Here’s another lovely sock animal toy, and this time, it’s the sock panda. Yes, it’s about time for yet another stuffed animal sewed from socks to join the Craft Passion family and who would have guessed, that we would have visitors from the far east, sock panda PaiPai & PeiPei.
Do you know the fascinating folklore of the panda? Well, legend has it that originally, pandas were all white in color, just like the polar bears, and their guardians were four shepherdesses (girl shepherds). One day, a leopard attacked the herd and tried to eat one of the cubs but the shepherdesses protected the pandas. The leopard was defeated but unfortunately, all the shepherdesses died. In their grief, the pandas rubbed ashes onto their arms during the funeral and while crying, hugged each other and rubbed their eyes. This spread the ashes all over their bodies and eyes. The pandas decided to wear the ashes permanently to remember the sacrifices of these brave girls and that is why, to this day, the pandas have those beautiful black-white furs. An amazing tale, isn’t it?
In honor of this inspiring story of bravery and friendship, Craft Passion has this free sock panda sewing pattern for you to try. PaiPai & PeiPei are twin sock pandas, so they are double your fun! They stand at 9.5” and are twins because you need a combination of 1 black and 1 white chenille sock each.
So, to begin, make sure you have 2 pairs of chenille socks – 1 black pair and 1 white/cream pair.
Get ready the detailing for your sock panda animal toy too: a pair of black button eyes (9mm), a black safety nose (22mm), a small piece of white felt, and poly-fill stuffing material for each sock panda. For a better idea, download the Sock Panda Pattern Template below.
Sock Panda – Free Sewing Pattern
scroll ⬇️ to get the free pattern & tutorial
PaiPai & PeiPei are very different in personalities – although they are brother and sister, they are as different as night and day. Sock panda PaiPai is a kind-hearted bossy brother who is often found hands behind his back because he thinks he looks more like a boss this way. To him, his main job is to take care of his sister, PeiPei. He doesn’t talk much, most of the time he sits on the ground and pretends he is master of the surroundings. PeiPei, his sister sock panda, adores her brother but also loves to argue with him just to prove that he’s not always the Boss.
Soft and Cuddly Sock Panda
There is one thing that they share, though – they agree that it’s important to look good all the time. This is why PeiPei likes to wear a flower hairpin in her hair.
When she was younger, she used to be embarrassed about the dark circles around her eyes. PaiPai then told her the legend of how pandas got their black rings and since then, PeiPei proudly shows off her black and white markings everywhere.
“Look at me,” she would say. “My colors are important symbols of gratitude and thankfulness for a great friendship.” And off she would go, chin up to show how happy she is to be an animal with such unique colors.
PaiPai & PeiPei would love to bring some uniqueness into your home so try out this free sock panda sewing pattern in this blog. Soon, you too can have a story to tell – a story of pandas, friendship, bravery, and gratitude. At Craft Passion, we treasure these values very much, which is why you need to try this sewing craft in your home today.
This panda plush toy will make an inspiring gift for someone in your life. Don’t forget to show us your special sock panda on our social media pages and #craftpassion.
Sock Panda Sewing Pattern
PaiPai & PeiPei stand at 9.5” and are twins because you need a combination of 1 black and 1 white chenille sock each.
PaiPai & PeiPei are very different in personalities - although they are brother and sister, they are as different as night and day. Sock panda PaiPai is a kind-hearted bossy brother who is often found hands behind his back because he thinks he looks more like a boss this way. To him, his main job is to take care of his sister, PeiPei. He doesn’t talk much, most of the time he sits on the ground and pretends he is master of the surroundings. PeiPei, his sister sock panda, adores her brother but also loves to argue with him just to prove that he’s not always the Boss.
There is one thing that they share, though - they agree that it’s important to look good all the time. This is why PeiPei likes to wear a flower hairpin in her hair.
Get ready the tools and supplies. Enjoy sewing them!
Download and print the SEWING PATTERN separately.
Materials
- Microfiber chenille sock, Black, 1
- Microfiber chenille sock, Cream, 1
- Button eye 9mm, black, 2; or equivalent button (as the eyes)
- Safety Nose 22mm, black, 1; or equivalent button (as the nose)
- White felt – 1″ x 1″, to mark 2 x 0.5″ circles (as the white of the eyes)
- Poly-fill stuffing material
- Sewing threads (matching colors)
- Sock Panda Pattern Template
Tools
- Sewing machine. You can also hand-sew, if you prefer
- Long Sewing Needle (about 2"), tapestry needle and pins
- Water Soluble Fabric Marker
- Light color marker, I used a silver marker to mark the black sock
- Scissors
- Blunt point tweezers
- Spray bottle filled with water
- Printer and card stock for templates
Instructions
- Prepare all materials above. Always pre-washed your socks before sewing them. Turn sock right side in and iron.
