QUESBO · CRAFTING TECHNIQUES · SQUISHIES & SLIME
A golden crust, colourful felt toppings and the happiest little smile. Sew a pizza pal that looks full of character and feels lovely to squeeze.
This detailed project turns simple felt shapes into a round, softly stuffed pizza with a raised crust, a wavy cheese layer and neatly stitched toppings. Make the classic pepperoni character, try a colourful veggie version, or create a ham-and-pineapple pizza with a personality of its own.
What you are making: a fabric plush squishy with a cushion-like squeeze. The filling compresses gently and can be reshaped by hand; this is not a slow-rising foam squishy. The centre and crust have separate sewn compartments, so the pizza stays flatter in the middle and fuller around the edge.
Time is an estimate and depends on sewing experience and the number of toppings. Split the project into cutting, decorating and assembly sessions if you prefer.
Set up your little felt pizzeria
- Golden-tan felt: two pieces at least 25 × 25 cm for the body, plus scraps for optional arms and feet. A standard A4 sheet is only 21 cm wide and is too narrow for the 22 cm body pattern.
- Red felt: one 18 × 18 cm piece for sauce, plus scraps for pepperoni. Yellow felt: one 17 × 17 cm piece for cheese.
- Small scraps: cream, green, black and pink felt for toppings and face. Choose soft, flexible felt around 1 mm thick; thick, stiff or adhesive-backed sheets make the finished pizza harder to squeeze.
- Loose polyester toy stuffing: have a small bag available. Add it in small pinches; the amount needed depends on its loft. The centre needs less than you might expect.
- Thread and sewing tools: embroidery thread in matching colours, a suitable hand-sewing needle, scissors, fabric clips, a washable fabric marker and a blunt-ended tool for moving stuffing.
- Pattern tools: paper, ruler, pencil and a compass, or circular household objects whose diameters you have measured.
Your measured pattern pieces
All measurements below are cutting sizes. The felt edges stay visible and are stitched with the finished sides facing out. Do not add seam allowance, and do not turn the body inside out. The 17 cm circle is a seam guide, not a separate felt piece.
| Piece | Cut or mark |
|---|---|
| Body | 2 golden-tan circles, each 22 cm diameter. |
| Centre seam | Mark a 17 cm diameter circle on the front body piece. Leave a marked 4 cm opening along this line at the top. |
| Sauce | 1 red circle, 16 cm diameter, with a gently irregular edge. |
| Cheese | 1 yellow circle with broad shallow waves, contained within a 14.5 cm diameter outline. |
| Pepperoni | 3 red circles, each 3 cm diameter. |
| Mushrooms | 2–3 cream silhouettes, about 3 × 2.8 cm each; cut each cap and stem as one shape. |
| Green pepper | 3 curved strips, about 3 × 0.8 cm each. |
| Olive rings | 3 black circles, 1.6 cm across, each with a 6 mm centre hole. |
| Face | 2 black eyes, 1.2 cm diameter; 2 pink cheeks, 1 cm diameter; 1 black semicircle mouth, about 2 × 1.2 cm. |
| Optional arms | 4 golden pieces, each about 4.5 × 3 cm, with a rounded mitten end and a straight base. Pair them to make 2 arms. |
| Optional feet | 4 golden pieces, each about 4 × 3.5 cm, with a rounded end and a straight base. Pair them to make 2 feet. |
For circular patterns, set the compass radius to half the diameter: 11 cm for the body, 8.5 cm for the centre seam, 8 cm for sauce and 7.25 cm for cheese. Draw a 22 cm circle across two joined sheets if your paper is A4.
Three stitches, one lovely finish
Practise on two scraps first. Use a manageable length of thread, about 40–45 cm. Two or three strands of embroidery thread work well; choose a needle that passes through the felt without forcing it.
- Whipstitch for appliqué: bring the needle up close to the edge of a topping, then take a small diagonal stitch over its edge into the cheese beneath. Repeat around the shape, keeping the thread snug rather than tight.
