- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.6 × 3.9 in (9.1 × 9.9 cm)
Topped with a red-and-white gingham cloth lid and a smiling berry label, this glossy little preserve jar looks good enough to spread on toast. Grab our free strawberry jam jar paper squishy template in 3 versions—full color, a coloring page, and a blank jar to design your own flavor—formatted for both US Letter and A4 paper. Pair it with our peanut butter jar squishy or butter toast squishy to craft the cutest breakfast set!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your chosen page at 100% scale on plain printer paper (turn off “fit to page”). Check the line in the top corner: it should measure exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). Using the coloring page? Color the gingham lid and berry label now with markers or colored pencils and let the marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the two jam jar pieces with wide clear packing tape, not the whole sheet. Smooth each strip from the middle of the label outward toward the edges without pulling or stretching—stretched tape will wrinkle later. The tape gives your jar a shiny glass look and makes the paper strong and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back jars along the solid black outer line, keeping the small white border intact. Take your time curving around the ruffled gingham cloth overhang under the lid so both pieces keep the exact same outline.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back jar printed side down onto strips of clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge all the way around, then snip this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps around the curved jar shoulders and ruffled lid will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Put the front jar on the back piece with the white sides together, lining up the gingham lids and rounded bases. Fold the tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down firmly. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open where the pink line shows in the picture: that is your gap for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the open gap. Fill the far corners first—tucking bits up into the gingham lid and ruffled cloth corners—and stop when the round jar body feels soft and puffy. Too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the opening and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of regular clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all edges around the jar outline and the ruffled lid to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your smiling strawberry jam jar and watch it puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back of the jar to let the air escape slowly.
Free Strawberry Jam Jar Squishy Template
- Color
- Coloring page
- Blank, design your own
- Step-by-step guide
One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–5). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- Ruffled lid corners split open. The dips where the gingham cloth meets the glass jar take extra tension when squeezed. Put a new short strip of regular clear tape across that edge, overlapping the old ones.
- The jar feels too hard. A wide jar shape holds a lot of filling, so it has too much stuffing if it feels firm. Open the gap, take some filling out, and tape it shut again.
- Tape wrinkles across the label. Pulling packing tape makes it ripple over the wide cream label. Use shorter strips and lay them across the jar without pulling.
- Red marker colors smeared. Deep red berry tones need a moment to set on plain paper before taping. Let markers dry fully before taping, though printer ink is fine right away.
Questions
Can I use glue instead of tape for this paper squishy?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams would open when squeezed. The snipped clear tape border folded over the edge holds your jam jar together best.
What paper works best for a printable paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the squishy stiff and the jar won’t squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my jam jar squishy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags (crinkly and light), cotton balls or fiberfill (soft), or small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy. It’s the same filling used for a jelly pudding squishy or a pastel jellyfish squishy!
Can I make this paper squishy bigger?
Yes! Print the page at a larger scale, for example 120%. Print the front and the back together on the same sheet so they match.
Can I make these with a class or a group?
Yes! Print 1 sheet per person and cut tape strips in advance. Kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping—plan about 30 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.