6 Super Cute Options for Toy Eyes
Pauline shows you six different ways to stitch doll eyes. Here are six really cute toy eye alternatives. If you’re new to sewing soft toys, I encourage experimenting with all of them!
Embroidered Eyes
I used black embroidery thread to hand sew the eyes for my Trunk Up Elephants. This kind of eye will be baby safe (nothing to choke on!) but you may need a bit of practice as your stitching needs to be neat or the eyes can look messy and even crooked! Until you get the hang of it, practice on a scrap of muslin (calico).
Buttons
Buttons are great because they are easy to find. If you can repurposed some buttons from an old piece of clothing, you may not need to buy new ones. Here’s my No Sock Monkey, complete with buttons from an old skirt I no longer fit into! These are not suitable for children. Buttons are only appropriate for children over the age of three.
Beads
You can use beads for eyes too. This is my FREE Honey Teddy Pattern, which includes 14 inch (6mm) black beads for eyes. You may learn more about the Honey Teddy and the Billion Bears Charity Drive here if you prefer to sew toys for charity. Beads also look good as they reflect light and give the toy a “twinkle in the eye.” Because they are very easy for a youngster to gnaw off, embroidered eyes should be used for children under the age of three.
Felt Eyes
Felt is excellent for eyes because it is simple to deal with and find. You can use synthetic felt or wool felt, which is of higher quality and will not pill. To keep the felt in place, you can use a non-toxic fabric glue, but I like to stitch the eyes to the toy with a blanket stitch. This is safe for babies!
Fleece Eyes
You can make eyes from fleece scraps. I enjoy constructing these googly eyes, and they appear in many of my toy patterns. They appear difficult, but if you know how to perform them, they’re simple! On my website, I have a visual instruction on how to make googly eyes. Instead of using beads, you can embroider the black pupils to make these safe for babies.
Craft Eyes
I use craft eyes a lot as they are quick and easy! They are great because they come in lots of shapes and sizes but they are NOT baby-safe because they can be a choking hazard. You can use them if the toy is for a child over the age of three.