- Backstitch for the inner circle: come up one short stitch ahead, put the needle back into the previous stitch's end, then come up ahead again. Aim for a continuous line of roughly 2–3 mm stitches through both body discs.
- Blanket stitch for the outside edge: hide the starting knot between the layers. Sew through both layers about 4 mm from the cut edge, leave a small loop, and pass the needle through that loop before drawing it gently closed. Repeat at roughly 3–4 mm intervals.
Secure each thread with a small knot on the hidden side. Where possible, run the tail through the felt or between layers before trimming it. Avoid long loose loops, which can catch during squeezing.
Make your pizza, step by step
The order matters: decorate the flat front first, sew and fill the centre second, then stuff and close the crust. This keeps the sewing accessible and makes the filling easier to control.
STEP 01
Draw the four circular templates
Draw the 22 cm body circle and mark its centre. Make separate 17 cm, 16 cm and 14.5 cm paper circles. Write the diameter and purpose on each one so the seam guide cannot be mistaken for a cutting template.
Draw the optional arms and feet on scrap paper. Keep their shapes broad and simple, with a straight base for attaching them to the pizza.
Check before moving on: Your body template measures 22 cm all the way across through its centre.
STEP 02
Cut two matching golden body discs
Trace the large template onto the golden-tan felt twice. Cut just inside the marker line, turning the felt gradually rather than taking sharp angular snips. Stack the discs and tidy any noticeably mismatched edges.
Choose one disc as the front. Keep the second disc aside while you add the decoration.
Check before moving on: The discs align without stretching either piece.
STEP 03
Mark the centre compartment
Centre the 17 cm paper circle on the front disc. There should be a 2.5 cm margin between the guide and the outside edge all the way around. Lightly trace the guide with a fabric marker tested on a scrap first.
At the top, mark two points about 4 cm apart along the circular line. The short arc between them must stay unsewn when you first join the discs. Do not cut a hole or slit in the felt.
Check before moving on: You have one complete circular guide and a clearly marked top opening.
STEP 04
Shape the sauce and melted cheese
Cut the red sauce using the 16 cm template. Trim tiny irregularities around its edge for a natural handmade outline. Cut the cheese within its 14.5 cm template, giving it broad, shallow waves to suggest melted cheese.
Stack the yellow cheese on the sauce. A narrow red border should remain visible. Avoid long thin drips: rounded waves are easier to sew and less likely to catch.
Check before moving on: Both layers fit comfortably inside the 17 cm seam guide.
STEP 05
Cut your little pizza toppings
Cut three pepperoni discs, the cream mushroom silhouettes and the curved green pepper strips. For each olive, an adult can carefully fold a black disc and snip a small central opening, then refine it into a ring.
Cut the face pieces last. Use stitched felt eyes rather than hard beads or buttons. Keep the toppings flat and single-layered so the pizza remains flexible.
Check before moving on: Every topping has enough width around its edges to take small stitches.
STEP 06
Give the pizza a friendly expression
Lay the cheese on the table and place the eyes about 4 cm apart, measured centre to centre. Position the mouth centrally below them and the cheeks beside the smile. Arrange the toppings around this clear face area.
Balance the colours without covering every gap. Leave a little clear yellow felt around the cheese edge. Take a quick photograph of your arrangement, then remove the loose pieces before sewing.
Check before moving on: The smile is easy to see and the cheese outline is still clear.
STEP 07
Embroider the tiny finishing details
Use a few short cream stitches on each pepperoni circle to suggest pale speckles. Add a curved brown line under each mushroom cap and one short stem line. Stitch a small white highlight onto each black felt eye.
A couple of pink stitches across the lower inside of the black mouth can suggest a tongue. Secure the knots on the back of each small piece. Keep details simple enough to remain readable at this scale.
Check before moving on: All decorative threads are secured on the reverse with no dangling loops.
STEP 08
Sew the face and toppings onto the cheese
Return the pieces to your chosen arrangement. Hold one at a time with your fingers or a small fabric clip and sew around it with matching whipstitches. Catch the yellow felt beneath with every stitch.
For the olive rings, stitch around both the outside edge and the inside hole. Attach the cheeks and mouth all around their edges as well. Keep your free hand away from the needle's path, and keep knots on the back.
Check before moving on: A gentle brush across the cheese does not lift any loose topping edge.
STEP 09
Stitch cheese to sauce
Centre the decorated cheese on the red sauce. Sew around the wavy yellow edge with small matching stitches, passing through the cheese and sauce only. Follow each shallow dip instead of pulling a straight thread across it.
Lay the piece flat periodically. If an edge puckers, ease the last few stitches before continuing. There is no filling between the decorative layers.
Check before moving on: The cheese lies flat and the red sauce remains visible around it.
STEP 10
Attach the finished pizza face to the front
Place the decorated sauce disc on the golden front. Centre it inside the marked inner circle, leaving about 5 mm of golden felt between the sauce edge and the seam guide.
Sew all around the red edge through the sauce and golden front. Keep the back body disc completely separate at this stage. Finish with the thread knot hidden behind the front disc.
Check before moving on: The circular seam guide is clear and the second golden disc is still unattached.
STEP 11
Make the optional little arms and feet
Pair the arm pieces with their finished sides facing out. Blanket-stitch around the rounded ends and side edges, leaving the straight base open. Add just a pinch of stuffing, then keep the bottom 1 cm flat and empty as an attachment tab. Repeat for the feet.
These are simple soft mittens and rounded feet, not fingered hands or separate shoes. Set them aside for the outer seam. You can also leave the limbs off for a simpler pizza cushion.
Check before moving on: Each limb has a flexible, unstuffed 1 cm tab ready to tuck into the body seam.
STEP 12
Sew the inner circle — leave the outside open
Place the decorated front on the back disc with the finished sides facing out. Align the outer edges and clip them together. The decorations face you.
Backstitch through both body discs along the 17 cm guide. Start at one top mark and travel the long way around the circle to the other top mark. Leave the marked 4 cm arc unsewn. The entire outside perimeter must still be open.
Check before moving on: The centre is enclosed by a circular seam except for its 4 cm opening; the outer golden ring remains open and flat.
STEP 13
Fill the centre with soft, small pinches
At the top of the pizza, lift the still-open outer edges. Reach between the discs, across the empty golden rim and through the gap in the inner seam. Feed small wisps of stuffing into the central pocket.
Tease each pinch apart before adding it. Spread it gently towards the far side with fingers or a blunt tool, then work back towards the opening. Aim for a shallow, softly padded centre. The decorated face should lift gently without becoming a tight dome.
Check before moving on: The centre compresses easily and the opening meets without pulling.
STEP 14
Close the centre opening
Move loose filling away from the 4 cm gap. Align the marked line on both sides and complete it with the same small backstitches. Secure the thread between the body layers.
Massage the filling gently through the felt to remove lumps. You now have a fully enclosed central cushion surrounded by an empty golden ring.
Check before moving on: There is no gap in the inner circle and no white filling caught in its stitches.
STEP 15
Build a puffy crust as you close the edge
Start at the bottom. Place a few teased-apart pinches of stuffing directly between the open outer edges, filling a short section of the golden ring. Bring the cut edges together and blanket-stitch that section closed. Work around the pizza in short sections of about 3–4 cm.
Keep the crust a little fuller than the centre, but never so tight that the felt strains. Before closing the side sections, tuck the arm tabs about 1 cm between the discs at roughly 3 and 9 o'clock. Position the feet near 5 and 7 o'clock. Their rounded ends point outwards.
Sew through the front, both tab layers and the back wherever a limb joins. An adult should reinforce each attachment with small backstitches across its width. Continue filling and stitching the rim, then close the last section with filling tucked clear of the edge.
Check before moving on: The outer seam has even stitches, the crust feels soft and each limb is held firmly in the seam.
STEP 16
Shape, inspect and enjoy the first gentle squeeze
Roll the crust lightly between your fingers to distribute the filling. Press the centre softly with your palm, then reshape it. Smooth any unevenness rather than pulling on the toppings or limbs.
Check the whole perimeter and inner seam, and gently test every decoration and attachment. Remove every clip, needle and loose thread. If filling shows or a detail lifts, repair it before handling the finished pizza.
Check before moving on: The body feels soft, the seams stay closed and every decoration is securely stitched.
Three beautiful pizzas to make your own
Use the same body and compartment method for all three. Plan each topping arrangement before stitching and leave a clear space for the face. All toppings are sewn in place.
1. The classic pizza pal
Use warm golden felt, rich red sauce and butter-yellow cheese. Arrange three pepperoni discs around the face, then add two or three cream mushrooms, three olives and curved green peppers. Tiny cream stitches on the pepperoni make the red shapes feel finished without adding bulk.
2. The veggie garden pizza
Replace the pepperoni with extra mushrooms and green pepper curves. Add a few red felt tomato circles or semicircles, about 2.5 cm across, with tiny cream seed stitches. Mix light and dark green for depth, and use the black olive rings sparingly so they do not compete with the eyes.
3. Ham-and-pineapple sunshine
Cut pink ham into rounded squares about 2–2.5 cm across. Add golden-yellow pineapple wedges about 2 cm long; make their colour slightly deeper than the cheese so they stand out. A few darker yellow stitches suggest pineapple texture. Keep the same rosy cheeks and friendly smile.
Small details that make the finish feel special
- Choose a restrained palette. Warm tan, tomato red and soft yellow create a convincing pizza base. Let the green, cream and black toppings provide the contrast.
- Let the stitching belong to the design. Neat matching stitches look more polished than large, tightly pulled thread. Keep the spacing consistent rather than rushing.
- Leave some cheese showing. Empty space around the face makes the character easier to read.
- Keep the profile shallow. A gently padded centre and slightly fuller crust resemble a pizza more closely than a round stuffed ball.
- Photograph it simply. Use soft window light, an uncluttered cream background and a small red checked cloth. A close-up of the stitching shows the handmade texture.
If something does not look quite right
| What you notice | What to adjust |
|---|---|
| The pizza feels hard | There is probably too much filling. Before closing, remove a little. If already finished, an adult can open a short seam, adjust the filling and resew it securely. |
| The crust looks lumpy | Use smaller, teased-apart pinches. Redistribute them before closing the next section, and gently massage the finished rim. |
| The cheese puckers | The appliqué thread may be too tight. Ease or resew the affected stitches while the layer is still accessible; keep it flat as you work. |
| Filling shows at the edge | Move stray tufts away, reduce overfilling and resew the gap with closer stitches. Stop handling the craft until the seam is closed. |
| The body looks like a ball | Remove some centre filling. Keep its pocket softly padded, then make the crust slightly fuller. |
| A topping or limb lifts | Resew its edge or reinforce its tab attachment. Do not rely on a dab of glue to repair a seam that is under strain. |
Keep your pizza pal looking lovely
Support the body when picking it up and squeeze gently. Avoid pulling the arms, feet or toppings. Store it somewhere clean and dry, away from pets and children who may mouth it.
For marks, test a barely damp cloth on an inconspicuous area, then dab gently. Follow the care instructions for your particular felt, thread and filling; do not assume the finished combination is machine-washable. Let it dry thoroughly before storing. An adult should check the seams regularly and repair any loose stitching before further use.
Stitch references and making notes
This Quesbo design uses measured felt appliqué and soft-cushion construction. The instructions describe a handmade result; finished proportions will vary with felt thickness, stitch tension and stuffing.
- Made to Sew: a demonstration of blanket stitch on two felt layers.
- Wee Folk Art: an example of a sewn inner circle and stuffed felt pizza crust. That separate project uses a rigid insert; this tutorial uses a softly filled centre and permanently stitched toppings.
Illustrations show the materials, appearance and making sequence. Use the measurements and written instructions for the exact cutting sizes, seam positions and assembly order.
