QUESBO · CRAFTING TECHNIQUES · SQUISHIES & SLIME
Meet Confetti: a little birthday present with a generous pink bow, a party hat and a wonderfully soft squeeze.
Blue fleece becomes the gift box, pink felt becomes the ribbon, and a scattering of colourful stitched dots gives this cheerful character its name. This detailed tutorial shows you how to make the rounded body, fit its side panel, add soft limbs and finish the bow and hat with care.
The finished feel: Confetti is a softly filled fabric squishy, with the gentle compression of a small cushion. It can be squeezed and reshaped by hand; it does not have the slow-rise action of a commercial foam squishy. Keeping the filling loose and the seams relaxed is the secret to its softness.
The bow and hat add height. Time varies with experience and decoration; cutting, decorating and assembly make three manageable sessions.
Gather your birthday-making supplies
- Blue short-pile fleece: approximately 75 × 50 cm, enough for two body panels and one long side strip. Choose soft, flexible fleece with modest stretch.
- Pink fleece: approximately 25 × 25 cm for the arms and feet.
- Soft pink felt: approximately 25 × 25 cm for the ribbon, bow, knot band and cheeks. Flexible felt around 1 mm thick is easier to shape than stiff craft sheets.
- Felt scraps: yellow and purple for the hat; black for eyes and mouth; several bright colours for confetti dots.
- Polyester toy stuffing: a small bag, added in teased-apart wisps. How much you use depends on its loft and the softness you prefer.
- Sewing kit: matching all-purpose thread, embroidery thread for the face, suitable hand-sewing needles, fabric scissors, small scissors, fabric clips and a blunt turning tool.
- Pattern kit: paper, ruler, tape measure, pencil, compass, protractor and a fabric marker tested on a scrap first.
The measured pattern
These are cutting sizes. The blue body, blue side strip and pink fleece limbs include a 1 cm seam allowance. Felt decorations are cut to their finished outlines and attached on top. Do not add another allowance.
| Piece | Cut or prepare |
|---|---|
| Body front and back | 2 blue squares, 20 × 20 cm, each with corners rounded to a 4 cm radius. The seam line sits 1 cm inside the edge. |
| Side panel, or gusset | 1 blue strip, 68.9 × 8 cm. Its ends join with a 1 cm seam to make a loop about 66.9 cm around. |
| Front ribbon | 1 pink felt strip, 20 × 3 cm. |
| Top ribbon patch | 1 pink felt rectangle, 8 × 3 cm. |
| Arms | 4 pink fleece pieces, 7 × 5 cm, each with a rounded end and a straight base; pair them to make 2 arms. |
| Feet | 4 pink fleece pieces, 6.5 × 5.5 cm, each with a rounded end and a straight base; pair them to make 2 feet. |
| Face | 2 black felt eyes, 1.6 cm diameter; 2 pink cheeks, 1.2 cm diameter; 1 black smile, about 2.5 × 1.5 cm. |
| Confetti | 12–16 felt circles, approximately 1 cm across, in three or four colours. |
| Bow and knot | 1 pink felt strip, 20 × 5 cm; 1 knot band, 7 × 2 cm. |
| Party hat | 1 yellow felt circular sector with radius 6 cm and angle 150°; 1 yellow base circle, 5 cm diameter, trimmed to fit. |
| Hat trim | 1 purple strip, 16 × 1 cm, trimmed to fit. Optional: a flat purple tip dot about 1 cm across. |
The finished body seam line is an 18 cm rounded square with 3 cm corner radii. Its perimeter is about 66.9 cm: this is the measurement the gusset must fit. Measuring around the larger cut edge would make the side strip too long.
Practise three useful stitches
Use a thread length of about 40–45 cm to reduce tangling. Try each stitch on scraps before starting the character.
- Backstitch joins the body. Bring the needle up one short stitch ahead, go back into the previous stitch's end, then emerge ahead again. Make a continuous line of roughly 2–3 mm stitches, without pulling the fleece tight.
- Whipstitch attaches felt. Bring the needle up near the decoration's edge, then take a small diagonal stitch over that edge into the fabric below. Repeat evenly around the shape.
