Easy Manta Ray Stuffed Toy

This instructable will show you how to sew your very own Stuffed Manta Ray or Sting Ray.

You will need:

• Top Fabric
• Bottom Fabric
• Stuffing

Supplies:

• Sewing Machine
• Thread and Needles, plus pins
• Scissors
• Rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional)
• Safety Eyes & Awl/ Embroidery Thread
• Extra Paper

* Do not use safety eyes if this toy is indented to be given to a young child.

To source an image to make a pattern for your own personal use is to search "Free Manta Ray Outline" or "Silhouette". Once you have found the image you like you can save and print it, or copy it onto a Word document to make any adjustments.

You do not need to print both sides if your image is symmetrical and the fabric can be cut 'on the fold'. To make the image larger, crop the image in half down the centre, resize it to fill out the whole page of the Word Document and print it.

If the tail of the Manta Ray was removed, add a small strip of paper to the bottom of the printed pattern and trim to the desired shape.

Once the pattern has been printed, join any pieces and cut it out leaving a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Draw a gentle curve to represent the body of the Manta Ray onto the pattern. This section will be top stitched onto the toy and filled with stuffing.

If the pattern is symmetrical (both sides are mirrored) make a fold in the fabric and lay your pattern on top or the creased edge.

Cut out a top layer and a bottom layer of the fabric.

Manta Rays have two structures in front of the mouth called cephalic lobes. You do not need to trim closely around these as they will be harder to sew.

To make sewing easier, the seam allowance can be trimmed away from the pattern and the stitch line marked out on the fabric.

It may be easier to insert or emborder the eyes onto the top piece of fabric now as everything is currently separate and flat, however if the stitching is not quite right you risk the eyes becoming misplaced once the toy has been assembled.

Lay the pieces with right sides facing and pin together.

Leave a two inch gap in one of the wings and sew around the entire body and tail.

Clip into any tight corners ensuring not to cut any stitches and trip any excess seam allowance.

Turn the toy right sides out. The tail may be tricky as a narrow tube can be hard to turn out. Perseverance and gently easing the tail rights sides out is the key.

Press the seams out with an iron and top stitch around the outside of the toy- about a 1/4 inch away from the edge. Leave the turning hole unstitched.

Mark placement spots for the eyes on the top layer of fabric.

Use an awl to gently pierce the fabric and insert the safety eyes and apply the backing through the open hole that was left in the Manta Ray's wing. Use the packet instructions for the safety eyes to ensure they are correctly installed.

Alternatively, use embroidery floss to embroider eyes onto the Manta Ray. A cute mouth and gills can also be embroidered onto the underside of the toy.

Using the paper pattern, mark out the gentle curve the was created for the body of the Manta Ray and top stitch it onto the toy.

Leave a gap in the top stitching on the same side as the hole in the wing.

Stuff the Manta Rays body through the hole.

Once the body has been stuffed, top stitch the hole in the body closed.

Hand stitch the hole in the wing closed, and then complete the top stitching on the wings.

Congratulations!

You have completed an incredibly cute Manta Ray Stuffed Toy.