Wondering what pattern to sew for a new baby?

How about a kid who likes reptiles?

What about a teenager?

Your adult neighbor?

Even your parents?

 

Have no fear, the Funky Friends Factory Gift Guide is here!

 

Great gift ideas for everyone on your list!

We’ve rounded up the best patterns & sorted them into categories for easy browsing:

1. Dragons, Dogs & More
2. Magical, Fluffy & Friendly
3. Best for Babies
4. Too Cute for Toddlers
5. Terrific for Teens
6. Best of the EASY Patterns
7. Awesome for Adults
8. Christmas Patterns

OK, Let’s go…!

1. Dogs, Dinosaurs, Dragons & More:

These patterns are perfect for kids who like to take a walk on the wild side! Future zoo keepers, budding paleontologists, and current dog lovers will love these not-too-ferocious friends.

 

This Timmy T-Rex buddy was sewn by Wendy P. Everyone needs a buddy to watch cartoons with!

Click HERE to buy the T-Rex pattern.

 

Look how happy this little fellow is with his Digger Dachshund sewn by Judy Brown Hunsaker.

Click HERE to purchase the Dachshund pattern.

 

The fishies in the background may not be too sure… but it looks like this Sammy Shark sewn by Chris Barnes… is a huge hit!

Click HERE to buy the Shark pattern.

 

This delightful Diggles Dragon was sewn by Jeanette Aubert. Yes! Some people sew Funky Friends toys for their pets – and look how happy it makes them! 

Click HERE to purchase the Dragon pattern.

 

This AMAZING super-sized Puppy Pete was sewn by Alyssa King of Snuggly Soft Designs… it’s almost as big as her son! (TIP: Use this blog post to enlarge patterns on your home printer: https://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com/blog/how-to-enlarge-a-toy-pattern-to-sew-a-body-pillow/)

Click HERE to buy the Puppy pattern.

 

What a fun pic! This cuddly Coco Chameleon was sewn by Jane Jehne – her daughter looks pretty attached to her new friend! Kids love Coco’s tongue and the felt food included in the pattern!

Click HERE to purchase the Chameleon pattern.

 

Igor Iuana sewn by Judy Harding. He’s an easy toy to make look realistic in all sorts of textures and prints, from batik, to fake leather, to holographic dance wear fabric.

Click HERE to purchase the Iguana pattern.

 

Such a happy smile from this little boy with his Tristan Triceratops dinosaur made from his baby clothes. This pattern has large side pieces perfect for embroidering names, ironing on heat transfer vinyl birth stats, or displaying the front of a special onesie or t-shirt.

Click HERE to buy the Triceratops pattern.

 

2 Magical, Fluffy & Friendly!

Unicorns, dolls, and all things pink and sparkly find their home in this category! It was really hard to narrow down the options here, but these patterns always get lots of love and hugs.

 

This little girl looks thrilled with the Patch Pussy Cat birthday gift her mom made for her from her old clothes. Patch is a pattern who delights cat lovers of all ages!

Click HERE to purchase the Cat Sewing pattern.

 

Jan Mitchell made this custom Kelsey Keepsake Unicorn for this little cutie. Look’s like she’s saying, “Is is REALLY mine?”! 

 

And… the pic (from the top collage) is of Kelsey Keepsake Unicorn that Amy Jerome said was the “best Christmas present ever!”

Click HERE to purchase the Keepsake Unicorn pattern.

 

Melissa Bryden’s granddaughter tried to claim her cousin’s Belinda Butterfly, so she got her own for her first birthday! A great tradition to start for all the new babies in the family.

Click HERE to purchase the Butterfly Sewing Pattern

 

Pat Nash sewed this delightful Daisy Dress-up Doll Pattern for a young friend – so her clothes are attached. She may not be her usual “dressable-self” but she’s just as cute!

And… You can make Daisy Dress-up Doll as many clothes as you want with the interchangeable clothing in the pattern. If you want a doll for a young child, she’s a great alternative to the easily-tangled hair and small snaps on 18 inch fashion dolls. She even comes with a pattern for shoes and multiple hair styles. Sewn here by Sam Quincey of Mrs. Q’s Sew Amazing.

Click HERE to purchase the Dress Up Doll Pattern

 

Sparkles Seahorse is ready to shine in any type of fabric, from soft minky as in this version sewn by Leanne Martucci‎, to shiny or sequined material. Your little mermaids will love theit seafaring  friend!

