Kawaii Lion Paper Squishy

Assembly overview

1. Print both template pages. Choose BOTH color pages OR BOTH coloring pages. Print at 100% / Actual Size, without Fit to Page. Measure every 50 mm square. Use 100-120 gsm paper. Color first. Gather scissors, thin craft glue, clear tape and soft tissue. Cut all 4 pieces on the heavy outer lines; keep every tab.
2. Identify front, back and two walls. Keep F, B, W1 and W2. The two large panels have the same outside shape; B is the mirrored back. Keep the 1 and 2 marks on the pieces. Ears, muzzle, toe lines and the curled tail are printed artwork, not separate pieces. The round mane and lower body form one shell.
3. Fold tabs; curve the wall bodies. Fold the 5 mm F and B tabs inward about 90 degrees on their dashed roots. Keep F tabs on the same side. Gently pre-curve the walls; JOIN is an overlap alignment, not a sharp fold. All body contours curve smoothly. Do not fold on artwork or trim any tab.
4. Join W1 behind W2. With both printed wall faces outward, glue the 8 mm JOIN of W1 under the plain start of W2. Match the end marked 2 to the start marked 2. The starting edge of W2 meets the dotted line. The enlarged section shows W2 above the glue flap; below is the joined strip.
5. Close the last wall seam. Use loose F as a contour guide. Follow the colored route and numbers in order. At 1, glue the 8 mm JOIN of W2 behind the plain start of W1. W1 sits above the flap, with its edge on the dotted line. Close one complete ring. Keep the F and B tabs inward and both faces loose for now.
6. Dry-fit both inward curves. Keep F loose and picture up. Match 1 and 2 to the closed wall ring. Ease W1 against the highlighted right-hand curve and W2 against its matching left-hand curve. The enlargement follows the actual edge, including the inward bend. Keep both faces unglued. Do not stretch across the curve or make a sharp crease.
7. Glue F on the inward tabs. Match 1, 2. Apply thin glue to the outward surfaces of the F tabs. Place F above them, picture out, with the tabs under its blank back. Press a few tabs at a time while you can reach inside. Keep the ring aligned to the actual contour; leave B off.
8. Press the curved sections in contact. As F is glued, press two or three tabs at a time from the open back. The enlarged inside view shows the tan tabs lying flat against the blank back of F, with the blue wall touching the curved edge. Repeat at the opposite curve. Keep the ring against the edge until the glue holds; then tape in step 9.
9. Tape the front and every wall join. Bridge the entire F perimeter onto the wall with short overlapping pieces of clear tape. Use shorter pieces at tight curves. The enlarged outside views show ALL 2 numbered wall joins: center tape across each seam from F edge to B edge, covering the full 20 mm depth. Keep the back open.
10. Turn over and dry-fit B. Turn the shell over and fit mirrored B with its printed side outward. Match 1, 2; do not turn it end-for-end. Align the FILL arc with four ! tabs on W2. The drawing shows the open back and the separate matching panel. Do not cut a filling hole through B.
11. Leave the marked filling seam. Glue B to the B tabs EXCEPT the four marked !. Leave the continuous 32.6 mm FILL seam between B and the wall unglued and untaped. The dark gap shows the opening. Keep all four tabs accessible; this is one opening, not four holes.
12. Add loose tissue filling. Feed small loose pieces of soft tissue through the single open seam. Spread them gently through the mane and lower body. Keep the 20 mm wall relaxed and both faces shallow. Stop before the seams pull or panels bulge. Keep filling away from the four loose tabs.
13. Close the four remaining tabs. Move tissue away. Apply a little glue to the four ! tabs and tuck them under the blank back of B. Press B down, matching its contour to the wall. The enlarged section shows B above the tabs. Let the seam hold before taping.
14. Tape the entire back perimeter. Use short overlapping clear-tape pieces to bridge B onto the wall all the way around, including the former FILL opening and any intentional tab-free gap. The side section shows tape turning over the edge. Patch gaps where rim tape meets wall-join tape.
15. Check the curved back seams. After step 14, check both inward curves on B. The green traces show short overlapping tape following the edge closely and turning onto the wall. The section shows that turn. Press out any bridge or gap and patch it with a shorter piece. Snip only a free tape edge if needed, never the paper.
16. Finish and inspect the whole toy. Check both full face seams and both wall joins. Let the glue dry before squeezing gently. The seated lion has one round mane, two printed ears, two front paws and a printed curled tail on B. It is one shallow body; no extra parts need attaching.