Jigsaw Simplicity Kitty!

As more generations come and go, sewing has become a lost art. Schools have had to stop teaching it nationally because of educational cuts and the adults who can teach the art do not usually have the time between balancing work and life. Teens may not have access to learn the art of sewing through guardians or teachers, but most have access to the internet. Making sewing tutorials on creating fun things like dresses, backpacks, and stuffed animals is how we can preserve one of the oldest arts to date. In this easy tutorial, you will learn how to efficiently sew a cat plushie.

The materials you will need for this project are as follows:

A sewing machine

Fabric scissors

Fabric chalk (normal chalk will stain your fabric)

¾ of a yard of fabric (for the main body) ⅜ of a yard of fabric (for the cats designs)

⅜ of a yard of fusible web

A 30oz bag of fiberfill

An iron and ironing board

Measuring tape

Thread

Pins and a pin cushion

Optional! 34.5cm of twill tape

Optional! Buttons for the eyes and nose and if you want whiskers get yarn. (The pattern will teach you how to sew eye and nose appliques but I want to do my own, I will also not be adding whiskers to my kitty.)

Simplicity pattern 8403

When looking at your pattern, you will notice that there are a few cat plushies you can choose from; A, B, C, and D. This tutorial is going to be covering how to sew plushie A.

First, you’re going to grab your clean washed fabric and lay it nicely on your ironing board. It is ok if some hangs off, you will just need to carefully pull more on to the ironing board as you go. Then, grab your iron and start smoothing out all the wrinkles in your fabric (I did not have an ironing board in this step so I staged the photo! Please do not iron without one). It may be helpful to have a spray bottle on hand for tough wrinkles (most irons have them built in).

Next, we are going to take our now smooth fabric and you’re going to fold the fabric in half making sure the salvages are end to end, right sides together; you are working on the wrong side (the side without the pattern). As you pay attention to this, make sure the fabric is on grain (length and width of fabric are matching on both sides of the fabric).

Afterwards, you are going to open your pattern and find the pattern pieces you need to use to cut out your fabric. You will see that each pattern piece is labeled according to the cat you chose to do. For cat A, we will need pattern pieces 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. After you find the correct pattern pieces, you are going to carefully cut them out.

Then, place pattern pieces, 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 on the body fabric (the main fabric you want your cat to be). Do not start pinning yet; you need to make sure that all of your pieces fit on the fabric like a puzzle.Your pattern pieces have words on them! These are very important! They tell you how many of that singular piece you will have to cut out. So if the pattern piece says CUT 3 OF FABRIC, you’re going to repin and cut this piece three times so that you have three of it; take into account how much more fabric you will need for the duplicates as you are placing your pieces.

As you are placing, pay attention to the symbols on your pattern pieces. Pieces with arrows that are sideways need to be placed sideways on the fabric, pieces with arrows that point upwards need to go upwards and the last arrow will be connected pointing down. This means that piece needs to be pinned on the fold. The reason for this is that most fabrics can stretch one way while they can't be stretched another way. Pattern pieces with triangles on the outline are called notches. You need to cut outward and back in when you get to these. They help you line up the fabric that goes together. Now pin!

Once pinned, you are going to very carefully cut your pieces out.

Now that the body pieces are cut out, you are going to take what you know and pin and cut out applique pieces 2, 4, 9, and 10 on your second fabric (the contrary fabric for things like the stripes).

After the appliques are cut out, you will need to pin pieces 2, 3, and 9 to your fusible webbing; only these pieces will require it! Fusible webbing is material that sticks fabric together and adds structure and support. The rough side of the fusible web is the glue so it should be the side on top of the fabric, while the paper is facing up towards you. Then you will cut them out and pin them to fabric pieces 2, 3, and 9. Afterwards you will need to go to your ironing board and patiently iron the fusible webbing to the fabric then, you will peel the paper off the back and iron on to the spot the applique goes.

Afterwards, you will need to go to your ironing board and patiently iron the fusible webbing to the fabric. After it is ironed on to the applique, you will peel the paper off the back (you know you didn’t iron it well if it doesn’t peel easily) and iron it on to the place the applique goes, which you should’ve marked. When placing the stripe appliques a tip to make sure you put them in the same place on the other side is to pin where the stripe stops and ends then line up both sides.

