Cuddle Buddy

[Akunaferret]

So, I find that I have a lot of time on my hands and was considering making a cuddle buddy for Flynn. But I have a questions:

1) Where can I find a Pattern to achieve this?

2) Does it have to be in the shape of an animal or can it be a square or a pillow?

3) is there a type of special thread?


As this will all be done by hand I figure it'll take a bit, but I honestly have nothing better to do : S Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!! <3

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

I dont really know much but I can answer question 2.

It can be an animal, a square or a circle. My chinnies all have squares and love them (some love them more than others)

 

[Akunaferret]

Ah ok, so no pillow ^_^

thank you very much ^_^

 

[itsangelaaa]

You can make pillows for chins too!! Some people have pillows for chins who sleep on ledges. Mine love to stretch out on their pillows. You can sew fleece ties on one side to attach the pillow to the cage so it doesn't get thrown around, because once they figure out that the pillow can move, they'll push it all over the place! Just make sure the stitching for the ties is on the inside of the pillow and isn't exposed. Or just poke some holes through the pillow and thread a fleece ribbon through them and tie to the cage.

Cube cuddle buddies are easy to make too. Just cut out six squares: lay one in the center, then sew one against the top edge, one against the left, one against the right, and two against the bottom so it looks like a cross. Then you'll be able to see where to sew the other edges together to make a cube. If that doesn't make sense, google cube patterns and you'll see what I mean.

It's just as easy, if not easier, to make a shaped buddy, like a chinchilla or bunny or heart etc. Just cut out two pieces of the shape you would like, sew them with the "right side" (more colorful) of the fleece on the inside, leave a space so you can flip it inside out, flip, and stuff with fleece scraps. Then whip stitch or ladder stitch the opening shut. I don't use a special thread, I just make sure all seams are hidden (on the inside) and that there are no exposed threads to be chewed on. It's super easy and super fun! Don't worry if it looks lumpy or mishappen, your chins can't tell and they'll love you just the same =)

 

[Akunaferret]

You can make pillows for chins too!! Some people have pillows for chins who sleep on ledges. Mine love to stretch out on their pillows. You can sew fleece ties on one side to attach the pillow to the cage so it doesn't get thrown around, because once they figure out that the pillow can move, they'll push it all over the place! Just make sure the stitching for the ties is on the inside of the pillow and isn't exposed. Or just poke some holes through the pillow and thread a fleece ribbon through them and tie to the cage.

Cube cuddle buddies are easy to make too. Just cut out six squares: lay one in the center, then sew one against the top edge, one against the left, one against the right, and two against the bottom so it looks like a cross. Then you'll be able to see where to sew the other edges together to make a cube. If that doesn't make sense, google cube patterns and you'll see what I mean.

It's just as easy, if not easier, to make a shaped buddy, like a chinchilla or bunny or heart etc. Just cut out two pieces of the shape you would like, sew them with the "right side" (more colorful) of the fleece on the inside, leave a space so you can flip it inside out, flip, and stuff with fleece scraps. Then whip stitch or ladder stitch the opening shut. I don't use a special thread, I just make sure all seams are hidden (on the inside) and that there are no exposed threads to be chewed on. It's super easy and super fun! Don't worry if it looks lumpy or mishappen, your chins can't tell and they'll love you just the same =)

heheh thank you! I'm going to try and make a star and a rain drop, I'll take pictures once they are made ^_^ Thank you so very much

 

[Sandi]

My Gerard is a freak with his "apple", fleece apple that is. He LOVES it. The other boys have cuddle buddies in the shape of cubes from camphorchins.com and a chin shaped one from qualitymutationchinchillas.com but they are not as much loved as Gerard's apple, which I got at petsmart for $3 on their clearance rack. Not saying that all chins will like apples, as I did get a few for backups and laundry day so I put them in with my other boys and they could give a rats butt about them, go figure.

