23 August 2022
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This cute and quick little three dimensional stitched toy dog is perfect as a gift or a little embroidered treat for yourself! With articulated limbs they can be posed in different ways.
“Growing up with a mother who was always making enchanting things, I was reminded of the little pocket toys she would make for me when I was very small, made from little scraps of fabric and thread, buttons and beads. They were a little secret comfort on the first day of school, or if I was staying over at a friends’ house; just anytime I felt a bit wobbly.”
Using these instructions you can make as many dogs as you wish! Why not change the felt and threads each time for a different look! As well as toys they make charming little companions around the house!
What do I need?
- Felt (in whatever colours you wish!)
- Polyester stuffing
- A variety of multicoloured stranded embroidery threads
- Needles
- Scissors
- Optional: A small button for the collar (omit if making for a small child)
Get stitching!
1 Using paper or card, trace and cut out the pattern pieces using the templates provided here.
2 Use these pieces as guides to cut out all of the felt pieces in whichever colours you wish.
3 You can now start sewing! Using a matching stranded embroidery thread, oversew all of the pieces together as shown in Illustration 1 (Shown below). Make sure to leave a gap at the top of the limbs for stuffing. Don’t worry about leaving a gap in the ears or tail, as these will have no stuffing.
4. Take your polyester and stuff all of the other parts of the body, and stitch the gaps closed using small oversewing.
5 Following the guide in Illustration 2 (shown below), embroider all of the body pieces and the face, using three strands of embroidery thread. Use a couching stitch for the collar; a double star stitch for the eyes; a lazy daisy and running stitch for the body, and a satin stitch for the nose.
6 Finally, attach the legs using a back stitch and detached chain stitch; attach the tail with a straight feather stitch, and use a fly stitch for the ears, as shown in Illustration 3 (shown below).
7 Optional: You can sew on a small button for the disc on the collar, also shown in Illustration 3.
Hey presto! You now have a cute and quirky pocket pet.
Illustration guide
This project by Nancy Nicholson featured back in issue 112 of Stitch magazine. You can find out more about Nancy's work at www.nancynicolson.co.uk where you can also purchase the PDF to create both adult and puppy dogs here
