DIY soft toy dog. DIY toys made from patchwork Funny elephants using the patchwork technique - master class

Master class with step-by-step photos on making the 2018 symbol “Dog Patchwork”

Efremova Yulia Vladimirovna, teacher of the municipal budgetary preschool educational institution “Child Development Center - Kindergarten No. 2” in the city of Tula

My master class is addressed to those who are going to make a dog for a gift or interior decoration. I think this work will be interesting and useful for preschool and school teachers, heads of clubs, parents, and all those who like to make original gifts with their own hands.
Goal of the work: making a toy dog using the patchwork technique.
Main goals problems solved by this work: to be able to find a source of creativity in the most ordinary things, to develop fantasy, imagination and artistic taste.
Every year, according to the Eastern calendar, passes under the auspices of one of the 12 animals. And a cute souvenir in the form of this symbol of the year has long become a traditional New Year's gift. If it is not bought in a hurry at a sale, but prepared in advance or made with your own hands, then its value is measured only by the joy that you brought to the recipient of the gift. The coming 2018 is the year of the Dog. So, we'll make a dog.
Everyone knows that domestic dogs are one of the species of the canine (wolf) family. Their relatives include wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and arctic foxes. And the diversity of domestic dogs themselves is amazing; according to various sources, there are about 400 breeds. Many of them are not similar not only to their ancestors, but even to each other.

Among them there are giants and dwarfs, good-natured pets and formidable fighters and guards, as well as hunters, rescuers, etc. And there are many who simply decorate our lives, i.e. indoor and decorative representatives of the breed. So my dog will become not just a gift, but an interior decoration.
A small lyrical digression.
A long time ago, when the fashionable word “patchwork” was not yet known, our grandmothers were fond of patchwork. They used scraps of fabric that were a pity to throw away. Thrifty housewives used them to sew blankets, rugs, covers for stools, and pillows. People with artistic taste quickly realized that scraps could be used to create original and different things, and quilted vests and bags appeared. In 1981, we published a book by M.E. Green "Sewing from scraps", but it was almost impossible to get it.

But in the magazine “Rabotnitsa” they published a fragment about how to sew a dog out of squares. Using it, I created my first large piece from scraps. Its size is 70 by 50 cm, and it successfully replaced the pillow. That toy dog was the favorite of all the children who came to our house and, unfortunately, did not survive to this day. But the article from the magazine is still preserved.

When I finally got my hands on the book by M.E. Green, I sewed a patchwork quilt from it, and my son was brought home from the hospital in it. I keep it for my grandchildren as a memory.

Many years have passed, and now entire pieces of fabric are specially cut into small pieces to obtain panels of extraordinary beauty. Here's how it is, for example.

Everyone knows the names of fashionable patchwork techniques: “quilting” and “patchwork”. Remembering all this, I decided to create another dog from scraps. So, let's begin.
First of all, we will need colorful pieces of fabric and scissors.

To ensure that the blanks are the same size, we make a template from cardboard. This is a frame measuring 5 cm along the outer perimeter and 3 cm along the inner perimeter.

On the fabric we draw both an outer square (cut along these lines) and an inner one (sew along these lines).
In total you need to cut 60 squares. But it’s better to make another heels in reserve if you don’t like the color combination somewhere.

Here is a schematic image of the future dog. For the head 6+6, for the body 8+8, for the paws 1+1+1+1.

We begin to sew, armed with thread and a needle or, which is faster, a sewing machine. The combination of squares according to color is to the taste of the master. It’s easier to work like this: first we sew the squares in pairs, then two pairs together.

Two rows of 4 squares are the torso.

For the head, two rows of 3 squares.

We sew 24 squares into a ribbon that will connect both halves. All preparations for the future dog are ready.

We connect the head with the body and add a square to the legs (see diagram). Now we begin to sew the ribbon to one half, then to the other. In order to turn the work inside out, we leave the side of one square unstitched. You can do this on one of the paws, or at the tail. Carefully turn it out.

