Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Cut out two sides from gold velvet, remembering to turn the template over for the second side. Pin the pieces right sides together and sew from the top of the neck A across to B. Snip out two ear backs from gold velvet, then turn the template over to cut two ear fronts from champagne velvet.

Cut two inner ears from pale pink felt. Use pink thread to sew the inner ears onto the right side of each champagne velvet front, lining up the bottom edge of the felt with the bottom edge of the velvet. Pin each pair of ears right sides together, and stitch a 5mm seam up both sides of the triangles. Turn right sides out. Make a slight fold at the bottom centre of each and sew a 5mm seam across the bottom to hold the crease.

Trim two pieces of gold velvet for the tail, then turn the template over for the second side. Pin right sides together and stitch a 5mm seam down both sides, leaving the straight end open. Turn right side out and stuff, leaving the last 3cm unstuffed. Cut out the head from gold velvet, and turn the template over for the second side. On each wrong side, mark the three dots that make the dart and the slits for the ears. Fold the darts right sides together, so that the outer dots meet for each side, and sew across to the single dot.

Pin both head sides right sides together, making sure the darts align, and stitch a 5mm seam from point C around the curve clockwise to point D. With the head still right sides together, snip the slits for the ears. Insert the bottom of each ear by 1cm and sew across each slit to secure, make sure each ear is facing the right way. Use the template to cut out the muzzle from champagne velvet. Pin it right sides together with the head, so that point D on the muzzle matches point D on the head, and point E on the muzzle matches both points E on both sides of the head. Stitch a 5mm seam across.

Take the cat’s body made up in step 1, then lay it flat and open, right side up. Open up the two sides of the head, right side down. Place the middle neck join (C) onto the neck join (A) and pin across both sides to F. Sew a 5mm seam across. Pin the remaining two sides of the muzzle right sides together, so that both Es match and both F points of the neck match. Stitch a 5mm seam across.

Cut out the underside of the cat by placing it on the fold of a piece of champagne velvet. Lay it flat and right side up, then lay the rest of the body right side down onto it and pin together all the way around; remember to leave a gap at one side for turning. Sew a 5mm seam all the way around, taking care to catch in the seam at points G and F. At the gap on the upper body, between point B and G, insert the curved end of the tail pointing down, all the way in. Leave the straight end sticking out by 1cm and close the gap.

Turn the cat right side out by pulling it through the side gap. Put a teaspoon of pellets into the end of each paw, then stitch right across each paw to secure. Fill the head firmly with toy stuffing and put a few long stitches in a lattice pattern from the seam allowance on one side to the other, without pulling tight. Fill the cat’s body with beans or pellets to a level you are happy with, then close the gap securely.

To make a collar, cut turquoise felt to 1.2cm x 20cm. Using navy thread, sew all the way around it, just in from the edge, and use the template provided to add detail to one end. Make a silver faux leather fish tag by using the template, folding it in half and stitching around the edge. Attach it to the collar with a jump ring. Fold the collar around the neck and hand stitch both ends to secure.

To embroider the face, split a length of black embroidery thread into three strands. Knot one end and pull it carefully through the muzzle to hide. Follow the template to hand sew two eyes. Use three strands of pale pink thread to sew the nose using a long stitch horizontally in a triangle shape so the stitch gets shorter at the bottom. Hide the ends in the same way.