QUESBO · CRAFTING TECHNIQUES · SQUISHIES & SLIME
A soft football, a champion’s crown and a little jersey full of personality. Sew your own cheerful GOAT and enjoy every satisfying squeeze.
With its smiling face, navy-and-gold kit and tiny stitched boots, The GOAT Football Champion Squishy brings match-day excitement to your sewing table. In sport, GOAT means “Greatest Of All Time” — a playful name for a handmade champion with a very big smile.
This practical version uses two rounded fleece panels, dry polyester stuffing and securely sewn textile details. The black patches suggest a football, while the blue jersey, soft crown and flat star medal give the character its champion look. There is also an optional little stuffed football to make alongside it.
The result has a soft, cushion-like squeeze: the fleece folds comfortably and the filling recovers as you release it. Its outline is a rounded pillow rather than a geometrically panelled football. This method does not produce the delayed rise of commercial foam squishies, and it needs no balloon, liquid filling or water beads.
Allow extra time for the optional ball and embroidered lettering. Ages 8+ describes participation with adult help, not a tested toy rating. The images are photorealistic illustrations; follow the measured templates and written steps for construction.
Gather your champion’s colours
Short-pile fleece gives the main body a soft touch without hiding the face. Choose thin, flexible felt for the details: thick layers can make an otherwise soft character feel rigid. Place the colours together in daylight before cutting.
- Ivory or cream fleece: approximately 45 × 50 cm for the body, hands and optional little football.
- Navy fleece: approximately 25 × 45 cm for the jersey and sleeve details.
- Black fleece: approximately 20 × 20 cm for the soft boots. Use black felt scraps for the football patches, eyes and smile.
- Gold felt: approximately 15 × 10 cm for the soft crown and flat medal. Add pink felt scraps for cheeks, and navy felt for the star motifs.
- Thread: matching all-purpose sewing thread; gold, ivory, white and pink embroidery thread for trim, lettering, laces and tiny face details.
- Filling: a small bag of dry polyester toy stuffing. Judge fullness by feel, using loose pinches rather than a tightly compressed handful.
- Tools: suitable hand-sewing needles, fabric scissors, small scissors, fabric clips, a ruler, paper and a fabric marker tested on an offcut. A blunt turning tool and thimble are helpful.
Understand the pattern before cutting
The cream front and back are two matching circles. Their edges join directly, with no side strip or gusset. A navy overlay forms the lower part of each circle; its curved outer edge is caught in the body seam and its straight upper edge is sewn flat to the cream backing.
The body, arm and boot templates include a 6 mm seam allowance. Do not add another allowance. Felt appliqués are cut to their finished outline, while the crown includes its marked attachment area. Keep every pattern mark visible until the corresponding piece has been sewn.
| Piece | Cut or prepare |
|---|---|
| Body | 2 complete cream fleece circles, 20 cm diameter. Use the half-template on the fold. |
| Jersey | 2 navy fleece lower-circle segments, 8 cm high and approximately 19.6 cm across. Their straight upper edge sits 12 cm below the body’s top. |
| Arms & sleeves | 4 cream arm pieces, each 3.5 × 6 cm with a 3 cm-wide base; 4 navy sleeve overlays covering the 3 cm nearest that base. Make 2 arms. |
| Boots & socks | 4 black boot pieces, each 4.5 × 6.5 cm with a 3 cm-wide base; 4 navy sock overlays, 3 × 2.5 cm. Make 2 boots. |
| Soft crown | 2 gold felt pieces: crown 7 × 4 cm plus a centred 4 × 1 cm attachment tab, giving 7 × 5 cm overall. |
| Football patches | 6 black felt pentagons, each fitting within a 3 cm-diameter circle. Use 3 on the front and 3 on the back. |
| Face | 2 black felt eyes, 1.4 cm diameter; 2 pink cheeks, 1.2 cm diameter; 1 black smile, 2.2 × 1.2 cm. Embroider white eye highlights and an optional pink tongue. |
| Medal & stars | 1 gold felt medal, 2.2 cm diameter; 2 navy felt stars, each 1.2 cm across, for the medal and crown. |
| Trim & lettering | Embroidered gold jersey and cuff lines, gold lace bars, cream “THE GOAT” and optional gold number 10. No separate long felt strips or loose laces. |
| Optional little ball | 2 cream fleece circles, 7 cm diameter, with 6 black felt pentagons fitting 1.2 cm-diameter circles. |
All placement measurements refer to the flat template, measured from its top-left corner, before the body is filled. Use the PDF’s placement guides to transfer centres and attachment marks; do not try to measure over the curved finished character.
