If you’re a long time reader of my blog, you might have seen my Rabbids cookies and Rabbids bento, which I made using a handmade rabbid cookie cutter.
When I made it, I used very crappy pliers, a chopstick and a soldering iron. Even though I was very excited to have my own custom cookie cutter and wanted to encourage people to make their own, it just didn’t look beginner friendly.
After spending some time trying to figure out a way to make it easier, I finally came up with a method to make a handmade metal cutter/shaper.
Tools:
- *Wilton’s circle metal cutter (I used a 3 inch diameter circle)
- Pliers (needle nose pliers are the best for this, but you can use any pliers)
- A couple of pipe cleaners
- Markers in two different colors
- Scotch tape
This is all you need.
*about the circle metal cutter
Q. Can I use any circle metal cutter?
A. If it’s thin enough, yes, but I highly recommend Wilton’s circle metal cuter for this project. It’s CHEAP (69 cents each) and EXTREMELY MALLEABLE. Many cookie cutters are way too sturdy and you won’t be able to bend it. You can order them online or you can find a place that carries Wilton’s product near you on the official website of Wilton.
EDIT: Just to be clear… IF YOU CAN’T EASILY BEND THE CUTTER WITH YOUR FINGERS, THIS METHOD MIGHT NOT WORK!
1. One side of the circle cutter is very sharp. Please make sure to tape the sharp side all around it with scotch tape before you begin so you won’t cut yourself.
2. Put a pipe cleaner around the metal cutter. (I used two for a 3-inch circle.)
3. Cut the excess pipe cleaner, twist it around and make it into a loop.
4. Make a shape of whatever you want with the loop. I made, what else, Totoro!
5. With one of the markers, mark where the pipe cleaner is bent INWARD, and with the other marker, mark where the pipe cleaner is bento OUTWARD. This will be your bending guide. If you’re making a complicated shape, trace the shape of the pipe cleaner on a piece of paper so you’ll have a reference when you shape the metal cutter. I didn’t do it because I can draw a shape of Totoro with my eyes closed. 
6. Make the pipe cleaner back into a loop.
7. Put the loop over the metal cutter, and mark the cutter. Make sure to use the same colors you used for bending inward/outward on the pipe cleaner.
8. Using the pliers, lightly bend the cutter inward and outward where you put the marks on. And repeat the bending process with a little more force, adjusting the shape.
Bending the metal cutter inward
Bending the metal cutter outward
This is good enough.
Hold where the metal is welded together with pliers when shaping the metal cutter with your fingers (so it doesn't come loose)
9. Take the tape off and you have a handmade cutter/shaper!
It took me about 30 minutes from start to finish! You can use the sharp side as a cookie cutter, or any food cutter. Now I can make an army of Totoro food! I’m going to try using this cutter / shaper and post results later!
How to make a Totoro cookie cutter / food shaper on my flickr
For more pictures of my bento, visit Bento! set and Bento details! set on my flickr page.
If you have any questions about any of my how-to’s, please feel free to leave a comment or email me!
I was born in Japan, lived in New York for a while and now living in San Diego, California. I love creating things with my hands in my free time whether it’s making character bento or stuffing stuff! And now I'm working for 
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my god this is so neat! thank you so much for posting this how to and sharing your knowledge; this can be useful for rice, cookies, chocolate…. holy crap I’m getting dizzy over the possibilities!
wow.. you are a genius! I never thought we cut make make a cutter on the shape we want ourselves..
Thanks for sharing this wonderful tips!
I can’t begin to tell you how AWESOME this tutorial is! Thanks SO much ^_^
This is really neat!
So cute! My sister and I planned on making cookie cutters, but I wasn’t sure what to get for them.
OMG! You’re really awesome! Never had we thought of making our own cookies cutters! Tks for sharing such a wonderful tutorial!
Thanks everyone!
I wasn’t sure how many people actually would want to make a cookie cutter on their own, but I just wanted to show everyone that it’s very easy to make.
You can also cut aluminum pans into strips to make them (no pliers required!), but I like modifying a metal circle cutter because it’s sturdier so I can use the heck out of it. Also, 3-inch circle cutters are the perfect size for making an egg. If anyone has any questions about this, please let me know!
hello there anna,mind if i visit your site for sometimes or even more?…coz im a fun of totoro…and wish to make my own bento too…
this is awesome! do you think I could commission a totoro cookie cutter from you? I don’t think I could even *draw* the shape of a totoro successfully, let alone make it out of metal
Nicole
You should try, it’s really easy! You can just print out or trace any Totoro image. Wilton’s metal cutter is very easy to bend. Good luck!
This looks like a fun project! And this way I can save some money instead of buying fancy shaped pans~
Thank you for sharing!♥
Thanks for the excellent tute!
you are amazing! love your website
thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much
I found you via craft gossip and I couldn’t click past Totoro ^_^ xo
I used this to make mustache shaped cookies for a baby shower, and they turned out Fantastic! Thank you for all of the helpful tips! I will be sure to reference this again
Thank you ssooo much for sharing this, I’ve been looking for a Totoro cookie cutter for so long but I have never got the idea of making my own!
♥
*my own one
What kind of dough did you use? Could you post the recipe?
You can use any sugar cookie recipes! I’m always reluctant to post the recipes that I use for sweets because I don’t really like my sweets to be too sweet so I pick no-too-sweet recipes. A big recipe site like “All recipes” should have tons of yummy recipes with very helpful tips. Good luck!
Thank you for this tutorial, I made a big totoro and little one in less than 30 minutes. Haven’t made any cookies yet. I’m going to have a party for the DVD release of The Secret World of Arrietty and wanted to have some Miyazaki movie foods. My guests are going to die of joy.
Thanks for the great tutorial!
Ha! This is great! My kids are gonna love this! Excellent post.
Many thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial.It is the best I have yet seen.