Soft toy repair advice

[Minerbee]

I don’t know if anyone could advise, a favourite, enormous soft toy has had its wing torn nearly off. The material is thinnish slightly stretchy velvety stuff. The hole is bigger than the material that is left as the edges have retracted.
any thoughts as to best approach, stitch, should I patch?

a lot will depend on how much the fabric frays.

Don't worry about the hole being bigger, as you stitch it up it should stretch back together.
If no fabric is missing, then you can stitch the raw edges together

I'd glue a patch of similar fabric underneath to strengthen it and then try to sew up so the under fabric is almost invisible.

I would patch.
Stabilise the rip with cross stitches over the gap. Maybe put a small piece of some matching felt inside to hold the edges together. Get some nice satin polyester ribbon to patch over and do little, even stitches along the edge. Make a feature of it. Maybe add similar on the other side to match if symmetry is needed.

Oh thank you, I forgot I’d started the thread & fell asleep!
I don’t think it needs to be an invisible mend, I am very worried that the material will fray, especially as I will have to pull it together.
Felt or a bit of velvet under might be good. I have visions of not sewing it evenly & ending up with lots of material left at one side. Maybe I should go from both sides to meet in the middle. Would running a bit for glue round under the edge help it to not fray do you think?

I love mumsnet for this stuff, my mum can’t really advise much any more.

The Bear Ladies on The Repair Shop often stabilise delicate fabric with felt. I think it will definitely be necessary on this case as it has to take the weight of the wing.

I'd be tempted to find the "stuffing point" and unstitch & unstuff so that I could access the damaged bit and repair the ripped part without the stuffing stretching the fabric. Then I'd reattach the wing and re stuff. I've made a few soft toys before though so it's something I'm fairly confident with!

Oh that’s an interesting idea. I haven’t started yet as I haven’t all the things I still need to get a bit of felt.
I’m now eyeing it up & I think little fingers have been in nicking stuffing so it’s not so tight.