Click HERE to purchase the Seahorse pattern.

 

If you want a Unicorn that stands on 4 feet, sew up Unix Unicorn (or her friend Horsey Horse, who comes in the same pattern). Kylie Williams enlarged pattern to make armfuls of fun for her daughter. (TIP:  VIsit the blog to learn how to enlarge a toy pattern on your home printer.)

Click HERE to purchase the Horse/Unicorn pattern.

 

This Gertrude Guinea Pig is a super popular pattern – I mean WHO doesn’t LOVE these cute little critters? This sweet fluffy pink version was sewn by Debbie (Debbieslifeinphotos). He daughter is cradling it as if it’s real…

 

And… Gertrude Guinea Pig is a great pattern for replicating real guinea pig friends, as in this Maker of the Month winner. She looks TOTALLY REAL!

Click HERE to purchase the Guinea Pig pattern.

 

Hannah Hedgehog is another larger-than-life pattern, and an EASY one, too. This little girl sewed this toy herself!

Click HERE to purchase the Hedgehog Pattern.

 

3. Best for Babies:

Whether it’s for a baby shower or a new grandchild, these smaller-scale Funky Friends Factory patterns are sized just right for babies. I’ve included some baby keepsake ideas, too!  Note: if you’re sewing a toy for a child under 3 years old, you can review some baby toy safety tips HERE, which are included in the Funky Friends Factory pattern instructions, BUT be sure to consult toy safety guidelines for your country!  

 

Plattie Platypus is a great size for babies to hold and use for teething. I love this pic sent in by Wendy P. She embroidered the eyes so her toy is baby-safe.

Click HERE to purchase the Platypus pattern.

 

This super sweet Baby Bunny was sewn by Corinna Steele. This was the very first Funky Friends Factory pattern! I designed it many years ago when all my friends were having babies and I needed a fast, baby-safe gift to make for them.

Click HERE to purchase the Baby Bunny pattern.

 

Sized just right for strollers! Raff the Giraffe looks great in any fabric. You can sew some spots by hand, too, if you want a more realistic animal but can’t find giraffe prints.

Click HERE to purchase the Giraffe pattern.

 

Ben the BEGINNER Bear makes a super cute baby keepsake. I designed him with a sweet “baby bear” face and a solid, single-piece tummy that can be used to show off special onesie, birth stats embroidery, or other items of clothing. This bear’s tummy says “Mama’s Mini” and you can see the mom, baby, and bear together in the pics below…

This sweet flowery Ben the Beginner bear was sewn by Aleisha Bain of Onsie Bear Co. Ben is posing with his new owner for monthly growth photos. And they’re in matching fabrics, too!

Click HERE to purchase the BEGINNER Bear pattern.

 

 

Dilby Duck is a great size for playtime or for keepsakes for tiny clothes. This duck sewn by Betty G. has birth stats embroidered on it. 

Click HERE to purchase the Dilby Duck pattern.

 

This baby clearly loves the bold colors and easy to grasp feelers and arms on the Bumble the Bee pattern sewn by Janet O’Neil Conlon. Use any bold colors for this bee…you don’t have to use yellow or striped fabric.

Click HERE to purchase the Bumble Bee pattern.

 

Lamkins Lamb is one of the most popular Funky Friends Factory baby patterns. He’s far easier to sew in fleece if you’re new to toy sewing (and much softer for baby). You can also enlarge Lamkins if you’d like to sew bigger pieces. Here is Lamkins (in fleece, at his normal size) being loved by Shirls Smith‘s great-grandson.

Click HERE to purchase the Lamkins Lamb pattern.

 

The Stu the Sea Turtle is another pattern that has surprised me as it has been hugely popular as a baby toy – I guess because it’s a great size toy for baby’s like this sweet sleeping photo by Rose Ludwig.

 

AND…  Stu the Sea Turtle also makes a great baby keepsake toy –  like this fabulous Batman outfit repurposed for this turtle sewn by Leanne Crump.

Click HERE to purchase the Sea Turtle pattern.

 

4. Too cute for Toddlers!

For little kids on who are on the move, these patterns have floppy arms and/or easy-to-grasp legs for dragging along on all sorts of imaginative adventures!

 

Jennifer Newman Brown made twin versions of Slush the Snowman for her twin grandchildren. 

Click HERE to purchase the Snowman pattern.

 

Laine Milne sewed up this extra-fancy version of Larry Lion using faux fur for the mane. 

