manta ray

plush

a free sewing pattern by

 manta ray plush 2 free sewing tutorial

manta ray plush

With this pattern you can make your own
squadron of majestic sea pancakes! It has a
difficulty:
simple chubby body with floppy side fins, tiny
mandibles, and a pointy tail.
The pattern itself has only 3 pieces so the This plush might be more like a 3/10 based on
finished project comes together super quickly the skills needed, but it's so incredibly fast it
and is a great way to use up leftover scraps. feels like a 2. This would be a great project for
You can make an appliqued face or go all out testing out any of the skills found below that
with additional spots to mimic an eagle ray. Or you haven't done before.
for a simpler option you could also use safety
eyes. skills used:
makes: • Fusible web applique
One plush: measures about 9½" long, 9" wide,
and 2" tall.
• Darts
• Curved sewing
• Ladder stitch
• Matching notches and points
• Stitching in the ditch

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 3 free sewing tutorial

materials & tools:

• 12" x 13" of main fabric
• 12" x 12" of accent fabric for belly
• 2” x 2” piece of black applique fabric
(flannel, felt, fleece, cotton, etc.) for eyes
• 2” x 2” piece of pink applique fabric for blush
• 1" x 1" piece of white applique fabric for eye
shines (or white fabric paint if shapes are
too tiny for you)
• 4" x 4” piece of light or heavy duty fusible
web
• sewing thread to match main fabric and
applique fabrics
• poly-fil stuffing
• basic sewing tools (sewing machine,
scissors, iron, needles, pins, fabric marker,
seam ripper)

suggested fabrics:
long-pile minky Plush, stretchy fabrics such as fleece or minky are
suggested. You can look for variations from those
listed on the left for more help.
However, because this plush has a flat shape, woven
minky fabrics can also be used. The result just won't be as
soft and squishable.
Stretch fabrics like fleece or minky will create a
cuddle fleece rounder, softer shape when stuffed. Non-stretchy
fabrics, like felt or cotton, won’t stretch when
stuffed so the resulting plush will look more angular.
micro fleece minky vs. felt

anti-pill fleece

fleece

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 4 free sewing tutorial

printing the pattern:

To print the pattern, set your computer to print pages 11-13. If you’re unfamiliar with printing
and assembling a .pdf pattern, read the steps below.

1 2 3
At the print dialog box, check the box Print the pages needed for the file. You It’s likely your printer will have a
that says print at “Actual Size” or 100%. might have one or more. Either way, margin that ensures your image
Any other selection (such as “Fit to be sure you have the full collection by doesn’t print to the very edge.
page”) will distort the pattern so it’s noting the page numbers in the corner. Assembly will be easier if you trim off
slightly larger or smaller and we don’t this blank margin edge. This will give
want that. you pages that overlap slightly during
assembly. If you trim across the gray
outline boxes, this will give you pages
that don’t overlap but rather butt
against each other.

4 5
To line up the pattern pages, match up the corresponding You can trace the patterns onto a different paper, or you can
diamond shapes. Each diamond will have a letter, so it’s also just cut them straight from the printer paper -- be sure
simply a matter of matching A1 to A2, B3 to B4 and so on. that each piece is fully taped together along the joins so
The faint gray lines indicate the border of every page, you they don’t fall apart when you cut them.
should be able to line those up as well. When the diamond
goes together, tape it in place.
If you have many pages, it’s easier to tape up the pages into
rows first. Then tape the rows together into a full block.

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 5 free sewing tutorial

cutting the fabric:

1 2 3 4
Place pattern on the fabric, Pin the pattern in place, use Using the paper as a For all fur fabrics, shake the
and make sure the stretch pattern weights, or trace the template, cut out the fabric. excess fuzz away.
line matches the stretch outline of the pattern with a Cut the required amount
of the fabric. The nap line washable marker. according to the pattern.
should go in the direction of
the fur.

cutting layout:
ST RETCH
main fabric belly fabric

12” long
13” long

B C
A
NAP
NAP

B
12" wide
12" wide

before you begin:

• Briefly read the project instructions so you know what to expect.
• If desired, mark the cut fabric pieces with the markings and symbols from the pattern. Or
wait until the applicable step before transferring.
• Note that a ¼" seam allowance is used throughout the project.

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 6 free sewing tutorial

eyes - black
blush - pink hold applique while
trace onto eye shines - white
paper side pulling paper away

1. prepare the face applique

a. Take your fusible web and trace all your applique pieces onto the smooth (paper) side. You should
have 2 eyes, and 2 eye shines. Blush pieces are optional.
→ The samples also show spots for the embroidered version. If you'd like to applique spots for
your ray, templates can be found on the paper pattern for the top (A) and side fins (B).
b. Fuse the bumpy (adhesive) side onto the wrong side of your applique fabric. The eyes should go on
black, and the eye shines on white.
c. Cut out the eyes and arrange them on the top (A) piece. Set your paper pattern on top of the fabric
piece (right sides up). Align the blush or eye piece on top where the placement markings are. Then
carefully pull the paper pattern away while holding the applique piece in place.

fuse the blush sew around outside

or eyes first of each piece
add smaller
pieces next

2. fuse the applique

a. Fuse the blush or eyes in place with your iron. Use a press cloth (like a scrap piece of cotton) if you're
using a polyester or fuzzy fabric like minky, that will help prevent harming or melting the fabric.
b. Next, move onto the smaller pieces: the eyes and eye shines. Fuse them the same way as you did
the blush, using the paper pattern and photos as a guide
c. If you used heavy duty fusible web, you can keep the pieces fused without sewing, or you can sew
them in place a number of ways. I’ve used a zigzag stitch here.
→ Refer to the next page for some other applique options.