Three stitches that make the difference
Practise on two offcuts first. Thread the needle with about 40–45 cm of thread, knot one end and keep the tail manageable. A shorter length tangles less. At the end of a seam, take two small securing stitches, pass the needle through the last loop and tuck the end beneath nearby stitches before trimming.
- Backstitch for strong seams and lettering. Bring the needle up a short distance ahead, take it back into the end of the previous stitch, then bring it up ahead again. Work in small, even 2–3 mm stitches. The line should lie smoothly without gathering the fleece.
- Whipstitch for felt details. Bring the needle up beside the felt edge, then take a small diagonal stitch over the edge into the fabric underneath. Continue around the whole shape, catching each corner. Pull just enough to hold the felt flat.
- Ladder stitch for the final opening. Fold both raw edges inward on the seam line. Take a small stitch inside one fold, cross to the other fold and repeat. Gently draw the thread every few stitches so the folded edges meet without a ridge.
For embroidery, separate two strands from a length of embroidery thread and thread them together. If your fabric or thread needs a different needle, choose one that passes through without forcing it. Test the gold trim on a scrap before working on the jersey.
Make your football champion, step by step
STEP 01
Print and check the templates
Print the A4 PDF at 100% or Actual Size, with “Fit to page” switched off. Measure the 20 mm calibration square with a ruler. Cut the paper templates accurately, keeping the printed attachment and turning-gap marks. The body and jersey are half-templates used on a fabric fold; their straight fold edges are not seams.
Check: the body half-template measures 10 cm from fold to widest point and 20 cm from top to bottom.
STEP 02
Prepare the fabric without stretching it
Identify the right side of each fleece and smooth it with your hands. Keep the pile direction consistent on matching pieces. Test your marking tool on an offcut and follow its removal instructions. Fold the cream fabric with right sides together and enough room for the body half-template. Use clips or small pattern weights to hold it; do not pull the fabric tight or press it with a hot iron.
Check: the fold lies flat and the fabric underneath has no hidden wrinkle.
STEP 03
Cut the body and jersey overlays
Place the body template’s straight edge exactly on the cream fold. Cut only around its curved edge, then unfold to reveal one complete 20 cm circle. Repeat for the second circle. Cut two navy jersey segments using their fold template. Lay each navy piece over the lower part of a cream circle: the upper edge sits 12 cm below the top and the outer curves match. Keep the cream underneath intact.
Check: you have two complete cream circles and two matching navy overlays.
STEP 04
Cut, sort and mark the smaller pieces
Cut the arms, sleeves, boots, socks, crown and felt decorations from the cutting list. Pair the matching pieces and place them in small labelled groups. Mark the front body’s top, bottom and centre, then transfer the decoration positions. Stack the two body circles right sides together and transfer the arm, boot, crown and turning-gap marks to both. This keeps the asymmetric opening aligned; do not mark an identical left-hand opening on both panels when viewing them separately from the right side.
Check: the 6 cm turning opening is on the front panel’s lower-left side, clear of all attachment tabs.
STEP 05
Sew the jersey to each cream panel
Clip one navy overlay to the right side of each cream circle. Sew its straight upper edge to the cream with small whipstitches, keeping both layers smooth. Baste the outer curve about 3 mm from the cut edge; these temporary stitches will sit inside the final seam allowance. Work through the navy and cream together. Do not join the front and back body panels yet.
Check: both jersey necklines are level and the navy curves meet the cream edges without stretching.
STEP 06
Add the football patches
Place three black pentagons on each cream panel, centred at (10, 3), (4, 6.5) and (16, 6.5) cm on the full body guide. Point one corner upward. Sew around every edge with matching thread, adding a small stitch through each corner. The 3 cm measurement is the diameter of the circle enclosing each pentagon, not the length of each edge.