Almost done!
Now you need to stuff the dog and make a muzzle, ears, and tail. For the ears, you can use a plain fabric. I cut pieces from old terry socks and made semicircular ears in different colors, blue and yellow.

You can stuff it with padding polyester, and add something thicker to the paws for stability: scraps of fabric, cotton wool. I used old terry socks. The eyes and nose can be designed in different ways, I made them from buttons.

I first crocheted the tail from colored threads, but it didn’t look right. I had to redo it.

I tried to make it from the same fabric as the dog himself. We sew 4 squares along the length and fold them in half, stitch them, we get a tube, turn them inside out.

The dog liked the new tail, there was something to wag, and with it he became much cuter.

Well, our dog named LOSKUTIK is ready.

The most fabulous holiday is approaching - New Year. And what does it take to meet it as brightly as possible? Of course, bright little things, accessories and souvenirs. Made with your own hands, they give a feeling of warmth and charge you with positivity. We suggest sewing a pillow from multi-colored scraps. But not a simple one, but stylized as the symbol of the coming 2018 - a dog.

For work you will need the following materials and tools:

scraps of thick fabric of different colors;
threads;
scissors;
square or ruler for cutting;
pillow filling.

The first stage of creating a product is cutting. Cut 82 squares of equal size from the prepared flaps. The larger the side of each square you use, the larger the pillow you will get. For example, if the side of the square is 10 cm, then the finished product will measure about 50 cm in height and 60 cm in width.

After cutting, arrange the squares on the table according to the template to choose a color combination. You can pin together the resulting layout with pins for convenience. Or you can simply photograph it and use the photo as a guide for further work.

After that, start sewing the squares together one by one, methodically assembling this original dog pillow puzzle.

Leave two or three squares at the bottom of the pillow unstitched, turn the product right side out and place the filling inside. If the side of the square is 10 cm, then the filler for the pillow will need about 300 - 400 g.

You can sew beautiful, bright and unusual toys with your own hands from leftover fabric using the patchwork technique (from the words patch - a piece of fabric, work - work). The art of sewing from scraps is popular all over the world. Sometimes entire works of art are created from small pieces of fabric. In every home you can see a bedspread, cape or rug, sewn from pieces of fabric with your own hands by your mother or grandmother.

Recently, sewing toys from scraps has become very popular. Children love to play with rag toys, especially if they are sewn with the kind hands of their mother. Funny dolls and animals made from colorful pieces of fabric fill your home with warmth and comfort, delighting your family and friends with their cute charm.

Any housewife in her house will always have a considerable number of multi-colored pieces of fabric left over from sewing some things. To make a rag toy, scraps of all types of fabrics of different sizes and colors are useful. The patchwork technique is not at all difficult to master if you have a sewing machine, a little free time and a great desire to create.

Tools and materials

The good thing about the patchwork technique is that it does not require special tools or large financial outlays. To make a toy from leftover fabric, you will need tools and materials that every needlewoman always has on hand:

Scissors, sewing needle, sewing machine, safety pins, multi-colored threads, thimble.
Cardboard, tailor's chalk, pencil, tailor's measuring tape, triangle ruler.
A few remnants of fabric, buttons, padding polyester for stuffing, braid, beads and other decorative elements for decoration.

Sewing a toy from leftover fabric begins with a pattern. Schemes describing the work can be found in needlework magazines or on Internet sites. The algorithm for sewing patchwork toys with your own hands is almost always the same:

Having chosen a toy model, we make its pattern out of paper.
Using a chalk, we transfer the details of the paper pattern onto the pieces of fabric.
We cut out the outlined parts from the fabric and sew them according to the pattern, leaving holes for stuffing.
Then we stuff the toy with padding polyester, sew on the eyes, nose, mouth and decorations.

