My kids are all grown up and living in a land far away (how did it happen so quickly?). When the missing becomes too much, I grab a few tissues and huddle down with my memory box. It’s filled with cards, notes, scribbles, and doodles my babies made when they were little. And with my daughter’s birthday coming up, one of her doodles had me asking, Can I turn my child’s drawing into a plushie? And the answer is yes!!!
It’s a wonderful, heartwarming way to celebrate a child’s creativity and imagination. Here’s the original drawing Talea made when she was about 6 or 7 years old of her fur baby Lulu Bell.
A handmade soft toy (or pillow) based on your little Picasso’s drawings makes a truly special gift, IMHO. So just in case you’re keen to do something similar, I thought I’d share how I turned Talea’s work of art into a pattern to make this cuddly critter.
Just a heads up, I’m no seamstress, so I won’t go into too much sewing detail. There are brilliant videos on Youtube for that. This tutorial focuses on turning the drawing into a pattern, with basic sewing steps to help you put it together. If you’re new to sewing, start with a simple drawing that has a large body and only a few extra pieces. But, before we get to the tutorial, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!
What you need
- Enlarged image of a child’s drawing
- Scrap fabric and matching thread
- Sewing machine and/or sewing Needle
- Polyfil/Stuffing
- Sewing pins
- Fabric Scissors
- Wool if your drawing has hair (optional)
- Buttons, felt, or plastic googly eyes
For a toy intended for a young child, avoid buttons, plastic eyes and other small parts that could come loose. Stitch the facial details instead. This tutorial shares a handmade keepsake project, not a safety-tested toy design.
How to turn a child’s drawing into a plushie
Choose the right drawing
The drawing you use as a basis for your pattern is probably the most important part. Look for a child’s drawing that you can break up into simple shapes, like this one of Lulu Bell.
Her nose, head, and body are shaped like elongated, slightly rounded, rectangular, blobs. The legs are four long, dangling cylinders with bobbly toes. Those toes are my favourite. So cute.
The tail is curved and tapers toward the tip, and she’s got two small oval-ish ears.
It also looks like Lulu is wearing a jacket, which is just another rectangle.
Try to avoid shapes or features that are too thin or narrow. They’re really difficult to turn right side out and stuff later on. If your drawing does have a few “skinny” details, cut those pieces out of felt so you don’t have to sew them together.
Turning a drawing into a pattern
There are two ways to convert the drawing into a pattern without destroying the original. You can either:
- make a photostat and enlarge it at a printing shop.
- redraw a larger version.
I went for option 2. If you go for option 1, make a few copies of the enlarged image. That way you can cut out overlapping pattern pieces, like the ear on this drawing.
Simplify the drawing
To make the pattern, I would suggest simplifying the drawing first. Remove any bits that you won’t be sewing and add any missing lines. I removed the jacket, eyes, and nose and added a line to separate one of the back legs from the body. Try to stay as true to the original drawing as possible.
Make marks where the different pattern pieces go. You don’t want to sew the ears on the wrong spot.
Separate the body and extra parts
Separate the individual pieces and check that they’re not too small to sew. If they’re too small, you can either make a bigger copy of the drawing or cut the small offending piece out of felt. And if it’s not a key feature of the drawing, you can discard it.
Add a 3/4-inch (about 2 cm) seam allowance around all the pieces.
Label the pattern pieces
Mark on the pattern how many pieces of fabric you need to cut. To make the little ears for example, I needed 4 pieces; 2 for each ear so I could use a grey furry fabric for the top and a cuddly knitted underside.
If you’re going to be stuffing the pieces, note them on the pattern. The yellow line below is my “no-sew zone” that I’ll keep open to stuff.
Cut along the black dashed lines and sew along the solid outline, leaving the yellow dashed sections open for stuffing. The yellow triangles mark where the extra pieces join the body. “Cut 2” and “Cut 4” show how many fabric pieces you need for each shape. Make any final adjustments and cut out the pattern pieces.
Cutting the Fabric
Pin the pattern pieces to the fabric.
Soft fabrics like fleece, cotton, or felt are ideal for making a plushie. I would avoid stretch fabrics, as they’re more challenging to work with, especially for a beginner. For this cuddly toy, I used a thrifted flannel shirt, cuddly jersey, and jeans my son had outgrown.