Now, even though the fusible webbing is a strong material, you will need to top stitch it on just to make sure it stays. Do a top stitch around the applique and zig zag up and down the middle just because it can bubble up and the edges may fray.

Now you should have the cats face pinned and cut out. If the tissue pattern piece is pinned on top correctly, then you should be able to take your chalk and mark where the kitties eyes, nose, and whiskers (if wanted) are through the tissue pattern on to the fabric. You will need to mark the area where all your appliques go with the chalk. After you mark the nose and eyes, take off the tissue pattern paper. Grab your buttons for your kitties eyes and nose.

Then, you will take your needle and thread and secure one button on top of where the chalk is marked. I like my buttons to be very intact with no possible way of falling off so I cut a long piece of thread and keep sewing the button on till there's no more thread. Repeat this till all three buttons are securely in place. If you are wanting to do whiskers you will take your yarn and top stitch these on.

Now you are going to get the kitties ear pieces both main and contrasting fabric. You will then pin both pieces right sides together and stitch around the ear avoiding the bottom leaving an opening. Repeat with the other two then turn them inside out!

Almost done with the kitties head, you are going to pin the ears to the head as seen in the picture. Then carefully, you will narrowly stitch them on.

Lastly, you will sew the darts on the sides of the kitties face and on top of the kitties head.

After the kitty's face is put together, you are going to grab both tail tip pieces and both tail pieces. You are going to pin the tail tip to the tail for both pieces as shown in the first picture. You will sew across the top of the line where the pins are. Then you will repeat this to the other side of the tail.

Now that both sides of the tail have the tail tip sewn on you will pin both sides of the tails right sides together. After they are pinned right sides together, carefully stitch around the tail leaving the button of the tail open to stuff it. When it is stitched together, turn it right side out and iron it flat.

Lastly! You are going to stuff the tail through the open hole you left, sew it closed, and pin and stitch it on to the right body piece.

Now you will need to grab the cats stomach pieces and just pin the top together. You are going to sew from one end to the middle and repeat on the other side making sure to leave a gap! My tip for this is to use pins to mark where to stop sewing. After you’ve done this, set this piece aside, you’ll need it in a moment.

Grab the other side of the body's back and pin it to the other side of the body's back that's containing the tail (confusing I know). Then you are going to stitch them together, better securing the tail.

Remember the stomach piece we set aside just a step ago? You are going to now lay this on top of the back piece, right sides together as usual, and you are going to pin all the way around. Tip! This is a very curvy shape so pinning very close is smarter than placing pins far away from one another. Once pinned carefully sew around the edges. Please take the time to go over it a second time just because the stuffing could pop the seam. Then, set it aside.

Once set aside, grab your neck piece. It should be folded in half right sides together. You will pin and sew the disconnected part together as shown in the picture. Keep in mind it is supposed to be a circle, it is the back of the kitties head.

After it is sewn and looks like a circle, you will place it on top of the kitties face, right sides together. Then, you will carefully pin both pieces together around the edge and of course sew it. Please go around the kitties a few times with the machine so the seam does not break when stuffed!

Almost done, you will flip the head right side out and place inside the body's neck hole as displayed in the photo. Now you will secure both pieces by placing pins along the rim of the neck. Then, carefully sew them together.

Now the second to last step! Turn your kitty man out and marvel at your very flat, sad kitty. We will fix this! Grab your 32oz back of stuffing and turn your kitty over. You should see the hole you left in the middle of his stomach which is where you will insert the stuffing. First stuff the head, then the paws, and finally the body. Tip! Make sure to move the stuffing around so he doesn’t look lumpy!

Last but not least, I took my needle and thread and did a slip stitch, also known as a ladder stitch, to sew my kitty's tummy closed. Afterwards, I gave my kitty a big hug because she was very soft and I was done!

While it is true that factories create clothes faster, sewing is still a very important thing to know. Sewing not only teaches you to tailor and create your own clothes, but it makes you more independent, skillful, and unique. I believe that everyone could find joy in sewing if they chose the right thing for them to sew. Enjoy your kitty, mine is named Jigsaw! *^-^*