Click HERE to purchase the Lion pattern.

 

 

Mitch the Monkey likes to swing around by his floppy limbs and tail. This bunch of monkeys was sewn by Nichole of byNichole.

Click HERE to purchase the Monkey pattern.

 

This “love bug” version of Lily Ladybug was sewn by Diane Joy Temple as a Valentine’s Day Gift. This pattern also has TONS of keepsake space for preserving little clothing in the two wing layers (that’s four big wing sides in addition to the rest of the toy!). 

Click HERE to purchase the Ladybug pattern.

 

Ben the BEGINNER Bear sewn by Caroline Moyer, is a perfect friend for any pre-schooler… I think they love his smiley face!

Click HERE to purchase the BEGINNER Bear pattern.

 

Ellie Elephant sits up on her own so she can join her friends at tea parties or a pretend backyard circus. Sewn here by Milsy P. 

Click HERE to purchase the Elephant pattern.

 

Steve the Croc, sewn here by Donna D., is a great size for nap time cuddles!

Click HERE to purchase the Crocodile Pattern

 

Gertie Gecko is a quick and easy pattern perfect for sewing with kids as a first project. 

Click HERE to purchase the Gecko Pattern

 

5. Terrific for Teenagers:

Worried about pleasing the teens on your list? Here’s a secret: they STILL like soft toys, even if some won’t admit it! I’ve rounded up patterns that you can use to make gifts that are more than “just a toy” and that serve double-duty as keepsakes, pillows, and more.

 

Ollie Owl makes a great gift for teens because they can use him to hold a tablet (for reading digital textbooks, of course, not for watching YouTube!). This Owl was sewn by Judy Wagner Mason. 

Click HERE to buy the Ollie Owl pattern.

 

Winsome Wolf is one of my biggest patterns and she certainly makes a big impact! The wolf is great pattern for teens who have a wolf as a school mascot. Use their school logo shirts to make a keepsake! (Search the Funky Friends Factory alphabetical pattern list to find other popular school or sports mascot animals) Shazz McHarry used wolf print fabric for her Winsome Wolf. 

Click HERE to purchase the Wolf pattern.

 

Use Melody Memory Bear to make a school uniform graduation keepsake for a teen! This school-leavers bears was sewn by Gail McKnight Anderson of Gail’s Little Sewing Room.

Click HERE to purchase the Melody Memory Bear Pattern.

If your teen is “climbing the walls” with energy, then they’d probably appreciate Ozzie Octopus and his mischievous spirit. This Maker of the Month winner was on the move as the photo was taken!

 

Click HERE to purchase the Octopus pattern.

 

For teens who like to “hang out” and sleep in, Slowpoke Sloth is a perfect buddy. You can turn any Funky Friends Factory pattern into a super-sized gift or body pillow (Check out this How to make a body pillow blog post ). All teens like a body pillow! Slowpoke Sloth pattern shown here enlarged and sewn by Alyssa King. 

Click HERE to purchase the Sloth pattern.

 

For readers of fantasy novels, it’s always a good time for a dragon gift! This Diggles Dragon was sewn by Andrea Christensen. 

Click HERE to purchase the Dragon pattern.

 

I’ve watched Trish McBride’s daughter grow up over the years in photos with her Funky Friends. In this photo she’s holding the white “arctic” Fifi Fox she specifically requested for Christmas. 

Click HERE to purchase the Fox pattern.

 

Narwhals have been a trendy teen gift for a few years. Cheri Clevenger Stoneking made these Nate Narwhal toys for her grandkids.

Click HERE to purchase the Narwhal pattern.

 

6. Easy Patterns for Beginners:

One of the most common questions in or Facebook group is “which patterns are best for a beginner?” I’ve got a whole category of toys just for beginners, as these are the best of the bunch for gifting.

 

William Whale doesn’t have to be boring grey – you can make him ANY COLOUR your heart desires! I’m loving this colourful use of spots AND stripes by Monique Methot!

Click HERE to purchase the Whale pattern.

 

The Monty Manatee is one of those “weird creatures that has a kinda cult status”. Who knows why “cows of the sea” are so popular but they are – as you can tell from Jessica Arabella’s post below!

Click HERE to purchase the Manatee Pattern.

 

Tracey Hunter Vacek’s grandson made this Dizzy Dolphin (almost) all by himself. She says he needed a bit of help but he enjoyed sewing with his granny!

Click HERE to buy the Dolphin pattern.

