8 Toymaking Books That Experts Rely On

Drawing from her lifelong experience in stitching and pattern cutting, Sarah Peel offers a detailed guide to creating Luna Lapin, a delicately crafted felt rabbit with a wardrobe of 20 garments and accessories. You learn to work with fine materials like wool felt, lace, and Liberty cotton, progressing from beginner-friendly basic sewing to more advanced tailored pieces. The book’s clear pattern levels allow you to develop your sewing skills while making an heirloom-quality toy, complete with tiny French knickers and matching tweed sets. If you’re interested in elevating toymaking into an art form with elegant design and craftsmanship, this book provides both inspiration and practical patterns.

What started as a desire to teach her son knitting led Louise Crowther, a British textile designer, to develop a charming collection of animal knitting patterns in this book. You learn how to craft twelve distinct animals sharing a common body pattern but varied with unique colorwork and tail details, enabling you to mix and match outfits creatively. Chapters guide you through making coordinated clothes and accessories, allowing you to personalize each toy's personality and style. This book suits you if you enjoy knitting, want to create heartfelt handmade gifts, or are looking for approachable, playful projects that blend design with craft.

This tailored book explores the art and craft of toymaking with a focus on your unique background, skill level, and crafting goals. It covers a wide range of techniques and projects, from sewing and knitting to woodworking and pattern design, all carefully selected to match your interests. By examining diverse toymaking traditions and methods, the book reveals how to bring imagination to life through hands-on creation. This personalized approach ensures you delve into the aspects of toy crafting that resonate most with your experience and aspirations, making your learning journey engaging and relevant.

Unlike most crafting books that concentrate solely on techniques, Melissa Lowry’s Handmade Animal Dolls combines design sensibility with approachable sewing skills to help you create stylish, character-rich plush toys. Drawing on her background as a graphic designer and illustrator, Lowry offers 20 patterns featuring moveable limbs and chic outfits, such as Oliver the Raccoon and Madeline the Fox, that go beyond basic toymaking. You’ll learn needle-felting methods to craft soft, kid-friendly animals without plastic parts, making it perfect for both play and décor. Whether you’re new to sewing or experienced, the clear, illustrated steps and thoughtful details ensure you can make charming, long-lasting dolls with personality.

Drawing from her unique journey from finance to crafting, Sachiyo Ishii offers a refreshing take on knitted toys that balances simplicity with creativity. You’ll find over 30 patterns ranging from basic animals and vehicles to imaginative scenes like castles under siege and alien invasions, all designed to be accessible regardless of your knitting experience. The book goes beyond patterns by including clear instructions for essential techniques such as creating knitted eyes and embroidery for facial details, helping you develop tangible skills. If you’re looking to expand your crafting repertoire with charming, playful projects that don’t demand large amounts of yarn, this book fits well. It’s especially suited for knitters who want both quick projects and more elaborate sets without feeling overwhelmed.

Drawing from years of experience as designers specializing in soft toys and accessories, Melly & Me present a collection that brings playful charm and approachable creativity to your sewing projects. You’ll learn to craft twenty distinct stuffed animals and home accessories, each designed with simple patterns and full-size templates that guide you through the process, whether you're a beginner or someone looking to expand your skills. Highlights include projects like a butterfly mobile and a cuddly spaceship, which not only teach sewing techniques but also inspire imaginative play and storytelling. This book suits anyone eager to blend colorful fabrics into delightful, huggable creations that make thoughtful gifts or nursery decor.

This tailored book explores the exciting craft of toymaking through a focused, step-by-step approach designed to accelerate your skill development. It covers essential techniques, material choices, and creative processes that match your background and interests, making complex concepts accessible and engaging. By concentrating on your specific goals, it reveals a personalized pathway to build proficiency quickly, combining foundational knowledge with actionable daily steps. Each chapter addresses key aspects of toymaking, from basic construction to finishing touches, encouraging hands-on practice that aligns with your pace and preferences. This personalized guide makes learning toymaking rewarding by connecting expert knowledge with your unique creative journey.

Erin Freuchtel-Dearing, a stay-at-home mom driven by concerns over the lack of imaginative play in commercial toys, shares her self-taught journey into woodworking with this book. You’ll find 75 approachable scroll saw projects ranging from whimsical fairytale creatures to farm animals and cityscapes, all designed with child safety in mind—including food-coloring finishes and smooth edges. The book walks you through selecting wood, cutting techniques, and natural finishing recipes, making it accessible even if you’ve never touched a power tool. If you want to create enduring, handmade wooden toys that encourage creativity and hands-on play, this book offers a solid foundation without overwhelming complexity.

While working as a designer and craft blogger, Abigail Patner Glassenberg noticed a lack of detailed guides for creating heirloom-quality stuffed animals that combine artistry with technique. In this book, she teaches you specific skills like needle sculpting and designing complex features such as "cupped" ears and realistic muzzles through 16 projects, ranging from poseable Teddy bears to four-legged animals that can stand. Each project focuses on mastering a technique you can reuse or adapt, making it ideal for anyone wanting to advance beyond basic sewing. If you’re passionate about sewing toys with precision and character, this book offers clear, stepwise guidance without fluff, though pure beginners might find some techniques challenging at first.

After more than six decades of woodworking, Howard Clements channels his expertise into a collection of 15 full-size scroll saw patterns for tiny wooden toys that actually move, like windmills and Ferris wheels. You’ll find detailed instructions starting with a bulldozer project that sets the foundation for all the others, making it accessible even if you’re new to scroll sawing. The projects cleverly use leftover wood scraps, perfect if you want to clear your workspace while creating heirloom-quality ornaments and gifts. This book suits hobbyists who appreciate hands-on crafting with simple tools and want charming, functional designs without overwhelming complexity.