together afterward the openings are stitched up.

      • You can over again use an invisible sew together to attach each arch together to form the final rainbow. Be sure to necktie off ends in double or tripe knots.

      *Note earlier getting started / disclaimer*

      Considering parts of these stuffed toys are sewn by hand and besides include some kind of filling within each detail to brand it soft, please utilize caution with these toys and monitor small children while they are in use.

      I recommend using stuffing that is non-toxic like organic cotton wool (I used organic cotton roving scraps that I already had for this project), wool, or more textile scraps. Or equally another option, you lot could utilise buckwheat hulls, flaxseed, or millet - which are likewise dandy natural options for stuffing. But again, would require monitoring to ensure the stitching doesn't come undone.