Sewing Fun: Making Kip the Keepsake Dog

This month, Island Batik Ambassadors get to create another Funky Friends Factory plush. 

The Funky Friends Factory patterns are so easy to follow. They give great pointers as you work on the plush.  They include links to step-by-step instructions to help where needed. I am a more visual learner, so this pictures are a great help when I get confused.

I am a dog person. For my June 2025 Island Batik / Funky Friends Factory challenge, I picked one of their new patterns. The Kip the Keepsake Dog.  This a great pattern for making a child’s memory dog. Or just using some old T-shirts you want to keep, but really can’t wear.  This dog is a great companion for children, with its floppy ears, adorable puppy tail.  He is sitting dog, and great for children to play with.

I am using some left-over fabric from the Just Dandy fabric line. This dog can be made with two different fabrics, or lots of smaller pieces. I decided to use 11 different fabrics for a scrappy looking dog. Then, I decided to make a second Kip the Keepsake Dog using only two fabrics.

I have some small t-shirt transfers. Since this is a “Keepsake/memory dog”, I decided that these transfers would be the perfect size for the foot pads. They would also fit the dog’s tummy.  I pulled out some quilting transfers and picked three that I liked.

I picked out different fabric pieces from the Just Dandy Fabric line. I wanted my first dog to be a true keepsake dog of this fabric line. 

When working on these dogs, you need a good iron to press all of the seams.  I used my Oliso mini-iron that I received from Island Batik this year. 

When sewing these dogs you need a good iron, you also need a good set of needles.  I used Schmetz Needles for piecing, and Aurifil Thread, 2600.

The Just Dandy fabric was provided to me at no cost. So were the Hobbs Stuffing and Funky Factory Friends pattern. They came from Island Batik and its partners. These include Hobbs Fiberfill, Oliso Iron, Funky Friends Factory, and Schmetz Needles. This is part of my role as a 2025 Island Batik Ambassador.

The instructions are detailed and easy to follow. The patterns have a “tick box” to mark off each step as you assemble Kip.

The patterns are PDF, you can download them as soon as you pay for the pattern.  Once you cut out the pieces, you trace the pattern pieces on the fabric and cut them all out.  Make sure you take the time to mark all the markings on the pieces, as this helps with the assembly.

A long time ago, I learned to sew. My grandmother told me to take the time to mark all the markings on the patterns.  This helps with sewing clothing.  While quilting, you do not really need to mark points. However, when making these toys, you definitely should mark the points. It makes everything go together so much easier.  Mark the points in advance. It is easier than doing it as the pieces are sewn together. You are trying to match them.

Here is one of the dogs assembled, before I started stuffing him with Hobbs Batting.

It was so much fun making my dog, but I think the dark snot was a little too dark.

So I decided to make a second Kip. I used two of the fabrics from the Just Dandy Line. These were Floaty Flower-Teal for the darker fabric, and Flutter Flowers – White for the lighter fabric.  I wanted to make sure that the Snot was lighter.

I decided to only add one design on the belly for this dog.  Here is my second Kip assembled not stuffed.

Here are my two completed- Kip the Keepsake Dogs.

My two Funky Friends Factory Kip the Keepsake Dogs together.

I really enjoyed making these stuffed dogs.  They will be with me in my sewing studio.  If you have children, you can make these out of their old t-shirts. Use baby clothes as a keepsake for you or your child.

Thank you Island Batik, Hobbs Fiberfill, Oliso Iron, and Schmetz Needles for the materials for this project. 

If you enjoyed my project, make sure to take the time to explore. Check out the other Island Batik Ambassadors’ Funky Friends Factory stuffed toys.    I already see lots of really cute patterns that I need to go buy from Funky Friends Factory!

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts Studio
Tina Dillard ~ Quilting Affection Designs

Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany
Kimberly Flannagan ~ Kimberly’s Quilts
Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood

Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Susan Michaels ~ Dragonfly Fiberart
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion

Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color
Solomae Stoycoff ~ Cuddle Cat Quiltworks

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

#islandbatikAmbassador, #iloveislandbatik, #islandbatik, #hobbsbatting, #aurifil, #aurifilthread, #schmetzneedles, #juki, #oliso, #funkyfriendsfactory, #lumen