Using your imagination and skill, you can create real miracles with your own hands from a few pieces of fabric. But we want to tell you a few secrets that will help your creations become even more beautiful:

It is best to make patterns on cardboard, then they will lie tightly on the fabric.
It is advisable to draw on fabric only with tailor's chalk, pencil or a piece of soap.
You need to cut out the parts of the toy along the grain thread to avoid warping the fabric.
It is undesirable to use cotton wool as a filler for toys, because when wet it can mat and the toy will lose its appearance.
Instead of padding polyester, you can use small beads for stuffing, which will be useful for developing the motor skills of a child’s hands.
If you have an old, out-of-shape toy in your house, you can tear it apart and get a great toy pattern. By applying your imagination and slightly changing its details, you can sew your own unique masterpiece.

For a more detailed study of the patchwork technique, we bring to your attention several original lessons and ideas for making toys from scraps with your own hands.

Rainbow fish made from patchwork using the patchwork technique - master class

We will need: several bright remnants of fabric, a piece of felt, padding polyester, safety pins, two buttons, a sewing machine.

Step one: We print the pattern using a printer and cut out the details of the fish from paper. The pattern is given with seam allowances.

Step two: Having attached the details of the patterns to the scraps, outline them with chalk and cut them out. Draw a heart on a piece of felt and cut it out as well. Having folded the fabric in half, we cut out and cut out 4 parts of the fins, as shown in the diagram. In the same way, we cut out 5 scales, sew them along the contour, turn them inside out and stuff a little padding polyester into them.

Step three: We pin one pair of scales to half of the fish’s body. We pin the fish part on top of the scales as shown in the diagram, stitch it together with the scales and turn it away. Then we pin three more scales.

Step four: We place the fish's head on top of the scales, stitch it and turn it away. In the same sequence we sew on the fins stuffed with synthetic padding. We place the sewn half of the fish with the front side on the fabric. We sew all the parts along the contour, leaving the tail unstitched, and cut it out. In rounded areas, we make notches on the seam allowances so that the seams do not pull together.

Step five: turn the sewn fish inside out and stuff it with padding polyester. We sew up the tail sections by hand, as shown in the diagram. Sew a felt heart onto the tail. Then we sew on the eye buttons. The cheerful bright fish, made by yourself, is ready.

Funny elephants using patchwork technique - master class

We will need: a few scraps of fabric, pattern paper, scissors, safety pins, and a sewing machine.

Operating procedure:

We transfer the patterns to pieces of fabric and cut out the details.
Then we make ears and sew them to the elephant’s body.
Next we sew the remaining parts together, leaving a hole for stuffing, as shown in the diagram.
Then we stuff the elephant with padding polyester, sew up the hole and sew on the eyes.

Fabric Toy Ideas

Patchwork cat

We will need: several multi-colored pieces of any fabric, scissors, pattern paper, floss thread, sewing machine.

The cat pillow is easy and quick to sew: according to the pattern, cut out the parts of the cat of the size you need on the fabric, sew them together, stuff them with filling and embroider the eyes, nose and mouth. It is not necessary to make the cat tabby. You can make it spotted, plain, or sew hearts on the back. In any case, he will turn out to be very charming. You can not only play with such a cute toy, but also use it as a pillow.

Kitty with a flower

We will need: a few remnants of checkered or polka dot fabric, pattern paper, a sewing machine, floss threads, beads, buttons and ribbons for decoration.

Procedure: we cut out the parts of the cat on the fabric according to the pattern, sew them together, stuff them with synthetic padding, sew on the eyes, embroider the mouth and nose. We decorate the cat at our own discretion. Her neck can be decorated with cute flowers or cute bows.

Fabric farm

By drawing your own sketches, you can make a whole collection of simple funny animals from colorful scraps.

From the remnants of felt fabric, using limitless imagination, you can sew a funny finger puppet theater.

Whole family of colorful parrots will live in your home if you decide to sew such patchwork birds with your own hands.

