Need a cute dog sewing pattern to make on the weekend? We have a cute yet extraordinary stuffed dog pattern here that could be your to-sew project. YoYo dog is cuddly, maneuverable, and fun! This is a great stash-busting sewing project to use up fabric scraps and create a dog stuffed animal.
I absolutely adore this charming YoYo stuffed dog. It can make so many cute postures and my kids can sit and play with YoYo all day. It keeps them entertained for hours as they try out all kinds of funny postures.
We would laugh and giggle, watching it twist and turn, giving us a playful look with its tongue sticking out. I captured some of its poses to show you, but it’s even cuter in person than photos can capture.
Check out YoYo the stuffed dog as it transforms into a yoga master. Watch how effortlessly it balances in a handstand… or should I say a nose stand? There’s no external support holding it in place. Yoga seems to come easy to YoYo… I’m envious!
What is YoYo in sewing?
Now you may ask what is YoYo, and why do you name this stuffed dog “YoYo”? That’s because YoYo is made up of Yo-Yos.
“A YoYo or Yo-Yo is a circle that has the edge turned under and secured with a running stitch. Yo-yos can be added to bags, quilts, wall art, and more. Because they are sewn by hand, yo-yos are great portable sewing projects.”
Source
YoYo Stuffed Dog Sewing Pattern
scroll ⬇️ to get the free sewing pattern & tutorial
This dog pattern has a body and legs made of oval-shaped yoyos. The yoyos allowed it to flex easily, and the friction between the fabrics helped to maintain the posture.
3 sizes of oval-shaped yoyos were used on this dog pattern, totaling 61 pcs of them. The pattern of the oval-shaped yoyo is included in the instant download pattern, too.
The size of the YoYo dog stuffed animal is 11″ x 10″ when lying down flat. It is the right size for kids to hug and play with.
If you are making it for a baby and toddler, please replace the button eyes with felt so that the stuffed animal is choking hazard-free.
The shoes are partly stuffed with plastic pellets to give some weight to make certain postures possible. You may use short-grain rice if you can’t find the pellets.
YoYo is relaxing at home with his “Superdog” sleep-on-stomach style. With all of its four legs stretched out and heads level on the ground, it looks like it is flying through the air. YoYo is a super high-energy dog and gets motivated easily. It can spring up and get moving as soon as you need it to play you.
Happy Sewing!
What’s Next:
- Start sewing and share your completed handmade on Facebook and/or Instagram. Remember to tag us, @craftpassion, so that we are able to see them.
- Pin it to Pinterest for a future To-Sew List
- Share with your sewing groups for a sew-along event.
- Learn more about the basics of hand sewing and how to choose a sewing machine for beginners.
- Browse more free sewing patterns and stuffed animals to make, especially animals that are sewn from socks.
YoYo Stuffed Dog Sewing Pattern
Check out this awesome free sewing pattern for creating a lovable stuffed dog! The pattern uses oval-shaped YoYos for the body and legs, making it perfect for using up fabric scraps from your stash.
Download and print separately: SEWING PATTERN
Materials
- Fabric (scraps, various colors and prints): To make the oval-shaped yoyo as the body of the plush dog
- Fabric (thick cotton, latte color): To make the head and tail of the plush dog
- Fabric (cotton, dark brown): To make the shoes of the plush dog, fat quarters
- Button eye 9mm, black, 2; or equivalent button
- Felt: Pink, 2″ x 2″
- Embroidery floss, black
- String or cotton twine or yarn: As shoes lace and string to assembly the yoyo body
- Batting, cotton
- Polyester stuffing material
- Plastic beads/stuffing pellets
- Sewing threads (matching colors)
- YoYo Plush Dog Pattern Template
- Cards, for the template printing
Tools
- Sewing machine or, you can hand-sew without a machine
- Long sewing needle (about 2″) and pins
- Tapestry needle, fine with big eye
- Water Erasable Fabric Marker
- Pen
- Scissors
- Blunt point tweezers or an awl
- Printer
Instructions
HOW TO SEW YOYO PLUSH DOG
- Preparation:
Get ready all the materials and tools as stated in the list above. I am using the fat quarters bundle for this YoYo Plush Dog pattern but scraps will be good as long as you like the colors and combination.
Print and cut out the templates. The oval Yoyo template has inner and outer circle lines, the outer circle is for fabric while the inner circle is for batting.
- Make Oval Yoyos:
Trace the oval yoyo templates on the fabric stashes and cut out the following amount of pieces.
Small Yoyo – 41 pcs.
Medium Yoyo – 6 pcs.
Large Yoyo – 14 pcs.
Trace and cut the same amount of batting for the oval yoyo with the inner line.
1. Place the batting at the center of the fabric, make a few stitches to secure it in place. Fold the edge of the fabric oval yoyo and sew running stitches along.
2. Pull the thread to gather the edge, forming an oval yoyo.
3. This is the flat side of the oval yoyo
4. Repeat the same for all the oval yoyos.
Set the oval yoyos aside.
- Cut Dog Templates & Fabrics:
Trace and cut out the plush dog pattern from fabrics. I used normal fabric for the inner ears instead of the thick cotton.
