How to Sew A Fabric Baby Grab Ball

Baby toys are big business and can cost a small fortune. This free pattern will make a ball that uses up your smallest fabric scraps and is easy for small hands to grab and hold. I am including two pattern sizes, as the smaller one is perfect for tiny hands, but not as plump as the type many of us are familiar with.

Always remember you are making a toy for a small child which will most likely end up in the child's mouth. It is important to make sure all stuffing is firmly enclosed and all parts are attached in an indestructible way!

Materials Needed

• Fabric scraps
• Thread for sewing the sections
• Dental Floss or very strong thread such as button and carpet thread to connect the sections
• Stuffing
• Print out of pattern

• Trace pattern onto Poster board or gift box weight cardboard. Cut out to use as a template.
• Cut 36 pieces of fabric, using your template to trace onto the fabric. In the example seen on this page, I used 3 different fabrics, cutting 12 of each print.
• You will be making 12 sections, each comprised of three pieces of fabric.
• With right sides together, join two pieces as shown in​ the diagram, using 1/4" seams. Stitch just between the dots, leaving the 1/4" seam allowance at the ends open.

• Press the seam as it was sewn.
• Open the two sections so that you now have two new "sides"

• Line up your third piece of fabric by matching the edges to the edge of one of the pieces you already joined together.
• Sew one side edge together, using 1/4" seams.
• Stitch to the dot again, being sure to match up to your previous stitching.

• Sew the last side of the third piece the same way, leaving an unsewn area in the middle of the section to turn it right sides out.
• Trim off ends of cylinder to blunt the ends and eliminate some of the bulk.
• Turn Right sides out.
• Repeat to create 12 sections.
• Stuff each section to a semi-firm state.
• Slip stitch each section closed. Use small, firm stitches.

• Using 4 sections at a time, using Dental floss for strength, join end to end to create a circle.
• Join two circles, vertical to each other, again using the dental floss to create strong stitches.
• Join the third circle to the middle part of the other two joined circles.
• Double check all your stitches to make sure there are no loose stitches anywhere on the toy.