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Selling plush made from this pattern ​is​ permitted with credit to “Pattern by TeacupLion” ​on your marketing
photos, online listing or the product tag. Please include credit even if you modify the pattern. You may not sell
or share this pattern. Thank you for helping support me so I can keep providing sewing patterns :) ​A​ link to my
Etsy store​ www.etsy.com/shop/teacuplion​ is greatly appreciated in your online listing!
Not for use for sewing classes, or mass manufacturing at a factory.
You may not redistribute or sell this pattern or any modified patterns from it.
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This pattern is made best for stretch fabrics similar to minky or fleece. Non-stretch fabrics may not work as well with
this pattern, and pieces rely on stretch for proper fitting and curvature. I have a list of minky suppliers here:
http://www.teacuplion.com/where-to-buy-supplies/

Finished plush dimensions: ​7.5” tall or 9” tall with ears; 11” long to feet, 6” wide
Materials needed to make 1 animal (WxL, L= yardage, parallel to selvedge)
1/2 yard for main color (body and head) in stretch minky, soft-n-comfy, or fleece fabric
1/4 yard (muzzle, tail tip) in stretch minky, soft-n-comfy, or fleece fabric. (If using a different colored belly, then you will
need 1/2 yard instead.)
Scrap fabric (inner ears) in stretch minky, soft-n-comfy, or fleece fabric
Felt scraps for cheeks, eyes, nose
Cotton scrap for polyester pellet bag

Embroidery floss for mouth:​ Dark brown or black, 1 yard

Notions & tools recommended:
Universal or ballpoint needle (for sewing machines), hand sewing needle, polyester thread, 5” doll needle for
embroidering mouth, scissors, quilting pins, regular pins, polyester fiberfill, chalk or water soluble pen, chopstick and
hemostats for turning, funnel, polyester pellets, thread conditioner (to make hand sewing easier), toothbrush to brush
fur from seams.

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Machine sewing stitches used:
Running Stitch

Hand sewing stitches used:

Red = showing threads​ | ​Blue = hidden threads​ | ​Dark grey = top fabric​ | ​Light grey = bottom fabric
Ladder Stitch The ladder stitch is used to close openings. Use a color that is close to
the fabric being sewn closed. Stitch in and out of one side side, then in
and out of the other. Pull the thread to close the stitch, and the two
pieces of fabric will be pulled to each other.

Back Stitch Use this stitch if you do not have a machine; it replaces a straight stitch
on machine.

Stitch from WS to RS of fabric 1 full stitch forward, then stitch

backwards half a stitch. Stitch forward 1 stitch for the next stitch, and
then half a stitch backwards into the closest edge of the last stitch.

Whip Stitch Use this stitch if you are doing any hand sewing applique for the face
instead of topstitching, machine applique, or machine embroidery.

Sew tight and even loops perpendicular around the raw edges of the
fabrics. Bring the needle up through fabric 1/8" away from the edge.
Loop around the edge to the side (one stitch’s width) and repeat.

About this pattern

● “Stretch” arrows on the pattern run parallel with the crosswise grain (major horizontal stretch) of the fabric.
● “Nap” arrows on the pattern run along the way the fur goes. If the arrow points, down, fur should point down so
that when you pet it, it’s smooth downwards (like the back of a cat, the direction goes one way)
● Seam allowance is included, and is 1/4”.
● RS = Right Side of fabric, WS = Wrong Side of fabric, SA = Seam Allowance

Layout & Cutting Tips

● Print out the pattern pieces, and cut around the outer edge of the black outlines.
● Minky is stretchy, and cutting the pieces separately will give you better symmetry. If you do cut 2 layers of minky
at the same time, make absolutely sure that the directional stretch is the same for each half piece.
● Smooth out your minky, and place the pattern pieces parallel to the crosswise grain/major horizontal stretch,
and that nap(fur direction) is going the same way as the nap arrow.
● You can pin your pattern to the fabric, trace it with pen, or hold it in place and carefully cut around.
● For each piece marked as “Cut 2”, cut 1 piece, then flip the pattern, and cut the 2nd piece. You should have 1
piece each of WS and RS facing up.

