Meet Brandon! He’s a friendly, huggable guy with a big, toothy grin. :-)

Happy sewing!

Best,Wendi

Throughout the pattern, the purple text links to supply sources or online video tutorials demonstrating the techniques used.

If you just unpacked your first sewing machine, here are some additional tutorials to help you get started. . .

How to sew a straight line and turn corners.

How to sew curves.

What is the grain of the fabric and what difference does it make?

Tips and tricks for working with cuddle fleece.

How to embed arms, legs, tentacles, etc. in a seam.

How to stuff a softie.

Any other tutorials you need especially for this project will have links right in the pattern instructions. If it’s a new skill for you, just click on the link to see how to do it! :-)

I used the smoother side of the cuddle fleece as the right side for everything. You can, of course, choose to make a furrier beaver by using the other side of the fleece. :-)

Use 1/4 inch seam allowance for all sewing.

Materials You’ll Need

1/2 yard Cuddle Fleece (I used brown)2 9mm safety eyesscrap of brown ultra suede for the tailsmall piece of cotton batting for inside the tailscraps of wool felt for the nose, muzzle and teeth, and circles behind the eyes (I used black, white and copper)1 cup plastic pellets (I like Fairfield brand weighted stuffing beads)fiberfill stuffing (I like Fairfield brand Poly-fil Supreme Fiberfill)

Step 1 Cut out all the pieces as described on the pattern. You’ll need to join two pattern pieces together to make the back piece - it’s too big to print on one page.

Step 2 Place two paw pieces right sides together and sew around the curved edge. Leave the straight edge at the top open.

Step 3 Turn it right side out and fill it with one tablespoon of plastic pellets. Sew the top closed using a scant 1/4” seam allowance.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the other paw pieces. You’ll have four paws.

From the fleece cut. . .2 back pieces2 front pieces1 bottom piece1 face8 paw pieces4 ear pieces

From the batting cut. . .1 tail piece

From the ultra suede cut. . .2 tail pieces

From the felt cut. . .1 nose (black felt)1 muzzle (copper felt)2 half-inch circles for eye backs (copper felt)1 teeth (white felt)

Step 5 Turn it right side out and sew the bottom closed using a scant 1/4” seam allowance.

Repeat Steps 4 and 5 with the other ear pieces. You’ll have two ears.

Step 4 Place two ear pieces right sides together and sew around the curved edge. Leave the straight edge at the bottom open.

Step 6 Lay the batting tail on a flat surface, followed by one suede tail (right side up) and one suede tail (right side down).

Sew around the curved edge of the tail.

Step 7 Turn the tail right side out. Now the batting is on the inside.

Quilt around the outside, 1/4” from the edge. Add some grid quilting to the inside of that ridge. My lines are 3/8” apart - but only because that’s the distance from the needle to the edge of my favorite presser foot. Use a similar measure that’s convenient for you.

Step 8 Appliqué the felt pieces to the face. The teeth tuck under the muzzle and the nose sits on top. I stuck them down with a dab of fabric glue stick to holed them in place while I stitched around the edges with black thread. Easy peasy!

Make sure to position the features so the bottom of the teeth is more than 1/2” from the edge, so they don’t get caught in the seam.

Step 9 Poke a hole in a 1/2” circle of copper felt. Insert a safety eye through the felt, and then into the face where marked.

Repeat for the second safety eye.

I like to use this awl to poke my eye holes.

Step 10Sew the two front pieces right sides together down the curved belly center front.

Don’t forget to backstitch at the start and stop of your stitching.

Step 11Open up the front and sew the face to the top of the belly, right sides together.

Step 12Sew the two back pieces together along the center back seam.

Leave a few inches open for stuffing.

Step 14Layer the back face down over the front, with the ears and paws sandwiched between the two layers. Pin or clip together and sew all the way around the top of the body.

Step 15Turn the body right side out and check all your seams - especially to make sure you attached the ears and arms securely. It’s much easier to fix problems now instead of after you stuff!

Turn the body inside out again.

Step 13Lay the front face up on a flat surface. Position the ears face down at the top of the head. Pin or clip in place.

Position two paws at the sides, just below the seam joining the head to the belly.

Make sure the raw ends of the ears and paws are sticking out about 1/4” from the edge of the body. This will help you get them really securely attached.

Step 18Check your seams and turn your beaver right side out.

Pour the rest of the cup of pellets into the body and then stuff him. He should be about the firmness of a marshmallow.

Sew up the opening in his back using ladder stitch and give him a big hug!

Step 17Position the bottom so the narrow ends are centered on the side seams, and the wide sides are centered on the front and back seams. Pin or clip in place, with the legs and tail sandwiched between the layers and sew.

This video will help you if you’ve never sewed a flat bottom to a softie before.

Step 16Pin or baste the paws to both sides of the center front seam.

Pin of baste the tail to the center back seam.

I just sewed them in place with a scant 1/4” seam allowance.

Finished!He’s such a cutie!

I hope you had fun! Please visit Shiny Happy World for more patterns, plus lots of free projects and helpful tutorials.

If you like this basic body type, try Franklin the Fat Cat or Bertie Bunny. If you can make Brandon Beaver, you can make either of them!

Brandon Beaver's back piece is too tall to print on a standard piece of paper. You need to print the back top and back bottom pieces separately, then overlap them so that the pattern pieces (and the two little hearts) line up. Tape the pieces of paper together and THEN cut out one beaver back pattern piece. Use that piece to cut out two back pieces from your fabric.

© Wendi Gratz 2015

This pattern is for personal use only and is not available for commercial resale. That means you may not copy and sell or digitally distribute the pattern. You may, however, sell items you make with the pattern - as long as you are making them yourself. :-)