Stuffed toy
A soft toy made from fabric and filled with stuffing, often shaped like an animal or character. It is designed for handling, play, or comfort.
Plush fabric: A textile with a raised, soft surface formed by loops or cut fibers. Its pile gives many stuffed toys their characteristic soft surface.
Seam allowance: Extra fabric beyond a pattern’s stitching line, retained when pieces are sewn together. It provides material for seams that must hold the stuffing inside.
Teddy bear: A stuffed toy bear popularized in the early twentieth century and named after U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Its rise helped make the stuffed animal a mass-market toy.
Comfort object: A familiar item that provides emotional reassurance, especially during stress or separation. A soft toy can become a child’s portable source of comfort.
Doll: A model of a human or humanlike figure, made as a toy or collectible. Dolls are organized around human representation, while stuffed toys often depict animals or characters.
Toy stuffing: Material placed inside a toy to give it shape, volume, and softness. The filling determines a toy’s weight, firmness, and ability to hold a shape.
Embroidery: The decoration of fabric with designs stitched using needle and thread. Stitched eyes and facial details can avoid small hard parts.
Margarete Steiff: A German entrepreneur who founded the Steiff toy company, initially known for felt goods and soft toys. Her company developed early commercial stuffed animals, including the teddy bear.
Transitional object: An object some young children use to manage separation and develop a sense of security. A favorite stuffed toy may serve this role during sleep or changes in routine.
Action figure: A poseable toy figure, commonly representing a character from entertainment or military themes. Its rigid body and articulation contrast with a stuffed toy’s soft, filled construction.