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Clipping curved edges:

Pinning tips
● I recommend quilting pins, as they are thinner than regular pins. For pinning many layers of fabric together, use
regular pins.

Machine Sewing Tips

● Use a 1” square of tear-away interfacing underneath your beginning threads of sewing so the fabric doesn’t get
pushed down into the throat area by the needle. I cut up basket-style coffee filters, and rip them away after
sewing.
● Decrease top tension and increase stitch length when sewing over 4+ layers of minky, such as over many seams.
● For an easier time sewing minky or fleece, use a walking foot to keep both pieces feeding evenly.

Dart Sewing Tips

The “v” shaped dart will become a straight line. Sew using 1/4“ SA, starting at one point and finishing at the other. As
you sew, your seam allowance will decrease until you reach the end. Make sure to backstitch at the start of and end of
the dart. When finishing, sew as smoothly as possible, so that the angle of your dart blends smoothly with the folded
fabric. I sew this as a slight curve.
Using small scissors, snip open some of the fold under the seam allowance to allow the fabric to move more freely in
this area. Stop cutting where I’ve indicated with the blue pinhead. (Opening some of folded fabric to ease)

​-> flipped piece over -> ​

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 1. (Optional) Topstitch Muzzle to Head Front
Align and pin muzzle to head front. Sew ​C1-C2 w
​ ith 1/8” SA, pulling pins out as you sew.
Carefully trim away face fabric from underneath the Muzzle fabric, to reduce bulk.

2. (Optional) Transfer markings

For the eye, nose, and cheek alignment markings: cut the shapes on the Head Front pattern piece and use water soluble
pen or chalk to mark where the pieces will go.

3. Cut face details fabric

Cut fabric for desired eyes, nose, cheeks, or eyebrows.

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 4. Pin & sew face details to Head Front
The face of your plush will be the most important and adorable part, so make sure your markings and placements are as
symmetrical as possible! You can check with a mirror or photograph, and measure the distance of face details to various
edges of the fabric. I check to the neck seam center, neck seam directly below, distance to the nose dart, and to the
sides of the head.
Align, pin and sew face details onto face with 1/8” SA topstitching on machine, or whipstitch by hand. Use coffee filters
underneath as tear away stabilizer if it helps. Afterwards, tear away the stabilizer and if you used washable marker to
align pieces, wipe it away with a wet rag.

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 5. Sew Head Front darts (top and bottom)
Fold head front in half RS together, and sew darts​ A-A1​ and ​D-D1​ with 1/4” SA.

6. Sew Head Front darts (cheeks)

Fold head front in half RS together the other direction, and sew darts​ B-B1​ with 1/4” SA.

7. Sew Head Back

Pin and sew Head Back​ A-C ​with 1/4” SA, leaving open several inches to later turn.

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 8. Sew Ears
Pin ear pieces RS together and sew along curved edge​ E-F ​with 1/4” SA. Clip curved edges and turn.

If sewing an ear​ without E1:

Topstitch the opening E-F closed with 1/8” SA.

If sewing an ear​ with E1​:

Fold the ​E​ of the ears to meet ​E1​. You can fold more or less for different looks.
Pin in place, and topstitch the opening from ​E1-F​ closed with 1/8” SA.

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 9. Pin ears to Head Front, sew Head Front to Head Back
Align inner edges of ears to the darts ​E1​ on the Head Front. Fold them down and pin against the RS of front head.
Check that ears are symmetrical by measuring.
Place the Head Back RS down, sandwiching the ears inside.
Pin at the top middle, bottom edges, then center sides, then in-between those pins. Match top center ​A to A​, cheek dart
B​ to notch​ B​, and bottom ​C to C.​ Leave the neck ​C-D-C​ open.

Using 1/4” SA, sew around the head sides ​C-A-C​, leaving the neck open. Reduce the top thread tension when stitching
over the ears. If it is still too much fabric for your machine, you can sew by hand on these areas using a backstitch. Clip
curved edges when done.

