I made this photo tutorial so you can see how to sew my Tiger soft toy Pattern.

Scroll down for
step-by-step photos ~>

 

 

*** PLEASE NOTE – this is ONLY a PHOTO TUTORIAL ***
The FULL PATTERN IS NOT included here.
It is NOT A FREE PATTERN.

I have made this photo tutorial so people who have purchased the pattern can SEE how to sew a soft toy tiger. (I wanted to explain this so you are not disappointed if you have found this page via a search engine and not from the link in my Tiger sewing pattern!)

 

First choose some fabric:

You can sew this Tiger pattern from MOST fabrics – you don’t have to have a Tiger print fabric OR stripes. A Tiger will look AWESOME in florals, chevrons, novelty prints and even PLAIN ORANGE! 🧡

 

 

A note about STRIPES!

 

Stripes don’t need to match up!

 

It would take a LOT of time (and extra fabric) to line up the stripes because there are so many seams on this toy. I specifically IGNORED the stripes when I cut out my Tiger – you can see very clearly that the stripes do NOT match up at the seams – but she STILL looks cute!

 

TIP: If mismatched stripes really bother you, I recommend that you use a plain orange fabric or a busy print (like a floral) instead of stripes!

 

 

 

A note about FUR fabrics!

Fur fabrics can be thick which makes the seams bulky and difficult to sew. You can avoid this problem by using the fur only for the RUFF PIECES that face the front and using a plain, thinner fabric for the RUFF PIECES that face backwards.

Tester’s Tip: 

Don’t use THICK

or VERY FLUFFY fabric

for the Tiger’s SNOUT!!!

 

The tester’s found that using very THICK fluffy fabric for the SNOUT and CHIN PIECE  made the Tiger ‘lose it’s smile’ – or look like Santa!

If you want to use Cuddle® or fake fur for your tiger: Stick with using the standard C3 Cuddle®  for the SNOUT and CHIN PIECES  and the fluffier, thicker Luxe Cuddle® and Cuddle longer pile furs, ONLY for the tiger’s SIDE HEAD and RUFF(SIDE BURNS).

 

Right, let’s get sewing!

FACE:

 

STEP 1

Sew the FACE PIECES to the SNOUT PIECES from A – B. (Remember to clip all seams, where they are very curved. This is especially important if you are using woven/non-stretchy fabrics like quilting cottons.)

 

 

STEP 2

Sew the SIDE HEAD PIECES to the FACE PIECES from E – F.

 

 

STEP 3

Sew the SNOUT PIECES together at the front, from C – D.

 

 

STEP 4

Sew the FOREHEAD and NOSE PIECE together from A – A.

 

 

STEP 5a

Pin the FOREHEAD & NOSE PIECE to the SIDE HEAD, FACE & SNOUT PIECES.

TIP: This seam is right in the middle of the Tiger’s face and you want it to be even. Take your time and use lots of pins so the pieces don’t slip as you sew.

 

STEP 5b

Sew the FOREHEAD & NOSE PIECE to the SIDE HEAD, FACE & SNOUT PIECES from G – C – G. (Sew this seam with the FOREHEAD & NOSE PIECE facing down. That way you can lift the presser foot and finger-press out any folds in the fabric as you sew, to avoid wrinkles from forming.

TIP: If you are a beginner, it can be easier to pin and sew from C – G one side first, then pin and sew from C – G on the other side.

CHIN:

 

STEP 6

Pin the CHIN PIECE to the FACE & SNOUT PIECES from H – D – H. Again, take your time and use lots of pins, sew this seam with the CHIN PIECE facing down.

TIP: Please don’t worry if your Tiger’s snout has some wrinkles – they are hard to avoid!

EARS:

 

STEP 7a

Sew the EAR PIECES together in pairs (1 Contrast and 1 Main fabric piece) leaving the straight edge open for turning.

 

STEP 7b

Clip the seams, being careful not to snip through the stitching, and turn the EAR PIECES right sides out.

 

TIP: I like to use a wooden chopstick to turn the EARS. Run the end of the chopstick back and forth along the stitching inside until the seam is nice and smooth.

