Step 1: Materials

- grey hat with ears or Pom poms
- small piece of cream material
- white felt
- 2 black buttons (small)
- 1 large black button
- glue
- embroidery needle and threads ( white, black, grey and cream)
- scrap card to place inside hat to catch any excess glue
- scissors

Step 2: Prepare

Cut out a piece of scrap card that will fit inside your hat and put it inside. This will help stop you gluing or sewing the hat together.

Step 3: Cut Out Eyes & Tum

Decide how large you want his eyes to be in relation to the hat and buttons. I found that an inch and a half diameter worked well with the white felt with small centimetre diameter buttons.

Then consider how you want his belly to sit. I cut a (excuse the reference) gravestone shape out of cream canvas material to emphasise his large belly.

Step 4: Stitch Detail 1

Now you want to use black thread to stitch the buttons to the white felt. Embroidery thread works well as it is thick and hides the button holes.

Then take your grey thread and embroider his arrows on his belly ( cream material).

Step 5: Glue Eyes

Glue the eyes onto the hat where you want then. DON'T USE TOO MUCH. As it will seep through the felt and hat.

Make sure you lay out your pieces first so you are happy with where they are going.

Let the glue set.

Step 6: Stitch Eyes

Using white thread stitch the eyes to the hat. This will add cute detail to the finished look and also hold the felt on better.

Once eyes are on do the same for his belly with a creamy colour thread. As this is thinner material I did not glue it on as it would of seeped through and ruined it.

Step 7: Final Detail

Stitch your large button inbetween the eyes and belly for his nose. Then add a few long stitches for his whiskers either side.

Step 8: Ta Dah

And now you have your very own loveable neighbour Totoro. I even debated using green felt for a leaf to add to his head but il leave that up to you guys.

Happy making!