The Little Tool That Could

A few weeks ago, Planet June unveiled a new product that is quickly becoming indispensable to me: The Detail Stuffing Tool.

image © June Gilbank / PlanetJune

This little number may not look like much, but boy is it handy! I've used everything in the book trying to more efficiently stuff tiny plush parts (tiny fingers and toes are the worst!)—chopsticks, knitting needles, wooden dowels, doll stuffing forks, the Stuff It tool, etc. But nothing had good enough grip for the stuffing; the tools would just slide right through. Wooden dowels were the closest to providing what I needed, but I still struggled. Especially because tiny dowels have a tendency to snap in half while I'm stuffing.

Enter the Detail Stuffing Tool! This neat tool makes quick work of stuffing tiny parts. It's extremely easy to use and has excellent grip for the stuffing. No more slipping, and stuffing right where I need it.

June's tutorial (available at the tool link above) was really easy to follow. There was a tiny learning curve for me, though, in that I had to adjust the amount of stuffing I was using at a time. This tool is really efficient at condensing stuffing into a tight little ball, and at first I was overstuffing the tiny doll arm I used as a guinea pig, making the arm too firm and a little lumpy. But by using a little less stuffing each time, I soon got it right.  

My only complaint is that I wish it came in more sizes! A longer, thicker version would be perfect for stuffing my yeti fingers. Overall, this is a really excellent tool, and one that the plush/doll world was definitely missing. And at only $4, it's a total steal. Plus, June is one of the friendliest crafters you'll ever meet! If you make a lot of tiny plush or amigurumi, you should definitely own The Detail Stuffing Tool.