Oh, sweet juicy strawberries! Of course the squirrels can’t resist them either! I designed this strawberry to accompany my Bushy Bandit Squirrel Plushie (pattern is being tested now and will release soon!). Of course you can make your strawberries for anything you’d like…including a zipper pull or key fob.
The finished strawberry is about 2 inches long and almost 2 inches wide.
This is a beginner friendly project and can be made from fabric scraps…bonus!
You Will Need:
- – Fat quarter or scraps of cotton, minky, etc. (several can be made from a fat quarter) I used cotton.
- – Poly-fil fiber filling
- – Notions: pins, thread, scissors, sewing needle, sewing machine, etc.
- – Key chain hardware (optional)
- – Strawberry templates (download them at the bottom of this page)
Step 1: Cut the pieces from fabric using the templates provided below.
Step 2: Draw the strawberry top on an over-sized piece of fabric and place it right sides together with another piece of fabric. Pin together.
Step 3: Sew directly over top of the drawn line…it is ok if you don’t sew over it perfectly!
Step 4: Trim away the excess fabric, leaving about a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Pull the fabric panels away from each other and cut a small slit in the middle of one of the fabric panels.
Step 5: Turn the top right side out, press with finger or iron.
Step 6: Topstitch around the edges.
Step 7: Baste stitch a stitch between the two ‘leave open’ notches on two mirrored strawberry panels. This will give you a guide when stitching it closed.
Step 8: Place two panels right sides together and pin in place
Step 9: Sew from the top tip to the bottom tip using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Only sew on one side of the panel. Repeat with the other two panels. Clip the curves to help with proper shape when stuffed. One set of panels will have the ‘leave open’ gap unsewn.
Step 10: Place the two panel sets right sides together and sew all the way around. Clip the curves.
Step 11: Turn Right side out. Stuff the strawberry to a medium-firm firmness. Use a ladder stitch to stitch the opening closed. Click here for a tutorial for the ladder stitch if you need guidance.
Step 12: Add the leaf top to the strawberry by ladder stitching only the inside panel of fabric on the leaf to the strawberry. Stitch around the middle of the leaf first.
Step 13: If you’d like to pull the tips of the leaf closer to the strawberry, stitch around the leaf again making sure to stitch close to the tip of the leaf. Tie off the thread and your strawberry is done!
Other than food for your squirrel…here’s an idea for your strawberry! Stitch a key chain to the top and use it as a key fob or zipper pul.
