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project // baby groundhog plush with shadow blankie

Groundhog Baby Plush


I'm so excited. In just a few days, a furry little groundhog will pop up out of the ground and let us know if there will be six more weeks of winter or if it will be coming to an end soon! My prediction is that there will be six more MONTHS of winter, but that may be the sub-zero temps getting to me.

Instead of waiting for winter to be over, how about we just hunker down and do some sewing? And then after that you can cuddle with the sweetest, softest little baby groundhog. She even has a security shadow...er, blankie! This little weather-predicting gal has me and my youngest sister smitten, and she's been playing Groundhog Day ever since I let her adopt what she has called Peek-a-Boo the Groundhog.

This goes together really quickly, so there's plenty of time to make a groundhog baby of your own!

Groundhog Baby Plush

Here's what you need:

Tan fleece- 1/4 yard or about 9x24 inches
Dark gray fleece - about 9x11 inches
Black felt - scrap
Black embroidery floss
Two 5mm safety eyes
Stuffing
Sewing machine
Needle and thread (I used tan to match my fleece)

Baby Groundhog Pattern PDF

Notes: I highly recommend using anti-pill fleece. Use 1/4-inch seam allowance (included on the pattern).

Groundhog Baby Plush

Here's what you do:

Cut two body pieces and two tail pieces from tan fleece, and one body piece from dark gray fleece. Cut one nose from black felt. Be sure to take note of the stretch of the fleece, as well as the right and wrong sides, which sometimes look similar.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Using the pattern as a placement guide, stitch the nose onto the front body piece. Use an applique stitch with three strands of embroidery floss. Stitch the mouth with back stitch. You'll find that it's pretty easy to just stitch this freehand.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Attach the two safety eyes by snipping a teeny hole (it will stretch!) on each side of the nose, again, using the pattern as a placement guide. Slide the posts through the holes and push the backing in place.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Eep! What a sweet face! I just love how these eyes give toys such character. Of course, if you're giving this to a small child, skip the safety eyes and applique small black circles instead.

Groundhog Baby Plush

With right sides together, sew around the tail, leaving the flat end open. It's a good idea to back stitch the start and end of this.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Turn the tail right side out and tuck the raw edges in a bit. Fold one side in just a little more than the other. This will make it so the tail points down.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Place the tail towards the bottom of the back body piece. It should sit at a slight angle, pointing down. Use an applique stitch with regular thread to stitch the tail in place.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Fold the tail up a little, and lay the front body on top, so the right sides are together. Pin, pin, pin. Pin some more. The poor dear looks like a scared voodoo doll, but it will be happier in the end this way!

Groundhog Baby Plush

Sew around the shape, leaving an opening for turning and back stitching at the beginning and end. I left my opening right between the bottom of an arm and the top of a leg.

Check both sides to be sure you caught your fabric...fleece can be tricky sometimes!

Groundhog Baby Plush

In all the places where ears, arms and legs meet the body part, there's a corner. Carefully clip those, except for the corner at the opening.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Turn baby groundhog right side out. This is the part where the personality shows up...Prepare to have your heart melt!

Groundhog Baby Plush

Stuff your groundhog to be nice and plump. Get the stuffing into the ears and limbs (although sometimes with tiny ears and arms it slips out a little) and take care to keep the eye posts straight (so her face looks right).

Groundhog Baby Plush

Sew the opening closed with ladder stitch.

Groundhog Baby Plush

Then, watch to see if your baby groundhog sees her shadow! But if she does, since she's just a baby, she might get a little scared.

Groundhog Baby Plush

That is, until she realizes that her shadow is really her blankie!

Groundhog Baby Plush

She'll probably want a little cuddle, so rock her to sleep, then...

Groundhog Baby Plush

Tuck her in so she can sleep for the rest of winter.

Groundhog Baby Plush

With any luck, she'll be up from her nap in no time!

I had so much fun making this, and I hope you give it a try too. I didn't get a photo of her backside, but tail acts as a sort of support to hold her in a semi-standing position. All those pics of her standing in front of her shadow? She was doing that all on her own!

29 comments:

  1. Amei suas belas dicas de arte. Parabéns tu do muito lindo aqui.
    Tenha um ótimo dia.

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  2. This baby groundhog is a really cute idea. :) Thanks Mollie.

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  3. Oh Mollie! You've really outdone yourself in the cuteness department this time! She's adorable! What a fun idea to do a Groundhog Day themed plush! Poor Groundhog Day is definitely an overlooked holiday!

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  4. adorable! i love the little face.

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  5. This is SUCH a cute idea!!! I've linked to your pattern at Craft Gossip:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-groundhog-softie-with-a-shadow/2014/01/29/
    --Anne

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  6. Very, very cute! Thank You!!

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  7. Very adorable idea and design!

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  8. So so SO cute! I adore the shadow; that's such a creative idea. This is perfect.

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  9. Jennie12:30 PM

    So cute! Love it.

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  10. Gah!! This is so stinky cute! Thanks for sharing.

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  11. Anonymous12:55 PM

    OMG, I can't stand it... he/she is SO DARN CUTE!

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  12. It's so lovely!!! Thank you for the tuto!

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  13. Squee!!! So cute!!! :)

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  14. Anonymous5:26 PM

    This is hilarious! I love it!

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  15. I LOVE this, Mollie! It's so hard to find good Groundhog Day projects. Pinned :)

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  16. He is adorable. Thank you for sharing.

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  17. Gosh, is he cute, Mollie! What a great idea. :)

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  18. Oh, this is *so cute*!

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  19. What a sweet li'l thing!

    Kelley~

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  20. Adorable! You are so sweet to post the tutorial! Thank you!

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  21. I love it ! it's so cute ! Very good job ! thanks for sharing !

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  22. Thank you for sharing this sweet project. My friend turns 21 on Groundhog Day and she's getting one of these for her birthday!

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  23. So cute! I saw this mentioned on Country Living's website!

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  24. cutest thing ever, love it

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  25. He is such a cutie pie :) http://felting.craftgossip.com/2014/02/01/project-baby-groundhog-plush-with-shadow-blankie/

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  26. Oh gosh, he's just adorable!

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  27. This is super fantastic! I mean a shadow blankie? Comeon! The funnest part is the voodoo pic with the pins everywhere. I had a god laugh at that creepy looking part. Thanks for this post :)

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