DIY Sherlock Gnomes Stuffed Pillow Characters (…templates included)

This post is sponsored by Paramount Pictures……however, all opinions and tutorials are mine and mine alone.

Oh my goodness you guys!  I have the most fun sewing project to share with you today (that doesn’t require much skill).  And it’s one that makes you happy just putting it together.  And then puts the widest smile on your face to see your little ones hugging and snuggling and playing with your little creations. Ahhhh…these projects are the best!

Gnomes.  They are the funniest little mythical creatures that have been popping up in gardens across the globe.  And I think that’s why the animated films about them are just so dang funny.  So when I was invited to participate in creating a project inspired by the newest Gnome movie, Sherlock Gnomes (which comes out March 23rd….yay!), I jumped right in!  Because come on….the characters are just so easy for the whole family to love!

Right away, I really wanted to create something that all my kids would get a kick out of! So, I made these Sherlock Gnomes Stuffed Pillow Characters that are easy to snuggle up with and watch your favorite movie with….but also double as darling stuffed toys!

And yes, there are many more hilarious little gnomes in the movie….but these are some of the main characters, and were REALLY fun to turn into stuffed pillows!

The whole premise of the movie is that after a string of garden gnome disappearances in London, Gnomeo & Juliet ask the legendary detective Sherlock Gnomes to solve the case of their missing friends and family.

If you want to watch the trailer, check it out here:

After I made the pillows….Ellie, Connor, Chloe, and Oliver all called dibs on which one they wanted.  Funny how that works out!  Oliver has been snatching up everyone’s gnome after the bigger kids go to school and has been having the funniest gnome parties with them all!  But it’s funny how Gnomeo is his FAVORITE and he calls him “my friend”.  We have watched the movie trailer a couple times and he has even seen me editing a few pictures on my computer….and each time he sees Gnomeo, he says, “hey, there’s MY FWIEND!!”  I can’t wait to take him to the real Sherlock Gnomes movie in a few weeks, so he can see his “FRIEND” in action on the big screen! Ha!  3-year-old’s are the best! ;)

At first my kiddos just thought they were stuffed toys, but once I told them they were actually more of a pillow and we could keep them in the media room for movie watching…..they got right into character for me! Haha!

So later that evening, we had to test them out with a real movie.  Success! :)

(And yes, there is a whole sectional behind that chaise lounge but these nutty kids always seem to cluster together around this chaise lounge when they watch movies!  I think it’s because it gets them even closer to the screen….even though it’s a huge projector screen.  Little nuts!)

Even though these are flatter like a pillow….they are still plenty plump.  And every piece of them is made from fleece….so they are very snuggly and soft.

I really love sewing for my kids (or anyone’s kids, really)…..so I loved being invited to celebrate the release of Sherlock Gnomes, because coming up with these cutie-pie gnome (plus frog) characters was a lot of fun!  Can’t you see your kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews loving them too?!?!

The hardest part is trying to decide which one to make.  But one might get lonely….so you better make at least two.  And if you’re going to make two, why not make all four!!  They really are pretty simple to make and are more of a beginner (who wants a small challenge) type of project!  And hey, you may already have all the supplies on hand like I did! :)

Okay, enough chatting…let’s get sewing…

SHERLOCK GNOMES Stuffed Pillow SUPPLIES:

• Fleece fabric (in a variety of colors)
• Fusible Adhesive (Buy it HERE.  And more about what it is HERE.)
• buttons, trim, and thread
• Fiber Fill Stuffing (HERE’S the kind I used…..and I only needed about 24 ounces for all 4 pillows)
• Templates for all 4 characters HERE
• Sewing Supplies (here’s a list of my favorite sewing supplies, in case you need a few ideas) 

***Check out my Sewing Terms 101 post, for additional help.

The gnomes and frog are put together the same way.  Click the link for the templates up above and cut out each pieces and gather your other supplies.

And let’s start with Juliet!

