All Instructions

Farm Cow family – In The Hoop Plushie Toy

Farm Cow Family 🐮 Plush Toy Tutorial

Finished plush cow toys from the Farm Cow Family collection, one with a dress and one with pants.

Recommended Materials

It is recommended to use a bi-stretch fabric that stretches in both length and width, such as minky fabric. However, these toys can also be made from medium-weight cotton fabric, which may require more skill when turning the pieces right side out.

The designs are made for a 5x7 hoop, but I used a larger hoop since I made two cows at once for my twins. I also recommend using a larger hoop, as it makes it easier to manage the small pieces.

Note: You may need to pause the machine and take the hoop out, but please do not unhoop your project!

Included Design Files

The download folder includes the following files:

List of included embroidery design files for the cow project, including body parts and clothing.

  1. Bandanna ends
  2. Horns
  3. Legs and ears
  4. Cow1 body
  5. Cow2 body
  6. Pants
  7. Pillowcase dress

To make a cow toy, you will need to prepare the bandana ends, horns, legs, and ears first.

Embroidering Bandana Ends and Horns

Embroidery design file for the bandana ends. Embroidery design file for the horns.

  1. Hoop a tear-away stabilizer only and stitch the placement outlines for the bandana ends and horns.

Placement outlines for the bandana and horns stitched onto stabilizer in an embroidery hoop.

  1. Fold a piece of red fabric in half and place this double layer over the bandana outline, ensuring the shape is fully covered. You may use tape to hold the fabric in place.

Red fabric placed over the bandana outline.

  1. Stitch the second step, which is the tack-down outline. Do not unhoop your project yet. Trim the excess fabric from around the seam.

Trimming the excess red fabric from the bandana appliqué.

  1. This is how it looks after trimming. The final satin stitch seam will be next.

The bandana appliqué after trimming, ready for the satin stitch.

  1. Make the horns with beige or eggshell-white fabric. Fold the fabric and place the double layer over the horns outline. You may use tape to keep the fabric in place.

Fabric placed over the horn outlines.

  1. Stitch the second horn outline and trim the excess fabric.

Trimming the excess fabric from the horn appliqué.

  1. Stitch the final satin stitch.

Completed horns and bandana ends with satin stitching.

  1. Unhoop all pieces and gently tear away the excess stabilizer.

Finished bandana and horn pieces removed from the hoop.

  1. You are done with the horns and bandana ends. Put them aside for a while; we'll need them later.

The completed horn and bandana pieces set aside for later use.

Embroidering Legs and Ears

  1. Hoop a tear-away stabilizer with one piece of minky or medium-weight cotton fabric, right side up.

Minky fabric hooped with stabilizer for the legs and ears.

  1. Stitch the cow leg details (spots and hooves) and stop the machine before the last seam. Please do not unhoop your project yet.

Embroidery design file for the cow legs and ears.

  1. Lay the second piece of fabric flat on top, right side down, so all legs and ears are covered. You may use tape to keep the fabric in place.
  2. Stitch the final outline.
  3. Unhoop the ears and legs. Gently tear away the excess stabilizer and cut out the shapes, leaving about a ¼-inch seam allowance.

Cut out leg and ear shapes before turning, with seam allowance.

Seam allowances of the legs and ears being clipped before turning.

  1. Trim and clip your seam allowances, especially the curved edges, to reduce bulk. Be careful not to cut the seam!

Clipping the curves on the ear and leg pieces to ensure they lie flat.

  1. Turn the legs and ears right side out. If you are using medium-weight cotton fabric, this may require some skill. You can watch a helpful video tutorial here: https://youtu.be/O298NkkQelw

Finished legs and ears turned right side out.

  1. Slightly fill the legs with fiberfill. You can use the blunt end of a pencil to help. Do not fill them too tightly, and leave about ½ inch at the top unfilled.
  2. Put them aside for a while; we'll need them later.

Embroidering the Cow Body

The folder includes two versions of the cow body:

Cow1 body and Cow2 body

Cow1 body embroidery design with a neckerchief. AND Cow2 body embroidery design with a head bandana.

  1. Hoop a tear-away stabilizer with one piece of medium-weight cotton or minky fabric.

Fabric hooped with stabilizer for the cow body.

  1. Stitch the cow body outline. Cow2 has a bandana on her head, so now we will make the bandana appliqué. First, stitch the bandana placement outline.

Placement line for the bandana appliqué stitched on the cow's head.

A close-up of the bandana placement stitch.

  1. Then, place red fabric, right side up, directly over the bandana shape, ensuring it is fully covered. You may use tape to keep the fabric in place.

Red appliqué fabric placed over the bandana outline.

