Worse tutorial ever

I finished making another puppy this afternoon. My plan was to make a puppy to match each of the little girl's skirts I made...that was the plan anyway, now I'm not so sure.

The puppy takes 88 2.5" squares, it makes a 14" high x 12" long x 2" wide puppy.

The body is 3 rows of 5 squares, the head is 2 rows of 3 squares, the feet are 1 row by 2 squares, you will need 2 bodies, 2 heads and 4 feet. You will also need 4 single squares that will be used for the tail and ear.

I put together the body parts first, then add the feet to the body it is the same for the front and back.

Next add the head, tail and ear. ***Important*** the front and back are reverse of each other (mirror each other??). I always forget this, to remember I make sure they can "kiss" - then I know I have the front and back correct.

When you are sewing the various items to the body, where ever there is an inside angle stop sewing 1/4" before you get to the end of the square (or start depending on the direction you are sewing). Example: When you attach the head to the body there are two inside angles, one along the back and the other is the chin, so you need to start a 1/4" in along the back and stop a 1/4" before you get to the end of the body under the chin.

After the front and back are made create a long strip with the rest of your squares, this will be the gusset - do NOT create a loop. I used smaller stitches putting it together so it wouldn't separate as I was sewing it on.

You can start sewing the gusset on anywhere - right sides together with one of the body pieces. I think it would be easiest to start at the bottom or center of the back foot (this is not what I did and it was a pain the patootie, I'll explain more in a minute).

When you are sewing on the gusset, you will have to stop sewing a 1/4" before any outside or inside angle. You have to stop at a 1/4" before the end of the square so you can turn the gusset around a corner, I normally back stitch here to re-enforce the seam. Then you have to pick up the needle and move to the other side of the corner and do the same thing - start a 1/4" in, re-enforce the seam by back stitching.

I pull the whole thing out from underneath the sewing foot so I can turn the fabric, match up the corners, pull excess fabric out of my way then place the needle down in the correct spot. It is a little like sewing the inside of a Y seam. If you do this, make sure your threads do not get looped on your sewing foot.

Gusset sewed on to one side.

You can't see it too well in this picture, but I pinned the gusset seam closed - do NOT sew it closed, this is where you will turn and stuff the puppy. I found it easier to sew the second body part on if this was pinned closed.

Sew the second body piece to the gusset - right sides together - following all the same 1/4" rules I mentioned above. Remove the pin connecting the gusset together. You should have a slit in the gusset, you can pull the puppy right side out through that slit. Make sure you "square up" the ear, tail, head and feet - you should have nice square corners if you followed the 1/4" rules.

Stuffing makes all the odd/bad sewing start and stops disappear. I stuff the ear and tail first, then the head. I like lots of stuffing so he looks like a fat little puppy. Stuffing tip: pull the stuffing apart in small pieces like it is cotton candy. This makes it easier to stuff and your puppy will not have lumps.

The pain in the patootie part: I tried to put the slit on the inside corner of one of the legs. I thought it would be easier to hid my slip stitching there. However that inside corner has four seams leading into it. As I was stuffing it all four seams started to separate.

Once he's stuffed, whip stitch the slit closed.

I also glue a felt floppy ear to each side and tongue on the front.

Add a ribbon collar and he is ready for a walk.

I hope this doesn't sound too confusing, it is really very easy to make.