Wool + Liberty Teddy Bear
In my mind’s eye, the perfect teddy bear is based on my own childhood toy, aptly named “Teddy.” He would sit with his arms outstretched, all round and cuddly in his midsection. Sadly, he was lost in a move, but his ideal form has stuck in my head.
To tackle my own version of dearly departed Teddy I knew I had to use felted wool because it’s soft and rich and sews like a dream. Wool’s natural elasticity smooths the edges of curves and kindly forgives little imperfections. And to make my bear extra special I finished off his ears, nose, paw pads, and tail with some sweet Liberty of London Tana Lawn.
Usually, I am intimidated by 3-D sewing. It seems so complicated and advanced, but I’ve found that if I work slowly and methodically, it is totally doable. If you have sewn a garment or any other intermediate project, I’d say you’re ready for this project! For me, all of the detailed work was easily worth it because this sweet little bear looks and feels just like my old pal, Teddy! –Molly
Materials
To make one bear you’ll need…
- A 27 X 19-inch piece of Dorr Mill Wool Yardage in Natural
- A fat 1/8th of Liberty of London Tana Lawn in Edenham brown/ aqua
- 6 oz of poly stuffing
- 2 buttons for the eyes
- Gutermann 100% cotton thread in color 1040
You will also need…
- A Wool + Liberty Teddy Bear Template, printed and cut out. It is available for free download here.
Before you start you will need to felt the wool by washing it in hot, rinsing it in cold, drying it for 20 minutes, and then pressing it flat.
Size
Finished Measurements:
9.5 inches high
6.5 inches wide including legs
5.5 inches wide without legs
Note
All seam allowances in this project are 1/4-inch unless otherwise noted.
Pattern
Sewing the Head
Cut out the following pieces from the Head Pieces page of the template:
From the Felted Wool,
- 1 Top Head
- 2 Back Heads
- 2 Side Heads
- 2 Ears from
From the Tana Lawn,
- 1 Nose
- 2 Ears
You do not need to transfer the markings from the templates to the cut pieces, but keep the templates nearby so you can reference which edge is which.
Pin and sew the tops of both Side Head pieces to opposite sides of the Top Head piece. Stop sewing 1/4 inch before the nose edge.
With the right sides still facing, pin and sew the mouth edge of the Side Head pieces together, stopping 1/4-inch before the nose. This is the Front Head section now.
With right sides together, sew a Liberty Ear to a Felted Wool Ear, leaving the bottom straight edge unsewn.
Pin and sew the two Back Head pieces together along their back edges.
With right sides facing, align the Nose piece along the nose edges of the Front Head. The unsewn 1/4-inch sections should make it so you can lay the Nose down flat.
Pin the Nose’s curved edge to the top of the nose edge. Starting 1/4 inch from the edge, sew the top of the Nose to the Front Head, stopping 1/4 inch from the end.
Pin and sew the next side of the Nose in this manner, starting and stopping 1/4 inch before and after the edges.
Repeat for the final Nose side.
Turn the Front Head right side out and make sure the Nose is neatly sewn into the muzzle.
Trim the seam allowances on the Ears to 1/8 inch and turn them right side out.
Create a little 1/4-inch pleat through both the Tana Lawn and the Felted Wool at the bottom open edge of the ears and pin it in place.
Sew the bottom edge closed with a 1/8-inch seam allowance, just to keep the pleat in place.
With right sides together, pin the Back Head pieces to the Front Head, sandwiching the Ears in between the two layers. The inside corner of the Ears should align with the seam of the Top and Side Head piece, and the Tana Lawn sides should face towards the Front Head.
Sew these pieces together, leaving the neck edge unsewn.
This is now the Head.
Turn the Head right side out and make sure that the ears are sewn on straight and that you like how everything looks.
Put the Head aside for now.
Sewing the Legs
Cut out the following pieces from the Leg Pieces page of the template:
From the Felted Wool,
- 4 Legs. Transfer the “gap” marking onto two of these pieces.
From the Tana Lawn,
- 2 Foot Pads.
Pin the Leg pieces together in pairs of one marked piece and one unmarked piece.