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 10. (Optional) Sew 2-colored tail
If sewing a Fox, Shiba or Wolf tail, pin the applique piece on top of the base tail piece, and topstitch over with 1/8” SA.
You can cut away the fabric behind the tail tip if you like, to reduce bulk.

If you are sewing a 2-color cat tail, first sew the tail tip on, then sew around the 2 tail pieces.

11. Sew around Tail

Pin 2 Tail pieces RS together, and sew along curved edge ​L-M​ with 1/4” SA. Leave flat edge open. Clip curved edges and
turn using hemostats or tweezers.

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 12. Sew Body Top seams
If sewing a tail with L-M (inside the body seam):
Pin tail to one side of the Body Top, then pin the other side of the Body Top over. Sew ​M-G​ with 1/4” SA, sewing over
the tail. Then sew the short edge ​D-H​ with 1/4” SA.

If sewing a Fox tail (ladder stitching on afterwards):

Set tail aside and save for last.

13. Sew Body Top to Body Bottom

Align and pin Body Bottom to Body Top. Start by pinning at each major point: ​K to K, J to J, I to I, and H to H​. Then pin
everywhere inbetween these. You will leave the neck open. Sew around entire body.​ ​It will be easier to sew on the
machine with the bottom side down (touching the machine). When finished, clip curved edges.

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 14. Pin and sew Head to Body
Align the head so the front of the head meets the front of the neck, and back of head meets the back of the neck.
Pin the Head to the Body RS together around the neck, starting with the major seams; match ​D to D​ (neck front center),
C to C ​(side of head), and ​G to G​ (back). Then pin all inbetween.
Sew Head to Body around the entire neck along ​D-C-G-C-D. ​If you don’t want to sew by machine, you can use a back
stitch by hand for this step. Clip curved edges.

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 15. (Optional) Bag for polyester pellets
If you’re using sheer or lightweight fabric, place it on a flattened coffee filter (which will act as a tear-away interfacing).
Sew around the bag on machine with 1/4” SA, leaving 3” open (red line on the pattern). Insert 5-9 tbsp pellets through a
funnel. When done, pin the opening of the bag closed, and machine stitch the hole closed. If using coffee filter, tear it
away. Insert the bag

16. Stuff head and body

Using polyester fiberfill, begin stuffing each hand and foot. Fill the rest of the head and body until desired fill.

17. Embroider mouth

Place a pin below below the nose for the top of the mouth, one to the right for the corner of the mouth, and another in
the middle to make the smile later. Test with your perle cotton by wrapping around the pins to make sure the smile is
cute! Repeat for the left side as well, and check that the smile is symmetrical. When tightening your thread, ease the
last bit of thread down gently by holding a pin underneath the thread, so both threads will be perfectly even.

Thread your needle with enough perle cotton to embroider (I use 32”), knot the ends, and insert your needle in the hole
of the back of the head.

Stitch down from the bottom center of the nose (1) into the top of the mouth (2), out at the right bottom (3).
Stitch into the top right corner (4), and out at the middle of the mouth (5).
Stitch into right bottom (6), and out at left middle of the mouth (7).

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(Step 17 cont.)
Stitch into the middle of mouth (8), and out at the left corner of mouth (9).
Stitch back into the middle of mouth (10).

All finished and looking cute! Hide the knots at the center back of neck.

18. Ladder stitch the Head back opening

Sew the opening in the head back closed using 1/4” SA.

How to Ladder Stitch:

Shown top view in the diagram, horizontal pink stitches are on the wrong side of fabric, inside the plush.

19. (Optional) Ladder stitch tail

If you are sewing a fox tail on by hand, pin it to the Body and ladder stitch or whipstitch it on.
Video on how to ladder stitch flat details: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gae86ZelqCw

20. Cleanup
If there is any fur “trapped” inside the seams, you can brush them out using a toothbrush, pet brush, or even a thick
needle, and “pick” the fibers out. Lint-roll any stray threads, and voila!

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