How to make a unicorn toy

Snuggle up with our DIY plushie unicorn – find out how to make one with this free pattern and step-by-step guide.

You will need

• Main body fleece: white, 100x75cm (40x30in)
• Fleece A: pink 44x18cm (18x7in)
• Fleece B : blue, 28x52cm (11x21in)
• Fleece C: green, 22x14cm (9x6in)
• 2 safety eyes: black, 12mm (½in)
• Felt scrap: white, for eye fixing
• Polyester toy filling
• Stranded cotton: 1 black and 1 pastel shade
• Water-erasable pen or pencil

Fabrics used

• Main body: Cuddle Dimple, Snow White. www.plushaddict.co.uk
• Fleece A, B and C: any pastel shades of plain fleece fabric.

Finished size

• Approx: 35cm (14in) sitting.

Notes

• Find the templates to make this project here. Seam allowances included.
• Use a 5mm (¼in) seam allowance unless otherwise stated.

Cutting out

1. Trace and cut out all of the template pieces. Seam allowances are included and the arrows indicate the direction of the fabric pile for marking and cutting out. The notches are used to match pieces when stitching together so mark these on the template pieces too.
2. When the template specifies to cut two or more of a template piece, after marking out half of the pieces required, turn the template over to mark out the remaining pieces so they are cut as mirror images.
3. Using a water-erasable pen or pencil, trace around all of the template pieces onto the wrong side (WS) of the fabric and cut as follows.

From the white fleece, cut out the following:

• Middle face: cut 1
• Horn: cut 1
• Side face: cut 2
• Front ear: cut 2
• Back ear: cut 2
• Stomach: cut 1
• Inner front leg: cut 2
• Outer front leg: cut 2
• Inner back leg: cut 2
• Side body: cut 2

From fleece A, cut out the following:

• Fringe: cut 2
• Mane: cut 1
• Tail: cut 1

From fleece B, cut out the following:

• Mane: cut 1
• Tail: cut 1
• Top hoof: cut 4
• Bottom hoof: cut 4

From fleece C, cut out the following:

• Mane: cut 1
• Tail: cut 1

Making the head

1. With right sides (RS) together, place a front ear on top of a back ear and sew together around the curved sides, leaving the bottom open.
2. Turn RS out and make a fold in the centre of the front ear so that it mirrors the shape and width of the back and then tack the fold in place across the bottom of the ear. Repeat for the other ear, but this time making the front ear fold in the opposite direction.
   

Making the mane and tail

1. To fringe the mane and tail pieces cut along the vertical lines as marked on the template, stopping before the top edge.
2. Topstitch 3mm (¹⁄₁₆in) in from the edges of the fringe, mane and tail pieces to give the raw edges a more finished look.
   

Making the body

1. With RS together, close the dart at the top of the stomach, then sew the inner front and inner back legs around the corresponding openings in the sides of the stomach.
   

Assembling the unicorn

1. Position a fringe piece so that the WS is against the RS of the middle head in between the horn and the seam joining the side face and tack into place.
2. Position an ear so that the front side is against the RS of the side face in between the seam and the marker (ensuring that the fold in the ear points away from the horn) and tack in place. Repeat for the other side of the face.
   

Stitching the features

1. Sew some shaping between the eyes by bringing the needle out at the bottom inside of one eye, securing the thread with a few small stitches. Take the needle through the face (don’t make the shaping stitches too small as they may pull and damage the fabric) to the other eye and back to the first eye and then back again to the second. Pull lightly on the thread to draw the eyes together slightly, giving the face a little more character. Secure the thread by taking the needle back into the head and out again then snip away the excess.
2. Draw a guideline for the mouth using a water-erasable pen, and then backstitch over it in black thread and sponge or water spray away the erasable pen lines.
3. Add some eyelashes too in the same way using three or four strands.
4. Finally, using some thread in a pastel shade, stitch some nostrils onto either side of the face above the mouth.