So cute dog will delight all your household members.

Having studied our lessons and gained experience, you can set your sights on sewing such colorful and fun airplanes.

Making toys from scraps with your own hands is an extremely exciting process. We hope that after mastering a few lessons, using our tips and using your rich imagination as an assistant, you will learn how to create unique toys using the patchwork technique.

The process of preparing for one of the most beloved holidays - the New Year - is a huge amount of worries and troubles. Undoubtedly, many of these chores can be classified as pleasant. Most people, already in the first weeks of December, begin to think about where and how to celebrate the holiday, purchase food and drinks, and also consider gifts for relatives, friends and acquaintances, gradually immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere.

Of course, it is impossible to create the spirit of the New Year without, because it is tinsel on the eaves and windows that can give our home a fabulous and elegant look. It is important to remember that each new calendar period is under the auspices of a specific totem animal, which gives this year special features.

You need to choose fabric for crafts wisely. Listen to our advice!

Try to win the patron's sympathy by placing several figurines around the house. In 2018, the world will be ruled, so you can make themed figurines for home decor and gifts for colleagues and family. Such a handmade product will definitely be appreciated, because hand-made gifts are distinguished by sincerity and warmth. We offer you several interesting master classes on making fabric dogs.

Features of sewing fabric toys

Of course, you can use any scraps and scraps you find in your bins. But not every fabric is suitable for making toys, especially if they become not just decoration, but will be actively used. In addition, sewing requires some skills in cutting parts, so we advise you to pay attention to the following recommendations:

The best fabric options for complex toys include knitwear and fleece. Knitted fabrics are distinguished by their density and ability to stretch. However, even skilled craftsmen note its capriciousness in work - any pattern should be adapted specifically to this fabric. For beginning toy makers, fleece is more suitable - it is cheap, easy to cut, and suitable for making any toys with large and small parts. Simple toys consisting of several large parts can be sewn from linen, cotton and other natural materials;
When creating a pattern, you need to take into account the ability of the fabric to stretch. If the material does not stretch well, like fleece, it is better to cut it along the grain thread - the result will be work without obvious deformations, completely matching the pattern. If desired, you can make the toy plumper by adding a centimeter to the pattern. Elastic knitted fabrics, after being stuffed with filler, stretch a couple of centimeters, so if it is important for you to maintain the proportion of the toy, you can slightly reduce the patterns;
To glue parts, you can use PVA glue, “Moment” or textile glue, but remember that the glue quickly passes through thin fabric and can leave unsightly stains. The ideal option is to use a heat gun, with which you can quickly and easily glue any part;
bulky fabric toys require filling. You should not use cotton wool, trimming shreds or batting - they are distributed unevenly, and with active use, a product with such a filler quickly loses its original shape. Buy a supply of padding polyester, holofiber, synthetic padding polyester or thin foam rubber, which are much better suited for this purpose;
You can cut out toys using sharp straight scissors, and for small elements use small manicure scissors;
To transfer patterns to fabric, use a self-disappearing marker, chalk or gel pen. However, the latter option should be used only on the wrong side so that there are no marks left on the finished toy.

Now that you are aware of all the tricks of working with fabrics, you can begin the promised master classes.

Spotted blenny

With due diligence, the toy will look just like a store-bought one.

Toys that you sew yourself are things that fill your home with warmth and comfort, so feel free to start making these cute puppies that will then live in the homes of your friends. The craft can also be made for a thematic exhibition, because before the New Year, schools and kindergartens will definitely give you an assignment to make and bring some kind of toy.

To sew a dog you will need:

fleece white and black;
padding polyester or padding polyester;
plastic eyes (you can buy them in craft stores);
white and black threads;
needle;
scissors;
paper;
pencil;
pins;
chalk or disappearing marker;
satin ribbon.

