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When I was a kid I had a ceramic piggy bank I kept at my grandparent’s house. I remember very vividly that I had wanted some finger paints from TG&Y. But I went with my grandmother and she asked me how much money I had to get them. Since I had no money on me being a child and all I didn’t get them. I remember being so disappointed she went to the store instead of my Poppa. If I went with my grandfather my fingers would be covered in weirdly transparent, gloppy paint imminently!
Back at the house I had brought out my piggy bank. But there was no hole in the bottom to get the change out. I took it to my grandmother and asked her to help me. That’s when she told me I had to make a decision. The piggy bank did not have a hole in it because there was no easy way out. Was it worth it to me to take the money I had been saving knowing that to get it I would have to smash my piggy bank to get it?
My run of saving would be over and also I’d have to use what was inside to also buy another piggy bank.
In the end, I did not smash my bank and waited until my grandfather took me to town. We got finger paints and even new construction paper :) The whole thing did teach me a lesson, though. Was what I wanted really worth it or did this whole thing show I could have done without?
If you’re wondering, this is the kind of piggy bank you have to “destroy” to get your change out. So it’s less of a change purse, if that’s what you’re looking for. Feel free to modify the pattern to, say, include a snap or some Velcro to be able to open and close it. If you decide to make them as is, luckily, you don’t really have to smash and totally destroy these little felt piggy banks. Simply snip the embroidery floss and pull out to open the bank and stitch back up. It will take just a few minutes, tops!
Want to make some cute felt piggy banks?
If you have a cutting machine that can handle felt, like the Cricut Maker, this project is going to take no time at all. I used a gray piece of felt to show how to make these guys. But for all of my little banks that are colorful, they were cut out of scraps. I just LOVE using scraps from other craft projects because that means they’re practically free to make. Huzzah!
But if you don’t have a fancy cutting machine and don’t want one, you can easily cut these little piggy banks out by hand. In fact, that’s how I initially created these cute little guys way back in June of 2014. I can hardly believe that these little felt piggy banks were first shared here on the blog almost SIX years ago. Crazy :)
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Here are a few other posts that might be helpful when working up this project, too:
- How to Sew the Blanket Stitch (This stitch is used to close the piggy banks.)
- How to Perfectly Cut Acrylic Felt by Hand
Supplies needed to make felt piggy banks:
- Cricut Maker
- StrongGrip Cutting Mat (Purple)
- Cricut Felt Sampler
- Brayer
- Embroidery Floss & Needle
If cutting by hand you will need:
- Freezer Paper
- Craft Acrylic Felt
- Really Sharp Scissors
- Embroidery Floss & Needle
Cutting your Piggies with a Cricut:
Place a piece of Cricut felt onto a purple cutting mat and use a brayer to firmly stick in place. You can, alternatively, use any other felt but you’ll need to practice and figure out the best cut settings to use it. I prefer to use the Cricut felt because there’s a quick setting that I don’t have to fuss with how many passes or how deep the blade needs to go. The brayer may seem like an unnecessary tool, but I promise it’s worth it’s price. Rolling it over your felt (or other cutting material) makes it stick to the adhesive all the better. As such, the felt won’t flip around as it’s cut meaning less mistakes and more clean cuts.
Cut one solid and one slotted pig for each piggy bank. If your cuts are fuzzy, change to a newer or sharper blade for better results.
Cutting your Piggies by Hand:
If cutting by hand cut out pieces of freezer paper to 8.5″ x 11″ (standard letter sized). Print the second page of the PDF pattern onto the flat (not waxy) side of the freezer paper. Adhere the pattern to your felt, waxy side down, with a hot iron. Use very sharp scissors to cut out the shapes. Take care to make decisive cuts… don’t drag the blade as you cut as that will cause the cuts to be fuzzy rather than neat.
Piece Your Pigs Together:
Place the 2 pieces together and blanket stitch closed. The blanket stitch is really easy. Bring your needle up partway through both pieces of the felt.
Wrap the thread around the needle in the direction you are sewing. Keeping the thread in place around the needle finish pulling the needle through. If you need more help with this stitch, including how to start and stop your stitches, please see our how to blanket stitch post.
Stuff with Change and Enjoy Your Felt Piggy Banks!
Felt Piggy Banks
Ingredients
- Cricut Felt Sampler
- Embroidery Floss
- Embroidery Needle
Instructions
- Place a piece of Cricut felt onto a purple cutting mat and use a brayer to firmly stick in place.
- Cut one solid and one slotted pig for each piggy bank. If your cuts are fuzzy, change to a newer or sharper blade for better results.
