14 DIY Cat Plushies You Can Make Today (With Pictures)

Cat owners love screaming their affinity for cats from the rooftops. Whether they’re sharing pictures of their kitty on Instagram, buying the most beautiful cat-centric coffee table books, or displaying cat décor throughout their homes, there’s certainly no shortage of ways to exhibit one’s love of felines. However, if you both adore cats and enjoy a good craft project, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find some of the most adorable DIY cat plushie projects you can make yourself and add to your home’s cat décor.

The 14 DIY Cat Plushie Crafts

1. Pusheen Plush by Flying Mio

Pusheen is one of the most recognizable cat characters, and this beginner-friendly tutorial is fantastic for people who love this sweet little cartoon kitty. There is some sewing required, though it is very basic and done with a needle and thread, so it’s easily achievable, even for beginners. Interested crafters do need quite an arsenal of materials to make this Pusheen plushie, but they’re all affordable and easy to find at your local dollar store, making this project not only simple to complete but also cheap.

2. Felt Cat Plushie by Artsy Crafty Mom

This small felt cat plushie project is a relatively easy-to-complete DIY, thanks to the included template the creator offers for free on her website. Choose felt fabrics in colors you like, trace the patterns onto the fabric, and cut them out carefully. You’ll need some experience with a needle and thread to assemble your felt plushie, but it’s just basic stitches (e.g., back stitches, blanket stitches) that most beginners can handle. Stuff your kitty with whatever material you have on hand, like cotton or felt scraps.

3. Crochet Cat Plushie by Stitch by Fay

This adorable crocheted cat plushie is made with thick and soft chenille yarn, so it’s very light, cozy, and perfect for snuggling. Though the complete project is quite small, the exact size of your finished kitty will depend on the tension and materials you use. While this is a no-sew DIY, you do need some experience with crocheting to make sense of the instructions.

Please note that you must subscribe to the website’s exclusive content to access the pattern. It’s free to join and will provide access to many other adorable patterns for future projects.

4. Cute Kitty Softie by DIY Softies

While this cute kitty softie is a great beginner sewing project, it is best suited for people who know their way around a needle and thread. It is a purchasable pattern from Etsy, but it’s priced affordably and more than worth the cost. Your pattern PDFs will be emailed to you immediately after purchase and include very detailed, colored instructions to make the project as easy as possible. You can customize your kitty by choosing whatever fleece and thread colors you think will look nice.

5. Felt Tabby Cat by Lia Griffith

This felt tabby cat project is an adorable 3D felt plushie that stands independently, making it a great decorative piece for your shelves. The tutorial provides the pattern and gorgeous, colored instructions to follow to make your hand-sewn kitty. The final project is quite large and completely customizable if you don’t like the orange/brown combination provided by the original creator.

You do need to purchase a membership pass to access this tutorial from Lia Griffith, however, your membership will get you access to curated craft projects, live workshops, and more. You can choose between several membership options to find one that best suits your budget.

6. Weighted Cat Stuffie by Artsy Fartsy Mama

The weight of weighted stuffies can cue the effect of deep touch pressure (DTP), a firm tactile sensory input that can relax the nervous system. DTP mimics the sensation produced when someone is hugged or stroked. Therefore, a weighted stuffie can provide anxiety relief and create a calming effect.

This weighted cat stuffie project is relatively easy and is great for beginner sewers. The plush pattern is available from Teacup Lion, but the instructions for the weighted stuffie version are found on the Artsy Fartsy Mama webpage. The pattern is also available in several other animal options, including dog, fox, and wolf.

The key to making this project perfect for kids and adults with sensory issues is the Poly-Pellets. These stuffing beads are non-toxic and available in several weights, so it’s easy to find a weight that suits your needs. Unlike other common stuffing options, like rice or beans, the Poly-Pellets are totally washable, so keeping your plushie clean is easy.