- Ladder stitch closes the opening. Fold both raw edges in along their marked seam lines. Alternate small stitches inside one folded edge and then the other. Gently draw the thread together every few stitches, hiding the little horizontal bridges.
Hide knots on the reverse or beneath the decoration. A few long, loose stitches will not hold as reliably as a neat row of small ones.
Make Confetti, step by step
In this guide, the right side is the side of the fleece you want to see on the finished character. The wrong side faces the filling. Body seams are sewn with right sides together, then turned out.
STEP 01
Draw the rounded body template
Draw a 20 cm square. At each corner, mark a point 4 cm in from both adjoining edges. Use that point as the centre of a 4 cm radius quarter-circle, rounding the corner inside the square. Cut the paper outline.
Draw a second line 1 cm inside the outline: this is your sewing line, an 18 cm rounded square with 3 cm corner radii. Mark the midpoint of each straight side.
Check: The template measures 20 cm across its widest part; all four corners match.
STEP 02
Cut the blue pieces without stretching them
Lay the fleece flat and trace two body panels. Keep the pile direction consistent, particularly if the fabric looks different when brushed upwards. Cut the long gusset strip with its length along the direction with the least stretch.
Mark the seam lines and side midpoints on the wrong sides. Label the top of the front panel with a removable marker or a clip.
Check: Both panels match, and the gusset is 68.9 × 8 cm before joining.
STEP 03
Add the pink front ribbon
Lay the front panel right side up. Centre the 3 cm wide ribbon vertically, with its ends reaching the top and bottom cut edges. Clip it flat without stretching the fleece underneath.
Whipstitch down both long edges using pink thread. The short ends will be caught in the body seams later. This is a soft appliqué ribbon motif; it should not tighten or cinch the body.
Check: The ribbon is straight, centred and flat, with no ripples beneath it.
STEP 04
Arrange the face and confetti dots
Place one eye on each side of the ribbon, with their centres about 6 cm apart. Position the smile across the ribbon below them and place the cheeks beside it. Move the pieces until the expression feels balanced.
Scatter the dots around the face, leaving visible blue space. Keep all decoration clear of the outer 1 cm seam allowance. Photograph the arrangement before lifting the loose pieces.
Check: Nothing sits on a seam line, and the eyes remain the strongest dark shapes.
STEP 05
Embroider the highlights and little smile
Add a few white stitches to each black eye for a tiny highlight. Work these on the loose eye pieces so the knots stay hidden behind them. A small patch of pink stitching inside the lower mouth suggests a tongue.
Keep the thread flat and secure. Use embroidered details rather than raised beads, sequins or hard plastic eyes.
Check: No thread tails or loose loops remain on the front of a feature.
STEP 06
Sew every decoration onto the flat front
Return the face and dots to your arrangement. Attach each piece with small matching whipstitches around its full edge, catching the fleece underneath. Sew the mouth through the ribbon and front panel.
Support the fabric beside the stitch line with your free hand, keeping your fingers clear of the needle's path. Secure knots on the wrong side. Brush over the finished appliqué to find any edges that need another stitch.
Check: Every dot and facial feature stays flat when touched gently.
STEP 07
Cut the arms and rounded feet
Draw the arm and foot shapes within their measured rectangles, keeping one end straight and the opposite end broadly rounded. Avoid narrow wrists or toes, which are difficult to turn. Mark the 1 cm seam allowance.
Cut four of each shape. Pair matching pieces with right sides facing. The straight base remains open and becomes the attachment tab.
Check: You have two arm pairs and two foot pairs with matching outlines.
STEP 08
Sew, turn and lightly fill the limbs
Backstitch around each pair's sides and rounded end, following the 1 cm line. Leave its straight base open. Trim bulky curved allowances carefully, staying at least 3 mm from the stitches, then turn through the open base.
Add a small pinch of filling to the rounded end. Leave the bottom 1 cm completely flat and empty. The exposed arms will be approximately 5 × 3 cm and the feet 4.5 × 3.5 cm after their tabs are enclosed.
Check: The limbs feel soft, and each has an unstuffed tab that can lie flat.
STEP 09
Baste the limbs facing towards the smile
Lay the front right side up. Place an arm at each side midpoint, with its open base aligned to the body's cut edge and its rounded end pointing inwards over the decorated face.
