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Today I’m sharing with you my very last Christmas project of the season. I’ve got to tell you, I’m pretty darn pleased with it. Earlier this year my best friend from high school had a baby. And he’s adorable and perfect in every way. I haven’t actually met him, yet, but I hope to soon and I still know he’s perfect in every way :)
I’ve seen him grow month after month on Instagram. Surrounded by fun props his pictures are always so cute. And so I decided to gift them adorable photo op courtesy of a matchingChristmas plush and onesie!
A Tale of Two free SVG Files.
But then I thought, what about all of the kiddos out there who are having their third or seventh Christmas? They would be equally adorable with a custom HTV on a plush toy and matching shirt. And so I also created an annual Merry Christmas SVG file. And look up there… aren’t the pair of the little outfits just adorable? You know it!
This project was a lot of fun to work on (despite some problems which I have discussed below). And I’m really excited because each year I’m going to update this file so you can keep making annual Christmas Stuffed animals and outfits for as long as you please!
Ready to make a pair (or 2, or 3?)
Supplies you need to apply HTV on a stuffed animal:
- Stuffed Animal / Plush Toy
- Baby Raglan Onesie
- Cricut Maker (Amazon ⋆ Cricut)
- Cricut EasyPress Mini (Amazon ⋆ Cricut)
- Cricut EasyPress 2 (Amazon ⋆ Cricut)
- Flocked Heat Transfer Vinyl (Amazon ⋆ Expressions Vinyl)
- Teflon Sheet (Amazon ⋆ Expressions Vinyl)
To apply HTV on a stuffed animal the type of fabric the toy is made out of is very, very important. Anything made out of knit fabric like this amazingly adorable deer should work really well as long as it is a tight-knit weave. These crochet bunnies are so pretty but the fabric is a bit chunkier meaning the HTV will be applied over gaps making coverage less ideal. Because my friend’s baby registry was dominated by bold black and white design I decided to apply htv to this plush penguin. Purchasing it off of the internet meant I didn’t get to see what the fabric was like on the belly, where I would be placing my HTV design. And, so, this happened…
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How I messed up and how you don’t have to:
My first attempt at putting HTV on a stuffed animal was an utter fail.
Granted this photo is actually the process of me trying to remove the poorly adhered applique… But this goes to show that getting a plush made with the right kind of fabric can save you a lot of headache. The vinyl transfer did stick to the the belly but the fabric was so fuzzy and fluffy that it only stuck in some places. You could easily wiggle your finger underneath the design making the application a total fail.
So if sourcing your stuffed animal look for something with a belly made of fabric that is not too fuzzy without huge gaps in the weave. If you do purchase something and find that it’s too fuzzy, no worries. Figure out where the applique is going to go and then use scissors to carefully trim the fur down until the belly area is smooth. Problem solved :)
How to Apply HTV on a Stuffed Animal in Easy Steps
Measure the stomach area of your stuffed animal and determine the size you need to cut out your HTV design. (Remember to mirror that business!) For my penguin I cut the design with the width 4″.
Before you proceed, make sure that the vinyl design is well centered on the plush toy’s belly. Press the carrier sheet into the fabric so that the HTV holds itself in place.
Application of the HTV.
Heat up your EasyPress Mini to the medium setting and apply heat through the transfer sheet. Use a good amount of pressure to press the design into the fluffy belly so that it adheres to the fabric below any of the plush fuzz that might be left behind. I really love my EasyPress Mini. And applying HTV to a plush toy is JUST the kind of project it was designed for. But if you don’t have the room in your craft budget for one right now, you can also use a household iron.
Test the HTV by trying to wiggle a finger beneath the design. If well adhered remove the carrier sheet according to your vinyl’s instructions. If not, apply more heat.
My flocked, and I believe all flocked HTV requires a cool peel. In other words I set Mr. Penguin off to the side until the HTV cooled and then removed the protective top sheet. Read your vinyl instructions to determine if you need to do a cool peel or a warm peel. Remove the carrier sheet very carefully and slowly. Apply heat where necessary to any parts of the applique that did not permanently affix.
Place a Teflon sheet onto the top of the HTV design and again apply heat to the vinyl ensuring that it is as well adhered as it’s going to get. If you don’t have teflon you can also use butcher’s paper or parchment paper from your kitchen.
How to Apply HTV to a Stuffed Animal
Ingredients
- Flocked Heat Transfer Vinyl
- Stuffed Animal (we chose a penguin)
Instructions
- Measure the stomach area of your stuffed animal and determine the size you need to cut out your HTV design. Place your flocked HTV onto a cutting mat shiny side down. Mirror the image and run the cut. Weed appropriately.Center the HTV design on the toy's belly or other location. Press the carrier sheet into the fabric so that the HTV holds in place.
- Heat up your EasyPress Mini to its medium setting. Apply heat through the clear transfer sheet. Use a good amount of pressure so that the adhesive pushes deeper down than just the fuzzy surface.*Note - if you do not have an EasyPress Mini you can use another mini crafting iron or even a household iron, in a pinch.
- Test the HTV by trying to wiggle a finger beneath the design. If well adhered remove the carrier sheet according to your vinyl’s instructions. If not, apply more heat.Peel your vinyl (warm or cool) according to your package directions. Remove the carrier sheet very slowly, adding heat where necessary to any parts that the HTV did not affix to.
- Once the carrier sheet is removed, place a Teflon sheet on top of the design. Apply heat to the vinyl ensuring that it is well adhered.*Note - If you do not have a Teflon sheet you can use parchment paper.
Making a matching annual Christmas onesie or tee shirt.
Again measure the belly area of a shirt or onesie and size your vinyl cut out to match. Cut, weed and center the design on your shirt or onesie. Apply heat according to your vinyl’s instruction.
Peel the carrier sheet either warm or cold, depending on your vinyl’s instructions.
If using flocked vinyl, it’s a good idea to once again press the applique onto the surface. Grab a Teflon Sheet (butcher or parchment paper are okay, too) and repress the design onto the tee or onesie.
Wiggle your fingernail around the HTV. You don’t want any areas where the HTV easily pulls away from the shirt or onesie. Reapply heat as necessary.
Isn’t this just the cutest Christmas pair?
How adorable is this DIY matching Christmas onesie and stuffed animal? Seriously? I LOVE THIS PROJECT. Even if I did have an epic fail on the first try and had to text a friend “gotta go shave a penguin’s belly TTYL “:)
Christmas is only 8 days away!
Oh my word, I literally did not even realize that Christmas is only 8 days away. I suppose you better download these SVG files and get on it!