Here is my Gerard with his apple - sorry I couldn't resist showing this to you .

 

[KristinC1983]

That is ADORABLE, Sandi!!!!!!! I have to make Sunny a buddy now....well, maybe buying would be a better solution for me, lol! Not great at sewing! I'm sure I can find some fleece stuff for sale on here

 

[Akunaferret]

that is so adorable! I'll take a picture of the ones I make and post them here. Then after that we will see what he likes ^_^

 

[Akunaferret]

Heres the first one ^^

and the second one?

 

[Sandi]

Meg, those are too cute! Don't know if this was mentioned but just as an fyi, and not sure if your new works of art :thumbsup: have them but I think it's called a "hidden stich" which is what you need to have if you are sewing goodies for the chins. It's so that there aren't any loose threads for them to get caught on by their feetsies or teeth.

 

[Annieo]

Very cute! Hope your chinnie likes them.

 

[Akunaferret]

Meg, those are too cute! Don't know if this was mentioned but just as an fyi, and not sure if your new works of art :thumbsup: have them but I think it's called a "hidden stich" which is what you need to have if you are sewing goodies for the chins. It's so that there aren't any loose threads for them to get caught on by their feetsies or teeth.

what is this hidden stitch. I cut the thread very close to the knot that is close to the fabric so that there aren't nay lose strings out.

Very cute! Hope your chinnie likes them.

I'm hoping, he's in the "i'm going to bite this odd thing" stage. but he's sitting on it right now.

 

[Annieo]

A hidden stitch is basically where you stitch up the opening so that you don't see the threads. Here is a simple little tutorial that should help you. Very easy, just a different way of doing it than you did that will hide the stitches.

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=13016

 

[caiti]

Thank you Annie!! I always wondered how to do that!! I actually just do a regular vertical stitch close to the edge and lots of them near eachother, pull each loop super tight and barely any string (maybe a millimeter) shows afterwards. But that way looks like it would work better.

That's going in my bookmarks, hehe.

 

[Akunaferret]

might be simple but apparently not Akuna simple

 

[itsangelaaa]

Oh that's actually the same stitch that I was talking about! The ladder stitch! Here is the video on youtube where I learned how to do it. Watching her do it might help. She also shows a clever way to hide the knots at the end so there are absolutely no loose threads on the outside. Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CjOXMuTFXo

 

[Akunaferret]

Oh that's actually the same stitch that I was talking about! The ladder stitch! Here is the video on youtube where I learned how to do it. Watching her do it might help. She also shows a clever way to hide the knots at the end so there are absolutely no loose threads on the outside. Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CjOXMuTFXo

that helps a little more, do i have to undue the plushies now?

 

[DevnChip]

I love your plushies. Make me some?

If you catch your chin chewing on them or think he might, I'd redo the spots you can see threads at. They look really good!

 

[Annieo]

I just realized something...are you sewing your entire cuddle buddy by hand? If so, then I would put the right side of the pieces together and use a running stitch all the way around except for the opening (if you are stuffing it). Then turn the fabric inside out (so that the nice part is showing) and stuff through the opening. Sorry I assumed you were sewing with a machine EXCEPT for the opening when you first showed your work.

Then you would use the ladder or the hidden stitch to close after you stuff it or fill it with more fleece.

Here is a tutorial on the running stitch. I would do the stitches much closer than she is showing on the video for your purposes.

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Sew---The-Running-Stitch-140618055

 

[itsangelaaa]

Personally, I would but that's just cause I can be a perfectionist when it comes to making my chins toys. And paranoid. If you see them chewing or tugging at the threads then I would make them over.

Were you going to use the ladder stitch to sew the whole buddy? I forgot to mention, you only need to use that stitch for sewing the last opening shut, as long as you flipped the buddy inside out before stuffing. I couldn't tell from the photos if you flipped it or not..

EDIT: oops.. didn't realize Annie posted when I was typing! Do what she said =)