Jellycat toys are easy to love and surprisingly easy to sew from, because almost every one is a soft rounded body, a few felt features and a pair of skinny corduroy limbs. That makes them friendly territory for anyone with a sewing machine and a fleece sweatsuit. Below are thirty characters, from the bunnies and bears to the smiling Amuseables foods, each worked out as a full costume with the base outfit, headpiece, face, props and shoes. Most start from pajamas, joggers or a thrifted hoodie, and only a handful need foam. I've flagged where padding gets hot, where ears flop and which builds suit kids better than adults.
Fleece, Felt and Foam Do Different Jobs
Nearly every costume below uses the same three materials, and they are not interchangeable. Fleece is the body. It stretches, it doesn't fray, and you can cut it raw without hemming, which is why I build almost every base from a fleece sweatsuit. Its weak spot is pilling, so iron nothing directly on it; a hot iron melts the pile flat.
Felt is for the features: bellies, seeds, beaks, crowns. Craft felt is thin and stretches out of shape if you pull it, so for anything that has to hold a point, such as Jack's crown or the dragon spines, I either double it or fuse lightweight interfacing between two layers. Glue alone is the most common failure. Felt glued to fleece lifts at the edges after an hour of movement, so stitch the edges, even with a quick running stitch by hand.
Foam gives shape to the flat Amuseables panels. Thin craft foam bends easily and is fine for a sun or a slice of toast. Thicker EVA foam holds a curve and survives being bumped, but it's warmer to wear and stiffer to sit in. Either way, cover foam with a thin layer of batting before the fabric goes on and the costume reads as soft and stuffed instead of cut out of a board.
1. Bashful Bunny Jellycat Costume
Bashful Bunny lives or dies by the ears. Start with a beige, blush or pale gray sweatshirt and joggers, then stitch an oval of lighter fleece to the front for the belly. For the ears I cut faux fur for the backs and pale pink felt for the fronts, and I sew a strip of craft foam between the layers only along the bottom third, so they droop at the tips the way the toy's do instead of standing up like a hare's. Hand-stitch them to a fabric-covered headband rather than gluing; fur pile resists hot glue. A pink nose, a few whisker dots, fuzzy mittens and matching socks with soft slip-ons finish it.
2. Bartholomew Bear Jellycat Costume
Caramel brown is the whole story for Bartholomew Bear, so match your browns before you buy anything. A fleece onesie is simplest, but an oversized sweater with joggers gives the slouchy proportions better. Add a cream belly with felt or fabric tape if you want it removable, and small round ears on a headband instead of a hot hood. Soft brown eyeshadow, a rounded dark nose and a few freckles are enough on the face. Brown mittens become paws, a little honey-colored bucket carries the candy, and cream socks with brown slippers sit right at the bottom. Size up one full size; the bear should look a little lost in his clothes.
3. Amuseables Peanut Jellycat Costume
Peanut is a two-panel job, and it's one of the quickest sews here. Over a tan sweatshirt and pants, cut front and back peanut shapes from quilted fabric or foam-backed felt. I quilt a loose crosshatch straight through the layers on the machine, which reads as shell texture and also stops the panels from flapping. Join them at the shoulders and leave the sides open below the ribs so your stride isn't pinched. You can sew a smiling face on the front or just wear rosy cheeks yourself. Brown gloves, cord-covered arm tubes, black tights and rounded black shoes stand in for the toy's little corduroy feet.
4. Ricky Rain Frog Jellycat Costume
Ricky Rain Frog is famous for looking thoroughly unimpressed, and that flat stare is what people recognise, not the green. Go big on the body with an oversized green hoodie and loose pants, then add a pale green belly panel stuffed lightly with batting. Foam eyes on the hood should be wide and set close together with half-closed lids painted across the top. On your face, keep the green to the cheeks and draw a short straight mouth. Felt fingertips on green mittens make webbed hands, and a paper raindrop or small cloud nods to the name. Green sneakers keep it practical on a damp night.
5. Fergus Frog Jellycat Costume
Fergus Frog is the lanky one, so this build is about length rather than padding. Fitted olive leggings and a long-sleeve top go under a lighter sleeveless tunic with only a gently padded belly. I'd add long green gloves and leg warmers to stretch the limbs, then sew small webbed felt cuffs at the wrists and ankles where they won't cover your hands or catch on shoes. A close cap with raised fabric eyes gives the frog head. Muted olive eyeshadow, a rounded nose and a small thoughtful mouth match his vintage look. Flats or slip-on sneakers and a tiny fabric lily pad finish him off.
