How to Stuff Felt Plushies So They Don’t Look Flat and Sad?!
You’ve probably seen those cute little round felt plushies all over Pinterest or Instagram. You scroll… and suddenly there’s this tiny creature staring at you with personality. Not flat. Definitely not sad. Not “hit by a truck” energy 😂. Just adorable.
That was me once. I stumbled across them and thought, wow… how do they look so alive?
If you’ve been wondering how to stuff felt plushies properly so they don’t end up uneven or floppy, you’re in the right place. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to stuff your felt creatures so they look round, smooth and full of character.
And hi – I’m Alyona. I’ve been sewing for as long as I can remember. When I got into felt crafting, I fell in love with how expressive these little toys can be. So let’s talk about the stuffing process itself.
Also, if you’re not even sure yet whether plush making is your thing, you can always start small and grab my free plushy pattern to practise on before investing in anything serious 😉.
What You Need Before You Start Stuffing
Before we even touch the stuffing, let’s make sure you have the basics ready.
First, you’ll need a pattern. Once you cut your pieces, stitch them together using Thread and Needles. Sew all the way around using a blanket stitch, but leave a small opening for stuffing.
And yes – the felt matters. For plushies, always use Soft Felt. Do not repeat my early mistake of using Stiff (HARD) Felt. Hard felt and plushies are not friends. They simply are not compatible.
When you stitch around, leave about 1.5 – 2 cm opening. Usually I leave it at the bottom. Why? Because if you close it later on the top or side, it can still be slightly visible. The bottom hides everything better.
If your plush has separate parts – head, body, legs, arms – then I leave the hole at the top of the body piece and at the bottom of the head piece. Later, when those parts are sewn together, both openings hide against each other. No visible mess.
Smart placement makes a huge difference 😉.
The Tools That Will Save Your Sanity
Let me save you from frustration. Do not try stuffing with your fingers 🙅♀️. I tried. It was a nightmare 😂🙈.
Use simple Tweezers. Eyebrow tweezers, beauty tweezers, whatever you have at home. Brand does not matter. Shape does not matter. Just use them.
Then you need the actual filling. I personally use polyester Stuffing/Filling for toys.
And here’s something important – I avoid natural wool stuffing or feather filling, especially if the toy is for children. Some kids can be allergic to natural fibres. Polyester avoids future problems. If it’s a decoration piece, fine. But if a child will hold it, go safe.
No stuffing at home? Take an old plush toy, open it, and reuse what’s inside. Simple.
How to Prepare the Stuffing Properly
Do not take one giant chunk and shove it inside.
That’s how you create mountain surfaces and bumpy spots. Your plush will look sick. Literally like it has internal lumps.
Instead, tear the stuffing into small pieces. I like shaping them into long “sausages”. Not round balls – long thin shapes. Why?
Because they are easier to grab with tweezers and insert gradually. Bit by bit. Start with a medium amount inside. Do not overstuff at the beginning. Leave a little space. Then press the plush with your fingers – like you press a pillow. This helps spread the stuffing evenly.
Keep squeezing while you work. It distributes everything much better.
The Most Important Step – Stuff the Borders
This is where most beginners go wrong. Do not push everything into the centre.
Instead, use your tweezers to guide stuffing all around the edges, especially where the blanket stitch runs. You want those borders to transform from flat to rounded.
Think of a book. When it is closed, the fold looks flat. But when you open it fully, that folded area spreads and becomes even. That is exactly what should happen with your blanket stitch line. If the border is still flat, it means you need more stuffing there.
Keep working around the edges until the shape looks smooth and rounded. Keep pressing with your fingers as you go.
Fixing Uneven Spots
Now step back and look at your plush from different angles. If one side looks more bubbly than the other, add small amounts exactly where needed. Very small pieces.
I do it visually. If the right side looks fuller than the left, I add a bit more to the left. I keep adjusting until the shape feels symmetrical from any angle. This part is slow at first. But it makes all the difference.
Once you are happy with the shape, close the opening with the same blanket stitch. Done.
Visual Learners – Watch Me Do It
If you are more of a visual person, I have plenty of felt creation videos on my BusinkaMania Craft YouTube channel. You can jump straight into the felt playlist and see exactly how I stuff each element.
No endless scrolling required – everything is organised there already.
Avoid These Beginner Mistakes
Let me tell you about my first plush. It was complete flop 🙈. I used the wrong felt. I did not stuff properly. My borders stayed flat. It looked sad and uneven.
So Please avoid:
- Using hard felt for plush toys
- Under-stuffing
- Ignoring the borders
- Closing the hole in a visible area
Back when I started, there weren’t as many resources available. Now you have articles and videos. Use them. And most importantly – keep sewing and keep stuffing. Each toy gets better than the previous one. Practice really changes everything.
Final Thoughts on Stuffing Felt Plushies
Stuffing is not difficult, but it can feel challenging at the beginning. Be patient. Work in small pieces. Focus on the borders. Keep pressing and adjusting.
That’s how you turn a flat felt shape into a plush with personality.
And since we’ve been talking a lot about blanket stitch here, you might also like to read How to Do Chain Stitch and Best Way to Use It. It will help you add more decorative details and make your plush faces even cuter.
Thank you for reading and spending your time with me. I’ll see you in the next one.
