Make Plush Toys Using Digital Stamps

 Ever since I made these plush wiener dogs, I've been wanting to create a dog that looks like our Boston Terrier.  I just needed to make a pattern.  I was looking at the new digital stamps that Studio Calico released today & a light bulb went on!

 

This adorable little doggie image reminded me so much of our Boston & it just needed a few modifications to make my plan work.  I opened the image in Photoshop and enlarged it to fit on a 12x12 background.

 I don't have a large format printer, so I just printed off sections of it onto letter sized paper and pieced the pages together.  (It helps to use the borderless printing option.)

 I cut the image out, leaving a 1/4" border along the edges to allow for the seam allowance.

Once my pattern was ready, I pinned it onto a piece of felt.  The higher the quality of felt you can use, the better.  This is 100% Holland wool felt & I love it!

 I cut out the outline of the dog & then cut out several other pieces using additional felt.  (I used the digital image as a reference.)

 I used a tight zig-zag stitch in color coordinating thread to secure each piece of felt in place.

 Once my felt pieces were secure, I hand embroidered some freckles/whiskers to my Boston's face.

 I decided that I wanted my dog to have a contrasting fabric back, so I cut a second piece (using the pattern above) out of chambray.  I placed the wool & chambray pieces facing together (front to front) and machine stitched around the edges, using a 1/4" seam allowance & left a 2-3" opening so that I could turn the pieces right side out.

I like to use my pinking shears to go along the edges.  It makes the fabric seam edges much less bulky.

 After I turned my dog right side out, I created a collar for him using ribbon, a jump ring, & a piece of gold felt.  Once stuffed, the collar can not slip over the dogs head & stays nicely in place.

 I stuffed the dog with polyfill.  I like to use small bits at a time and use a non-sharpened pencil to help push the fiber into tight places (like the ears, legs & tail.)

 I hand-stitched the dog's backside closed & he was all finished!

 I may be a little partial, but I LOVE the way my dog turned out!  He looks so much like our own Boston Terrier.  Both of my boys took one look and their faces split into a huge grin.

 This digital stamp coordinates with the new Calypso kit that's available right now at Studio Calico.  How cute would one of these plush dogs be if given as a gift & packaged with a hand stamped tag & gift wrap?!?  I'm very tempted. :)