 

STEP 7c

Pin the EARS closed along the open edge. ***Please DON’T stuff the EARS – if you do they will look like 2 blobs – instead of cute little cups!***

 

STEP 8a

Pin the EARS to the SIDE HEAD PIECES, using the pattern markings to guide you.

 

STEP 8b

Double-check that the white EAR PIECES are facing towards the SIDE HEAD PIECES then sew the EARS in place with a 3mm(⅛ inch) seam allowance. 

 

RUFF(Sideburns/Frill):

 

STEP 9a

Sew the RUFF PIECES together in pairs leaving them open along the inside edge for turning.

 

 

STEP 9b

Clip the seams and turn the RUFF PIECES right sides out and use a wooden chopstick to turn the seams nicely.

 

 

STEP 9c

Pin the RUFF PIECES closed along the inside edge and pin them to the SIDE HEAD PIECES, just touching the bottom edge of the EARS. Sew the RUFF PIECES in place with a 3mm (⅛ inch) seam allowance.

TIP: TIP: Look carefully at the RUFF PATTERN PIECE when you pin the RUFF PIECES in place to make sure you don’t pin them UPSIDE DOWN! (I added a funny face to remind you!) 

 

 

HEAD:

 

STEP 10

Fold the FOREHEAD PIECE at the dart, with the fabric right sides together, and sew the dart closed.

 

 

STEP 11a

Sew the BACK HEAD PIECES together from J – V.

 

 

STEP 11b

Sew the BACK HEAD PIECES to the FOREHEAD & SIDE HEAD PIECES from H – J – H on the other side, with the EARS and RUFF PIECES in between.

TIP: Check that the bottom edges of the RUFF PIECES haven’t got caught in the seam as you sewed. (Unpick it and sew this seam again NOW if they have!)

 

EYES:

 

STEP 12

If you are using craft eyes, insert these NOW. (If you are going to embroider the eyes, do them AFTER the head is stuffed.)

TIP: I have a tutorial to show you how to insert craft eyes on my blog.

 

BACK & SHOULDERS:

 

STEP 13

Fold the BACK PIECES at the side darts, with the fabric right sides together, and sew the side darts closed. (1 dart on each side = 2 darts altogether).

 

 

STEP 14

Sew the SHOULDER PIECES to the BACK PIECES from L – M.

 

 

STEP 15

Fold the BACK PIECES at the back darts, with the fabric right sides together, and sew the back darts closed. (2 darts on each side = 4 darts altogether).

 

STEP 16

Sew the SHOULDER & BACK PIECES together along the top from W – L – N.

 

TAIL:

 

STEP 17a

Sew the TAIL PIECES together, leaving them open at the straight edge and the stuffing gap.

STEP 17b

Trim the seams to 3mm (⅛ inch) at the ‘tip’ of the TAIL PIECES. 

 

 

STEP 17c

Clip the very curved seams and turn the TAIL right sides out and run the end of a chopstick along the seam so it is nice and smooth.

 

 

STEP 17d

Pin the TAIL PIECES closed along the straight edge.

 

 

 

STEP 18a

Pin the TAIL to the BACK PIECES, using the pattern markings to guide you and matching point N.

 

 

STEP 18b

Sew the TAIL in place with a 3mm (⅛ inch) seam allowance.

 

TUMMY:

 

STEP 19

Sew the TUMMY PIECES together from R – O leaving the gap open for stuffing.

 

LEGS:

Before you get started on the legs…

 

SPECIAL NOTICE for
***the TIGER PATTERN***

The Tiger’s legs are quite complicated and they go together in a rather unusual way. This pattern also has lots of similar BUT slightly different LEG and ARM PIECES, which means there are LOTS of opportunities for muddling/mismatching the pieces so ~>

 

I have a favour to ask you!

 

Pretty please!!!!!!

 

 

PLEASE transfer all of the letters and pattern markings onto your FABRIC pieces!

I know I always say to do this BUT this time, with this pattern – I think it’s REALLY IMPORTANT that you do it!!!!! It’s the EASIEST way to guarantee you’ll get it right first time, and won’t end up UNPICKING pieces…. (like I did a few times when designing Taylor Tiger!)

 

How to transfer pattern markings:

There are LOTS of options for writing the pattern markings on the fabric pieces – I use pencil, ball point pen, permanent markers and erasable fabric pens.

