Ladybug Stuffed Animal Sewing Pattern

Did you know that the most common ladybug is the seven-spotted ladybug? I hadn’t until I was researching ladybugs to model this Ladybug Stuffed Animal Sewing Pattern. This pattern is designed to be beginner-friendly, using mostly circles and just six pattern pieces. Keep scrolling to watch the video.

Having a three-year-old in the house has me learning about all sorts of things I hadn’t even considered. I know more about the bugs that are under every rock in our yard, which bugs don’t have eyes, which bugs are carnivores or herbivores, and that I don’t particularly appreciate having millipedes put in my hair.

How to Make the Ladybug Stuffed Animal

This ladybug is not going to eat your garden pests or invade your sunny windows; it just wants to be cuddled. The sewing pattern is made of mostly circles and just six pattern pieces. Any sewing level sewist can make this project. It’s a great project for young sewists.

Materials Needed to Make the Ladybug Plush

• red fleece fabric (wings)
• black fleece fabric (body, legs, spots, eyes)
• white fleece or felt fabric (eyes)
• white embroidery thread (optional)
• coordinating thread
• filling (Poly-fil, pillow stuffing, or similar)

Print the ladybug pattern and assemble paper pattern pieces with tape. Cut out the paper pattern pieces.

Make the Ladybug Legs

Place two leg pieces right sides together and sew around the curved edge with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Leave the flat edge open. Turn the leg right sides out and lightly fill with Poly-fil. Repeat with all six legs. Set aside.

RELATED: Do you like creepy-crawlies? Try the Giant Centipede Stuffed Animal and the Felt Chain Snake sewing patterns.

Make the Ladybug Wings

Onto one wing piece, pin the spots in place using the spot guide included on the body pattern piece. One spot will hang over the edge of the wing.

Sew around the perimeter of each spot. Trim off the extra fabric for the spot that hangs over the edge. Repeat with the other wing.

Place a spotted wing piece right sides together with a plain wing piece. Sew the curved edge and the long straight edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. Leave the top edge open. Trim the corner to reduce bulk. Turn the wing right side out. Repeat with the second wing as a mirror image.

Using the wing placement guide included on the pattern, mark where the wings are to be placed onto a body piece using pins.

Place the wings on top of a body piece with right sides facing, so the wings are turned up towards the top of the body (see photo). Make sure the center of the wings are centered and touching. Pin wings in place and sew across the wings with a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Fold the wings down and pin in place. Topstitch across the top of the wings to seal in the raw edges underneath, and to keep the wings down.

Make the Ladybug Eyes

Using the eye placement guide, begin by sewing Eye A in place, followed by Eye B, then Eye C.

I chose to cover eye reflection (Eye C) with white embroidery thread using a satin stitch.

Assemble the Legs

On the remaining body piece, pin the legs into place using the leg placement guide on the pattern. Check the placement with your assembled body piece. The top legs should land slightly under the top of the wings. The bottom legs should have a larger space between them than the other legs. Sew the legs in place with a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Finish the Ladybug Plush

Fold the wings into the middle and place a pin to hold them away from the edge. This will help so they don’t get caught in the seam allowance in the next step. Don’t forget this pin when you’re turning it later!

Place the two body pieces with the right sides together. Pin or clip around the circle to hold in place. Beginning about 1/4″ to the inside of the bottom legs, sew around the circle with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Pay close attention when you pass by the wings. You should sew just to the side of the wings and not catch them in the seam allowance. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end!

Turn the ladybug right side out and check to make sure all the legs are in the right place. Make any adjustments if needed. Flip it back inside out, trim the seam allowance, and cut notches to allow the circle to keep its shape. Stuff the body with Poly-fil. Do not over stuff. The ladybug is intended to be slightly flat, kind of like a pillow.

RELATED: My most popular plush sewing pattern is the Love Bear.

Complete the ladybug stuffed animal by hand stitching the hole closed with a ladder stitch.

VIDEO: How to Make the Ladybug Plush Video Tutorial

Watch the step-by-step video tutorial to learn how to make the Ladybug Plush.

Pattern pieces, materials list, cutting chart, measurements, and more and step-by-step instructions with full color photos are all included in the downloadable PDF pattern.

I can now tell the difference between an Asian beetle and a real ladybug. Now our son has pointed out that most “ladybugs” we see are in fact, Asian beetles. Fun fact: those Asian beetles are often called Halloween lady beetles because October is the time when they start to invade houses. DIY Halloween costume idea?

Watch a kid’s face light up as they enjoy their new ladybug stuffed animal.

Did you make this pattern? I’d love to see pictures. Tag @scratchandstitch on Instagram with your creations, or send me a message.