How to make plush pants

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one outfit for a 20 cm plush)

• Main fabric (light cotton or lightweight denim) — about 20 × 15 cm
• Size 9 needle and fine thread

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Fandom” → “Plush pants” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the chest, length and the rest. Presets cover 10, 15 and 20 cm plushies and a 27 cm doll.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure the plush
   Chest at its widest, and the length you want from the shoulder. Two plushies both sold as "20 cm" can be quite different, so measure yours.
2. Trace the pattern
   Lay the pattern on the wrong side and trace both lines. At this scale a fine chalk pencil works better than a marker.
3. Cut the pieces
   If the fabric frays, seal the edges or zigzag them straight away.
4. Transfer the notches
   The smaller the garment, the more the notches matter. Do not skip them.

4. Sewing

4-1. Sew the crotch curves

1. Place the two fronts right sides together and sew the crotch curve.
2. Do the same with the backs.
3. Clip the curved allowance every 5 mm.

4-2. Sew the sides and inseam

1. Place front and back right sides together and sew both sides.
2. Then sew the inseam in one run, hem to hem.
3. Backstitch over the crotch junction — it takes the pull every time they go on.

4-3. Finish the waist and hems

1. Turn the waist under 5 mm, then again by the casing depth, and stitch.
2. Turn the hems under 5 mm and stitch.
3. If they will not go on, open the center back by about 1 cm and add hook-and-loop.

✏️ Backstitch over the crotch junction. The legs get pulled every time the plush is changed, and that point takes all of it. Two or three passes with a short stitch length and it will not give.

5. Tips & variations

• Lightweight denim only: heavy denim cannot be sewn this small. Eight ounces or less.
• Length changes everything: a short inseam gives shorts.
• Turn-ups: cut them long and roll the hems.
• Seam allowance is 5 mm: at 1 cm the allowances collide and the garment will not turn out cleanly.
• Size 9 needle, fine thread: a heavy needle leaves holes in the fabric.
• Mock it up in paper: assembling it once in interfacing or copy paper shows up any problem with length or ease.