Starting 1/4 inch from the bottom edge of the Leg, sew the pieces together along the perimeter except for the flat bottom edge and the gap section. Stop sewing 1/4 inch before the bottom.
Open up the unsewn bottom edge of the Leg. With right sides together, arrange the Foot Pad so that its pointed heel is facing the back of the Leg and the rounded toe is facing the front. Pin one half of the Foot Pad to one half of the bottom edge of the Leg and sew them together.
Repeat for the second half of the Foot Pad, then go over the seam to make sure there are no gaps and that the curved angle of the toe is smooth.
Turn the Leg right side out.
Repeat for the second Leg.
Stuff the Legs through the gaps, making sure the Legs feel firm and full. Sew each gap closed with a blind stitch.
Put the Legs aside for now.
Sewing the Arms
From the Arm Pieces page of the template cut:
From the Felted Wool,
- 2 Outside Arms
- 2 Inside Arms
From the Tana Lawn,
- 2 Paw Pads, that face opposite directions, from the Tana Lawn. To make sure that they face opposite directions cut one with the Tana Lawn’s right side facing up and one with its wrong side facing up.
You do not need to transfer the markings from the templates to the cut pieces, but keep the templates nearby so you can reference which edge is which.
With right sides facing, pin the Paw Pads to the Inside Arms along their straight edges, making sure to align the top edges with the top edges and the bottom edges with the bottom edges.
Sew these pieces together and then press them flat. They should be mirror images of one another.
With right sides together, pin the Arm Insides to the Arm Outsides and sew them together leaving the straight sides unsewn.
Turn the Arms right side out and stuff them so that most of the stuffing is towards the Paw Pads and there is no stuffing poking though the unsewn edges.
Keeping the wrong sides together sew the final edges together with a 1/8-inch seam allowance.
Put the Arms aside for now.
Sewing the Body
From the Body Pieces page of the template cut:
From the Felted Wool,
- 4 Body pieces. Transfer the arm and gap markings onto one of these pieces and just the arm markings to another Body piece.
From the Tana Lawn,
- Two Tail pieces that face opposite directions.
With right sides facing, sew the Tail pieces together along their curved edges, leaving the straight side unsewn.
Turn the Tail right side out and stuff it lightly. With wrong sides facing sew it closed along the unsewn straight edge with a 1/8-inch seam allowance.
Pin the Body piece with the gap and arm markings to the Body piece with just the arm makings along their back sides, marked sides facing out. Sandwich the Tail between the layers just below the bottom gap marking.
Sew these two Body pieces together, leaving the gap unsewn and sewing in the Tail in the process. This is the Back Body
Pin and sew the other two Body pieces together along the tummy side.
This is the Front Body.
With right sides facing, pin the Front Body to the Back Body along their side and bottom edges, leaving only the neck section unpinned.
Unpin the area between the marked arm sections. Put the Arms inside the Body, aligning the Arms’ raw edges with the Body’s and making sure the Paw Pads face towards the Front Body. The arms should slope downwards towards bottom of the Body.
Pin the Arms into place. Starting 1/4 inch from the neck opening, sew all around the Body, stopping 1/4 inch before the opposite neck opening.
Turn the Body right side out through the back gap.
Attaching the Head
With the Body inside out and Front side up and the Head right side out, face up and upside down, slip the Head into the neck opening of the Body.
Carefully matching up the edges, pin the neck edge of the Head to the neck edge of the Body.
Using a backstitch, hand sew the Head to the Body around the circumference of the neck. Go around twice to make it super secure.
Turn the piece right side out through the gap at the back of the body.
Stuff the Body and Head very firmly and sew the gap closed with a blind stitch.
Attaching the Legs
Pin the Legs to the bottom left and right sides of the stuffed Body. Make sure that the bear can sit on its own.
Using a blind stitch, hand sew the Legs into place where they make contact with the body. Go around this area twice to make sure the Legs are on very securely.
Sewing on the Eyes
Sew a button into place along the top seam of the front of the head. Here’s how:
Leaving a long tail at the beginning, stitch the button just as if you were sewing it onto a garment. Once you’ve sewn through a few times, tie the two thread ends into a knot behind the button. Then hide both ends inside the stuffing of the bear.
Repeat for the second button and you’re all done!