Check: all six patches lie flat and remain clear of the body seam.
STEP 07
Give your champion bright stitched eyes
On the front only, position the two 1.4 cm black felt eyes at the marked centres: 7.3 cm and 12.7 cm across, both 9.1 cm down. Secure each whole circumference with small black stitches. Add a tiny white highlight using two or three short overlapping embroidery stitches. Secure the ends on the back of the panel, keeping knots small and tidy.
Check: the eyes are level, with secure edges and no hard plastic fittings.
STEP 08
Finish the smile and rosy cheeks
Centre the pink cheeks at (5.5, 10.7) and (14.5, 10.7) cm. Place the 2.2 × 1.2 cm black smile with its top-left corner at (8.9, 10.1) cm. Whipstitch each shape completely around its edge. If you like, embroider a tiny pink tongue inside the smile using several short, closely spaced stitches. Keep the face clear of the jersey neckline.
Check: the smile sits below the eyes and above the navy fabric, without crowding either.
STEP 09
Embroider the gold jersey trim
Mark two light horizontal guides on each jersey at 12.4 cm and 15.8 cm down the full body template. Backstitch along them in gold thread, stopping at the 6 mm body seam line on both sides. For a stronger stripe, sew a second parallel row 2 mm away. Keep the stitches relaxed so the jersey remains flexible; there is no need for a thick felt strip.
Check: the gold lines are straight on the flat panels and do not pull the fabric into gathers.
STEP 10
Add “THE GOAT” and number 10
Use the PDF lettering reference or lightly draw simple block capitals on the front jersey. The illustrations use the shorter word “GOAT”; either version fits the same 7 cm-wide lettering area. “THE GOAT” is approximately 7 cm wide and 0.8 cm high, centred across the body with its baseline 14.7 cm down. Embroider it in cream thread. Add a gold “10”, about 1.6 × 1.3 cm, centred 13 cm across with its top 16.4 cm down. Use small backstitches through both fabric layers.
Check: the lettering fits between the trims and the number leaves space for the medal. Both details are optional.
STEP 11
Sew a soft star medal
Stitch one 1.2 cm navy felt star to the centre of the 2.2 cm gold felt medal. Position the completed circle at (9.5, 17.3) cm on the front jersey. Sew its entire circumference through the navy and cream layers. Keep every star point secure. This flat appliqué gives the medal effect while preserving the soft squeeze.
Check: there is no hanging neck ribbon, chain, loop or hard medal.
STEP 12
Make the flexible champion’s crown
Sew the remaining navy star to the front gold crown piece, using the marked position. Put the two felt crown layers together with their decorated faces outward. Sew 1–2 mm inside the outer edges, following all three softly rounded points. Keep the centred 4 cm-wide, 1 cm-deep attachment tab flat. The crown needs no stuffing, wire or rigid insert.
Check: both layers agree at the points and the tab remains easy to bend into the body seam.
STEP 13
Prepare the four sleeve-and-hand panels
Lay a navy sleeve overlay on the right side of each cream arm piece, matching the straight base and side edges. The navy covers the 3 cm nearest the base; the cream rounded end becomes the hand. Sew the sleeve’s straight cuff edge to the cream, then baste its outer edges within 3 mm of the cut line. Embroider a gold cuff stripe 2 mm above the sleeve edge.
Check: all four sleeves are at the same height, ready to make two matching arms.
STEP 14
Sew, turn and lightly fill the arms
Pair the arm pieces right sides together, with the sleeve decorations inside. Backstitch 6 mm from the edge around each rounded hand and along both sides, leaving the straight base open. Turn carefully through that base, easing the curve with a blunt tool. Add a few loose pinches of stuffing to the hand and sleeve. Leave the final 1 cm next to the raw base empty and flat.
Check: both arms bend easily and each has a clear, unstuffed attachment tab.
STEP 15
Prepare the socks and embroidered laces
On each black boot piece, align a 3 × 2.5 cm navy sock overlay with the straight base of the leg. Sew its lower edge and baste the sides. Add a gold stripe 2 mm above the sock’s lower edge. Choose two panels as the boot fronts; on those only, embroider three short gold lace bars around 4.3, 4.8 and 5.3 cm below the raw base.