- Cut out both a solid pig and one with a slot. Place the 2 pieces together and begin to blanket stitch closed.
- Wrap the thread around the needle in the direction you are sewing. Keeping the thread in place around the needle finish pulling the needle through. When you have gotten back to the beginning, knot off the yarn and trim the excess.
I made one of pink nylon fabric, heavily interfaced, and I have carried it in my purse for a couple of years. I love it! When it gets full, I empty it into my secret stash mason jar. I only save quarters in it, so the dollars add up quickly. I’m going to make more for gifts for grownups and my grandkids!
Doesn’t the money fall out while it’s in your purse?
Since the hole is pretty small (and you can always make it smaller depending on the coin sizes you handle) the coins are typically really in there. I think it’s more likely that they’ll get a bit stuck in there than slipping out.
Adorable! Thanks for the tutorial!
this might be a silly question, but how do you get the coins out? Is the hole big enough to reach your fingers down in there and pull the coins out or is it a hassle?
It can be kind of a hassle at first but you do get the hang of it. I wouldn’t use this as an every day coin purse when you need to get coins out quickly but you do get the used to kind of pushing them through the slot with time!
Thank you for this simple pattern and tutorial. It is always a good feeling to give someone a gift that is handmade, and that they do not already have.
I have used Wilton cookie cutters for years as my templates for many art project, seldom cookies. I think any of those would work, dinosaurs for those who find them hot, to the valentine heart.
.Thanks so much for sharing such a novel idea. I can already see other possibilities
Thank you very much for this fantastic creative idea :)
You can find my version of your Felt Piggy Bank today at my blog- of course link to your tutorial.
Greetings from germany
Ute
Schneiderherz
Supercute!! i love it!!!
Great…. did him at 60% and it’s the perfect size, thanks again!
Cute idea, printed out the pig pattern but it would take up half my purse, so might try it as others have mentioned for a gift card.
Hey there! You can print the pig to be smaller. Simply save the PDF (right click on the link and save to some place you can find it) and open in adobe acrobat. Start the print job and click “properties” in the pop up window to print. Next click “page layout” on the top tabs. On the upper left hand should be “Reduce/Enlarge document”. Pop in the size (using the percentage, be sure it’s smaller than 100% to make smaller) and you’re all set!
I just copied and pasted the image shown here and downsized it so that it is just slightly over 4 inches long. It can be done in any photo editing program online. I have already used my cute pink piggy, and keep it in a pocket on the outside of my purse so that it is easily found. The coin slot is just over an inch long in my downsized pig, and a quarter goes through it easily.
Thanks for the tip to print it smaller….I’ll try that too!
I loved this so much that I traced the pig pattern in my digital cutter software and cut out, then placed it on some pretty pink nylon and made a buttonhole for his coin slot, then satin stitched a front and back together, and cut it out with applique scissors. It’s a perfectly precious pink porcine purse or pocket project! I had it finished in half an hour from the time I first saw it this morning! You can bet my family and a few friends are going to get some as gifts! Thank you for this darling project!
http://z4.ifrm.com/12431/134/0/p1073814/Porcine_Purse_Project.jpg
Thanks for the clever idea. Gonna try that this afternoon and present them to my Sunday School class of three. :)
Thanks for sharing :)
OMG, this is the cutest thing on the east coast!!!!!
My son will LOVE this!!
Genius!
Thanks for sharing at She Can Sew…that’s how I found you. Off to check out your site!
This is super cute! And yeah, so perfect for quick gifts. I think I might start stocking up. :D
to retrieve the money do you just shake it out the hole or what. maybe Velcro on the bottom of tummy I would like to make one for my granddaughter, 11 too old for toys and money in a card is so lame. kaye
I think the Velcro would be a great idea. You can pull it out of the “hole” but it can stretch out the felt a bit if not careful.
Adorable!! This would also make a really cute way to present a cash gift. All of my nieces and nephews are of the teenage persuasion now, and I’m running out of ways to make a ten dollar bill look like a big gift. I’ll be doing this for the next time! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for tomorrow morning that links to your tutorial:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-felt-piggy-bank-2/2014/07/14/
–Anne
what a fabulous idea, I love it!
Love these! May need to sharpen my sewing scissors to cut the felt, though :-).
This is the cutest idea! I agree with Midsommarflicka! I’m going to make a stash of them to always have ready for birthdays/graduations/baby showers and the list goes on.
This is a cute idea for a gift of money! I hate it to only hand a card with the money inside, this will make it much cuter! :)
Love, Midsommarflicka