Update 2024: You can explore our current collection of beautiful fabrics and supplies on our page of Sewing Tools + Notions!
absolutely precious. Molly's design is amazing.
Adorable and such a wonderful tutorial! Thanks!
I love the teddy bear! I will make it in wool and pink fabric, and stuf it with wool. Like I did with a doll I made a week ago.
This is adorable. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute for the felted wool? Many of the children I know have sensitive skin.
This is an excellent tutorial! I may actually try this sewing project for my niece 🙂
I also completed your chevron baby blanket about two weeks ago for her, as well.
Awesome website!
very good craftsmanship and congratulate you for the very detailed explanation, is just what I needed and I wanted to make myself a bear for my kids.
Such a gorgeous teddy bear!! I have been looking for a pattern like this for so long, and I am in *love* with this design – how clever to include bits and pieces of Liberty lawn fabric. 🙂 So classic and chic!! I'm tempted to get the teddy bear kit, but think I might go ahead and order the larger pieces of felt wool and Liberty lawn, because I know I'll be making more than one of these in the near future!!!
If I were to order the supplies separately – do you mind telling me what size buttons you used for the eyes? I'd like to order my supplies all at once, and love the color you chose for the eyes!! Thanks for your help!!!
I can't wait to get started on this project – just in time for my new niece to arrive at the end of the summer!! Thank you all – again – for another beautiful pattern. 🙂
This is so sweet! The Liberty tana lawn used for the nose, paws, ears, makes it extraordinarily charming! I will definitely make one for my own to keep^^ Thanks for sharing!
He's so cute. How about jointed legs for this little Teddy? I'll be making him this weekend with some grey felt I have in my stash. Thank you for sharing your pattern.
He's beautiful! I especially love the fabric for his little paws.
Hi Molly, thanks again for another wonderful project!!! This Teddy is gorgeous and so sweet it's asking to be hugged! Sorry to hear about the original Teddy, though. Looking forward to your next project!
Adorable. I can wait to try to make this.
Hi Dixie-
You could use any lightweight woven fabric you like to make this! You could even make it all out of Liberty!
Thanks for your question!
Molly
Hi Anna-
Jointed legs would be great! Just keep in mind you need to use very strong thread for joints on a stuffed animal.
Thank you!
Molly
Hi Amanda-
The buttons are size 15.
Thank you!
Molly
I love this bear! Btw…could you make a bunny pattern? I can just see the floppy ears with the Liberty lining. Once again, well done.
Anne
Hi Anne-
We already have a floppy eared bunny actually! He doesn't have Liberty Ears in the example but you could easily use it instead of the pink wool.
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/the-purl-bee/2013/2/17/mollys-sketchbook-soft-woolen-bunny.html
Thanks for writing in!
Molly
Thanks for this gorgeous project.
This will be a loved addition for my collection.
This is the year of bears and bunnies…..both of your patterns bring back such lovely memories that I will make them and pass them on…I love the felted wool you use..
julie
Beautiful Bear, Molly.
Your tutorial is exceptional too.
Thanks for creating this.
It will make a perfect baby shower gift for my soon to be born nephew.
That is one adorable bear. I just read through the pattern and didn't see when to stuff the head. Did I miss that? I can't imagine that you stuff it before inserting it into the body. Great idea to use those pops of print for the accents.
Hi Barbara-
You stuff the body and the head at the same time, after you've sewn on the head. I have changed that section of the pattern to make it a little more clear.
Thanks for writing in and please let us know if you have any more questions!
Molly
This bear is such a BEAUTY, Thanks for the wonderful pattern and the inspirational tutorial. I see making a lot of Teddy's in my future.
Ok Purlbee geniuses LOVE the bunny tutorial and LOVE the teddy tutorial, and would LOVE to see an elephant ?:) maybe someday?
Thank you again for all your work creating these beautiful timeless creations:)
Colleen
really love it! i need to do my own
Superbe ours, merci beaucoup pour ce tuto trs bien fait.
Hi,
The teddy is beautiful, and I'm having a blast making it, even though my handsewing skills are far from being good. Thanks a lot!
I'm making this as a gift for a newborn, and I wonder whether buttons are appropriate for babies. Do you know a technique to embroider the eyes maybe?
