Gil No-Sew Pillow

When it's time for bed, tuck kids in with their favorite guppy friend, Gil! Print and trace our templates onto colored felt, glue the pieces together as instructed, and you've got a snugly keepsake for your child.

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Materials

• Two large light blue felt or fleece sheets
• 1 large tan or cream and blue felt square
• Small black, brown, green, and light green felt scraps
• Gil No-Sew Pillow Templates
• Fabric scissors (adults only)
• Black and white fabric paint (optional)
• Water-resistant fabric glue (Fabri-Tac or something similar)
• Pillow stuffing (cotton or polyester batting)

Directions

1. STEP 1: Getting Ready

   Prepare your work area by assembling all the craft items you'll need for making your pillow creation, then print out the Gil No-Sew Pillow Templates.

2. STEP 2: Cutting Out the Pieces

   Cut out the templates and trace them onto the appropriate color felt sheets as indicated. Cut the felt sheets along traced lines. TIPS FOR PARENTS: Either fleece or felt can be used to make these pillows, but felt works best, especially for the face details. Grown-ups should cut out the pieces, while your preschool helper assembles the face details using the full-color final pillow template as a guide.

3. STEP 3: Creating the Face

   Glue the head and body onto one of the bubbles. Attach the hair to the head.<br><br> Next, help your child apply the face details. A grown-up should apply the glue to and place the face pieces on the body panel. Apply light pressure to ensure the pieces stay in place. Fabri-Tac and similar products are quick-drying. For Gil's eyes' reflections, either draw them with white fabric paint or cut out two tiny circles from white felt. You may also choose to draw in the eyebrows and mouth or use felt.

4. STEP 4: Assembling the Pillow

   Once the eyes,nose and mouth have been glued down, glue on Gil's fin. Use light green scraps to add details to the fin.<br><br> Next, use several beads of glue between the front and back panel edges (the bubbles) and press the edges together until the glue takes (about a minute). Once the bottom of the body has dried, begin stuffing with batting and continue gluing the sides together. Try not to over-stuff the pillow, as this will make it difficult to glue the sides together. Keep gluing and pressing all the edges until the pillow is sealed on all sides. <br><br> Allow the pillow to dry before handing it over to its pint-sized owner!