- Print the pattern, cut out the templates, and trace them on the materials. Draw pattern on the sock. Sew then cut. Turn sock pieces right side out.
- Stuff parts with poly-fill stuffing materials and sew as instructed below.
- Sew to close the opening. Massage the parts to even out the lumps of the stuffing.
- Sew the eyes and ears to the head. Sew tail and toe to the body. Lastly, form arms from part of the body to complete the sock panda.
Seam Allowance: give yourself approximately 1/8” or 1/4” (you need bigger seam allowance for loose-knit and thinner sock materials because they can be ripped off easily)
MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO SEW
PAIPAI & PEIPEI SOCK PANDA
PREPARATION
Gather the materials and tools needed to sew the sock panda.
Always prewash the socks before sewing (wash dark color separately).
DRAW, SEW & CUT
Print out the sock panda pattern template and cut out the head, ears, arms, eye marking, and white of eyepieces from the printed paper or card stock.
Turn the socks right-side in, lay the sock flat with heel part facing up, pin.
Trace the template outlines on the wrong side of the socks, these lines are the sewing lines (red dashed lines) as shown in the picture.
I used a silver sharpie marker to lightly trace on the black sock and blue water-soluble fabric marker on the white sock.
Cut the body, shoulder, and leg pieces out by following the blue lines.
Place the shoulder piece to the top edge of the white body piece and place the leg piece to the bottom edge respectively.
Turn the black pieces right-side-out and insert into the white body piece, align the edges, pin, and sew around.
The body of the panda after attaching the black pieces (with wrong-side facing outside).
Lay the body part flat with heel facing upward (still with wrong-side facing outside).
Align the seam line, pin, trace the leg template onto the bottom black portion of the body.
Sew and trim.
Turn all pieces right-side out and stuff with poly-fill.
STUFF & SEW
1. Mark the nose position, about 3/4 from the top of the head.
2. Enlarge a hole with a pen
3. Install the safety nose and the backplate.
4. Rotate the nose to look straight, you may apply a small dot of glue if needed.
Cut eye markings from the heel part of the black sock, bigger than the template. Trace and cut the white of eyes from felt.
Trace the outline of the eye marking template on the face, at a slant of about 30 to 45 deg angle.
Pin the eye marking, turn the raw edge in and sew with a slip stitch or ladder stitch.
Sew to close the opening of the head with a slip stitch or ladder stitch.
Position the white of eye felt piece onto the eye marking, pin, then place the black button eye to the top of the white felt. Sew the button and pull the thread to sink the eye towards the bottom of the head.
Repeat to sew the second eye to the panda.
Sew to close the bottom opening of the ear with a slip stitch or ladder stitch.
Fold the ear and sew to join the bottom.
Position and pin the ears to the head. Sew around the bottom of the ears to bond them to the head.
The legs part is stuffed firmly with poly-fill stuffing material, reduce the denseness toward the top of the body.
Sew running stitch around the top opening of the body, pull the thread to close the opening.
Roll the body with both hands to smooth out the lumps, it will also help to make the body slender and firmer.
ASSEMBLY
Mark a small circle at the bottom center of the head, this is where you are going to sew the body to the head. If needed, mark a similar size of the circle to the top of the body too so that you can keep track of where to sew.
Pin the head to the body and sew around twice to make a firm bond between them.
Sew running stitch around the top opening of the arm after stuffing, pull the thread to close the opening. Roll the arm with both hands to smooth out the lumps and make it slender and firmer.
Pin the arm to the bottom of the head and sew around. The top of the arm is stitched to the head and part of the side is stitched to the body.
Repeat the same to attach the other hand to complete the sock panda.
Spray water to the sock panda to erase the blue markings. Shape it while it is still wet if needed. Set aside to let it dry.
Add personality with different posture
Bring the arms to the back of the panda and stitch to secure the arm’s position, this will add personality to the sock panda.
Notes
Socks will be stretched after they are stuffed so thick socks that are close-knit make better quality sock panda toys.
Tip: always massage the stuffing to loosen out lumps. Long tubular parts should be rolled with both hands so any lumps will be smooth, and help to make the parts longer and firmer.
Recommended Products
Purchase the exact same material and tool used in this pattern from Craft Passion Shop.
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Gale Sullivan
Thursday 4th of March 2021
All the animals are so cute. Could you tell me do you have a pattern for a donkey. I known there is a premade one on Etsy or Ebay I can't remember, but I really like to make my own. the other one is a doll.
Craft Passion
Monday 8th of March 2021
I don't have stuffed donkey sewed from sock but I have donkey crochet for yarn, the amigurumi donkey.
Ana
Saturday 14th of March 2020
Thanks for histories and pattern! Greetings from Cancún México
Margo
Thursday 24th of October 2019
Merci pour ce tuto des adorables singes ! Une réussite !
Translation (by Google): Thank you for this tutorial of the adorable monkeys! A success !