Excited to share another food-inspired pillow project! I’ve been having a blast turning nostalgic treats into soft décor, and these circus animal cookie pillows are a playful throwback to a childhood favorite. They’re adorable, easy to make, and perfect for gifting or brightening a room.
DIY Circus Animal Cookie Pillows
Total Time: About 1 1/2 hours
Supplies
1/2 yard pink or white felt per pillow
1/4-inch pom poms in rainbow colors
Sewing machine (optional)
Hand-sewing needle and thread
Pins
Fabric scissors
Polyester stuffing
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Printable animal cracker templates (use as guide or freehand shapes)
Chalk or pencil for tracing
Directions
1. Print or draw your templates. If you want the large size shown here, print templates at 200% at a print shop or scale your own drawing to the desired size. Templates also work well as a guide if you prefer freehand shapes.
2. Trace each template twice onto felt, then cut both shape pieces out carefully.
3. Pin the two felt pieces together and stitch around the perimeter with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a three-inch gap at the bottom of one foot for turning and stuffing. You can sew by machine or by hand if you prefer.
4. Clip the seam allowance around inner curves so the edges sit smoothly once turned. Turn the sewn piece right side out.
5. Fill the pillow with polyester stuffing, pushing into all the small areas like trunks, legs, or horns so the shape looks finished.
6. Close the opening with an invisible slip stitch by hand for a neat seam.
7. Decorate by attaching pom poms with a dab of hot glue—place as many as you like to mimic the cookie’s frosting dots.
Photos by Kelly Mindell
These pillows are so simple you could make a whole collection. If you don’t sew, no-sew fabric glue is a workable alternative for assembling the pieces—just take care to let glue set fully before stuffing. If you’d like to learn sewing basics, consider trying a beginner series to build confidence for more projects.
p.s. Check out other playful projects for more inspiration!