It’s fun and relaxing to make felt fruits and veggies – and this felt apple or tomato is a great place to start! Depending on your arrangement or setting, it can be either fruit, and makes a fun display item or toy for a child age 3+.

Difficulty level: Advanced
Time required: 45 minutes
Age range: 10+

Things you’ll need:
Red felt sheet
Green felt sheet
Bean bag filler
Thread
Needle
Scissors
Pencil and paper
Sewing machine *optional

Things to do:
1. Fold your paper in half and draw a half-circle shape on the fold. The half-circle should be about 3 1/2″ to 4″ high.

2. Here’s what the shape should look like once you cut it out.

3. Cut four of these from your red felt.

4. With either your sewing machine or with hand-stitching, sew two pieces together, about 1/4″ from the edge. Start at the bottom on one point and stitch to about an inch from the top. Be sure to back-stitch at the beginning and end.

5. Sew two more pieces together as in step 4. Now sew the two pairs together, making sure the seam is on the outside so it will be correct once you turn it right-side out.

6. This is what it looks like once all the edges are sewn together.

7. Trim the edges to about 1/8″, but don’t trim the area at the top where the opening is located.

8. Here’s what the trimmed edges look like with the top section untrimmed.

9. Turn your apple or tomato right side out.

10. Cut out a leaf shape on the fold of your green felt.

11. This is what it looks like when you open it up.

12. Fill your apple or tomato with the bean bag filler. (If giving to a very small child, opt for polyfill instead.)

13. Fold the top pieces to the inside and stitch closed with matching thread.

14. Add your leaf to the top. And that’s all! Enjoy your felt fruit.