The Cuddly Fox is a sewing pattern and tutorial to make an adorable felt fox. This stuffed animal is designed to be able to sit up and move its arms and legs, just like a doll! And why not make it more fashionable with a matching vest? So I included instructions and a pattern for an optional vest, just like the one the Cuddly Fox is wearing in the image above.
Foxes are probably one of our most familiar animals. This is perhaps because they live on every continent, except Antarctica. So, not surprisingly, they appear in many of our folktales. Sadly, foxes are often portrayed as clever but cunning. Apparently these characteristics originate from their ability to outwit predators and human hunters. Do you remember the Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter? In that famous tale, a charming gentleman fox kindly invites Jemima to nest at his house, but with the secret intention of making her into a stuffed duck for his dinner!
Fortunately, my impression of the fox is more positive, thanks to a docufiction movie from my childhood, called the Glacier Fox. This film follows a red fox couple and their family in northern Japan, and it shows us how the parents work together to protect and nuture their pups for months in the harsh snowy environment.
Another of their heart-warming traits is their playfulness. It is not surprising that baby foxes play with each other, but adults play, too! I’ve read that they sometimes even pester and pick a ‘fight’ with a larger animal, as if looking for a thrill. Here is a short video of cute foxes at play. I also recommend this page for some beautiful photographs of foxes.
I used the red fox as the model for the Cuddly Fox. The red fox is the largest and the most common of the true foxes, measuring about 90–105 cm (36–42″) long, of which about 35–40 cm (14–16″) is the tail. They are about 40 cm (15 3/4″) tall at the shoulder. Most adults weigh about 5–7 kg (10–15 lbs). Their coat is typically rich reddish brown, and it has a white-tipped fluffy tail. Their limbs are darker than the rest of its body.
Needless to say, the Cuddly Fox is a lot smaller than a real red fox! It measures approximately 14 cm (5 1/2″) in height when sitting and is approximately 18 cm (7″) long from the tips of its ears to its toes.
One important note: When you make your own Cuddly Fox, please feel free to make it in any color you like! In fact, there is a wide variety of coat colors among real foxes, literally from white to black. Here’s a list of fox types with photos.
This download item is available from my online shop, muumade.etsy.com. You can also click on any item photo above to go to the shop page and download the instructions instantly upon purchase.
Also check out more adorable animal patterns below:
