How to Make a Simple Bear Stuffed Animal

Make you very own stuffed bear, or any animal! Little sewing experience required, no sewing machine required.

Step 1: 1

1. Read this whole article once over.

Step 2: 2

2. Gather the materials needed: about 16 by 16 inches of fabric, stuffed animal eyes and nose (or buttons), ribbon, thread, ruler, fray check glue, needle, scissors, pen, stuffing/cotton, old sock, uncooked rice

Step 3: 3

3. Fold fabric in half so that the side of the fabric that you want to see on your bear in on the INSIDE.

Step 4: 4

4. Draw with pen an outline of your bear on the fabric. Make sure to include arms legs, head, and ears. Do not draw a skinny neck. Pin the fabric together.

Step 5: 5

5. Cut with scissors your bear out of the fabric. Make sure to leave about a centimeter or more of fabric around the outline you drew.

Step 6: 6

6. Thread needle and start on the lower half of the body. I sewed by hand, but if you are very comfortable with using a sewing machine, go ahead because it will take less time. When you sew, try not to go over the lines you drew, and always pull the strings tight. REMEMBER, do the head last and leave the ears and the top half of the head not sewed, because that is where you will stuff and turn the bear right-side-out from.Dab any knots with fray check glue so they don't come undone.

Step 7: 7

7. Cut tiny holes where the eyes and nose are to be if you have stuffed animal eyes and noses. These can be bought at any JoAnn Fabric Store, or any other fabric store. I used a button for the nose, so if you are going to use buttons, do not cut holes. Sew the buttons on and tie knots, or push the eyes/nose in and put the safety 'ring' over the backsides. Remember that your bear is inside-out right now, so the buttons and eyes/nose should be facing inside your stuffed animal. Dab any knots with fray check glue so they don't come undone

Step 8: 8

8. Carefully turn the bear right-side out. Using a pencil to push the limbs out works well. Check the seams of the bear. If there are any holes, fix them with thread. If you can see the fraying fabric, squirt on the fray check glue.

Step 9: 9

9. Stuff the cotton or stuffing into the arms and legs until they are firm. Set aside the bear in a safe place.

Step 10: 10

10. Find an old sock and cut it in half so it is a little pouch that you think you can stuff through your bear's head when full. Fill sock with rice (uncooked!!). I used plain white rice. Beans, lentils, or plastic pellets work fine.

Step 11: 11

11. Sew the open end of the sock closed and make sure no rice can get out.

Step 12: 12

12. Carefully stuff sock through bear's head into the stomach. If the sock won't fit in, undo sewing and take out some rice, or undo a couple of head stitches.

Step 13: 13

15. Stuff the head with cotton/stuffing and sew it closed. Dab all knots and fraying ends with fray check glue and let dry.

Step 14: 14

14. Embellish. Add a cute bow, sew buttons on, fake flowers, even yarn hair. Adding a tail is optional.

Step 15: 15 & Note

15. Post pictures of your stuffed animal in a comment or send it to me (or tell me how you tweaked the project) at [e-mail]

Note: To make different animals, change features a little by making long ears or pointed ears, long tails, etc. I made a penguin using the same steps: