Felt Bear Pattern

Welcome back to Felt Pattern Friday! This week, I've got a bear felt or appliqué pattern to share. This one has a lot of small pieces, but it's cute and very flexible. So far, I've made a polar bear and grizzly bear from this pattern, but there are so many more options! My other favourites include the black bear, and the pink funky bear:

Click HERE to download the free pattern.

This pattern image can be resized to make anything from a small bear pin to a large bear pillow. A PDF version of the pattern is also available through Craftsy HERE (PDFs can't be resized though).

A note of warning - this pattern can be rather difficult due to the tiny bear toes. If you are making a small bear, I highly recommend embroidering the toes with thread instead of cutting them out of felt. Really small felt bits are not easy to cut, and they are even less easy to attach! As you can see in the pictures of the brown bear, I had a bit of a hard time with the toes myself.

Personally, I think it would be a lot of fun to make a cushion or wall hanging with each member of the family represented as a bear, from the big Papa Bear holding a fishing rod, to the littlest sibling bear wearing a hockey jersey.

Want more adorable and free bear project ideas?

Check out Let's Do Sew's pattern and tutorial for a bear hoodie with paw print elbow patches! (I sometimes dream of doing this to all my clothes...) There is also a brown bear sweater version.

You can make an adorable felt bear pouch or pencil case with this pattern from The C Side. Or how about repurposing a child's favourite outgrown pyjamas into a bear so they can continue to enjoy them?

If you've ever wondered about the work and materials that go into making a real teddy bear, I highly recommend the Anatomy of a Bear series by bear artist The Littlest Thistle. I learned a ton reading this. Unlike mass-produced sold-in-store bears, these are detailed, articulated, and unique companions.

On a side note, I once had the opportunity to get close to a wild black bear. He (or she) was in a cage waiting to be relocated to the safety of a nature preserve further North by the local wildlife authority. Let me tell you, there is nothing adorable or cuddly about a muscular half-ton omnivore when it's angry. It makes me wonder how bears came to be the most popular stuffed animal for cuddling and comfort. Wouldn't puppies have been a better choice? Oh, and in case you're wondering what kind of bait would get a bear to voluntarily enter a cage... it was a box of donuts!

There are still a few woodland animal patterns to go, so look for rabbits in next week's installement of Felt Pattern Friday.