At some point in our childhood we get attached to a particular toy, which we never want to give up. Unfortunately time leaves its mark even on our most precious stuffed animals or dolls. Little rips and regular wear and tear can make even our favorite teddy bear look far from glamorous. Whether you have seen it happen to your favorite toy or your children’s plush animals, it is never a pleasant site. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can follow to fix almost any soft toy. This way you literally give a face lift and bring the smile back on your son or daughter’s face.

Step 1

Identify the issue. The most common rips happen at the stitches, where the legs are sewed to the body, or the paws to the legs. Because children position the toys in many ways, especially when they hold them tight at night, the stitching sometimes fails. Although not all rips are as easy to fix, generally they can all be approach in the same way.

Step 2

Get the “gear”. Unlike any other fixes you need to do around the house, this one requires basic tools. So, if the seams on your stuffed animal are coming undone, here is what you will need to get it back together: a needle and thread. In case you have trouble getting the thread in the needle, you might also want to get a needle threader. Usually you get it as part of a needle set, so you don’t have to look around for it. Try to get a set of needles that has various sizes. This way you can choose which size is the best for different stuffed animals. A big teddy bear might need a tougher needle, whereas a little plush dog might need a delicate needle work. As for the thread, try to find a color that matches the “fur” of the stuffed toy you are patching up. If you have to sow over multiple colors, the best way to go is with a neutral color. For example, if you are fixing a black and white plush husky, use grey as the neutral color. It will not stand out too much on either black or white. Obviously, you can choose to change the color every time, but this requires a little extra time. Also, try to find a stronger type of thread, to avoid having to do this exercise again a few months down the road.

Step 3

Get the move. Even if you are a novice at sowing, you will surely be able to stitch up a stuffed animal. So, thread the needle with a decent amount of thread. Typically an arm length is more than enough. Going over that length, might make the sowing a little uncomfortable. Double the thread and tie a knot at the end. Your ultimate goal is to have two rows of thread tied at the bottom. Next pinch the needle on one side of the “broken” part and make it come out through the other part. Pull so that the two sides come together and lower the needle towards the bottom part in a diagonal. This way you stitch the ripped sided together. When it is all done, make the needle go through the last stitch as if you were wrapping it around. This is just to make the stitching stronger. Before you cut the thread, tie a knot or two as close to the stitch as possible to make sure that there is no thread showing.

There you have it. The teddy bear is brand new and it only took you a few minutes to fix it. No more throwing away your child’s favorite toy. Now you can keep it around for as long as they want it. Because toys are almost like a friend they never want to give up.