Trace and cut out the shoe pattern from the fabrics of the plush dog. Cut 4 sets of them altogether.
- Sew Dog's Head:
1. Place the nose fabric piece on the snout and pin. Turn the raw edge and slip-stitch the nose fabric along the marking line. Leaving an opening at the snout seam allowance.
2. Stuff the nose with polyester stuffing.
3. Fold and sew up along the seam line under the nose.
4. Turn and press the nose out.
Sew the 2 crease lines on the snout above the nose.
Sew the ear-pieces together, clip curve on the seam allowance, turn the earpiece right side out.
Align the markings, pin, and sew to assemble the headpieces and the earpieces of the plush dog. Clip curve on the seam allowance.
Sew the head-piece and snout piece together. The top headpiece is ready to be sewn up with the bottom headpiece to complete the head of the plush dog. Clip curve on the seam allowance.
Gather and sew the tongue of the plush dog.
1. Tag the tongue at the seam allowance below the nose as shown in the picture. Sew button eyes and brows on the top headpiece.
2. With the right side together, align, pin, sew the top and bottom head pieces together. Leave an opening at the back of the head (c – c’ marking). Clip curve on the seam allowance. Turn the head-piece right side out.
3. This is how it looks like from the bottom.
4. Stuff the head firmly with polyester stuffing material.
Sew to close the stuffing opening. Make a few stitches to and fro the tongue section, and pull to set in the mouth of the plush dog.
Set aside.
- Sew Dog's Tail:
Sew and stuffed the tail of the YoYo Plush Dog. Remember to clip curve on seam allowance before turning the tail right side out and stuff.
Set aside.
- Sew Shoes:
Sew the shoe pieces together.
1. This is 1 set of shoe piece
2. Sew to join the long strip.
3 & 4. Align the marking between the long strip and shoe piece. Snip to cut the seam allowance of the long piece on the corner marking, pin and sew around.
5 & 6. Repeat the same to the other shoe piece, but this time you need to leave an opening at the top of the shoes. Clip curve on the seam allowance.
Turn the shoe right side out from the opening.
Stuff with plastic beads/stuffing pellets, followed by polyester stuffing material.
Sew to close the opening.
Sew a shoelace on the shoe with cotton twine and tie a bow. The threading of the string to make the shoelace is the same way you would lace your shoe.
- Assemble:
Assemble the foot of the YoYo Plush Dog.
1. Gather 10 small yoyos and a shoe.
2 & 3. Insert needle a little off-center of the yoyo, one by one until you have done all 10. Leave the string tail at least 4″ for tying.
4. Run through the needle at the top part of the shoes as shown.
5 & 6. Insert the needle back to the 10 small yoyos, a little away from the first stitch and center. Pull real hard to compact the yoyos together. Tie a dead knot.
This is how the foot of the YoYo Plush Dog looks like.
Repeat the same to the rest of the feet.
Assemble the body of the YoYo Plush Dog, the same way as the foot assembly.
Starting from the tail side of the plush dog – sew a little off-center of 1 small yoyo, followed by 1 medium yoyo, then 14 large yoyos, and end with 5 medium yoyos (the neck side).
Leave the string tail about 5″ long.
Sew the head of the plush dog, position as shown in the picture.
Thread the string back to the tail through all the yoyos, again, a little off-center too.
Pull the string really hard to compact all the yoyos together.
Tie a dead knot.
Hide string ends into the body.
Tie the legs of the plush dog to the body at #6 yoyos and #16 yoyos from the neck.
Finally, sew and tie the tail at the center of #16 yoyos from the neck.
Hide all string ends into the body of the plush dog.
Look, YoYo Plush Dog can do some yoga postures and he has got the balancing quite well.
“Sit, YoYo, Sit!!! Good Dog!”
Notes
Seam Allowance: Please refer to the pattern template.
Recommended Products
Purchase the exact same material and tool used in this pattern from Craft Passion Shop.
Jane Ball
Saturday 17th of July 2021
Loved making the yo-yo dog. I found the pictures and instructions easy to follow. My only mistake was to make the head and shoes out of velvet, so everything had to be hand sewn. But the final toy is so cute!
Barbara
Saturday 25th of January 2020
Working on this adorable puppy. I am confused on how to close up the feet. I have the shoe with the strip down the front but mine was not long enough to close it up. What can I do?
Craft Passion
Tuesday 28th of January 2020
The strip should be sufficient to go around the shoes' sides provided you are using longer length at the curve edge. Perhaps you can cut a longer length of the strip, sew the sides to it before joining up the strip ends together. Trim off excess ends if needed.
becky brawner
Monday 16th of December 2019
some of the pattern pieces call for 1 piece to be reverse facing. What does that mean?
Craft Passion
Sunday 22nd of December 2019
It means to flip the pattern over to get the mirror image of the piece.
Linda
Sunday 8th of December 2019
I love the pattern but instructions are not detailed enough.
Craft Passion
Sunday 15th of December 2019
May I know which part is not covering enough information for you to understand?
Lao-tse
Tuesday 6th of March 2018
Heel leuke site. Dank je dat je het wil delen!
Translation (by Google): Very nice site. Thank you for sharing!