Designing and Making Your Own Soft Toy
A course by EFI Little thingsToy Maker
A course by EFI Little things, Toy Maker
Learn how to design and make your own soft toy from scratch by creating a pattern, cutting then stitching it, and adding the final touches
Teddy bears, stuffed sheep, plush mice—soft toys are often one of the most treasured belongings from a person’s childhood. As an experienced toy maker and the creator of best-selling designs such as Rupert the Hare, Elena Ilyasova is devoted to keeping both the nostalgia and tradition of handmade toys alive. Through her brand, Efi Little Things, she shares her passion for this craft by designing toy patterns for small business and individual makers.
In this online course, Elena teaches how to design and make a soft toy from scratch. Learn how to create a pattern, cut and sew the pieces together, and give your new friend a unique personality with custom clothing. Ready to make memories to cherish for a lifetime?
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 23 downloads
Inspiration and Trends
7 minutes, 2 seconds
Materials and Fabrics
18 minutes, 45 seconds
Creating Basic Shapes with Fabric
10 minutes, 9 seconds
Sketching the Design
17 minutes, 19 seconds
Colors and Textures: Refining the Design
4 minutes, 16 seconds
Building the Head with Darts
9 minutes, 44 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet Elena Ilyasova, toy maker, pattern designer, and your teacher for the course. Hear about her creative journey, from making her first stuffed mouse to founding her brand Efi Little Things, along with the influences that have shaped her ideas.
Dive into your final project by deciding on an animal for your design, looking at modern toy trends, fabric options, and other references for inspiration. Then go over the tools and materials you need to create it before learning how to cut basic shapes and turn them into 3D pieces.
Next, Elena guides you through making a paper pattern. Sketch your character, define the proportions, and cut out each of the body parts. Elena also demonstrates how to use a stencil to help you choose colors and textures.
Time to bring your toy to life! Discover two different ways to make the head, one using darts and the other inserts. Continue with the torso, arms, and legs, followed by the ears and tail. Lastly, learn how to embroider facial features and other details to give your stuffed animal a charming personality.
Elena wraps up the course by teaching you how to accessorize your toy, along with some techniques for a custom look.
What is this course's project?
Design and make a soft toy from scratch.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to make their own stuffed animal, as well as craft enthusiasts looking for a new project.
Requirements and materials
Basic sewing skills are required to take this course.
As for materials, you need pattern-making and sewing tools, which your teacher will specify during the course, as well as any fabric of your choice.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Es detallado
- 4 months ago
Super completo
- 4 months ago
muy buen curso
- 7 months ago
Me encanta este curso, esta super bien explicado, te anima muchisimo a crear, es como una hermosa terapia. muchas gracias por ofrecernos tantos cursos maravillosos.
- 7 months ago
es super interesante el curso aun no lo acbo de ver pero deberian de hacer mas de estos cursos ella explica super bien es facil de entender se ve que le gusta lo que hace. gracias
Through her brand, she makes soft toy patterns for companies and individuals. Her designs are inspired by the woodland creatures that populated traditional tales. The aim of her work is to support both small businesses and craft lovers in keeping this tradition alive while promoting sustainable, handmade items over mass-produced toys. When she’s not creating her own designs, she shares her knowledge with others through online classes and tutorials.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Designing the Character
- Inspiration and Trends
- Materials and Fabrics
- Creating Basic Shapes with Fabric
- U3
Developing the Character
- Sketching the Design
- Creating the Pattern
- Colors and Textures: Refining the Design
- U4
Constructing the Toy
- Building the Head with Darts
- Building the Head Using Gussets 1
- Building the Head Using Gussets 2
- The Body and Legs
- Adding Details: The Facial Features 1
- Adding Details: The Facial Features 2
- U5
Adding Unique Details
- Accessorizing the Toy
- Adding a Personal Touch
- FP
Final project
- Designing and Making Your Own Soft Toy
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational skills in sewing, pattern making, and designing soft toys, so no prior experience is required.
You’ll need basic sewing supplies like fabric, thread, needles, stuffing, tracing paper, and optional items like embroidery floss, ribbons, and buttons for decoration.
You’ll learn how to design, sketch, draft patterns, select fabrics, sew, stuff, and decorate unique soft toys, as well as repair and personalize vintage or antique toys.
Yes, the course covers beginner sewing techniques and guides you step by step through hand stitching, pattern assembly, and basic machine sewing if desired.
Yes, you’ll learn to sketch, design, and adapt patterns for different animal forms, including anthropomorphic designs, using geometric shapes and proportions.
Yes, you’ll discover techniques for repairing, cleaning, and restoring antique soft toys, including sewing and material selection for vintage pieces.
The course covers fabric selection, testing with stencils, evaluating textures, colors, and wool types to achieve the best look and feel for your soft toys.