Check: the laces are flat stitches, with no loose cord or tied loops.
STEP 16
Sew the soft boots
Pair each laced boot front with a plain boot back, right sides together. Sew around the sides and rounded toe with a 6 mm seam, leaving the straight base open. Ease each boot right side out through the base. Add small wisps of stuffing to round the toe, then a little to the leg. Keep the final 1 cm of the base empty and flat.
Check: both toes look similar. The symmetrical pattern needs no separate sole and no left- or right-foot shaping.
STEP 17
Arrange the five attachments
Lay the decorated body front right side up. Match the crown tab’s centre to the top mark, each arm tab to a side mark and the boot tabs to their lower marks. The boots attach about 5.8 cm and 14.2 cm across, both 19.1 cm down. Rotate each boot base to follow the local curve rather than keeping it horizontal. Check the front-facing laces will face the same way as the body’s face after turning.
Check: the marked turning gap stays completely clear.
STEP 18
Baste every tab with the padded end inward
Fold each attachment into the body circle: hands, toes and crown points all point towards the centre. The crown’s star and the boots’ laces face down against the decorated front panel. Match the middle of each raw tab edge to its body mark and ease the shallow curve across it. Baste 3 mm from the body’s cut edge. If tab corners project 1–2 mm, trim only those protruding corners flush after basting. Keep the whole 1 cm tab area flat.
Check: the final curved seam, 6 mm from the body edge, will cross the full width of all five tabs.
STEP 19
Join the front and back body panels
Place the back panel right side down on the front, matching the top, bottom and jersey edges. All decorations and attachments are now inside the sandwich. Clip the circle and sew 6 mm from its edge, starting at one turning-gap mark and stopping at the other. Backstitch at both ends. Reinforce across each attachment tab with a second pass along the same seam line.
Check: no hand, toe or crown point has been caught accidentally in another part of the seam.
STEP 20
Turn the shell and inspect the joins
Remove every clip and any temporary pin. Ease the shell through the 6 cm side opening a little at a time; do not pull hard on a limb or crown. Smooth the circular seam with your fingers and free any trapped fleece fibres. Inspect all attachment joins from the outside while the body is still empty. Correct a missed tab edge or twisted limb now.
Check: the face and laced boot fronts are visible together, and each attachment feels securely sewn.
STEP 21
Fill for softness rather than firmness
Tease the dry stuffing apart into loose wisps. Feed small amounts through the opening, distributing them around the upper curve and lower jersey before filling the centre. Massage gently with your fingers to break up dense lumps. Stop regularly to squeeze the body between both palms. It should compress easily; adding more stuffing after that point usually makes it harder, not more satisfying.
Check: the body is softly rounded and the seam opening closes without needing to pull the edges together forcefully.
STEP 22
Close the opening with ladder stitch
Tuck stray filling inside and fold both raw edges inward by 6 mm, following the existing seam. Take alternating small stitches inside the opposing folds, about 3 mm long. Draw the thread gently after every few stitches so the edges meet. Continue into the closed seam by a few stitches, secure the thread and hide its end within the fabric before trimming.
Check: the opening is fully closed, with no stuffing showing and no large loops catching the fleece.
STEP 23
Decorate the optional little football
Cut two 7 cm cream fleece circles and six small black felt pentagons using the optional templates. On each circle, place the pentagon centres at (3.5, 1.6), (1.8, 4.1) and (5.2, 4.1) cm, measured from its 7 cm bounding box’s top-left corner. Keep them clear of the 6 mm outer seam. Sew around all their edges with small black stitches. This accessory follows the same soft two-panel idea as the main body, so expect a rounded mini cushion rather than a rigid sphere.
Check: all six tiny patches are firmly sewn before the ball panels are joined.
STEP 24
Sew, stuff and close the little football
Place its circles right sides together. Mark a 3 cm opening measured along the seam, then backstitch the remaining curve 6 mm from the edge. Turn through the opening with care. Add a little loose stuffing, keeping the ball easy to compress, and close the folded edges with ladder stitch. Leave it as a separate soft accessory to place beside your champion.
Check: the seam is closed all the way around; there is no button, magnet or detachable fastening.