Step-by-step instructions for making a fabric puppy

Instructions for making a toy:

Transfer schematic images of the details for the future puppy onto a sheet of paper. Cut out the patterns.
Place the body, head, ear and tail pieces onto the fleece, pin and cut out, leaving a seam allowance. You need to make two parts each for the body, head and tail and four parts for the ears.
Place the body pieces face to face and sew, leaving an opening to turn inside out. Make two darts (as in the photo) on the head parts and sew this part of the dog, leaving a hole. Sew the details of the ears and tail.
Turn the body inside out, stuff it with stuffing and sew up the incision. Exactly the same principle should be followed with the head and tail. But there is no need to stuff your ears.
Sew the tail to the back of the dog's body.
Attach the ears to the head.
From a piece of black fleece, cut out spots of various diameters, place them on the body, ears and tail, attaching them with a glue gun.
Cut out a circle of black fleece, sew it with thread along the edge, pulling it together a little. Place a little synthetic fluff inside, pull the thread to make a ball - this will be the puppy’s nose, which needs to be sewn to the muzzle.
Decorate the puppy's head with spots.
Sew the head to the body and glue the eyes.
Tie a ribbon for the puppy, making a bow. The toy is ready!

Dalmatian

Pattern for sewing a Dalmatian

Such a miniature dog can be given as a small token of attention to both colleagues and friends, and their children - a cute toy will definitely become a favorite of any family. Of course, the owner of a real Dalmatian will also appreciate it. Such crafts look best at a height of 6 to 8 centimeters. Using the same principle, you can make a dog of any smooth-haired breed - for example, a dachshund or a bull terrier - by giving the pattern the desired shape. To sew a dog you will need:

white fleece;
a piece of white cotton fabric;
synthetic fluff;
plastic beads for eyes;
white threads;
needle;
thin wire;
sharp nail scissors;
paper;
pencil;
pins;
chalk or disappearing marker;
gel pen, marker or black paint.

Step-by-step instructions for making a Dalmatian

Stages of making crafts:

Transfer the pattern onto a piece of paper. Cut out the patterns.
Place the pieces on the fleece, pin and cut, leaving a seam allowance. You need to make two side parts, one each for the tummy and the top of the head, two for the ears and one for the tail. Two more pieces for the ears (smaller) need to be cut from cotton or knitted fabric.
Sew the dog along the back, sewing a piece for the head between the side parts. Sew on the belly element. Don't forget that there should be a large cut in the middle of the belly so that you can turn the toy inside out, and also leave small cuts to insert the tail and ears into the seams.
Turn the dog inside out and insert the wire frame from muzzle to tail. The wire must pass through all the legs so that the toy is stable.
Stuff the dog tightly with synthetic down and sew up the hole.
Embroider the dog's face with black thread.
Make eyes from beads.
Sew the ear elements. Sew in ears and a tail stuffed with synthetic fluff.
Using a marker or gel pen, draw spots on the Dalmatian.

Dog pillow

A dog pillow is the simplest version of a New Year's craft.

Pillows in the shape of a dog are a gift that will delight your friend, mother, colleague or grandmother who loves to create coziness in their home. For such decorative sofa pillows, you can use almost any fabric with a pattern, because the more colorful and fun the pillow is, the better. First you need to prepare the following items;

pieces of fabric. As the main material, it is better to take a plain material of a neutral color (linen or cotton are good), but bright chintz patches with patterns are suitable for ears and spots. A small piece of thin black felt or fleece will be needed for the eyes and nose;
scissors;
pencil;
pins;
paper;
holofiber or synthetic winterizer;
threads;
igloo

Step-by-step instructions for sewing a pillow yourself

Making a toy consists of the following steps:

Transfer the patterns onto paper. Cut out the paper elements.
Place the patterns on the fabric and attach with pins. Make patterns for two parts of the head, four parts of the ears, cut out a spot, eyes and nose. Be sure to leave seam allowances where needed.
Please note that there is a hole on the paper part of the ear - by placing it on the head, you can mark the place for the dog's eye.
Place eyes, a nose and a spot on the front of the pillow, and sew it on with a machine. Embroider the muzzle.
Place the two parts of the dog's head facing each other and sew them together, leaving a slit for the ears.
Sew both parts of the ears and turn them onto the face. Insert the ears into the slits and stitch.
Turn the dog's head inside out, stuff it with stuffing and sew up the hole. The pillow is ready.