6. Timmy Turtle Jellycat Costume
Timmy Turtle's grumpiness is half the fun. Use a forest-green sweatshirt and joggers with a beige fleece belly, and build the shell as its own piece. A round backpack is my favorite base because the straps are already comfortable and it carries the candy; cover it in brown fabric and stitch on soft geometric markings. EVA foam or cardboard works too, but cardboard goes soggy if the night turns wet. A green beanie with two fabric eyes makes the head, and a straight mouth with lowered brows does the expression. Green gloves, shoe covers and steady sneakers below. For photos, cross your arms and frown.
7. Smudge Elephant Jellycat Costume
Smudge should look floppy and a bit sleepy. A pale gray hoodie, loose fleece pants and a lighter belly patch get you most of the way, and I lengthen the sleeves with a fleece tube so the hands disappear the way the toy's limbs do. The ears are the part that fails: felt alone droops flat against the head, so back each ear with thin foam and sew it to the hood along a long seam, not a single point. Hang a light stuffed trunk from the headpiece or on elastic over the nose. Gray eyeshadow, pink cheeks, gray mittens, foot covers over flat sneakers and a small cloud prop suit his dreamy mood.
8. Fuddlewuddle Lion Jellycat Costume
A Fuddlewuddle Lion is a basic golden sweatsuit until the mane goes on. Add a cream felt belly, then sew strips of shaggy faux fur around a hood, cap or wide headband. Cut fur from the back with a craft knife in short strokes so you slice the backing and not the pile, or you'll be finding hair for weeks. Set small rounded ears just above the mane so the fur doesn't swallow them, and keep the fur near your face short enough to see past. A brown nose, whisker dots, gold eyeshadow and bronzed cheeks handle the face. Fuzzy gloves, a tail with a darker tuft and brown sneakers or boot covers go last.
9. Dexter Dragon Jellycat Costume
Dexter Dragon is navy with burgundy spines and a red belly, and getting those three shades right matters more than any detail. Build on a navy fleece top with leggings or joggers. I sew the spines as stuffed fleece triangles into a strip and topstitch the strip down the hood and back, which is far sturdier than gluing each one on. Fabric wings on elastic loops across the shoulders leave your arms free. Small blue horns, blue eye makeup, red cheek accents and a few painted scales at the temples do the face. A long stuffed tail, blue gloves and navy sneakers with felt claws finish it; keep every point rounded.
10. Sky Dragon Jellycat Costume
Sky Dragon is the pastel cousin: icy blue sweatshirt and pants with a cream or lavender belly. Its rainbow spines take small fleece pieces in pink, yellow, mint and lilac. Fleece doesn't fray, so you can cut the spines raw and sew them straight into the back seam of a hooded top. Light fabric wings and a long blue tail with a colorful tip follow. Loose waves or tucked hair both work under the hood. Shimmery blue eyeshadow, a pearly highlight and a few tiny scales keep the face soft. Pale blue gloves and white sneakers finish it, and skip anything stiff in the wings if you'll be walking a parade.
11. Jellycat Jack Cat Costume
Jellycat Jack is the brand's black cat with a cream muzzle and paws and a little crown, and the crown is what tells people who he is. A black fleece jumpsuit, or a black sweatshirt with fitted pants, is the base. Add a cream belly, muzzle and paws, plus triangular ears with cream inners on a padded headband. I'd make the crown from two layers of felt with interfacing between them so it holds its points and doesn't sag forward by the end of the night. Eyeliner nose and whiskers, an optional cream mouth area, a flexible tail at the waistband, black gloves and sneakers. A small fabric tag pinned at the hip is a nice nod to the toy.
12. Peanut Penguin Jellycat Costume
Peanut Penguin is my pick for a cold night because the costume is mostly warm layers anyway. Black hoodie, black pants and a large white fleece belly from chest to waist. Sew short black wings along the outside of the sleeves, ending at the wrist so hands stay free for candy and doors. An orange felt beak with round eyes on the hood, or a simple penguin headband with black-and-white makeup, covers the head. Orange socks or felt shoe covers give the bright feet. Black mittens, a light blue cardboard ice block or a small plush fish, and nothing tight anywhere; he should look compact and soft.
