| Have you or your son or daughter ever had a favorite | | | | This is important because a big teddy bear may |
| toy that's gotten a little worse for wear? With all the | | | | require a thick, touch needle, while a small plush dog |
| times your favorite plush toys get squeezed, dragged | | | | should have a small, delicate needle. Also, get a needle |
| around, and played, with wear and tear takes an | | | | threader if you have trouble getting the thread through. |
| inevitable toll. Little rips can make your most beloved | | | | <b>Step 3</b> |
| teddy bear look more like a Franken Bear, suitable only | | | | For step three, learn what you need to do. Even an |
| for Halloween. Luckily, this problem isn't as hopeless | | | | amateur sewer can stitch up a stuffed animal, it is not |
| as you might think. There are a few steps you can | | | | at all complicated. First, thread the needle with an arm's |
| take to fix almost any soft plush toy so that they are | | | | length of thread so that you make sure that you won't |
| practically as good as new! | | | | run out, as that complicates the sewing. Once the |
| <b>Step 1</b> | | | | needle has been threaded, double the thread and tie a |
| Identifying the specific problem area (or areas) is your | | | | knot at the end. This way you'll have two rows of |
| first step. The most common rips happen at the toy's | | | | thread with a knot at the bottom away from the |
| stitches, which can include where the legs, arms, or | | | | needle. Now it's time to start sewing. On one side of |
| head were sewn on to the body, which is what we | | | | the split seam, push the needle through, and then push |
| are going to focus on. This is naturally the weakest | | | | it across through the other side of the split seam. Pull |
| point on a stuffed animals body, and when squeezed | | | | so that the two sides come together, and then push |
| the stuffing puts pressure on these areas, causing the | | | | the needle in again on the next part as you sew in a |
| stitching to fail. These rips might not all be easy to fix, | | | | diagonal pattern. Keep doing this so that you stitch the |
| but they can mostly be approached in the same way. | | | | ripped sides together. When you get to the end, have |
| <b>Step 2</b> | | | | the needle go through the last stitch and wrap it |
| For the second step, you'll need to pick up supplies. | | | | around, so that the last stitch is strong. Then, tie a knot |
| There are some basic tools you'll need when the | | | | or two as close to the stitch as possible in order to |
| seams on a plush toy are unraveling: a needle and | | | | make sure that no thread is showing. Finally, cut the |
| thread. The thread should match the stuffed animals | | | | thread. |
| fabric, or be as neutral or complementary in color as | | | | So there you go, practically any stuffed animal can be |
| possible. Make sure the thread is tough too, otherwise | | | | fixed with a minimum of hassle. It only takes a couple |
| you'll just have to do this again a couple of months | | | | of minutes of your time, and the purchase of a needle |
| down the road. Most needles you can get as part of a | | | | and thread is very inexpensive. Now you can think |
| set, and that way you'll have needles in various sizes. | | | | twice before throwing your favorite toys away! |