 

I had no idea how popular this Silly Scrap Snake Pattern would be with GIRLS – but they LOVE it! It’s a fun scrap project as you can see with this pic from Diane Watanabe…

 

great for using up extra left-over fabric from a quilt project too as Lisa Stewart has done here…

 

and easy to sew – even for boys! (LOL) This pic from Kathryn Cimtak shows her son sewing his own Scrap Snake – HOW cool is that???

Click HERE to purchase the Snake sewing pattern

 

Sammy the Shark is a so quick  – you can sew up a baby shark AND all his family members, in the time it takes to sing the Baby Shark song, as Kelly Beck Praka did!

Click HERE to buy the Shark pattern.

 

These adorable Love Monsters sewn by Dawn Buel Fleischman were a great kit with her grandkids. You can sew anyone a Love Monster any time – not just for Valentine’s too!

Click HERE to purchase the Love Monster pattern.

 

The Mix & Match Monsters pattern is a great EASY pattern for sewing with kids as Jaqueline Magnuson did. They have so much fun making their own unique monster – they forget they’re learning to sew!

 

AND…
a monster makes a
great teacher gift!

 

Debbie West paired music notes fabric with the versatile Mix & Match Monsters pattern to make some “music monsters” for a school classroom.

Click HERE to purchase the Mix & Match Monsters pattern.

 

7. Awesome for Adults:

These patterns are sure to please the “big kids” on your gift list! 

 

I don’t know why Butch the Bulldog is one of my most popular dog patterns – he is probably the pattern of mine with the MOST pieces but people who make him very seldom make just one! Like Monika Wright….

 

And look at the happy response to this Butch Bulldog gift sewn by Monika Wright! This pattern is especially popular for school mascot keepsakes. 

Click HERE to purchase the Bulldog pattern.

 

 

Kids of a certain age “want a hippopotamus for Christmas” and the Heather Hippo pattern fits the bill when “only a hippopotamus will do.” Sewn here as Christmas gifts for adult siblings by Phyllis Ingram Trousdale.

Click HERE to purchase the Hippo pattern.

 

Izzy the Insomiac Bear has a classic vintage teddy look and comes with her own tiny toy, the Sleepie Sheep. This sweet pair was sewn by Paula Blevins.

Click HERE to purchase the Izzy Insomniac pattern.

 

I am sure you know of someone who would love a kitty BUT cannot have a real pet? Well Patch Pussy Cat is a perfect present as shown by Becki Suleski who made her gradma a fabric kitty when she mopved into a retirement home – and she LOVED it! 

Click HERE to purchase the Patch Pussy Cat pattern.

 

Heat Packs make great gifts and just because you’re an adult – doesn’t mean they can’t be cute! I am sorry you have to see this pic of me when I had an awful headache – but that’s why I designed the Gertie Gecko Heat Pack in the first place!

Click HERE to purchase the Gecko Heat Pack  Pattern

 

Buttons the BEST DRESSED is my biggest teddy bear pattern yet and is a great keepsake toy for adults. He comes with original pattern pieces to make a collar, cuffs, and felt vest…or you can use a real adult size shirt collar (he’s sized so it will fit!). This adorable Buttons Bear was sewn by Kellie Hollis.

Click HERE to purchase the BEST DRESSED Bear pattern.

Talking of teddy bears –

you’re never too old
for a teddy bear!

Henriette Robson proved with this adorable pic of her father and the extra large Melody Memory Bear she made for him. I still think is one of my all-time favorite feedback photos!

Click HERE to purchase the Melody Memory Bear Pattern.

 

Mickey Moose has been a verrrrrrry popular pattern for adults, again I am not sure why! Here you can a “MEGA-Moose” sewn by Orsolya Czili – to get into the Christmas spirit!

 

And… one last pic of Mickey Moose to get you in the Christmas mood! This cute Mickey Moose was sewn by Carol Harshbarger. (TIP: You can download my FREE Christmas Hat Pattern HERE to use for all your Funky Friends).

Click HERE to buy the Mickey Moose pattern.

 

8 Christmas Patterns:

Here are the Christmas patterns if you’re looking for something seasonal! You can find them all in the seasonal patterns section.

 

It’s such fun giving somone a gift that you know they’ll LOVE – and this should give you LOTS of fun inspiration for everyone on your gifts list!

Leave me a comment below – I’d love to know what Funky Friend you’ll be sewing this silly season!

.
Till next time,

Happy Sewing,
Pauline
xxx