13. Clyde Capybara Jellycat Costume
Clyde Capybara is the calmest costume on this list and among the easiest. A cocoa sweatshirt and joggers with a tan belly and muzzle panel make the body. The ears should be tiny and set low on the headband; set them high and the costume turns into a bear. A lightly padded cap broadens the head. On the face I'd keep it to a dark rounded nose, short whisker dots and warm brown shading on the cheeks. Brown gloves with felt claws, a short tail, brown slip-on sneakers and a handful of felt leaves. Then just look relaxed in every photo, which is Clyde's whole personality.
14. Amuseables Sun Jellycat Costume
You can spot an Amuseables Sun from across a room, which makes it a good one for a crowded party. A yellow sweatshirt with a skirt, pants or shorts over opaque tights forms the base. Cut a big circle with rounded rays from yellow foam or felt and wear it either as a front-and-back board on shoulder straps or as a smaller panel on the shirt. If the circle sits below your chin, skip the sewn face and let your own smile be the sun's. Golden eyeshadow and peach blush keep the makeup warm. Yellow gloves stand in for the little cord arms, and black tights with rounded black shoes give the skinny legs.
15. Amuseables Moon Jellycat Costume
The Moon is a crescent, and crescents are awkward to sit in. Over a gray long-sleeve top and leggings, cut the tunic from foam-backed silver fabric and keep the crescent narrower than you think; a fat curve jams against chair arms. Embroider or paint a sleepy face on the front, or give yourself silver eyeshadow and tiny painted lashes. A silver cap or pale gray wig blends into the costume. Thin gray cord arms on the crescent, dark tights and black flats echo the toy's simple limbs. Cloud hair clips or a light star garland are enough accessory, and a bit of reflective fabric catches porch lights.
16. Amuseables Cloud Jellycat Costume
The Cloud is the comfiest build here: a white sweatshirt and loose white pants with clusters of polyester-filled fabric circles around the torso. I keep the puffs on the front and sides only so you can lean back in a chair, and I sew each one down at its center as well as its edge so they don't twist around as you move. Two thin cord arms and a stitched smile go on the main panel. A high bun with white ribbon or a white beanie, pearly eyes, rosy cheeks, white gloves and clean white sneakers finish it. Short blue felt raindrops can hang from the hem, but keep them above the knee or they tangle in your legs.
17. Amuseables Rainbow Jellycat Costume
Color blocking does the work on the Rainbow. Over a pale blue top and leggings, build the arch from light foam covered in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple felt, with a white cloud at each end. Glue felt to foam with a fabric glue rather than hot glue, which leaves hard ridges that show through thin felt. Keep the whole arch above the knees. A rainbow headband or temporary pastel hair color brings color up near the face, and multicolored eyeliner with pink blush and a glossy lip is plenty. Thin cord arms at the sides, black tights and black sneakers. It scales down easily for kids.
18. Amuseables Boiled Egg Jellycat Costume
The Boiled Egg is about as cheap and quick as these get, and it's honestly funny in person. A white sweatshirt with white pants or a white tunic over leggings forms the base. Cut a slightly lopsided oval from white foam or quilted fabric; a perfect oval looks like a sign, while a wobbly one looks like an egg. Center a big yellow circle for the yolk and put the egg on shoulder straps front and back. Draw a small smile or wear yellow eye makeup with peach blush. Cord arms, black leggings, rounded black shoes and a yellow beret as a yolk hat. Keep the hem above the knee for stairs and sitting.
19. Amuseables Avocado Jellycat Costume
Avocado wants two greens and a brown pit. Over dark green leggings and a long-sleeve shirt, make a felt tunic in the avocado shape with a lighter green center and the pit over the stomach. I add a thin layer of batting just around the edge so the tunic puffs like a plush toy instead of lying flat. A green beanie, a low slick bun or leaf clips handle the hair, and soft green liner with warm brown eyeshadow and rosy cheeks does the face. Cord arms at the sides, black tights and black slip-ons finish it. For a child, sew the pit from fabric rather than thick foam so they can bend.
