Cute otter

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By Paloma Rocha
s y t o
ea d life
With n s a n
tio
instruc atterns.
size P
 Cute Otter
Please, read all of
the instructions before
starting your
project.
. Size: 4.5” approximately

Tools
. Pencil or felt marker. . Embroidery needle
. Chopstick or pointy tool. . Scissors.
. Gray felt (8”x5”) . Embroidery scissors.
. Scraps of pink, white and cream felt. . Toy stuffing.
. 2 safety eyes (8mm) . Artist pastels.

Cutting out shapes

Print a page 7 of this pdf, and cut out templates using scissors. Trace templates onto felt
using a felt marker or pencil and cut out on the line. Cut carefully so edges are vertical,
not slanted.

Cutting tiny shapes

Remove paper
pattern

Paper pattern
Felt
Cut

Cut out the paper pattern roughly and attach it onto felt. Roughly cut out the felt around
the pattern, which will be easier to maneuver and cut to final shape without removing
paper.
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 Sewing and embroidery
These ornaments are embroidered and stitched together with embroidery floss.
In case you´re not familiar with one of the stitches, you can practice the stitches a few
times on a felt scraps before working on a softie. None of the stitches are difficult, but can
take some practice to get perfect. Always keep your stitches and the space between them
the same length. Be consistent with your sewing tension.
Or, if you want to keep embroidery to a minimum, you can sometimes glue on certain
elements, instead of embroidering them.
You can experiment and use your imagination to customize the project.

1. Applique stitch 2. Overcast stitch 3. Straight stitch 4. Back stitch

1out Working
2 in direction

3 out 2 in
1out
Keep thread Carry needle 1 stitch
beyond previous stitch
at right angle

5. French knot 6. Satin stitch 7. Lazy daisy 8. Running stitch

le
circ
Entwice

1. Appliqué Stitch: Stitching a felt piece onto a felt surface. Place the appliqué on the background
felt. Make tiny stitches perpendicular to the edge of the appliqué.
2. Overcast Stitch: Simple stitch over the edge of the felt. Also called whip-stitch, is used to attach
two pieces of felt. This isn´t a decorative stitch, so always use floss that matches the color of the felt and
make the stitches small and neat.
3. Straight Stitch: Use a simple straight stitch to create a motif.
4. Back Stitch: This simple stitch creates a solid line so it´s great for outlining shapes or creating text.
A backstitch gets its name because you create it moving the needle a stitch backward before moving it
forward to create the next stitch.
5. French Knots: The French knot produces a rounded knot that can be used to create a series of
decorative dots. To make it, bring the needle up at the point at which you want to make your French
knot, hold the thread and wrap it around the needle twice, as shown. Bring the needle back to the
starting point and put the point back through the fabric very near where it emerged (be careful not use
the same exact hole) . Pull the needle to the back of the felt and pull taut.
6. Satin Stitch: The satin stitch is composed of parallel rows of straight stitch and is often used to fill
in an area with floss. The make very nice eyes and noses on softies.
7. Lazy daisy: Make a small loop and then anchor it with a single stitch at top for the decorative stitch
that resembles a flower petal.
8. Running Stitch: The running stitch is simple to make. Make this stitch by weaving the needle
through the felt at evenly spaced intervals. Just be careful to keep the length of your stitches and the
space between them same length.

3
 How to make:

Thin tracing
1 paper
3
Draw the
curves

2
Back
Stitch

4 Ins
e
6
eyer t Stu
ff
Eyee
hol

Appliqué
Appliqué stitch
stitch
Back
Stitch
5

Overcast stitch
Straight the darts
stitch (wrong side)
Appliqué
stitch

7 8

Appliqué
stitch

9
Stuff

4
Overcast
stitch
10
Stuff

Stuff
11
Overcast
stitch

1. Using the templates, cut the doll pieces from felt.

2. To embroider the swirl designs, first trace the embroidery template on the thin tracing
paper or a tissue paper and pin this paper on the seahorse shapes, as shown.
3. Using large needle and two strands of dark gray embroidery floss, sew along the pencil
lines using back stitches. Then, carefully, tear away the paper to remove it, using a pin to
remove any little pieces of paper.
4. Using the picture as a guide, arrange the face felt piece on the head front. Using the
matching sewing thread and needle, appliqué stitch around the edges. Keep the stitches
small so you will barely see them when you are finished.
5. Carefully, make two tiny holes with the tip of a very sharp pair of embroidery scissors
and insert safety eyes and connectors at back. Carefully arrange the shell and the mouth
pieces on the otter front, as shown. Pin or glue the pieces in position. Then, sew the all the
pieces with matching thread around the edges using overcast stitch.
6. Using the picture as a guide, arrange the snout felt piece on the head front. Tack the piece
down with a pin to keep it in place while you sew. Using the matching embroidery thread
and needle, appliqué stitch around the edges leaving a gap open. Lightly pad the snout with
a little toy stuffing, using a toothpick to help you to get padding even. Back stitch some
lines through the shell as shown. Sew a line of back stitches around the mouth and the shell
using two strands of floss.
7. Carefully, arrange the hands and nose, as pictured. Sew the arms in position with two
strands of matching embroidery floss, sewing around the edges of each shape with appliqué
stitches, leaving the area at each side open. Add a tiny quantity of stuffing and push in,
filling up the arm.
8. Thread the needle with two strands of back floss. The eyebrows and eyelashes are made
using a small straight stitch for each eye. Using the picture as a guide, embroider tiny
straight stitches on the snout using two strands of gray floss.
9. Overcast stitch the darts on front and back head pieces with two strands of matching
floss, making sure to sew them up on the wrong side of the felt.

5
10. Align the two ears pieces and sew together with a overcast stitch, using two strands
of brown embroidery floss. Leave a gap at the base of the each ear and fill it with a tiny
amount of toy stuffing, using a toothpick to arrange it evenly.
11. Align the two otter shapes together, so the ears are sandwiched in the middle, and
thread an embroidery needle with two strands of matching embroidery floss. Stitch the
head shapes together using overcast stitch, sewing through all layers of felt in ears areas
and, leaving a gap open. I like stuff the tail and the head while I sew. Fill it firmly with toy
stuffing. When you think you’ve put enough stuff in the otter, add a bit more and stitch it
closed.

6
 Templates

Face
(cut 1)
White

Arm
Otter (cut 2)
Ear (cut 2)
(cut 2) Gray
Gray
Gray

Shell (cut 1)
Pink

Mouth Snout Nose

(cut 1) (cut 1) (cut 1)
White Gray Gray

7
 Designed by:

Noia Land
©2016 Paloma Rocha.
www.noialand.com

©2016 Paloma Rocha.

This pattern is intended for personal use only
and not for commercial resale. Photocopying,
emailing and the other copying to share these
instruction is strictly prohibited by law without
the designer´s written permission. Thank you
for respecting the designer´s copyright.