Program Idea: Felt Plushie Workshop

Plushie workshops are a great way to teach basic sewing skills to teens. If they have already taken a home and careers class, or know how to sew, you can teach them more advanced skills, like pattern making or embroidery. The stuffed toys pictured here are basic plushies made from craft quality felt. I came up with these simple designs (except for the white Yogurt Kun fella) drew them out on old folders to make basic patterns and then cut them out.  Here is my quick over view of how I put these together, there are more thorough tutorials below:

Materials: an old folder (or sturdy card stock), quality felt, fine tip felt maker, embroidery needle and thread, scissors, Tacky glue (gold bottle), and poly-fill fiber

Instructions:
1. Draw out a simple shape about the size of the palm of your hand on an old folder. Shapes like stars, fruits, and clouds work best for those new to sewing.

2. Using a fine point felt marker, trace the pattern on to a piece of felt twice (there is no need to turn them inside out)

3. Cut out the two shapes and thread your embroidery needle with matching thread, and sew both felt pieces together, leaving a 1" opening for stuffing.

4. Cut out any other pieces of felt for decorating (ie: eyes, mouth, hair) and glue these on the plushie with Tacky glue.

5. Stuff plushie with fiber fill and sew closed.

6. Name your plushie and love it forever.

Tutorials:
HGTV plushie tutorial
http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/felt-plush-creatures/index.html
Cut out and Keep Owl tutorial
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/super_cute_owl_pin_cushion

Inspiration for designs from C.O.+K:
A cute cloud

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cloudy

A simple star

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/star_lavender

A little octopus
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/silly_octopus_plushie
Ugly Doll like monster
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cute_plushie