Cuddle Buddies
From Cuddle Buddies Animal Softie Pattern
Class Description:
Huggable Cuddle Buddies are fun and easy to make! One pattern makes up to five different animals simply by changing the face, ears, and tail. In class, students can make a playful puppy, bouncing bunny, charming kitty, happy panda, or a sweet piggy! This class is for confident beginners and covers basic cutting and machine sewing techniques, simple appliqué, and easy hand embroidery. Students will leave the class with one Cuddle Buddy and will be able to watch a Cuddle Buddy come to life—and see the smiling face of whoever receives it.
Photo: Cover image – OR a collage of images on pages 2-3.
Class Length:
5–8 hours, depending on instructor’s preparation and student’s skill set. Single day. Instructor may consider precutting (or having students precut) the body pieces and/or pretrace the facial features to speed class time.
Class Supply List:
• Required text: Cuddle Buddies Animal Softie Pattern
• Fabric:
- 2/3 yard of fabric for body
- 1 fat quarter for the body’s tank top
- Enough scraps of fabric/felt to make the details (inner ears, eyes, paws, nose, or bows)
• Sewing and embroidery thread:
- Sewing thread to coordinate with your fabrics
- 1 skein of coordinating embroidery thread for any details you wish to embroider, such as whiskers, eyes, or nose.
• Sharp fabric scissors
• Paper scissors
• Printer paper (several sheets of 8 ½˝ ´ 11˝)
• Fabric marking pens and/or tailor’s chalk (FriXion pens are great for light- and medium-colored fabric, while chalk is better for dark colors)
• Fine, felt-tipped Sharpie pen (to trace patterns onto paper)
• 1 chopstick
• Glue stick
• Masking tape
• Iron and ironing board
• #7 embroidery needle
• Hand-sewing needle
• Floss threader
• Pins
• Stuffing material
• Sewing machine
• Optional: seam gauge and Thread Heaven (thread conditioner for hand sewing—helps prevent thread tangles)
Shop Opportunity! Make basic body kits available containing the basic body fabric, embroidery floss, and felt details for each animal. Have a fun stack of fat quarters available too (for the body “clothes”).
Classroom Preparation:
It saves class time to set up a basic supply box for each student ahead of time. OR, if students are bringing their own supplies, consider having extra supplies ready to go and available in the classroom for purchase during a break or after class.
TIP: Have a stack of copied supply lists and check off any supplies desired by a student. They can then take the list to the register, making the purchase super easy to ring up!
Also set up two communal stations: a light box station (or access to a sunny window) and an ironing station.
Class Agenda:
1. Trace and cut out body parts.
2. Apply appliqué and embroider facial features.
3. Stuff and sew.
