How to Sew a Felt Bear – Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
In the last few weeks, I’ve been experimenting a lot with felt. Felt is one of my favorite materials—it’s soft, forgiving, and perfect for handmade projects. Today, I want to share my DIY felt bear tutorial with you.
This bear was inspired by my Felt Bear Pattern Free download on my site. If you’ve been looking for a beginner-friendly bear doll sewing pattern, this is the perfect project to start with. Consider this post your little source of inspiration to dive into the world of felt bears and cute fabric projects.
Supplies You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to sew your own handmade felt bear toy:
Wool Blend Felt – choose your favorite color
My favorite shop is Canadian Felt Shop – their 100% wool felt is amazing.
- 1 sheet of 100% wool felt (20×30 cm)
- Small piece of wool felt in a different color (for details like the nose or belly patch)
- Embroidery floss or thread
- Embroidery needle
- Small sharp scissors
- Stuffing tool (a chopstick or pencil works too!)
- Polyester filling / stuffing
- Fabric marker or erasable pen – Air Water Erasable or Auto-Vanishing Pen works great
How to Sew Your Felt Bear
You can grab the Felt Bear Pattern Free template [here]. It includes step-by-step instructions, templates, and everything you need to create your own handmade wool bear toy.
Once you have your pattern and supplies, here’s how to make your bear:
- Print the pattern on paper and cut it out.
- Trace the shapes onto wool felt using your fabric marker.
- Cut out all the bear pieces carefully with sharp scissors.
- Embroider details like the face, nose, or belly patch.
- Sew the pieces together using a blanket stitch, leaving a small opening.
- Stuff with polyester filling and close the opening.
- And that’s it! You now have your very own DIY teddy bear easy project complete.
Tips for Working with Felt
- High-quality felt matters! I recommend using 100% wool felt—it keeps its shape, doesn’t pill, and makes your handmade toys last much longer.
- Felt vs. crochet: Making a felt bear is actually much faster than crocheting an amigurumi toy. If you’re new to sewing, felt is the perfect beginner project.
- Personalize your bear: Add a bow, scarf, or tiny felt heart to make your bear extra special. These little touches turn it into a truly cute bear fabric project.
Final Thoughts
Hand-sewing with felt is such a relaxing and rewarding craft. Once you make your first felt bear, you’ll want to sew a whole little family!
If you’d like to try it yourself, don’t forget you can download my Felt Bear Pattern Free (or purchase the full printable bear doll sewing pattern in my Etsy shop). It’s a fun way to create your own handmade felt bear toy and a perfect gift idea for kids and loved ones.
Looking for more inspiration? Browse through my other felt sewing projects—from handmade wool bear toys to whimsical mobiles and nursery décor.
Happy sewing!
