Plush Eye Tutorial

Embroidered Eyes

• Eyes that are simply embroidered straight on to your plush animal are definitely the safest choice. They are flat and if you have some skill with embroidery you can add wonderful details. You can simply embroider two flat circles onto your plush animal or you can use different colors for the white of the eye, the iris and the pupil, creating a cartoonish look.

Felt Eyes

• Felt eyes are usually small circles that have been cut out of felt and then glued or sewn. While some people leave it at small black circles, other people get more elaborate and add circles to represent an iris, a pupil or even a small white spot to represent a sparkle in the eye.

Safety Eyes

• Safety eyes are also called animal eyes and they consist of a visible eye that has a post sticking out the back and a metal or plastic washer. Before the plush animal is constructed, the post is pushed through the fabric in the appropriate place and locked to the fabric through the use of the washer. These eyes are safe for small children and toddlers, but you must be sure to anchor the eye very securely to the plush animal itself.

Half Round Eyes

• These eyes are simply solid hemispheres that are appropriately colored to resemble eyes. They are typically made out of plastic or glass and can only be glued to the plush animal itself. If you are creating a plush animal for display, this might not be a bad option, but if the animal is going to get played with it will be less suitable.

Button Eyes

• Button eyes are usually sculpted with a small ring in the back of the button. This button can be sewn on very securely whether the project is still in pieces or fully constructed. Button eyes have the benefit of being very easy to replace, but they are not suitable for young children who may pull them off and swallow them.