Meet the Sardine: A Splash of Fun with RBD Basics

There’s a new fish in our sea, and she’s making quite a splash! This 36-inch sardine soft toy, stitched up as part of the Woolly Petals Sardine Pattern test group, has officially joined the Rose Hill Quilts home collection of stuffed sea animals. The ocean-obsessed 11-year-old in the house gives it two fins up.

The design has been hugely popular online, and it’s easy to see why. The pattern is clear, quick to put together, and very customisable—whether you choose to use a single fabric for the body or go pieced, like I did here. If you want to make your own sardine, you can find the pattern on the Woolly Petals Etsy shop.

A Mix of RBD Basics

What makes this pattern so brilliant is how easily it can be tailored to your style or scraps. I pieced together the body using a mix of Riley Blake Designs Basics – an absolute dream for anyone who loves colour play!

Here’s a closer look at what I used:

• Fin – Grasscloth Cottons
• Flippers – Poparazzi
• Top of the body – Sparkle
• Bottom of the body – Blossom
• Head – Confetti Cottons Solid

All in different shades of blue, to keep our sardine swimming in cool ocean tones. I also added a layer of wadding to the flippers and fin to give them a lovely squishy texture and just a bit more dimension.

Why I Love RBD Basics

RBD Basics are a staple in my sewing room. The colours are vibrant and consistent across ranges, which makes mixing and matching easy. There’s a wide variety of textures, which is ideal for adding detail to projects like this one.

If you’re unsure where to start with colours, I recommend getting a Riley Blake colour card. It’s a really helpful tool for planning and pairing shades.

A Whole Shoal of Sardines

The pattern includes two sizes (24 and 36 inches), and during testing I saw an amazing variety of sardines: quilted, appliquéd, pieced with patchwork and more. The design lends itself well to all sorts of creative approaches, so that you can make the sardine truly yours.

You can see many of the different versions over on @woollypetals on Instagram. There’s lots of inspiration if you’re thinking of making your own!

Whether you’re sewing for a child, a sea-themed space, or just love a quirky soft toy, this sardine pattern is a joy to make. Thanks to Woolly Petals for letting me test this brilliant pattern, it’s been a splashy success in our house already!