Once you are almost ready with your toy, you turn it right side out and…. you need to sew it closed. This is the moment when knowing how to close gaps with a ladder (blind) stitch becomes very handy. Below I will try to guide you how to use this very simple and basic stitch:
You can download a full tutorial in the PDF version:
MyScrappyIdeas_PDF_Tutorial_Ladder_Stitch
Step 1. Prepare the item to sew closed and thread a needle. I used a front leg of the Drop-Ear Dog as an example.
Step 2. Tie a knot in the end of the thread, put the needle inside the gap and pull the thread.
I always start the ladder stitch somewhere close to the beginning of the gap, but still in the area of the machine seam (see the pic).
To make your work look neat try to hide the knot between the layers of folded fabric (in other words: conceal the knotted end of the thread within the seam).
Step 3. Follow the scheme below for stitching.
Use the creases of fabric folds to guide you as you sew. Push the needle into the opposite crease (2) and come out into the opening gap (3). Repeat it and push the needle into the crease where you started stitching (4), guiding it to come out immediately back in the opening (5). Follow this pattern until your gap is closed.
Do not pull the thread very tight until you’re almost ready with closing the whole gap.
This is how it should more or less look:
Step 4. Slowly pull the thread to bring edges of the gap close to each other.
Step 5. Make a knot it the end of the opening (or couple of knots if you want to reinforce the closure) and insert your needle right at the place where you made the knot.
Step 6. Now you have to “sink the knot”, so bring the needle out somewhere in the toy part, as in the picture below.
Step 7. Snip the thread very close to the toy surface.
Step 8. You have your gap sewn closed:)!
