Stuffed Toy Football

Kids and dogs alike will love this Stuffed Toy Football from Catherine Haley!  This football toy is great to use when playing catch with young kids...and perfect for puppies who can run the distance!  This toy will be a touchdown no matter who gets to play with it!

Materials:

• Sturdy fabric
• Scissors
• Sewing machine and supplies
• Stuffing
• Needle and thread
• Embrodiery thread
• Pattern

Instructions:

1. To get started, print off the pattern for the football panels. If you want a larger or smaller football, just use the general shape, or you could mess with your printer settings to shrink or enlarge my pattern.
    
2. Cut out four pieces from your fabric. I used a heavy home-dec weight fabric, but you can really use whatever you have on hand that is sturdy.  I varied the direction I cut mine out since it had stripes- this gives it extra visual/textural interest.
   
    
    
3. Then, begin sewing your panels together. Take your first two pieces and put the pointy ends right side together. Use as close of a seam as you can. I also used a double stitch instead of a plain straight stitch to make this more durable. (DESIGN NOTE- if this is for a tiny baby, you could add "taggies" if you want. Just stick them in between the seams and pin!)
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
4. After you sew the first two panels together, turn it right side out so you can carefully lay down the third. Be sure the points are all sew over as we don't want a hole in the tip of the football!
   
   
    
5. Now simply add your fourth panel. Then you have all four panels and one side open. Turn the entire football inside out and line up the open ends right sides together. Sew them, but leave a hole in the middle (about 2 inches) for turning/stuffing.
   
   
    
6. Now you need to turn it right side out and stuff. Be generous because you want the football to be relatively firm. (DESIGN NOTE- if you want to make it more interactive, you could add some crinkly sounding plastic, bells, etc. inside. Stuff them into the very middle though so they aren't felt on the outside!)
   
   
    
7. Sew the opening shut using coordinating thread. Don't worry about it looking perfect- you will cover this part with laces!
   
   
    
8. Now, get some embroidery thread (I used off-white for a vintage feel). Use all 6 strands and double them over so its nice and thick. Sew the end parts and a couple of criss cross parts! Then hide your knot at the end.