I can’t help it, I replicated this cute tiger – I am a copy cat, omg!!! Read how I Replicate Plush Toy and adapt the method to make yours.
The origin of this tiger is a “limited edition” stuffed-toy mascot of a 100% Malaysian made Chinese New Year movie, “大日子- Woohoo!” (Big Day – Woohoo!). Tiger is this year’s animal in Chinese astrology, they came in a set of 5 with different colors represented: Opulence, Abundance, Harmony, Auspicious, Peaceful.
I bought the last set from “Eu Yan Sang” (EYS), Asia’s leading healthcare company specializes in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The set was sold at only RM68 (approx. US$21) and with every set sold, EYS will donate RM10 to the Spastic Children’s Association. I would buy more to give them away as a Chinese New Year gift, such a meaningful gift to my loved ones while contributing to a good cause, win-win, why not?
I showed this 5 little cute tigers to my nieces and nephews, they want them too but my kids wouldn’t let them go. Aren’t they too cute for not owning 1? Perhaps EYS should reproduce them again for the charity cause. At the meantime, I have no choice but to replicate it and make a few for my sibling’s kids.
What about the movie? It is beyond my expectation…. it is superb, the 1st 100% locally made Chinese New Year Movie, from the storyboard, to casts, to film director, all Malaysians!!! Speaking of the casts, you’d be surprised….. they are Radio DJ’s (My FM), TV hosts (Astro) & singers, and many of them are the first time in movie acting. To date, they have broken 3.5 million box office since premiered on Jan 14. Bravo! “Malaysia Boleh”! (Malaysia Can).
This tutorial is meant to show you how to replicate a stuffed/plush toy for the exceptional case, eg. replacement of your favorite plush toys which is no longer in production. No way to copy a plush toy that you can still get it from the shop, it is cheaper to buy than to make. No pattern will be given for this tiger as it might be copyrighted by EYS or the movie production company.
How To Replicate A Plush Toy
The materials you need to duplicate a plush toy:
1. The plush/soft/stuffed toy you want to replicate.
2. White cotton or muslin fabric.
3. Pencil and fabric marker
4. Tracing paper
5. Pins
6. Poly-fill for stuffing
7. Fabric glue
8. Sewing essentials
As shown in the photo, I detached one of the ears of the tiger so that it is more accurate and easy to trace the pattern.
Wrap the plush toy as flat as possible with white fabric and secure it with pins.
Pin at the seam lines.
Trace an outline along the seam line. Cutaway extra fabric by leaving about 1/4″ – 1/2″ seam allowance.
How it looks from the front view. Poor tiger with only 1 ear left… don’t worry, I am going to put it back for you after I finished the tracing, yay…
Do the same for the bottom and other pieces if you have more than 2 parts.
Trace the pattern onto the tracing paper for the record.
Mocking up. Pin the traced pattern to another fabric and start sewing according to the original. Join the bottom piece as well.
Leave a gap of about 2 – 2 1/2 ” (A to A) for turning inside out.
Turn the fabric inside out and stuff it with poly-fill. Sew the opening with the whip stitch.
Compare to the original and made any necessary alteration to achieve the closest possible to the original shape. You might want to use a measuring tape to measure some various points and check the dimensions or just merely from your judgment. Remember to update it on your paper pattern as you go.
Trace the ears and mock it up as well.
Same to the eyes and all other decorative bits on it.
Put on the ears and eyes and compare to the original. Make alterations if needed.
Satisfy with the mock-up? Then, let’s make the real replica!!!
I used silk for the back of the tiger since it is a Chinese New Year Tiger.
Tada!!! What do you think about the replica tiger I made? The one on the left! Woohoo!!!… I am a MARVELOUS Copy Cat!!! Now, I am going to make a few more for my little nieces and nephews.
I am looking for a pattern for a 3’+ plush tiger. Can you help me?
Thank you so much! I was about to break in pieces my plushie to copy the pattern but now he can stay alive!!! Thank you so much!
Thank goodness that I’ve saved your plushie!!! 🙂
Thank you for posting this tutorial!
It is extremely helpful. I’ve been wanting to adapt a plush with a certain shape for a pattern. I did not want to tear apart the plush to get the pattern! This is perfect.
Any advice on copying legs or arms?
You may use the same technique and some guesstimates to copy it 🙂
Hello, I hoped u could help me.
I have a plushie I got from somebody and I wanted to make a copy of it. It is because the do not sell it annymore. But i have no idea if it this tutorial will work for it. To be honest i never made a plushie before. I hope u could help me. I have photo’s of the plushie(on dropbox or i can post them online). If u would like to help me i can show them to u.
Thank you.
Hi Rosanne, most soft toys can be replicated in this way but just to make if yours can be done, please send a photo via the contact form. I will take a look and hopefully I could give some advice too.