7. Sock Kitten by Cute Bookstore

This adorable sock kitten DIY is a simple project you can do yourself or with your kids in an hour or two. You can use a sewing machine if you like or a needle and thread if it’s easier for you. The original creator attempted to use their sewing machine but preferred hand sewing instead. One thing I particularly liked about this craft is that the final product can only be as fun and funky as the sock you use to make it. Sure, you could use a plain black sock, but why be boring when there are so many cool sock patterns out there?

8. Wool Patchwork Cat by Purl Soho

This adorable wool patchwork cat is a great project for people who love the look of vintage stuffed animals. While it is a bit more advanced than some of the other projects on our list, it’s not so difficult that it’s inaccessible for people who consider themselves beginners. There are a lot of cuts you’ll need to make, but the free template makes it easy. The bag of dried lentils serves as a bean bag, giving this stuffie a bit of weight so it can sit nicely on your desk or shelf.

9. Mer-Kitty Plushie by Choly Knight

It doesn’t get any cuter than this sweet mermaid-kitty hybrid plushie. This project is definitely far more advanced than the others we’re sharing today, but it’s a great challenge for folks wanting to test their stuffie-making skills. However, all the instructions and templates you’ll need to complete this DIY are provided for you. There is a bit of customizability with the project as you can choose not only the type of fabric for your mer-kitty but also the colors. The creator recommends using a plush, stretchy fabric such as minky or felt for the best results.

10. Stuffed Terry Cat by Dollmaker

This cute, simple stuffed terry cat project is a quick, inexpensive project you can use with materials you probably already have in your home. If you have some spare towels taking up space in your linen closet, this is the perfect DIY to put them to good use. Ultimately, the color and softness of your plushie will depend upon the terry towel you use. You can further customize this project by choosing the eyes you’d like your kitty to have. Button eyes are great, but you can also sew eyes with thread if you prefer a more ‘sleepy’ look.

11. Unicorn Kitty Pillow Plushie by Choly Knight

Like the Mer-Kitty project above, this unicorn kitty plushie is a bit more of a challenge, but the end result is absolutely gorgeous. Again, you can choose the colors and type of fabric to customize your stuffie, though the creator recommends stretchy options like fleece or minky to give a more squat, round shape to your stuffie. Choly Knight provides full, in-color instructions and a printable template to make the project foolproof. However, you should have some experience with a sewing machine before attempting this DIY.

12. Booper the Cat by Fluffmonger

This sweet fleece kitty project requires some degree of experience with sewing, but it’s not as challenging as it might look at first glance. There are many ways you can customize your kitty. For example, opt for felt eyes and nose or satin stitch the nose and embroidery knot the eyes. You can even use glass eyes if your project isn’t intended for a child or plastic, kid-friendly safety noses and eyes if it is. Some clever crafters customized their projects by using other materials, like upcycled sweaters or polyester fleece.

13. Pastel Pusheen Plushie by Maqaroon

If you needed another Pusheen stuffie, how about this pretty pastel one? This sweet sock plushie is super easy to make with materials you probably already have in your home. It’s actually not dissimilar to other sock plushie projects we looked at today, with the exception of the Pusheen-style face and shape. Since there is no downloadable template available for this project, you’ll need to draw and cut out the face details yourself. Luckily, Pusheen’s face is pretty simple, so even the worst drawers should do just fine.

14. Kawaii Plush Cat by Let’s Make It Together

This super sweet kawaii-style plushie is a great project for folks who like a challenge. The original creator did not include links to printable templates, so you’ll have to hand-draw everything yourself. They also don’t provide written instructions or a voiceover for their YouTube tutorial, which may make this project difficult for some people, especially auditory learners. Thankfully, the video tutorial is pretty thorough, so visual learners shouldn’t have too much difficulty with this DIY.

Final Thoughts

There certainly is no shortage of plush cats available to purchase at your local department store or children’s toy stores. However, making your own allows you the creative freedom to customize your stuffie to your tastes and style. Additionally, there’s nothing quite as rewarding as making something by hand to show off and display in your home.

Featured Image Credit: jantsarik, Shutterstock