Getting Started
If this is your first time making a fabric toy, you do not need to learn every sewing technique at once.
To make a bababloodo, you only need to become familiar with a few common materials and basic terms,
along with several essential stitches and stuffing techniques.
Once you know these basics, you are ready to begin your first project.
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Plush Fabric
Plush fabrics come in many varieties. Different pile lengths, densities, and textures create different looks and feels. Common types include short-pile plush, long-pile plush, coral fleece, and sherpa fleece.
bababloodo uses a soft Rex rabbit-style plush fabric. Its dense, smooth pile feels wonderfully soft and gives the finished bunny a natural, delicate texture.
The key difference between plush fabric and ordinary cotton is its layer of pile. When cutting and sewing, pay close attention to the pile direction. The pile should usually run from top to bottom so the finished toy looks natural.
Fiberfill
I usually stuff my fabric toys with hollow-fiber polyester fill, sometimes called toy stuffing. Its springiness is something natural cotton and plant-fiber fillings do not provide.
Good fiberfill should be fluffy, clean white, resilient, odor-free, and resistant to clumping. A fabric toy is made to stay with us for a long time, so at the very least, we should fill it with love and peace of mind.
Filling Pellets
Polyethylene filling pellets are a common stuffing material used in plush toys.
They are not used to make a toy fluffy. Instead, they add weight, adjust the center of gravity, and improve stability. They are usually placed in the body or feet, giving the toy a satisfying weight and helping it hold its pose.
When you first read a pattern or tutorial, you will see the following terms again and again. Learning them now will make the later steps much easier.
Pattern
A pattern is the cutting template used to make a fabric toy.
Each shape on the pattern corresponds to a part of the toy. Cut the fabric according to the pattern, then sew the pieces together. Little by little, the flat fabric pieces take on a three-dimensional form.
Seam Allowance
The seam allowance is the area outside the outline of the pattern that is reserved for sewing.
When tracing the pattern onto a plush fabric piece, center the pattern so the seam allowance remains even all around.
The traced line is your stitching line. Sew along it, leaving the seam allowance outside the stitching line.
Turning Opening
A turning opening is a short section intentionally left unsewn.
After sewing the fabric pieces together, turn the fabric right side out through this opening and use it to add filling pellets and fiberfill. Then close it with a Ladder Stitch.
You do not need many complicated stitches to make a fabric toy. The following three are enough for most basic sewing tasks.
Running Stitch
The running stitch is the most basic and commonly used sewing method.
Place the right sides of the two fabric pieces together, then sew stitch by stitch along the stitching line from the wrong side. The running stitch is mainly used to join two pieces of fabric securely. Keep your stitches even for a neat, beautiful finish.
Ladder Stitch | Closing Stitch
Ladder Stitch is a common hand-sewn closing method.
After the toy has been turned right side out and stuffed, the turning opening needs to be sewn closed. A ladder stitch draws the two folded edges neatly together while hiding the stitches inside the seam.
With practice, the finished closure will show almost no visible thread from the outside.
Whip Stitch
When making a bababloodo, the whip stitch is mainly used to secure the matching marks on two fabric pieces before sewing, preventing the pieces from shifting out of alignment along a long seam.
Secure the corresponding marks with a few whip stitches first, then sew along the traced line. This keeps the two pieces accurately aligned.
Along with the stitches, there are a few very useful techniques to learn.
They may look simple, but they make a noticeable difference in how smoothly your sewing goes.
Threading & Knotting
For beginners, I recommend using about 50 cm of doubled thread. Longer thread tangles easily, while shorter thread needs to be rethreaded after only a few stitches.
Twist the end of the thread to a point and pass it through the eye of the needle. Pull it to the desired doubled length, cut it, and tie a firm knot at the ends that will not easily come loose.
The backing of plush fabric is more loosely woven than ordinary cotton, so the knot should be large enough that it cannot pull through the backing.
See the demonstration below for the knotting technique. With a little practice, your fingers will become more nimble and you will soon be able to tie the right-sized knot in one go.
Preventing Tangles
When hand sewing, the two strands can separate or tangle as the needle and thread are pulled through the fabric, especially if the tension is uneven.
After threading the needle and tying the knot, pass the needle tip between the two strands about 3 cm from the eye of the needle, then pull the thread straight. This lightly twists the two strands together, making them less likely to tangle when the tension is uneven.
One tiny step keeps your thread beautifully well-behaved.
Finishing Off
At the end of a seam, tie an appropriately sized knot to secure the thread and prevent the stitches from gradually loosening. It looks simple, but finding just the right position can be tricky. Follow the demonstration below and practise a few times.
After tying the knot, do not cut the thread immediately. Insert the needle again beside the knot, bring it out about one stitch away, pull it tight, and trim the thread close to the fabric.
Finally, use the needle to tease out the plush around the knot and hide it in the pile.
A clean finish makes the seam more secure and the finished piece neater.
Stuffing is often where the real fun begins, as a flat fabric toy starts to take shape.
Until now, you have been sewing a little “skin.” Stuffing gently fills it out and turns it into a lovable three-dimensional toy.
Stuffing is more than simply pushing filling inside. The amount you add and how firmly you pack it will affect the toy’s final shape and feel.
A plush toy should feel soft. The technique does not need to be complicated—just pay attention to the amount of filling and the pressure you use.
Adding Fiberfill
Add fiberfill a little at a time.
Do not push in a large amount at once and compress it into a lump. Tear the fiberfill into small, fluffy pieces and add them gradually.
Use your fingers or a stuffing tool to guide the fiberfill into every corner, especially the ears, limbs, and edges of the body, which can be harder to reach.
Shape the toy as you work, distributing the fiberfill evenly and gradually building the form you want.
Remember: more stuffing does not necessarily make a better plush toy.
The right amount will make it feel full while preserving a soft, natural touch.
Adding Filling Pellets
Filling pellets are usually placed in the lower part of the body to add weight, adjust the center of gravity, and improve stability. For a bababloodo, their more important role is to give the bunny a lifelike sense of weight and presence, almost like holding a real little rabbit.
Because the pellets are small and can scatter easily, measure the amount you need first. Then use a wide straw or a funnel rolled from paper to guide them neatly into place.
If you are using both fiberfill and filling pellets, position the pellets first, then use fiberfill to hold them in place.
You are now familiar with the materials, terms, stitches, and stuffing techniques most often used to make a bababloodo.
You do not need to memorize everything.
Once you begin making your bunny, you will meet these ideas again and again.
If you can read the pattern, understand the seam allowance and the purpose of the turning opening,
and use a few basic stitches, you already have everything you need to begin.