Hi I wish to see your advice. My son has this stuffed elephant which is getting a bit tattered and torn. I wish to replicate the exact same one for him. But the elephant with its big ears, trunk and tusks look more difficult to trace than what you have demonstrated in your tutorial. How else can I go about doing so? Thank you.
Hi Althea, if you don’t mind to damage the old toy, you can cut all the pieces up follow close to the seam lines. Trace them on a paper to get the pattern to transfer to fabrics.You can replicate as many as you want.
These are too cute! Good job at the replication! I would loooove one but I understand it’s copyrighted so you can’t sell them or provide the pattern. I could try improvise perhaps 😛
SMART!!! Thank you for sharing the technique. WOW, I never, would have thought of this in my wildest dream!!!!
Darn! I saw the give away tiger thing and i went searching to see if you had the pattern for it. So sad 🙁 but I can still try this anyway. I love tigers and its such a cute idea. You helped me out by showing me how to do the pattern though. thanks!
To begin with ,you have created a really unique template . You gave me an idea for a future blog that i want to create . In addition ,i honestly enjoy most of the posts and your unique point of view.Good Job
it’s really cool to do 😀
i like all your tutorials, i hope i can make it one. Maybe takes time, because i sew with hand, i don’t know how operate my sewing machine, lol.
pls share pattern .tq
As I mentioned above, I can’t share this pattern, it could be illegal to share in fact.
Great info, thanks for useful article. I’m waiting for more
Thank you for sharing among your social community 🙂
CAN I BUY THE TIGER WOO HOO FROM YOU?MY BABY BOY 1 YEAR PLUS OLD REALLY LIKE THE TIGER TOY.I CAN’T FIND ANYWHERE TO BUY IT.CAN YOU HELP ME?????I TRY GO TO EU YAN SANG BEFORE BUT THEY TELL ME THAT NO MORE SELLING IT.SO PLEASE HELP ME !!!!!!!!!!
I really wanted to help but sorry to say that I don’t sell them. Really sorry 🙁
Brilliant! I love it!
[Now there’s only the small matter of recreating plushies from photos. But I’m ghetting better! LOL]
I just found your blog through craft gossip-I love the replica and really cant tell the diffence, and even like it a bit better. thanks for the tutorial, i am imspired to try that on something laying around here, toorn and tattered. I will a regular here now, love all your cute thingy’s!!!
Hi, it’s lovely, u r genius!!! I want to make one too!!! But I do not have the original tiger woohoo 🙁 do u mind to provide me the measurement or the draft mock-up template??? pls email me, pls pls pls …
Sorry, I can’t furnish the pattern as it could be copyrighted. Btw, I will be hosting a giveaway for this tiger soon, please participate and win one back 🙂 Good luck!
Oh my gosh! This is fabulous! You are so smart the way you created that pattern, fabulous!
FANTASTIC!! I keep wanting to give pattern making a go but it always looks soo complicated! mmmmmm maybe I will give it ago after all. Thanks!!
I LOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!
wwaaaooo …. so clever … thanks for sharing … I wanna make one.
I love your blog … (^.^)
I linked your tutorial over my blog
Hola: Ya entendi, Si pues no necesita molde porque en el tutorial se ve muy claramente Muchas gracias y disculpa por no haberme dado cuenta. Muchos Besitos
Doris de Lima-Peru
You are brilliant!!! I’m so impressed with how much your replica looks like the original – and you did it without all kinds of complex math and geometry.
I linked to your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-how-to-replicate-a-favorite-softie/2010/02/10/
–Anne
a hi…i wanna make 1 my own design tiger plush toy…can u help me make it? i will pay for it…but you tell me me the price 1st…=)
Wow- this is amazing! I have a much loved stuffed horse from my childhood that is all but destroyed. I can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much! I’ll be linking as well.
Hi Rachel,
Can’t wait to see your stuffed horse replica 🙂
Thanks for the link 🙂
Hola: Preciosa la replica, nunca me hubiera dado cuenta si es el original o no
Me hubiera gustado hacerlo porque es lindisimo ¿Hay patron?
Muchisimas gracias por compartir.
Besos.
Translation from Spanish to English (Google translate):
“Hello Beautiful replica, I never would have realized if the original or not
I would have liked it because it lindisimo Is there pattern?
Thank you very much for sharing.
Kisses.”
Hi Doris, no pattern for this tiger. Just showing the method in this tutorial.
You’re such a pro in replicating plush toy! Can make one for my son too? Be careful that the supplier will sue you for the copyright yeah! Just joking! LOL!
emmm…. I would like to make as many as possible as a giveaway but…. let me grow 2 more hands before I can do that LOL….