20. Amuseables Strawberry Jellycat Costume
Strawberry is a tapered red shape covered in seeds. A red dress, oversized sweatshirt or fleece poncho over red leggings is the base; if you sew the taper, check you can still take a full step in the hem. Cream felt seeds go on front and back, and I'd machine-stitch them through the center rather than glue them, because felt glued to fleece peels off by the second wear. A leafy green felt top sits on a headband, beret or hood, and curls, braids or tucked hair all work underneath. Red blush, green liner and a painted seed on each cheek, red gloves, black tights and shoes, plus a felt leaf bag for candy and keys.
21. Amuseables Watermelon Jellycat Costume
A watermelon slice reads clearly from a distance because pink, green and black seeds leave no room for confusion. Wear a pink sweatshirt with black leggings and build a semicircle panel from foam or quilted fabric with a green rind, a pale inner stripe and black felt seeds. Adjustable shoulder straps let it rest flat against your front. Pink eye makeup, fresh blush, a green headband and tiny black seed clips in short hair, braids or a ponytail tie it together. I pad only the pink center and leave the rind unpadded so the edge bends when you sit. Cord arms, black gloves and black sneakers. It earns its keep in a food group with the toast and egg.
22. Amuseables Coffee To Go Jellycat Costume
Coffee To Go is mostly closet basics: tan or brown pants and a cream long-sleeve shirt. The cup is a tapered tunic of flexible foam covered in white or kraft-colored fabric, wider at the top and narrowing toward the hem, with a wide brown felt sleeve around the middle and a small face. A round white hat with a raised rim plays the lid. Tuck your hair under it or wear a low ponytail. Warm brown eyeshadow, cream liner and peach blush keep it coordinated. Set the cord arms at the sides where they won't hit the cup's edge when you swing your arms. Brown tights, black shoes and a tote with felt coffee beans.
23. Amuseables Croissant Jellycat Costume
Golden quilted fabric already looks like pastry, so the Croissant is more cutting than inventing. Over a tan top and brown leggings, wrap a crescent-shaped padded tunic around the torso and stitch curved channels across it to show the layers; fabric paint works if you don't want to quilt. Keep the lower curve above your knees. A gold beret or a smooth rolled bun suits the head, and bronze eyeshadow with soft blush matches the toasted color. Thin brown cord arms and gloves, black tights and black flats or slip-ons. A plain paper bakery bag makes a good prop; leave any logo off so it stays about your costume.
24. Amuseables Toast Jellycat Costume
Toast is one you can make with almost no sewing. A cream sweatshirt and brown pants go under a square foam tunic with the top corners rounded off into that bread-slice shape. Cover it in tan felt and add a darker brown border for crust. A thin batting layer under the felt softens the foam's hard edge so it reads as a plush toy. Put a happy face near the center, then a tan beanie or a toast-shaped headband on top. Golden eyeshadow and warm pink blush, cord arms at the sides, black leggings and rounded shoes. A removable yellow felt butter pat on one corner is my favorite detail on the whole list.
25. Amuseables Marshmallows Duo Costume
The Marshmallows need two people, one in pale pink and one in ivory. Each wears a cylinder tunic of foam-backed fleece with openings for head, arms and legs. Sew the tube with the seam at the back and lightly pad only the sides; padding the front pushes the face panel out of shape. A small smiling face on each, matching beanies, rosy cheeks and cord-style arm cuffs keep them paired, with white or pink gloves. Both wear black leggings and rounded black sneakers. Stand shoulder to shoulder or link arms for photos the way the toys sit, and keep both tunics above the knee so you can still dance.
26. Amuseables Mushroom Jellycat Costume
The Mushroom is all about the cap. A cream tunic, beige leggings and matching gloves make the stalk. The cap is light foam covered in red, pink or rust fabric with cream spots, mounted on a wide headband or soft hat. Anything that sticks out from your head becomes a lever, so I add a thin elastic strap under the back of the hair to stop it tipping forward. Check you can still see the ground and the edge of a doorway. Two low braids or tucked hair suit it. Rosy blush, white liner dots, neutral lipstick, optional cord arms, black tights, black flats and a felt leaf bag.
27. Amuseables Pumpkin Jellycat Costume
The Pumpkin is festive without being scary, which matters for younger crowds. Over an orange sweatshirt and pants, sew curved darker-orange strips from shoulders to waist to make the ribs. Lightly stuff the sides of an orange tunic for roundness, but go easy; overstuffed pumpkins don't fit through a crowd or a car door. A brown felt stem and green leaf sit on a headband or orange beanie. Copper eyeshadow, peach blush and a painted smile keep the face soft. Orange gloves or cord arms, black leggings and black sneakers. A small green leaf-shaped bucket gives the candy somewhere to go.
