DIY : simple plushie pup

 so i'm going to go ahead a apologize upfront for the horribly boring pics.  i often sew at night after the kiddos are in bed and the lighting is beyond bad so guess what?...that's when i also took these pics.

i almost forgot to even take a picture when it was completed and all tucked into the cozy blanket, but I remembered after the kids were already strapped in the car and we were heading out to deliver the little guy.

so here we go...

 i just found some fabric from the local shop called 'MK's fabric stash/store'.  

(not to be confused with my favorite fabric store M & L)

 yes, i kind of hoard fabric...it's a sickness that comes in very handy for projects like this.

 i usually use a flannel and a soft fleece but i only had the polk-a-dot flannel and the cotton houndstooth...it worked.

the piece of houndstooth was the last bit i had so that is how i got the shape of my dog.  

i just freehanded the silhouette but a stencil could probably be found pretty easily.

i have found that it's easiest to draw exactly where i am going to sew rather than drawing at the seam allowance.

 i'm obviously not super strict about staying on the line since it is hand drawn after all.

make sure to use a short stitch length...i had mine set at 2.

leave a 2 inch opening for turning and stuffing. i usually try to leave the opening at a straight part (not a curve or corner...it's just easier to sew closed when it's straight) in whatever i am sewing and on a part that is not obvious.

i left the opening on the pup's belly for this one.

 sounds backwards to cut out leaving a seam allowance since you already sewed it, 

but just trust me you still have to have that in there.

make sure to cut the notch out of the curves that curve out and a line at a curve that curves in...confused?

look at the picture...i tried to draw them in a little better.

it makes it easier to turn and there won't be any puckering.

careful not to cut through your seam...but if you do, no worries, just throw it away and start all over again, ha...joking, just sew over the seam again where you cut through.

 this is kind of a pain and will probably make you curse...especially if your animal is small. 

 the tail on this guy was the worst.

i used a capped pen to help push it through, but anything with a blunt tip will work.

don't use the point of a knitting needle it will probably poke through (trust me)...then you will really curse.

 ok stop... your not done yet!

 use small pieces it usually feels a little less lumpy when you are done.

  i think this is kind of a slip stitch or a blind stitch.  not sure if this helps or makes it more confusing, but i start inside under the seam allowance and poke up right where the two pieces should come together...right inside the fold.

go straight across to other fabric and poke right into the top of where the fold would be.

pull though and poke back up in same fabric about 1/8th of an inch away and keep going...

make sense?...good.  i'm actually a sewing instructor and use correct terms all the time, ha, ha.

i have actually never taken a sewing class before (unless you count a jr high sewing class, ha, ha)

just wing it...the point is to just close that gap so the stuffing does come out, right?

top stitch on the machine if you have to, just close it!

 i hand stitched the ears on just using a running stitch where the stitch is visible...

hey it's going to look so good you want that baby to realize that it's actually hand made, ha.

hand stitch the button eyes on.  

i have found it easier to add these on after sewing the two pieces together. 

 i sew the two eyes on at the same time. 

it looks kind of cute with the tufted look at the eyes.

tuck your card in there and throw a string around it.

easy? let me know...