How to Make a Stuffed Animal Giant Squid

Create Patterns and Prepare Pieces

• 1

  Draw a 2-foot long vertical line on a piece of pattern paper with a pencil and measuring tape. Draw a 3-inch horizontal line centered at the top of the vertical line. Draw diagonal lines connecting the ends of the horizontal line with the tip of the vertical line. This is your tentacle pattern.

• 2

  Draw a 4-foot long vertical line on a piece of pattern paper. Draw a 3-inch horizontal line centered at the top of the vertical line. Measure 6 inches from the bottom of the vertical line and draw a 1-inch horizontal line centered at this point. Draw diagonal lines connecting the ends of the 3-inch line to the 1-inch line. Draw an oval at the bottom of the vertical line, which connects with the edges of the 1-inch horizontal line and the tip of the vertical line. This is your arm pattern.

• 3

  Draw a 3-foot long vertical line on a piece of pattern paper with a pencil and measuring tape. Measure 6 inches from the top of the vertical line and draw an 8-inch horizontal line centered at this point. Measure 12 inches from the bottom of the vertical line and draw an 18-inch horizontal line centered at this point. Draw a 15-inch long horizontal line centered at the bottom of the vertical line. Draw a lava lamp shape starting at the tip of the vertical line, using the horizontal lines as width markers. This is the head of your squid.

• 4

  Draw a 2-foot long vertical line on a piece of pattern paper with a pencil and measuring tape. Measure 6 inches from the bottom of the vertical line and draw a 4-inch horizontal line to the right of the vertical line. Draw a curved line to connect the top and bottom of the vertical line, which touches the tip of the horizontal line. The finished piece should resemble the right side of a tear drop. This will be the fin pattern.

• 5

  Measure and mark a rectangle that is 30 inches wide by 9 inches tall. This is the face of your squid.

• 6

  Label and cut out each template. Trace and cut out the following pieces of polar fleece: eight arm templates, two tentacle templates, two head pieces, two fin pieces and one bottom of the head piece. Trace and cut out the following pieces from the tub mat: eight arm templates and two tentacle templates.

Assembly

• 7

  Lay the eight polar fleece arms and two polar fleece tentacles on a flat surface. Lay the corresponding pieces of tub mat on top of these pieces so that the suction cups are face down. Pin the edges of all of the pieces, leaving the 3-inch piece open.

• 8

  Thread the sewing machine or sewing needle. Lay a piece of waxed paper on top of the tub mat. Sew the pinned pieces and waxed paper together 1/4 inch from the edges. Remove the sewing pins and tear off the wax paper.

• 9

  Turn each piece inside out and stuff the pieces with poly-fill stuffing through the 3-inch opening. Push the stuffing down 1/2 inch from the top of the pieces. Pin the 3-inch opening closed. Sew the openings closed and remove the pins.

• 10

  Lay a head piece on a flat surface. Position the fins on top so that the flat edges are aligned with the sides of the head. The curve of the fins should almost touch the middle of the head piece. Lay the second head piece on top of the first piece and fins. Align and pin the edges. Sew the pinned pieces 1/4 inch from the edges, leaving the 15-inch flat edge open. Remove the sewing pins.

• 11

  Lay the face piece on top of the sewn head pieces. The bottom of the face piece and the 15-inch edge should be aligned. Pin the pieces together and sew the bottom edge 1/4 inch from the edge. Pin the excess fabric on the ends of the head piece together and sew the edges together. Turn the new head piece inside out.

• 12

  Position the head and face piece so that the face piece is at the bottom. Arrange the eight arms and two tentacles around the bottom of the face piece. The 3-inch edge should be aligned with the bottom of the face piece. The tips of the arms and tentacles should point toward the top of the head. Pin the bottom of each piece to the bottom of the face piece. Sew the arms and tentacles to the face piece 1/4 inch from the edge. Remove the pins. Stuff the head piece with poly-fill stuffing.

• 13

  Compress the poly-fill toward the top of the head or remove stuffing so that the front and back edge of the head can be pinned together. Sew the edges together 1/4 inch from the edge.

• 14

  Dab hot glue around the edges of the googly eyes and position them on the face piece for the eyes.