28. Amuseables Cherry Duo Costume
The Cherry pair is a sweet one for two friends or siblings. Each person wears a round red fleece tunic over red or black leggings, lightly padded into a cherry shape, with a green felt stem rising from a headband. A shared leaf between the stems photographs nicely, so I attach it with a snap or a strip of hook-and-loop on each stem so it pulls apart the moment one of you heads for the snack table. Red blush, green liner and a glossy neutral lip on both. Red gloves, cord arm pieces, black tights and rounded black shoes, plus matching green treat bags.
29. Amuseables Cactus Jellycat Costume
A Cactus starts with a green hoodie and pants under a padded cactus tunic, and the arms are the tricky part. Make the two upward-curving side arms from lightly stuffed fabric and set them close to the body; wide arms clip every doorframe you walk through. For spines I use short lengths of white yarn knotted through the fabric, which look right and never scratch. A pink felt flower on the hood or headband, tucked hair, green liner, pink blush and a small smile. Green gloves carry the shape down the arms, and brown leggings or a short brown overskirt plays the pot. Black or brown sneakers are fine.
30. Amuseables Disco Ball Jellycat Costume
The Disco Ball is the sparkly party pick. Over a silver long-sleeve top and black leggings, make a round front-and-back shell of flexible foam and cover it in small squares of silver fabric, holographic paper or reflective tape. Leave a gap between the squares so the shell can flex, and expect paper to scuff by the end of the evening; fabric squares last longer. A silver bob wig, a metallic headband or a sleek ponytail goes on top. Silver eyeshadow, shimmery cheek highlight and a clean black liner shape on the face. Gray cord arms, black tights and rounded platform sneakers or flats, plus reflective wrist cuffs for a bit more shine.
Sewing Cord Arms and Legs That Dangle Like the Toys
Half the Amuseables have skinny brown or black corduroy arms and legs, and that one detail makes a sun or a croissant read as Jellycat instead of a generic food costume. You can fake the legs with black tights and rounded shoes, as most of these looks do, but the arms are worth sewing.
- Cut two strips of corduroy or brown fleece about 10 cm wide and as long as from your shoulder to mid-thigh.
- Fold each strip lengthwise, right sides together, and sew down the long edge and across one end. Turn it right side out with a safety pin or a chopstick.
- Stuff only the last few centimetres at the closed end with a little fiberfill so the hand has weight and swings. Leave the rest empty so the arm stays limp.
- Sew the open end into the side seam of the tunic, about where your own armpit sits, and tack it again a little lower so it hangs forward instead of flipping behind.
- Try the tunic on and walk around. If the arms slap your hands, shorten them; if they twist, add a second tack.
Keep them short for kids so nothing catches on a bike, a stair rail or a car door.
Fleece Runs Hot Once You're Indoors
A full fleece sweatsuit with a padded tunic on top is lovely at the curb in late October and overwhelming at a house party. If your night ends indoors, build the base from a cotton sweatshirt instead of fleece and save fleece for the visible pieces only. Make the belly panels and tunics removable with snaps or a few safety pins on the inside, so you can take off the bulky layer and still look like the character. Headbands with ears are much cooler than full hoods. For kids, I'd put a thin cotton layer next to the skin, because fleece against a sweaty neck itches fast and an itchy child pulls the whole costume off.
Most of these come out of the wash fine if you remove the felt features first or at least turn the garment inside out and use a cool cycle. Foam panels should never go in the machine; wipe them and store them flat so they don't crease.
Which Plush I'd Sew First
If you're new to costume sewing, start with the Toast, the Boiled Egg or Clyde Capybara; each is a sweatsuit and a panel or two, and you'll learn how fleece and felt behave before you tackle a crescent or a mane. The animals suit cold outdoor nights because they're built from warm layers, while the Amuseables foods are better at indoor parties and in groups, where a whole breakfast table of toast, egg and coffee is far funnier than any one of them alone. Scale padding and headpieces down for kids, keep every hem above the knee, and let the cord arms dangle. That little bit of floppiness is what makes it look like a Jellycat.
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