Kitten Mini Kits
How to sew your own Kitten Mini using your new kit!
Welcome to the Kitten Mini Kit How-To tutorial! This kit is great whether you have never sewn before or have already had some experience. You’ll learn some stitches, practice them in real time, and finish with your very own plushie cat head!
In your kit, you’ll find a reusable sewing bag, your fabric (pre-cut with the details already applied), the instruction link card (hi! welcome!), a sewing needle, thread for your project and then some, 2 pins, some Poly-Fil stuffing, and a bonus mystery sticker!
To begin, take a large section of thread and cut from the the winding. I like to do about 3 or 4 arm lengths to give myself plenty of thread to complete the project without cutting another length.
You may thread the needle manually, but the threader in your kit will make things a bit easier. To use it, poke the thin wire section through the eye of your needle (you may have to squeeze the point of the wire to get it through, but it will go through!). Then, simply put your thread through the wire and pull the threader out. Now you can slide the threader off of your thread and tie a knot. I like to do double knots for extra security.
Now, take your fabric and lay the ‘KM’ side facedown on the face side. These sides with the details are called the “right side” of the fabric and we want those on the inside of the fabric sandwich while we are stitching. Pin on each ear section to avoid puncturing the face details.
Now you are ready to start sewing! Take note: we will be leaving the bottom portion of the Kitten Mini open for now, it’s about an inch and a half in length. Start from the side of that “gap” we are leaving open, and begin sewing around the edge of the project. In my videos, I demonstrate the running and whip stitch, which you will find diagrams for below. Go slow, staying about 1/4″ away from the edge of the fabric. Practice your spacing and focus on not leaving giant gaps between each stitch.
Once you have sewn all the way around to that section we were leaving alone (don’t forget to leave that gap open!) you may pause and take a look over your stitches. If you are pleased and ready to turn the project, tie a double knot and cut your thread. Poke in each ear section and reach into the gap to pull them out and turn the project inside-out. You should now have your ‘KM’ logo on the back and the cute little face on the front!
Time to stuff. Grab your stuffing bag and begin taking it out. You may need to tear it into several pieces to help it not clump up. Stuff the ear sections first, and then fill the center of the plushie after those. Once your plushie is all stuffed, we need to finally close up that gap.
To close the gap, we will use a ladder stitch. This stitch looks very complicated, but it’s super easy when you get a little practice in and learn the pattern! Take a look at the diagram below for help.
The ladder stitch enters from the inside of the gap (so the knot stays hidden) at #1. Then it pops out on top and goes across to #2. Dip your needle back through the inside of the thread and poke out at #3. Then, cross over to #4 and repeat everything all the way across. Once you practice this stitch, it is very easy and creates a very clean closure!
When the gap is fully closed and no fluff can fall out, you can tie a knot (or two) and make sure it’s secure. Then, pull your thread to find the hole it’s currently poking out of. Once you find it, stick the needle back through the hole to the opposite side being careful not to puncture any face or logo details. Pull your thread taut and cut close to the fabric. It should disappear into the inside of the plush, creating a mysteriously clean end to the stitches!
Congratulations!! You’ve just completed your very own Kitten Mini. Great work! There’s a whole sewing world from here—use these skills to practice making more fun plush items of all shapes and sizes. Experiment and have fun!!