Oh, and my favorite slippers that our new fur baby had for breakfast. I did wash them first before cutting them up.
That reminds me, always prewash and iron your fabric before cutting and sewing. Using the pinned pattern as a guide, cut the fabric pieces out along the dashed seam allowance.
Remove the pattern and pin the fabric pieces together, placing the right sides of the fabric facing inward. Make sure the edges of the fabric line up neatly before sewing them together.
Basic sewing instructions
Sew the pieces together using a straight stitch. You can hand sew or use a sewing machine.
If your fabric tends to fray, use a zig zag stitch on your sewing machine to finish the raw edges or cut the fabric with pinking shears. The zig zag blade prevents fraying on most fabrics.
Remember to sew the plushie right-side-in, and leave an opening for the stuffing. Turn the plushie right-side-out and fill it with stuffing until it reaches your desired firmness.
If your child’s drawing has lots of attachments (legs, arms, tails, ears, beautiful, childlike imagined details), sew and stuff those first.
Place the finished tail between the two body pieces, with the right sides of the body fabric facing each other. The tail should point inward, while its open end lines up with the body’s seam allowance. Pin it in place so the body seam catches the tail as you sew. When you turn the body right side out, the tail will sit on the outside. The image below will hopefully show you what I mean.
That’s the tail tucked inside and pinned to the plushie’s butt. (I never thought I’d say those two words in the same sentence.)
Once all the extra bits are sewn in place, turn the body right side out and add the stuffing.
Sew the opening closed using a back-stitch or a blind-stitch to keep it neat. To finish your plushie, sew or glue buttons for the eyes and nose. You can also use fabric pens or paint to draw them on. If your Picasso is still a little person, stay away from anything that could pose a choking hazard. Buttons, googly eyes, plastic teddy bear noses and other small parts can pose a choking hazard, especially for children under three.
Experiment with wool, embroidery thread, and felt cut outs to add small, important details. As an example, I used bright yellow wool to create the toe detail from my child’s drawing.
And for the jersey, I simply cut the arm off the thrifted jersey, made a few holes for the legs to fit through, and slipped it over the plushie’s body.
And that’s all there is to turning your little one’s drawing into a soft, cuddly toy or pillow.
At the end of the day, it’s all about creating a one-of-a-kind, handmade keepsake that celebrates your little artist’s creativity.
Questions About Turning a Drawing into a Plushie
Can you make a stuffed animal from a child’s drawing?
Yes. Start with a drawing you can break into simple shapes, then enlarge it and turn each part into a pattern piece. You may need to simplify tiny details, but keep the features that give the character its personality.
How do I turn a drawing into a sewing pattern?
Make an enlarged copy or redraw the picture on a larger sheet of paper. Separate the body and extra parts, mark where they join, and add a seam allowance. Label each piece with the number of fabric shapes you need to cut and where to leave an opening for stuffing.
Do I need a sewing machine to make a plushie?
No. You can sew the pieces by hand or use a sewing machine. For your first project, choose a simple shape with fewer attachments so there is less to sew.
What if the drawing has skinny legs or tiny details?
Enlarge the drawing or make the narrow parts wider before cutting your pattern. Very small details can be cut from felt rather than made into separate stuffed pieces. Keep the details that make the drawing special, even if you need to change how you make them.
Can I use old clothes to make the plushie?
Yes. I used a thrifted flannel shirt, a cuddly jersey and outgrown jeans for Lulu Bell. Wash the fabric first and choose sections that are still in good condition. Your fabric does not have to match the drawing perfectly to capture its character.
Is there a printable pattern?
This project uses a pattern made from your own child’s drawing, but you’re welcome to download my Lulu Bell plushie pattern here.
I hope I covered everything. If anything is unclear, give me a shout in the comments, and I’ll do my best to explain a little better.
If you like the idea of turning your child’s drawing into a plushie, don’t forget to pin it for later
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Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you 😉
And if you prefer to buy a plushie, perhaps these beauties will appeal.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love and laughter. Thank you for popping in for a visit.
Last update on 2026-10-23 / Source Amazon Affiliates
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