project // kawaii felt pierogi stuffie

If you've been watching any of the Winter Olympics, you may have spotted Team Poland with their giant stuffed pierogi with a face. They even presented one to Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg! I'm here with a pattern to make a much smaller, felt version in the Wild Olive style.

The original stuffed pierogi was made by a shop called Luft, where folks with disabilities learn to made these adorable plush. Sadly, they don't ship outside of Poland and they are completely sold out right now anyway (good for them!).



After talking with my friend Kristin, we decided that we should each make our own versions. She made a giant one (including a version with legs ala Jellycat!), I made a small one, and then I also made a tiny pocket-sized pierogi.

I'd also like to add that if you were to make any of these with a deeper tan color, they would look more like an empanada, and I really like that idea.



Ready to make your own little Pierogi Pal?

Here's what you need:

• Creamy-colored felt (I used Benzie's Linen Wool Blend - affiliate link)
• Freezer paper
• Pen
• Scissors
• Iron
• Black embroidery floss
• Needle
• Pins
• Sewing machine (with cream thread!)
• 7mm safety eyes
• Stuffing
• Poly Pellets (optional)

DOWNLOAD THE PIEROGI PAL PATTERN



Trace the Pierogi Pal pattern onto the non-shiny side of the freezer paper. Cut the bottom edge on the line, but leave the rest of the pattern un-cut.

Fold your felt in half and iron the freezer paper to the felt with the cut edge of the template on the fold.



Cut out the doubled felt on the scalloped line.

I didn't pin mine when I did this, but it would help a bit as the felt did want to shift slightly. This resulted in some of the back scallops being off just a little. It doesn't really show, but I know it's there. Ha!

Poke holes through the middle of the marked eyes.



Embroider the mouth with six strands of black embroidery floss and back stitch.



Peel off the freezer paper, carefully tearing it away around the mouth.

Use the scissors to slightly enlarge the holes for the eyes. You don't want them too big. It's better to make them larger after you try and add the eyes.



Install the safety eyes. Remember that this are not child safe. If you are making this for a young child, you should just embroider the eyes (and skip the weighted filling).



Sew around the pierogi, leaving one end open for stuffing. I lined up the edge of my presser foot with the indents of the scallops as I sewed.



Add stuffing, working to fill the top of the pierogi and the far corner. Essentially along the seam, which will help keep the Poly Pellets away from the seam if you're using them.



Roll a piece of paper into a cone/funnel and use it to add Poly Pellets. You'll also need to work them down into the stuffie so you get enough in there to fill it out and give it some weight. Add as much weight and bulk as you want.

As with the eyes, you should skip the weighted filler if making this for a small child.



Add a bit more stuffing to help hold the Poly Pellets away from the seam.



Pin the opening and finish sewing the seam, following the same spacing as before.



You've got a cute little Pierogi Pal now!

The weighted filler makes it so that your pierogi will semi-sit. It's not fully upright, but not laying down either. It's super cute this way!



And then, of course, I made the little pocket version. Tiny is even cuter! This one I made with the Circles & Scallops deep-etch die from Benzie (affiliate link), which is so simple. But you can also just cut a circle with scallop scissors for the same effect. I used flat-back cabochons for the eyes on this one.

Wouldn't it make a fun pin, magnet, or ornament?

Which pierogi do you want to make? A pocket pierogi, a pierogi pal, or Kristin's giant pierogi plush?