One more thing to note: Because of its high stretchability, mochi also stretches a lot more than “regular” minky when stuffing your plush toy. Specifically, this means that the stuffed pieces will be much wider than they would be with minky or even a non-stretch fabric. You can make the pattern pieces narrower or iron a less stretchy interfacing onto the mochi if you don’t want this effect. Or just take it as is and love your chubby plush toy even more! 🙂

Tips for sewing with mochi fabric

Use a bigger seam allowance

Mochi minky is so stretchy and squishy that will pull and squeeze the finished product quite often. That’s why we recommend using at least 1/4″ seam allowance (0.7 cm), better 3/8″ (1 cm). If the seam allowance is too small, there is a significantly higher risk of the seam tearing if the fabric is stretched frequently. You should also keep that in mind when trimming the seam allowances. Especially with sharp inner edges or curves, you should trim the seam allowance to a maximum of 1/8″ (3 mm) before the seam.

Lengthen your stitch length

Like we recommend with a minky fabrics, lengthen the stitch length to 3.5 mm to accommodate the thickness and pile of the mochi fabric. This helps prevent puckering and creates smoother seams.

Pin Generously

Pin the fabric generously to keep it securely in place. Mochi minky tends to shift, so using plenty of pins ensures that your pieces stay aligned as you sew.

Use a walking foot

Moch minky fabric can be slippery and difficult to handle due its stretch and the super soft fibers. A walking foot helps feed the fabric evenly through the sewing machine, reducing slippage and stretching.