Of course, these are not all ideas for creativity, so we offer you a few more interesting ideas for making dog toys, the patterns for which are posted just below.

Patterns for sewing a dog from fabric

New Year holidays are approaching. According to the Chinese calendar, the symbol of 2018 will be a yellow dog. Already, many people are wondering what gift to choose for friends and family. It’s easier to buy a ready-made souvenir, but try to make it yourself, for example, sew a cute dog out of fabric, putting a piece of your soul into the work. Our step-by-step master class, called “DIY Dog Symbol of the Year 2018,” will help you create this cute puppy named Scotty from scraps. Although, maybe you can come up with a different name for him?

The dog will be made using the patchwork technique, following the example of a patchwork quilt. Probably, the idea to sew such a toy arose a long time ago; we borrowed it from a popular women's magazine published in Scotland in 1940.

How to sew a Scotty dog from scraps

1.Cut out the fabric

Cut a total of 54 squares (27 squares for each side). Each square will measure 5x5cm. We used a variety of colorful scraps of wool and cotton fabric, vintage and modern, and were careful not to repeat any fabric (except on the back of the toy). Cut out the dog's side strip, 55 x 5cm.

If you have to sew this strip of two pieces together, make sure the seam is perpendicular to the sides.

The finished toy measures approximately 28 cm in length and 30 cm in height. If you want to make a smaller or larger dog, change the size of the squares accordingly.

2. Create a toy design
Place the squares on the table in the shape of the front and back of the dog. Be sure to make them mirror images of each other (see Figure 1).

3. Sew the dog (don’t forget about 0.5cm allowances)
On the right side of the fabric we sew squares in vertical rows. Fold the seam allowance up or down, alternating the direction for each row. Once all the vertical rows are assembled, join them together to make the front of the dog. Follow the same steps for the back of the product.
For more information on how to sew square patches, watch this video:

4. Sew on the side strip
Before sewing on the side stripe, leave a 10cm opening along the tail end of the dog and 7.5cm along each end of the long side of the side stripe. This opening will be sewn with blind stitches later.

Leaving 2.5 cm from the end free, we begin to sew the side strip to the front side of the dog. Sew the loose side to the front of the toy. Be careful when stitching the corners to make sure they remain square. To do this, stop the stitching at the outer corners, turn the needle down and start stitching again. Secure the corner of the side strip.
Be careful not to catch the seam allowances with the needle when sewing inside corners. When you get close to the end, stop and bring the ends of the side strip together, trimming away any excess fabric.
Sew the remainder of the side strip to the front of the dog.
In the same way, you need to sew the side strip to the back of the dog, leaving a 3-square hole in the tail to stuff the dog.

5. Stuffing the toy
Stuff your dog with the litter of your choice. Turn the edges of the opening under when sewing with blind stitches.

6. Attach eyes and decorate the dog
This is the interesting part of the job. Bring life to your Scotty puppy by making him unique. Various decorations and accessories will help with this. You can use buttons for the eyes or draw them with a felt-tip pen if the toy is given to a small child. A dog made from scraps will look more attractive for the New Year if you use ribbons to decorate the collar.

Here's your gift and it's ready. It is pleasant to receive it for both children and adults.
To strengthen the attraction of good luck with this symbol of the year, make an analogue of the Krupenichka doll: stuff the dog with cereal, which attracts wealth, satiety and strength. It is enough to pour a little cereal on the bottom of the paws.
Imagine and create magic with your own hands. You can sew a dog in other ways: