Stitch your favorite emoji!
Sew a felt version of your favorite emoji using simple stitches, felt, thread, and stuffing to learn sewing basics and personal expression.
About this activity
Sew a felt version of your favorite emoji using simple stitches, felt, thread, and stuffing to learn sewing basics and personal expression.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Pick your favorite emoji and draw it big on a piece of paper.
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Step 2
Cut out the paper drawing to make a paper template.
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Step 3
Place the paper template on a felt sheet and trace around it with a fabric marker.
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Step 4
Cut out the felt face shape along your tracing.
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Step 5
Draw each facial feature like eyes mouth or eyebrows on scrap felt using your paper drawing as a guide.
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Step 6
Cut out each felt feature shape carefully with scissors.
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Step 7
Arrange the felt features on top of the felt face until you like the look.
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Step 8
Thread your needle with embroidery thread and tie a knot at the end.
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Step 9
Sew each felt feature onto the face piece using small running stitches.
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Step 10
Place a second felt circle behind the front face aligning the edges.
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Step 11
Sew around the edge with a running or blanket stitch leaving a small 2 inch opening.
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Step 12
Stuff the emoji through the opening until it looks puffy and even.
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Step 13
Finish sewing the opening closed and tie off the thread neatly.
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Step 14
Share your finished emoji on DIY.org by posting a photo and a short description of how you made it.
Fun facts
How do I stitch my favorite emoji?
To stitch your favorite emoji, choose a simple emoji and trace a template onto felt. Cut two matching felt shapes for front and back. Sew facial features onto the front using basic stitches (running, backstitch, or blanket) and small felt pieces. Place front and back together, sew around the edge with a whip or blanket stitch leaving a small opening. Lightly stuff with fiberfill, then finish stitching closed.
What materials do I need to stitch a felt emoji?
Materials: felt in desired colors (two pieces per emoji), embroidery floss or thread, a sewing needle with a large eye, stuffing (polyfill), scissors (blunt-tipped for young kids), fabric glue (optional), a washable marker or chalk for tracing, pins or clips, and a printed emoji template. Also consider a thimble, needle threader, and safety scissors for younger children.
What ages is stitching a felt emoji suitable for?
Sewing a felt emoji suits children roughly ages 5–6+ with close adult help for handling needles. Around 7–8 many kids can do simple stitches with supervision; ages 9+ often manage most steps independently and learn embroidery skills. Toddlers can still help by cutting felt shapes and stuffing. Always supervise needle use, choose blunt needles for younger sewers, and adjust complexity to each child’s ability.
What are the benefits and safety tips for sewing a felt emoji?
Benefits include improving fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, patience, and creative expression while making a keepsake. Safety tips: use blunt or plastic needles for younger kids, supervise all needle work, keep small parts away from very young children, and use child-safe scissors. Begin with larger, simple shapes and stitches, celebrate mistakes as learning, and let kids customize colors or add embellishments only when age-appropriate.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have felt, a fabric marker, or embroidery thread?
If felt isn't available use sturdy craft foam or cotton fabric backed with interfacing, trace your paper template with a pencil or tailor's chalk instead of a fabric marker, and substitute embroidery thread with double-stranded sewing thread or thin yarn when threading the needle.
My stitches keep coming loose or the felt features fall off—what should I do?
Tie a secure knot at the end of the thread before sewing, use small backstitches or a blanket stitch rather than long running stitches when attaching eyes and mouth, and trim excess thread to keep the features fixed to the felt face.
How can this project be adapted for different age groups?
For preschoolers use pre-cut felt shapes and fabric glue instead of sewing, for elementary-aged kids use large plastic embroidery needles and simple running stitches with supervision, and for older kids have them practice precise cutting, detailed embroidery, and a neat blanket stitch while stuffing through the 2 inch opening.
How can we personalize or extend the finished emoji?
Before closing the 2 inch opening embroider a name or add sequins to the facial features, insert a ribbon loop or keyring to make a zipper charm, or create a set of different-sized emojis and post the photos and a short description on DIY.org as instructed.