Position the foot bases along the bottom straight edge, centred 7 cm and 13 cm from the panel's left cut edge. Point their rounded ends upwards into the body. Baste the tabs about 5 mm from the cut edge; the final 1 cm seam will secure them.
Check: Rounded ends point inward; only flat tab fabric crosses the sewing line.
STEP 10
Join the gusset into a loop
Bring the short ends of the blue strip together with right sides facing. Backstitch 1 cm from the ends and secure the thread. Open the allowances with your fingers so the join lies as flat as possible.
The loop should measure about 66.9 cm around. Designate this join as the bottom centre of the gift body. Fit the loop to the panel's seam line; do not lengthen it to match the larger cut edge.
Check: The loop lies smoothly and is not twisted.
STEP 11
Mark quarters and add the top ribbon
Starting at the gusset join, mark its quarters around the loop: approximately 16.7 cm apart. The mark opposite the join is the top centre; the other two marks are the side centres. Mark both long edges.
Centre the 8 × 3 cm pink patch across the right side of the gusset at its top mark. Its 8 cm length runs across the strip's width. Sew its long edges down; its short ends will enter the front and back seams.
Check: The patch is opposite the bottom join and will meet the front ribbon at the top.
STEP 12
Fit the gusset around the decorated front
Place the gusset's right side against the front's right side, enclosing the inward-pointing limbs. Match bottom, top and side midpoint marks first, then add clips between them. Align the seam lines as you work around each curve.
If the gusset allowance resists a curve, make small snips 5–7 mm deep in that allowance only, stopping at least 3 mm before the sewing line. Backstitch around the full front, without stretching either layer. At each limb, sew through the front, both tab layers and gusset; reinforce the attachment.
Check: All four tabs are caught securely, and the padded limb ends remain free inside.
STEP 13
Attach the back, leaving a turning gap
Keep the body wrong side out. Match the back panel's midpoint marks to the free gusset edge, right sides together. Clip the entire edge and distribute the fabric smoothly around the rounded corners. Where needed, snip this second gusset allowance 5–7 mm deep to ease the curves, stopping at least 3 mm before the seam line.
Mark an 8 cm opening centred on the bottom back edge. Begin at one end, sew the long way around the other three sides, and stop at the other end. Secure both ends of the seam firmly.
Check: The only open section is the planned bottom-back gap; no loose limb is trapped in a back seam.
STEP 14
Tidy the curves and turn Confetti out
If a curved panel allowance is bulky, remove a few small V-shaped notches from the allowance, keeping at least 3 mm away from the stitching. Do not notch through limb tabs or trim away the folded edges needed at the opening.
Remove every clip or pin before gently drawing the body through the gap. Ease the corners with your fingers or a blunt tool. The face, ribbon and limbs should now face outwards. Check the empty shell before filling it.
Check: The seams are closed, the side panel is untwisted and the limbs project correctly.
STEP 15
Build the satisfying soft centre
Separate the filling into small wisps. Feed a little through the bottom opening and gently distribute it into the far corners first. Continue around the sides, then add a loose, even layer through the centre.
Pause to squeeze the body in both hands. It should compress comfortably and regain its shape with a little smoothing. If the face becomes a tight dome or the seam edges pull apart, remove some filling.
Check: The rounded box shape is visible, but the middle still yields easily.
STEP 16
Close the bottom with ladder stitch
Clear filling away from the opening and fold both raw edges in by 1 cm, following the marked lines. Clip the folds so the gap continues the neighbouring seam smoothly.
Ladder-stitch across, alternating small bites of fabric inside the folds. Draw the thread gently after a few stitches; do not pull the opening into a pucker. Secure the final knot and bury the thread tail.
Check: The opening is closed without visible filling or a hard, pinched ridge.
STEP 17
Fold the generous pink bow
Lay the 20 × 5 cm felt strip flat. Fold both short ends towards the middle so they overlap by about 1 cm, creating a looped rectangle approximately 9.5 cm wide. Stitch the overlapping ends together.
Pinch the centre into soft folds. Wrap the 2 cm wide knot band around it, trimming the length to leave a small overlap on the back. Sew the band closed and secure it to the bow so it cannot slide.
Check: Both loops are balanced and the centre band holds them without flattening them completely.
