How to make an Arnie the Donut plush

Since I haven't taught art in two weeks (don't worry, school starts back tomorrow!) I will instead post a donut plush DIY.

Some women at my work asked me to make them a donut plush, using the character Arnie from these books as inspiration:

 So after making four of these donuts, I thought I'd make a how-to!

First, you need three pieces of felt - two in a donut-y color, and one in a chocolate brown. Since I was making four donuts, I made a template to use using a CD holder and a pepsi can.

Notice a chunk of the template missing? That's from my dog, who got a hold of it and ate part of it. It's fine though, I can approximate the circle. You need to cut two of the donut colored felt, and one of the chocolate felts.

Once you've cut out the circles, cut the hole in the center, to make them all more donut-like. You should now have three identical circles.

 

Nect, cut some wavy lines around your brown piece, to make it look like drizzly chocolate.

 

Now it's time for the best part. Get out some fun colors of embroidery thread, and start sewing it through the chocolate part to make sprinkles.

One side of your donut will end up looking perfect, whereas the other will look like a huge mess of colors.

 

See? Pretty side above, mess of thread below.

Now take your chocolate piece, and one of your donut pieces. Putting the good side up, sew the chocolate piece to the donut, both the outer edges and the inside.

 

Once that is sewn together, you need to take the other donut piece. Put the right sides together, and sew the outer edge, leaving an opening so that you can flip it to the right side. Sew ONLY the outside, leaving the inside open so that you can flip it. 

Once you 've done that, flip the donut to the proper side. Now, you have to sew the middle section. I don't have a picture of this part, but you can do it!

Now, you should have an unstuffed, deflated looking donut.

Now, you just need to stuff and stuff your donut. Stuff as much as you can, using the opening you left.

Once it's stuffed to capacity, you hand sew the little opening closed! (This is me sewing it propped between my knees... lovely.)

The last thing you need to do is give your little buddy some personality. Using extra large google eyes and some black felt, you can prepare your donut's eyes, mouth, arms and legs.

 Use a hot glue gun to glue on the arms and eyes, and.... TA-DA!! Your new best friend is done.

 Look at him just sitting on a lamp base. What a guy!

 

I really wish I had better pictures of him, but I am back to work tomorrow after two weeks off, and I need to get my stuff in order! If anyone makes an Arnie, please send me a picture. I'd love to see!