  1. Stitch the tack-down outline.

The tack-down stitch for the bandana appliqué.

  1. Trim the excess fabric as shown in the photo. The top edge of the bandana will be hidden in the final seam, so it does not need to be cut too close.

Trimming the excess fabric from the bandana appliqué.

  1. In the same manner, create the neckerchief for Cow1. First, stitch the neckerchief outline, then place red fabric over the shape and stitch the second outline.

Stitching the neckerchief appliqué on the other cow body.

  1. Trim the excess fabric.

Trimming the excess fabric from the neckerchief appliqué.

  1. The cow's face is also an appliqué. I used the same eggshell-white fabric that the horns were made from. Stitch the face outline and place the fabric over the face shape.

Placing appliqué fabric for the cow's face.

  1. Stitch the second outline and trim the excess fabric.

Trimming the excess fabric from the face appliqué.

  1. Stitch the cow's eyes, spots, the satin stitches for the bandana and neckerchief, and the face satin stitch. Complete all decorative stitching before the last two assembly steps.

Completed embroidery details on the cow's face, including eyes and spots.

  1. Now it is time to use the legs, horns, ears, and bandana ends. Arrange the details as they will appear when the cow is turned out.

Arranging the finished legs, ears, and horns on the embroidered cow body for attachment.

  1. Now, lay them inside the shape, facing inward. This is the most complicated step. Lay them one by one and secure them with tape. The "hands" should be crisscrossed. The "legs" should be pointing up. Don’t forget to place the ears and bandana ends. Please forgive the photos for using a lot of tape.

All accessory pieces taped securely in place on the cow body, ready for the final assembly.

  1. Lay the second piece of fabric on top with right sides together. Lay the fabric flat and accurately around the cow.

Backing fabric placed over the cow body assembly.

  1. If using non-stretch, medium-weight cotton fabric, I recommend making a small fold in the backing fabric where the legs are sewn on and securing the fold with tape. This fold is not needed if using a stretch fabric. I also used pins to keep the fabric in place. (This photo is from another project, but the folds and pins are clearly visible here).

A photo from another project showing how to add a small fold and use pins for non-stretch fabric.

  1. Now, run the machine and stitch the final outline seam. Tip: Select an outline thread color that is close to your fabric color. Safety Note: Please keep your hands away from the machine and do not try to correct anything while it is stitching.

The final outline stitch being sewn to assemble the cow plushie.

  1. Unhoop and remove the excess stabilizer. Cut out the shape. You can optionally use zig-zag scissors, but regular scissors are also good.
  2. If you use regular scissors, clip into the seam allowances along the curves, making cuts as close as possible to the seam. Be careful not to cut the seam! (This photo is from another project, but the clips are clearly visible here).

A photo from another project showing how to clip the seam allowances along curves.

  1. Turn the cow right side out through the opening. Fill the head and body with fiberfill.
  2. Sew the opening closed by hand. Stitching with two strands of thread will provide added strength. Hide the knotted end of the thread inside the project. For best results, use a ladder or invisible stitch. You can view a tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbE5hXt27uU

The finished cow plushie, stuffed and ready for its opening to be sewn shut.

  1. You are almost done! Next, we’ll stitch the pillowcase dress and pants.

The completed cow toy, ready for its clothes.

Cow Clothing

Pillowcase dress and Pants

Embroidery design file for the pillowcase dress. AND Embroidery design file for the pants.

You will need two pieces of fabric, each 12x9 inches (or 6x5 inches if using a smaller 5x7 hoop or making only one item). I used medium-weight cotton and a tear-away stabilizer.

Step 1: Stitch the Outline

Hoop the stabilizer only and stitch the pants and/or pillowcase dress outline directly onto it.

Outlines for the dress and pants stitched on stabilizer in the hoop.

Step 2: Prepare the Fabric

Take a piece of fabric and fold it in half.

A piece of fabric folded in half for making the clothing.

Lay the folded fabric inside the shape, aligning the folded edge with the top of the pants/dress. Tape or pin the piece in place.

Folded fabric placed over the outlines in the hoop, ready for stitching.

Step 3: Stitch and Assemble

Stitch the decorative elements. Do not unhoop your project yet!

Decorative details, like hearts, stitched on the clothing.

Fold the second piece of fabric in half and lay it over the stitched detail, lining up the folded edge with the folded edge of the first fabric piece. Use tape or pins to ensure the fabric stays flat while stitching.

A second piece of folded fabric placed on top to create the back of the clothing.

Stitch the side seams and then unhoop.

Side seams stitched for both the dress and pants.

Step 4: Finish the Dress

Tear away the excess stabilizer.

Removing the tear-away stabilizer from the stitched clothing.

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