 

 

There are 2 types of erasable fabric pens:

AIR ERASABLE (disappears after a little while) and WATER ERASABLE (you need to apply water to make this disappear).
AIR ERASABLE fabric markers are used when you don’t want your markings to be visible forever. This is great for drawing on the facial features before you embroider them BUT not when you want to see the markings LATER while you’re sewing the toy – so use a WATER ERASABLE fabric pen for these pattern markings! (You don’t need to remove them as you won’t see them from the right side of the fabric!)

 

FIRST LEG:

STEP 20a

Sew one LEG  1 PIECE and a LEG 2 PIECE together along the top seam.

 

 

STEP 20b

Clip the seam allowance of the top seams well as it is very curved. Look carefully at the LEG PIECES – you can see the LEG 1 PIECE is STRAIGHT but the LEG 2 PIECE is CURVED at the back. Match them up with the STRAIGHT and CURVED edges of the TUMMY PIECE and matching the cross pattern markings, then pin them together.

 

TIP: If you sew your Tiger’s feet on the wrong way round they will point inwards instead of outwards! 

So PLEASE double-check that you have matched the cross pattern markings and the CURVED and STRAIGHT edges correctly then sew the LEG PIECES to the TUMMY PIECE.

 

 

STEP 20c

Clip the curved seams very well then flip/fold the LEG PIECES towards the back, then fold the LEG 2 PIECE to the side. Pin the bottom seams of the LEG 1 PIECE and LEG 2 PIECE together and….

 

 

…sew the bottom seam closed.

 

 

STEP 20d

Fold the LEG 1 & LEG 2 PIECES at the side folds, as shown in the pattern markings. Pin the top and bottom seams together at the centre, line up the raw edges of the fabric along the side darts and sew them closed.

 

 

STEP 20e

Turn the LEG right sides out. (Push the front of the LEG PIECES back into the LEG and out through the open end of the LEG at the back). Gently pat the LEG PIECES so they lie flat at the open edge and pin the LEG PIECES to the TUMMY PIECE at the sides.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

The folded sides of the LEG PIECES must overlap the fabric of the TUMMY PIECE so you can pin through all 3 layers (both layers of the LEG PIECES and the TUMMY PIECE).

 

 

 

 

This is what it will look like (from the ‘wrong side’) when you have PINNED the first LEG flat at the sides.

SECOND LEG:

 

STEP 21

Repeat (STEPS 20a – 20e) for the other LEG, matching the cross pattern markings.

 

 

This is what it will look like when you have SEWN the second LEG.

 

 

AND this is what it will look like (from the ‘wrong side’) when you have PINNED the second LEG flat at the sides.

 

 

STEP 22

Sew the TUMMY PIECES to the BASE PIECE, from P – O – P, with the LEGS in between. (This is a hard seam to pin – start by pinning points P together on each side, next pin the pieces together at the centre at O, then add LOTS of pins in between.)

 

TIP: Please don’t worry, it may feel strange that the LEGS have been left open at the top but doing the legs like this gives the tiger its ‘crouching’ pose. You haven’t made a mistake – carry on and it will ALL come together BEAUTIFULLY!  

 

 

STEP 23a

Sew BASE & TUMMY PIECES to the BACK & SHOULDER PIECES, from Z – N – Z, with the TAIL PIECES in between.

 

 

 

TIP: Zig-zag across the seam allowance of the TAIL PIECES to make sure it is nice and secure.

 

ARMS:

 

STEP 24a

Sew one OUTER ARM 1 PIECE to an OUTER ARM 2 PIECE, from S – T, matching the single star pattern marking. Repeat for the other OUTER ARM PIECES.

 

Match the single stars!

 

 

 

STEP 24b

Sew one INNER ARM 1 PIECE to an INNER ARM 2 PIECE, from U – V, matching the double star pattern markings. Repeat for the other INNER ARM PIECES.

 

Match the double stars!

 

 

 

STEP 24c

Sew the INNER ARMS to the OUTER ARMS along the bottom seam.

 

 

STEP 25

Pin the INNER ARMS & OUTER ARMS to the SHOULDER PIECES & TUMMY PIECES matching the single and double dot pattern markings, then sew them in place from Q – Z – Q.

