Felt toys, step by step: the features of the material, options for making handmade crafts
Recently, it has become popular to make toys from felt. This material is used to make developmental and ordinary toys for children of all ages. This is not only a fascinating process for creative parents, but also a guarantee of safety for the baby.
Features of the felt
It turns out that felt material is obtained in the process of felting wool and a small amount of artificial fibers. It is a sought-after material by craftswomen not only for making toys, but also for decorations and various crafts:
- You can buy felt in the form of sheets of different sizes 15 or 30 by 20 cm. They also sell felt in rolls.
- Sellers offer felt of different thicknesses from 0.5 to 5 mm. This density is obtained in the process of processing wool with hot steam.
- The felt is represented by a wide range of colors.
- It comes in soft and hard. The choice of masters of the material will depend on the specific toy (volumetric or flat, letters, numbers or applique).
- This material has no front or back side. Therefore, it is difficult to make a mistake in the process.
- When working with the material masters note its undeniable advantages. I'm talking about the edges, which do not crumble. Also about the possibility of both gluing it and sewing it on.
To work with felt you will definitely need several kinds of scissors. They can be shaped scissors to work the edges or cutting scissors.
Small scissors with straight ends will help if you need to cut out small elements. And to translate the pattern on the felt you need a piece of chalk or a fade marker. We need thread with needles, glue, filler, decor and more.
How to make or where to find patterns for felt toys
Soft toys like to play equally as boys and girls. Even among adults there are exceptional lovers. To sew a beautiful toy, you need an accurate pattern.
Some people make their own patterns of future products. But this requires certain skills, drawing and drafting skills. But you can simply take a ready-made pattern from the Internet, and slightly improve it:
- The most common way is to find it on the Internet.
- You can look in handicraft magazines. Sometimes there are very cute ideas for toys.
- If you take an old toy and rip it open. With a little improvement, you can get something new and save time.
- If you have a few ideas of your own, you can use the help of a professional artist. True, this will require financial expenses, but it will be a unique option.
Most people still prefer to search the expanses of the Internet. If you manage to find the right pattern, then it is worth adapting it to the conceived size.
Variants of toys made of felt
The felt material is so bright and elastic that you can make a variety of options for toys that will interest the child.
This material is often used by craftswomen to make educational toys for young children.
Also popular are felt parts for mobiles, finger toys and Christmas toys.
Toys for development
That felt has become the material that is often taken for the manufacture of educational toys for children. As a rule, these are children from 1 to 7 years old. The baby is trying to learn about the world, and soft toys help him in this. This includes developing:
- cubes and books;
- felt fruits and vegetables;
- letters and numbers.
How to sew your own developmental felt toy "Seven Flower":
- From the felt of different colors, cut out petals and the middle of the right size. It is important to remember for what age group is sewn flower, and take into account the convenience for the baby.
- Buckwheat or rice, a rustling bag, beads (they can be placed inside or sewn on top of a petal), foam rubber or plastic tubes can serve as a filler for petals. The baby not only trains tactile senses, but also gets acquainted with colors.
Sewing with felt for a mobile
This design is hung over the crib of the baby. It attracts attention and distracts the child. You can buy in a store ready-made mobiles made of plastic. But it is better to sew it yourself for the baby:
- The first thing to start with is to decide what kind of figures will be in the mobile. Most often they choose animals, hearts and stars, and birds.
- Then find a suitable pattern to work with or draw blanks themselves.
- All parts are transferred to the material and cut out.
- Sew each component and fill it with hollofiber (it's safe for children).
- Now it is necessary to fix all the elements on the very design for the mobile with strings.
You can buy it in any craft store, or you can make it yourself. For example, fix it on a ring, previously wrapped with rope.
Ready mobiles are hung from the ceiling by the rope.
New Year felt toys
New Year is one of the most popular and anticipated holidays for many people. Especially children are looking forward to it. New Year's theme is widely demanded in the manufacture of felt toys. Traditionally made:
- Christmas tree decorations. They look beautiful on the Christmas tree and are safe for small children. It can be elves, snowmen and Santa Claus, gingerbread and mittens, houses and Christmas trees.
- Toys as a symbol of the coming year.
- New Year garlands of felt toys.
How to sew a Christmas star
The star template is transferred to the material and two parts are cut out. Since one side should be decorated, you should not hurry to sew. Decoration choose at your discretion.
You can sew in the form of a snowflake panettes or beads. Simply make a thread embroidery, and in the middle glue a bright stone. When the work on the decor is finished, begin stitching 2 elements, previously securing the ribbon for the loop. Stitch over everything, leaving a small hole for the filler.
Finger toys made of felt
These toys will be interesting for a child to play finger theater. It is fun and teaches your baby to show imagination and the right emotions. And it is also a way to learn nursery rhymes and songs with your child:
- First, you need to think about what kind of characters you need for the finger puppet theater. The size of the toy for the child should be as comfortable as possible.
- Characters can be sewn, dressed on the fingers or on the hand.
