#stuffie knitting

[classicalsongbirdknits]

The moment I finish knitting a new stuffed animal, I say hello. It’s only polite.

[classicalsongbirdknits]

October calls for a wee knit black cat!

This is my Dumpling Cat pattern, and you can find it on my website and on Ravelry.

[classicalsongbirdknits]

Tip of the day: try black stuffing for knit plushies with dark yarn so no little white bits peek through.

[classicalsongbirdknits]

It’s pattern release day!

Uszka Kittens are small, huggable critters in cozy sweaters. and are named after uszki, Polish dumplings whose name translates to “little ear”. Uszka Kittens are academic creatures, and are the perfect size for a desktop companion or reading friend. They're explicitly designed to make you smile, bring you comfort, and be a source of whimsy in your life.

I knit mine up with Scheepjes Catona for the kitten, and Midknit Cravings Yarn Co. Light Sock for the sweater and pants.

You can find the pattern on my website and on Ravelry!

[classicalsongbirdknits]

When you start knitting stuffed animals (or anything for that matter), it’s inevitable that there are gonna be some mistakes. Luckily, I've made a ton of these mistakes for you, and now can pass on my knowledge to you.

For more tips for plushie knitting, check out the full blog post!

(Text for the infographic below the cut)

Common Stuffie Knitting Mistakes

01 - faces and embroidery: Probably the hardest part of making stuffed animals by hand is getting the face right. Don’t be afraid to take out the face and start again if you don’t get it right the first time. It’s shockingly easy to end up with a stuffie that looks sad or upset for some reason, but it’s just as easy to take it out and get them looking happy and ready to be cuddled.

02 - stuffing and polyfill: The best way to avoid lumpy plushies is to stuff with small pieces of polyfill at a time. That way you can shape as you go. You also want to stuff pretty densely. Over time, stuffing will compress and the stuffed animal will feel thinner than how it did when you first filled it. If you don’t stuff tightly, your stuffed animal may end up feeling a little limp later on.

03 - row gauge: Row gauge is just as important as stitch gauge. Sometimes with other projects you can fudge the row gauge a little bit and it’ll be okay. With stuffed animals, the ratio between the row gauge and the stitch gauge determines the shape of your animal, and if your row gauge is off, you can end up with a stuffie that’s weirdly stretched or kind of squished looking.

04 - seaming: The most important bit is to leave a long tail when you cast on or bind off, so you’re not fighting with a short thread while piecing things together. You’ll also want to seam things in the right order. It’s much harder to line the head up straight with the limbs than it is to line up the limbs with the head. If you want to avoid having your stuffie looking to one side, seam the limbs on after you’ve done the head. Trust me.

[classicalsongbirdknits]

It's Uszka Teddy pattern release day!

Uszka Teddies are small, huggable critters in cozy sweaters, and are named after uszki, Polish dumplings whose name translates to “little ear”. These little ones are huge foodies, and love trying new cafes, restaurants, recipes, and homemade meals. 

Knit up in fingering weight cotton yarn - I used Scheepjes Catona - they’re the perfect size for bringing comfort and love during these trying times (which is about 22cm / 8.75" tall).

And in the spirit of bringing comfort and spreading whimsy, the Uszka Teddy pattern is available for ✨free✨ on my blog! But if you prefer an ad-free, printable version, you can also purchase the pattern PDF on my website or on Ravelry.

[classicalsongbirdknits]

This little outfit will be appearing on a new friend (and in a ✨free✨ pattern coming Friday…)

[classicalsongbirdknits]

It’s Dumpling Cat release day!

Dumpling Cats are academically-inclined critters in cozy sweaters. The name comes from the way the head is cinched closed at the top, much in the same way dumpling wrappers are twisted closed. Dumpling Cats are always ready to dive into a new special interest, tackle a big book, and sit moodily on benches in the fall with a cup of black coffee. They’re the perfect size for a squish-able desktop companion, cuddle-able reading buddy, or scary appointment support-from-your-bag friend.

I knit these little ones up in Cascade Yarns Noble Cotton, and the clothes using leftover DK weight yarn from my stash.

Dumpling animals are the larger of my two animal patterns, standing at about 28cm / 11.25” tall. You can find the pattern on my website or on Ravelry!