Iron your fusible adhesive to the back side of your fleece (paper side facing up, shiny side down) and then trace your template pieces onto the paper side of your adhesive.  (If you’ve never used fusible adhesive…check out more info HERE.)  Cut out each of your pieces.

You don’t need to add the adhesive to the 2 big main pillow pieces….but everything else needs adhesive.

Peel the paper backing from all of your pieces.

And then begin assembling them onto one of the main pillow pieces.

Iron them in place, making sure all edges are sealed and in place.

The only additional item for Juliet is some gold trim.  Cut two pieces, fold the ends under, and then pin in place…..in an “X” shape.

Then, do the same thing with 2 more pieces.  Adjust the placement if needed.

Sew in place with s straight stitch down the center of each piece.

Now, switching your color thread as you go, stitch around each fleece shape, securing them each to the pillow base.  (The fusible adhesive is pretty sturdy and might hold up just fine….but I worried it may start peeling up as time goes on and as these pillows are loved on excessively.  The stitching will keep things in place.)

If all you’re making is the Juliet, skip down to the frog, where I show how to put the pillow together.

Next, it’s Gnomeo’s turn!

Just like Juliet, iron sections of your fusible adhesive to the back of your fleece, trace the template pieces, and then cut each one one.  (And again, you don’t need fusible adhesive on the back of the two main pillow shapes.)

Iron all of your pieces to one of the pillow base pieces and then stitch around each shape, changing thread colors as you go.

If all you’re making is the Gnomeo, skip down to the frog, where I show how to put the pillow together.

Okay, now it’s Sherlock Gnomes’ turn!

Just like Juliet, iron sections of your fusible adhesive to the back of your fleece, trace the template pieces, and then cut each one one.  (And again, you don’t need fusible adhesive on the back of the two main pillow shapes.)

Arrange all of your pieces onto one of the pillow bases and then iron in place.

Then stitch around each shape, switching thread color as you go.  Then add two little buttons, right below the bow tie, with a needle and thread!

For the hat, I used brown thread to create a grid on his hat, to sort of mimic the plaid hat he has in the movie.

If all you’re making is the Sherlock Gnomes, skip down to the end of the frog, where I show how to put the pillow together.

Okay, it’s Finally Nanette’s turn!

Just like Juliet, iron sections of your fusible adhesive to the back of your fleece, trace the template pieces, and then cut each one one.  (And again, you don’t need fusible adhesive on the back of the two main pillow shapes.)

Arrange your pieces onto one of the pillow bases and iron each one in place.  (The frog spots that hang over the edge of the frog’s face were trimmed once I decided right where I wanted them.)

Then stitch around each shape, switching thread color as you go.

How to put all pillows together!

Place your two pillow bases pieces together, with RIGHT sides together, and pin all the edges together.  (If your fleece seemed to have stretched just a bit and are now slightly different in size, that happens with fleece….it’s okay!  Just trim off any excess so they are the same shape.)

Stitch around your entire pillow (using a 3/8 inch seam allowance), leaving a 4-5 inch opening along the bottom of the pillow.

Now, the only one of these pillows that requires this….is the FROG!  But before turning right side out, make several small cut along the curve of the fabric between the frogs’ eyes (making sure to not cut through the seam).  Since the seam is curved downward here, these little slits will help the fabric lay better after turning right side out.  (More about clipping curves and corners HERE.)

Now, turn your pillow right side out, and stuff with your Fiber Fill.  I didn’t stuff it too full or overly full….because I didn’t want them to get too rounded so that you couldn’t see the full front at once.  Plus, pillows keep more of a flat shape rather than rounded like a stuffed animal.

Then, tucked the open edges towards the inside 3/8 of an inch….and hand stitch closed with a needle and thread.  (How to hand stitch HERE.)

And that’s it!

Fluff up, toss to your little one, and snuggle up to a good movie!

I hope you’re now as excited as I am to take my family to see Sherlock Gnomes, in theaters March 23rd!  These pillows are the perfect way to celebrate!

Enjoy!

-Ashley