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 7 free sewing tutorial

4
2
straight stitch; applique 3
great for felt whipstitch 1

3a. other applique options

a. Other good options for applique include a straight stitch, which involves sewing around the edge of
the applique pieces with a straight stitch using matching thread -- about 1/8” in from the edge.
b. You can also applique by hand; I prefer a whipstitch. Thread a hand-sewing needle with some
matching thread and knot it. Bring the thread up from the back of the project; about 1/8” in from the
edge of the applique shape. Bring it down perpendicular from the curve, just outside of the applique
shape. This completes one stitch.
c. For the next stitch, bring the needle back up about 1/8” away from the previous stitch and 1/8” in
from the edge just as in the first stitch. Once again, bring it down just outside the applique shape.
Continue this way until you’ve sewn around the shape.

match up
slanted edges 4 darts
total

blend
stitching
into fold

3. sew the body darts

a. Grab your top piece (A). Note the 4 small wedge shapes found
along the outside of the piece. These are darts. We're going to
sew them, starting by lining up the short slanted edges. Fold the
darts:
A wedge-shaped gap found in
fabric along the point of the dart with right sides together. a pattern. When sewn in fabric,
b. Sew the dart starting at the opening and working down to the it creates a tuck in the fabric
and develops a 3D shape. The
point. Try to blend your stitching into the fold for a smooth diagonal sides of the wedge are
transition and a rounder finished plush. the legs; these are matched up
c. Repeat with the remaining 3 darts for 4 completed darts total. and sewn to the point of the dart.

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 8 free sewing tutorial

line up
points 1 & 2 1
stretch fins to 1

fit along sides

1 1 1 1

1
2
1
2 2 2
2 2 2 2

attach
fin to
each side

4. sew the fins

a. Grab your side fin pieces (B). The inner curves of the fins will be attached to the sides of the top
(A) next. These pieces have numbered points to help with alignment and ensure the fins point in the
right direction.
b. Take your side fin and bend the inner curve so it matches up with the top at points 1 and 2. Ensure
that right sides are facing and pin the fabrics together.
c. Sew the fin to the top from points 1 to 2. Repeat with the other side fin on the other side of the top
piece so both fins are secured. Open up the pieces when complete.

align top of manta

ray over belly

leave trim seam

open for allowance at
corners
5. attach the belly
turning

a. Grab your belly piece (C). Take your top piece so far and align it over the belly so right sides are
facing and all the raw edges match up. Pin the fabrics together.
b. If you haven't already, locate the opening for turning marking found on the paper pattern on the tail
area of the top piece (A). Transfer the markings to the wrong side of the fabrics.
Sew the top and fins to the belly all around the shape, but leave an opening for turning as marked on
the tail. Be sure to sew slowly around the tight curves at the mandibles and the bulky areas over the
fin seams.
c. Trim the excess seam allowance at the corners to reduce bulk and increase flexibility when the
pieces are turned later.

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| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 9 free sewing tutorial

turn right stitch along

stitch in the
side out fin seam

ditch:
A technique usually seen
in quilting. A seam is made
on the outside of a project,
going along the 'ditch'
created from a previous
seam. The result is nearly
invisible since the stitching
is done right between two
seamed fabric pieces.
6. separate the body & fins
a. Turn the manta ray right side out through the opening in the tail. Define the corners and curves (like
the tip of the tail and mandibles) with a chopstick or similar turning tool.
b. Flatten out the fins so the fin fabric and belly fabric is smooth. Then stitch the fin to the belly by
sewing right into the fin seam from step 4. This will separate the body from the fins with more
stitching. This technique is called stitching in the ditch.

stuff body
semi-firmly bring needle
out near one
edge of opening

7. stuff the body

a. Stuff the body of the manta ray with stuffing. Be sure to fill up the mandibles first. Then fill up the
rest of the body and the tail. It's not necessary to get the body very firm -- just enough so it takes
shape and there are no lumps or wrinkles in the fabric. Be sure to also get a small bit in the tail so it
takes shape as well.
b. Once the plush is stuffed, make sure the seam allowances in the tail opening are tucked inside and
prepare to ladder stitch it closed. Thread a hand-sewing needle and knot it at the end. Insert the
needle from the inside of the opening and out of the plush near one edge of the opening. This will
leave the knot inside the plush.

sew desu ne?

| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
 manta ray plush 10 free sewing tutorial

ladder bring needle pull at thread

stitch closed out 1"-2" away while clipping

8. close up the plush

a. Ladder stitch the tail opening closed. Take a 1/8” stitch into the fold
of one side of the opening, then go across and take another. Keep
going down the opening until you reach the end.
2 1
b. When you’re finished, stitch a knot into the end of the seam. Then
insert the needle near the finished knot and out of the plush about
1-2” away.
c. Pull the thread through and hold it taut while snipping the thread. 4
The excess thread should sink back inside the plush -- all hidden! 3 seam allowance
(folded inside)

congrats!
This completes your
plush! Now give it a
big hug!

sew desu ne?

| www.cholyknight.com |
// ©2021 Choly Knight // Items sewn using this pattern may be sold. Credit to “Choly Knight” or “Sew Desu Ne?” is appreciated.
You may not reproduce, share, freely distribute, or sell this pattern as your own in digital or printed form.
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