STEP 18
Make the little soft party hat
Bring the straight sides of the yellow sector together to form a cone. Overlap them by about 1 cm at the base, tapering the overlap towards the tip. Stitch the overlap securely. Add a few small felt dots if desired.
Trim the yellow base circle to fit the cone, add a little stuffing, then whipstitch the base closed. Wrap the purple strip around the bottom, trimming to a neat overlap, and sew it in place. An optional flat purple dot can be sewn securely over the tip.
Check: The hat is soft, its base is closed and its trim cannot slide off.
STEP 19
Attach the bow and hat after assembly
Position the bow over the top ribbon patch, slightly to one side so the hat can sit beside it. Secure the bow's knot and the underside of each loop with several small stitches into the fleece. Hide the knots beneath the bow.
Sew around the hat's base with small surface stitches. Catch the fleece shell rather than driving the needle through to the opposite side of the body. Add reinforcement where either decoration rocks when touched.
Check: Bow and hat stay in place when nudged lightly; no attachment relies on one long stitch.
STEP 20
Shape, inspect and enjoy the first squeeze
Smooth the filling towards the corners and straighten the bow loops. Press the body gently, supporting it in both hands rather than pulling the limbs. A softly rounded finish looks more natural than a rigid, sharply packed box.
Inspect the body seams, dots, face, limbs, bow and hat. Repair loose stitching before use, then remove all clips, needles and stray threads.
Check: Confetti feels soft and balanced, with secure seams and no exposed filling.
Three beautiful colour stories
Keep the same body pattern and construction, then change the fleece and felt colours. Choose dots that contrast with the body without overwhelming the face.
Classic birthday Confetti
Pair sky-blue fleece with a warm pink ribbon and bow. A yellow hat with purple trim completes the reference-inspired character. Use pink, yellow and lavender dots, leaving plenty of blue between them.
Lavender and mint celebration
Choose lavender fleece, a mint ribbon and matching bow. Add a pink hat with cream trim, pink cheeks and a few mint, cream and pink dots. Keep the black felt eyes and white highlights so the smile stays clear.
Peach and raspberry surprise
Use soft peach fleece with a raspberry ribbon and bow. Add a warm yellow hat with lilac trim, then scatter cream and pink dots. The richer bow colour gives this version a lovely gift-ready finish.
Small fixes for a more polished result
| What you notice | What to adjust |
|---|---|
| The gusset seems too long | Check the 1 cm seam lines, quarter marks and end join. Fit it to the panel's sewing line, not its cut perimeter. Do not stretch the panel to force a match. |
| A corner puckers | Before turning, ease the layers and check whether the gusset allowance needs a small snip. Keep every cut clear of the seam stitches. |
| The body feels firm | Remove some filling before closing. If necessary, an adult can reopen part of the ladder seam, adjust the stuffing and resew it securely. |
| The middle looks lumpy | Pull filling into smaller wisps and redistribute it. Dense handfuls produce bumps that extra stuffing will not disguise. |
| A limb points the wrong way | Check during the empty-shell inspection. An adult can unpick that short seam, reposition the tab and resew it before filling. |
| The bow or hat wobbles | Add several short attachment stitches around its contact area. Avoid tightening one central stitch until it dents the body. |
Keep Confetti looking lovely
Lift and squeeze the body gently; avoid tugging the bow, hat or limbs. Store the character somewhere clean and dry. Check seams and decorations regularly, and repair loose details before further handling.
Test a barely damp cloth on a hidden patch before dabbing a mark. Follow the care instructions for your particular fleece, felt, threads and filling; do not assume the whole combination is machine-washable. Let it dry completely before storage.
AI-generated photorealistic illustrations are visual references, not scale patterns; decorative finishes may vary. Follow the written measurements and seam instructions for construction.
About the illustrations and sewing technique
This tutorial adapts the Confetti gift character into a sewn, dry-filled fleece project. The images are AI-generated photorealistic illustrations, rather than photographs of a tested physical sample. Use the measured pattern and written directions for construction.
For further reading on matching quarter marks and fitting a side panel around curves, see the American Sewing Guild’s Gabbing About Gussets. Confetti’s measurements and decoration instructions are specific to this tutorial.
