Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey (Free Pattern!)

This DIY Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey is a beginner sewing project that is fun to make for the holidays!

Fabric turkey decoration with a raffia bow and two white buttons on its chest.

This easy sewing tutorial is the perfect Thanksgiving Day decor to put on your holiday table, display on a fireplace mantel or use as a shelf sitter.

Fabric turkey decoration with patterned leaf-print tail feathers, a raffia bow around its neck, and white button accents on a stone background.

This turkey is larger and can stand upright on a table, compared to our felt turkey craft which is made with felt and flat.

How to Sew a Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey

Supplies

Free Turkey Templates
Four Different Fabrics (one for body, three for wings)
Matching Threads
Pinking Shears
Disappearing ink pen or tailor’s chalk
Poly-fil
Red, orange and brown felt scraps
Two Buttons for eyes (I used small black shank buttons)
Two ¾ inch buttons for body
Raffia or Ribbon
Hot glue gun or craft glue

Directions

Step 1

Place each of the fabrics for the body and wings with the right sides facing out and the layers pinned together to prevent moving.

Trace the patterns onto the chosen fabric using a disappearing ink pen or tailor’s chalk, but do not cut yet.

I prefer using a disappearing ink pen because the tailor’s chalk might still be visible, as you can see in the photo below. However, a chalk will work fine if that’s all you have to use.

A heart-shaped fabric ornament with a dark purple autumn-themed print of gold leaves and red berries, featuring a raw, pinked edge.

For the turkey beak and waddle and heart, trace the patterns onto the chosen felt colors and do cut these out.

Step 2

Sew on top of the patterns lines, leaving a 3-4 inch opening for stuffing on each of the body and wing pieces.

Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of the stitching.

Cut out each of the turkey pieces by cutting a little bit above the stitched/traced lines, being sure not to cut the stitching. Use pinking shears for a decorative look.

Step 3

Lightly stuff each of the pattern pieces, then sew the seam closed by stitching over the pattern line of the opening.

A hand stuffs fluffy white polyester fiberfill into a brown fabric casing decorated with a pattern of autumn leaves and berries.

Glue (or stitch) the felt heart to the back of the larger wing section.

A hand holds a cloud-shaped fabric pillow patterned with autumn leaves and berries, featuring a small black felt heart in the center.

Step 4

Sew the buttons on for eyes. You can hand stitch them through both layers of the fabric or just one layer, it’s up to you.

A brown fabric turkey ornament with black bead eyes, an orange beak, and a red wattle, nestled in dried raffia.

Glue on the beak and waddle, layering the waddle just a little bit under the beak.

A finger touches the felt red wattle of a brown fabric turkey craft.

Glue or sew on the buttons on the turkey body.

Tie a large bow with raffia or ribbon and glue on to the neck.

A brown felt turkey ornament with a raffia bow and two white button embellishments, held by a hand.

Step 5

Glue the small wings on either side of the turkey body, being sure that the bottom of the wing is even with the bottom of the body so that it will stand up straight.

A brown, circular fabric ornament with two white buttons on the front and green fabric wings on the sides.

Now glue the turkey body to the smaller feather, being sure that the bottom edges each are lined up. Glue them together in the middle of the body and wings, not the outer edges.

A hand holds three fabric plush shapes: two with orange and brown autumn leaf patterns and one dark brown shape with raffia trim.

Glue the body/wing combo to the larger wing in the same way.

A handcrafted turkey decoration made with fabric leaves and a raffia fringe.

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“Free Pattern! How to Sew a Thanksgiving Turkey.” The image shows a fabric turkey craft decorated with a raffia bow and buttons.

For more Thanksgiving crafts, see our list of Thanksgiving table runners.

Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey (Free Pattern!)