 

*** BE CAREFUL***

You MUST match the DOTS –
NOT just the letters…

Please double check that you have matched the single and double DOT pattern markings correctly BEFORE sewing the ARMS in place~>  IF you don’t get them right – the ARMS will be sewn on the wrong way round – and they will stick out to the sides instead of lying straight!

 

So go on, get DOTTY!

 

 

 

 

STEP 26

Sew the INNER ARMS to the OUTER ARMS along the top seams and continue sewing the TUMMY PIECES to the SHOULDER PIECES from Q – H, up to the neck seam.

 

*** I added the dashed black lines in the photo below to make it easier to see where to sew.

 

 

 

STEP 27

Fold the ARM PIECES at the front, as shown on the pattern markings, (this is the same as you did with side darts on the LEGS). Pin the top and bottom seams together at the centre, line up the raw edges of the fabric along the side darts and sew them closed.

 

NECK SEAM:

 

STEP 28

Pin and sew the head to the body at the neck seam. (Pin the FACE, CHIN & BACK HEAD PIECES to the TUMMY & SHOULDER PIECES.)

 

 

TIP: I find the easiest way to pin the neck seam is to turn the head right sides out first then push the head (top first) into the body. Pin the pieces together at the neck seam, with the fabric right sides together.

 

 

STEP 29

Pull the HEAD back out of the body so the PIECES are wrong sides out again and sew the BACK HEAD PIECES and SHOULDER PIECES closed from V – K – W.

 

 

ASSEMBLY:

 

STEP 30

Turn the Tiger right sides out through the stuffing gap on the TUMMY PIECES. Stuff the nose area firmly with toy stuffing then fill the rest of the head and the neck area. Stuff the ARMS really well then the rest of the body. Once the body is firmly stuffed, stuff the TAIL.

 

A kid’s paintbrush makes

a great toy-stuffing tool!

 

 

NOSE:

 

STEP 31a

Cut the NOSE from pink felt and pin it onto the NOSE PIECE.

 

TIP: I like to trace my felt pieces with a fabric marker. If you don’t have one you can check out this blog post for other methods for cutting out felt pieces accurately here – https://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com/how-to-cut-out-felt

STEP 31b

Sew the felt NOSE in place on the NOSE PIECE. (Hide your starting and finishing knots under the felt piece!)

 

 

‘NO SEW’ NOSE TIP:

If you don’t like hand sewing – glue on a felt nose with non-toxic/fabric glue (not for children under 3). Heat transfer vinyl and fabric paint/markers are baby-safe.

 

Taylor begs you –
“Please don’t leave off
my nose!”

 

 

 

TOES:

 

STEP 32

Using the Toes Sewing Diagram below to guide you, sew the toes on the ‘feet’ (and ‘hands’) with black/ brown embroidery thread.

 

1. Sew into the leg and come out at A. 
2. Pull your thread until the end disappears inside the leg then sew a knot at A to secure your thread
3. Sew in at A and come out on the bottom of the foot, directly below A.
4. Sew back in at A and this time come out on the bottom of the foot, directly below B and pull tightly on the thread to make the first toe.
5. Sew in at B, this time come out on the bottom of the foot directly below C and pull tightly on the thread to make the second toe.
6. Sew in at C, come out on the bottom of the foot directly below C and pull tightly on the thread to make the last toe,
7. Sew another knot at C to end off, then sew the end of your thread back into the foot.

 

 

 

STEP 33

Sew the stuffing gaps closed with a ladder stitch. If you are hand embroidering the eyes, sew them now.

 

 

 

Your Tiger is ready to LOVE!

 

Want to win a
FREE toy pattern?

 

It’s so EASY to enter our Pattern GIVEAWAY!

 

ALL you need to do is post a photo of a FUNKY FRIENDS FACTORY toy that you have made on the Funky Friends Factory Facebook Page .

At the end of each month I draw a winner and post the winner’s name on the Blog the following MONTH. I have an Album on Facebook for all the MAKEROFTHEMONTH winners. You can check it out HERE!

 

 

NOT on Facebook? ENTER by email! 😀

*** You can send me your photos by email too!

 

So come on! Share your photos  ~>

The next winner could be YOU!!!

.
Till next time,

Happy Sewing,
Pauline
xxx