- In order not to miscalculate the size, it is better to use ready-made templates on the Internet, adjusting a little.
- Further, everything is simple. Details are cut out and sewn together. The finger theater is ready and can be played.
How to make toys out of felt with your own hands for beginners
Creativity can manifest itself in different ways. Someone draws or sculpts, and someone has a desire to make toys from felt. Often such a desire arises in young mothers. Probably because there was more free time and it would be interesting for her baby.
To work will need the right patterns, materials and patience. Such products are often sewn with stitches forward or backward with a needle, and a stitch over the edge. Therefore, you need to think carefully about all the features of the decor.
Unicorn
Since there are so many unicorn patterns, you need to choose the one that catches your eye:
- From white felt cut 2 parts of the body and ears. You will also need 2 elements each of the muzzle, horn and inner part of the ears (in beige).
- From colored material cut a wavy tail (2-3 parts) and mane (rectangular strips of size 1 on 0,5 cm).
- Mane and tail glued to the front parts of the body.
- Also sewed to each part of the body ears with the inside and the muzzle, glued eyes.
- All sewn together, and filled with hollofiber. Unicorn ready.
Sheep .
You can sew a bulk product, attaching the legs to the body with buttons:
- From white felt make 2 parts of the body pattern.
- Its shape will resemble an irregularly shaped cloud.
- Of beige felt make 2 elements each of the muzzle, ears and 8 elements of the legs.
- First place the muzzle piece on the torso in the head area.
- Needlepoint and white thread are sewn on the contour of the body on the two halves. Cut off the excess after the stitching.
- Marked and embroidered with black thread eyes sheep.
- Elements of the fold and sew first beige and then white part of the sheep.
- Periodically filled with stuffing.
- Each pair of legs sewn and filled with stuffing. Paws are sewn to the body, fixing the buttons. Lamb ready.
Chicken .
From the yellow felt cut out two parts of the body in the form of an oval egg (made of soft felt), wings (made of stiff material). And of the red stiff felt cut out two elements of the legs and a scallop.
Begin stitching the body of the chick, not forgetting to put the top of the scallop. Do not forget about the filler. Wings and feet are attached to the body with buttons. On the muzzle glued black beads eyes and a beak of red stiff felt.
Piglet
From the material of pink color cut out two parts of the body (pear shape), ears, front and hind legs, a snout and a tail:
- In the middle of the ears make a small fold.
- On one of the elements of the body glue the eyes and sew the snout.
- Detail of the feet sew together.
- Now begin stitching the body, fixing all its parts. Fill with hollofiber. Piggy ready.
Giraffe .
Cut out two parts of the body, nose, ears and horns giraffe desired color. Most often choose a yellow or orange shade:
- Sew the elements of the spout, filling with filler and sewing to one of the parts of the body.
- Glued to the body a few spots of brown.
- On the second part of the body glue brown horns and light ears.
- Sew together 2 parts of the body and fill with hollofiber.
- Glued black eyes over the spout. Giraffe ready.
Lion .
Two pieces of the body of a lion with a curly mane are cut out from light brown felt:
- From white or beige felt 1 part each of the muzzle and tail.
- The latter can be made from a rope with a fluffy pompom at the end.
- First sew a muzzle to the front element of the torso.
- Glued eyes, nose and smiling mouth.
- Then sew the body, not forgetting to attach the tail along the seam.
- Stuffed as stitched with filler.
Bunny .
The easiest way to sew hare - it is to make a complete pattern (from ears to paws).Need to cut two parts of the material in white:
- Separately cut out the inner parts of the ears and muzzle from the material of pink. They are sewn on the front of the hare.
- On the muzzle glued eyes, nose, mouth and mustache.
- Look original heart on the body will be bunny.
- Parts are sewn and stuffed with ellofiber. Bunny ready.
Cat
Patterns of funny cats are very numerous. Such a product can be made even by novice craftsmen.
It is better to take a pattern of a full-length cat with a side view. Then you do not have to sew parts separately.
To the front of the pattern glue or sew eyes, mouth and mustache. You can also sew an interesting decoration in the form of a heart or beads. The main part of the animal stitched on all sides, not forgetting to fill it with stuffing.
Bear
Algorithm of manufacture:
- From the material of brown color cut out 2 details of the body with paws, head. Also 4 elements of the ears.
- Of the material beige one piece each breast and muzzle. Then sew a snout on his head.
- Embroidered black thread eyes and mouth, glued a nose of black felt.
- On the front part of the body stitch breast.
- All sew to each other, following the sequence, filled with hollofiber.
Teddy can be decorated with a knitted hat and scarf or skirt with a bow on his head.
Birdie
There is a very simple way to sew a bird out of felt. Cut out two parts of the body. On the front detail sew a wing of rigid material, fixing it with a button. Stitch the torso, attaching the bird's beak and filling it with holofiber.
Toys made of felt help children from their first days of life to learn about the world. They are not only beautiful, but also safe for the child. These toys will bring a real holiday in children's and adults' lives.