STEP 25
Give everything a gentle squeeze test
Support the body in both hands, press gently and release. Check the face, patch corners, medal, crown base and all four limb joins. Look for gaps, broken thread or loose loops, and repair them before further handling. Count your tools and needles, remove remaining basting where it shows and trim only secured thread ends.
Check: no needle, pin or clip remains in the project, and the body still feels comfortable to squeeze.
STEP 26
Shape your champion and enjoy the result
Massage the filling gently into an even outline, smooth the jersey and arrange the soft crown and boots. For display, rest the character against a cushion or another stable support; it is not designed to stand unsupported. Place the little football alongside it, then admire the details you have sewn — especially the neat gold trim and smiling face.
Finished: a soft football champion with a personal handmade character, ready for gentle handling and a place on your craft shelf.
Three beautiful match-day palettes
Keep the cream football, dark patches and smiling face recognisable, then change the jersey, sleeves and sock colours together. A repeated accent colour makes the separate pieces look like one coordinated kit.
Classic navy & gold
Deep navy fleece, ivory body fabric and warm gold thread create the original champion look. Use a gold felt crown, navy star and black boots. The contrast makes the face and little medal especially clear.
Claret & gold
Replace the navy kit with rich claret, keeping the ivory body and black football patches. Keep the navy felt stars shown in the example, with gold trim and cream lettering. This is a lovely choice for a warm, vintage sporting feel.
Forest green & gold
Choose a deep forest-green jersey and sleeves, with ivory lettering and gold trim. Keep the crown soft gold with a navy star, and use a green star on the medal. Repeat the gold stripes on the sleeves and socks for a coordinated finish.
For a personalised gift, embroider a short name or favourite number in the marked jersey area. Sketch the lettering at its actual size first. A simple, well-spaced word usually looks neater than several lines squeezed into the available space.
Small adjustments for a better finish
| What you notice | What to try |
|---|---|
| The body feels hard | Remove some filling through the opening before closing it. Tease the remainder into loose wisps and distribute them around the shell. The sides should give easily when pressed. |
| The face or jersey puckers | The appliqué thread may be too tight, or one fabric layer may have stretched. Unpick the affected stitches, smooth both layers flat and resew with gentler tension. |
| An arm or boot sits unevenly | Check its attachment marks while the body is still unfilled. Correct the basting or seam before adding stuffing; extra filling will not fix a tab sewn in the wrong position. |
| The crown folds forward | A soft felt crown is naturally flexible. Smooth its two layers and check that its whole attachment area is securely caught. Display the character resting against a cushion; do not add wire or a hard insert. |
| The closing seam is visible | Fold both edges on the same seam line and take smaller ladder stitches inside the folds. Pull gradually, then tease trapped fleece fibres free with your fingers. |
| The football patches look uneven | Return to the flat placement guide before sewing. The patches are decorative motifs rather than a complete football panel system; even spacing and secure corners matter more than covering every gap. |
| A felt corner lifts | Add a few small stitches through that corner and the backing. Secure the thread on the inside when possible. A lifted corner should be repaired before more handling. |
Keep your champion soft and tidy
Handle the body with clean hands and squeeze gently through the middle. Avoid pulling the crown, arms, boots or small appliqués. Before each use, look for loose threads, an opening seam or a decoration beginning to lift; set the character aside for repair if you find damage.
Spot-clean small marks with a slightly damp cloth and a little mild soap suitable for the fabrics. Test a hidden area first, avoid saturating the filling, then let the character air-dry fully. Follow the care directions for your materials. Do not assume that the assembled handmade piece is machine washable simply because one fabric is washable.
Store it somewhere dry, away from direct heat. The optional little football is a separate decorative accessory: keep it with the finished project and away from children who might put it in their mouths. This is a home craft, not a safety-tested manufactured toy.
Pattern notes and further reading
This original measured sewing adaptation is inspired by Quesbo’s The GOAT character. The pattern has been digitally drafted and reviewed, but has not been physically prototyped. Use the written directions and printable templates for construction; fabric and filling affect the final shape. The images are photorealistic illustrations.
For general technique references, see Sewing.org: Hand Stitches, BERNINA WeAllSew: Sewing with Fleece and Fairfield: Fibre Filling Care. The character dimensions and assembly sequence are specific to this project.