Hi Anne-
I totally understand your concern. If you want to be extra super safe, to use polyester or silk thread to sew on the eyes. Those threads are very strong and if you sew the eyes on securely I can't see it being a problem.
Or, if you'd rather, you can certainly embroider them. I embroidered the eyes of my Soft Woolen Bunny recently. You can see that project here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/the-purl-bee/2013/2/17/mollys-sketchbook-soft-woolen-bunny.html
Good luck with the project!
Molly
So, so sweet. Looks like he is just waiting to be hugged (or she is waiting to be hugged). Your work is fabulous and your tutorial is so well done and easy to follow. Thanks for your time in putting this all together. Can wait to see more of your designs.
Hello,
Thank you for this little guy! I just finished stitching one up for my nephew who is due late next month.
I have a question about the template. When I put the top of head sides and side head sides together, the pieces at the bottom read "nose" on the top of head and "neck" on the side head. What ended up happening is that my nose is formed from one part nose, two parts neck.
I forged forward because I couldn't figure out another way to sew it up without leaving it this way. The result is that the neck is that the head proportions don't look like the ones in your picture.
What did I doing wrong?
Thanks,
Lauren
Hi Lauren-
Would you mind sending me a photo of the head/ neck area so I can see what happened? My email is Molly AT purlsoho DOT com
Thank you!
Molly
HI,
I would like to make these for my children, each with a unique Liberty print, but the same body wool felt. Would you tell me how much wool to purchase to make 3, and also if you could, recommend a few Liberty prints that come in 3 or more colorways?
Thanks so much, I am looking forward to putting these under our Christmas tree this year!
Kalle
Hi Kalle-
What a lovely idea! I would get 1 yard of the wool. Here are some Liberty ideas. (I would get 1/4 yard of each of the Libertys):
In the seasonal prints I think "Ninataylor" or "Annabel" would be great: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/7486-Liberty-of-London-Tana-Lawn-Seasonal
Or in the classic prints, the "Edenham" (which is what I used for the pictured bear) also comes in a few great color ways as does "Mirabelle", "Pepper", and "Betsy": https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/1695-Liberty-of-London-Tana-Lawn-Classics
If you have a chance we'd love to see a picture of the finished bears! Maybe you could post them on our Facebook page when you're done? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Purlsohocom/58035888021
Thank you!
Molly
Hi there! Love your tutorials! Made the wool felt bunny for my baby girl when she was born and she's loved it ever since. Having another baby on the way and am totally thinking of trying my hand at this teddy.. will you be doing a puppy dog tutorial by any chance? 🙂
Hi Moira-
No plans for a puppy at the moment but we'll keep that in mind for the future!
Thanks!
Molly
Thank you for sharing this pattern and tutorial! I have made one of these bears now for each of my kids and they are such a special keepsake. Thanks again!
Just finished making this little guy for our baby girl that's due in just over a week. Pattern was great, and the bear turned out wonderful! Thank you so so much!!
I have difficulties to join the 2 side head to the top of the head, how come mine one looked totally different from what you showed in the pix? please help..thx
Hi Lisa-
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having troubles with this. Can you send me a picture of your bear’s head so far? My email is Molly AT purlsoho DOT com.
Thanks!
Molly
Your photos to assemble are great. very easy to follow.
Do you have a paper pettern that is available to print? Cause I would love to make this. 🙂
Hi Wendy-
Yes- the paper templates for cutting the pieces is linked under the “Materials” section. And you can print the whole pattern by clicking on the print button at the upper right of the page. T
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
My arm pieces aren’t matxhing up… The side with that paw piece is bigger than the outer piece. Should I be bunching it a bit so it’s fuller? Or did I do something wrong
Hi Dana-
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having a problem with this! They should match up pretty well. Make sure that you used a full 1/4 inch seam allowance when sewing the paw pad to the inside arm and maybe double check the cut pieces with your printed out pieces.
I hope this helps! If not maybe send me a photo and we can try to get to the bottom of this? You can send me an email to [email protected]
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
You wonderful lady, this tutorial is fabulous, so easy to follow I love your site. Thank you so much.
Great site, very clear, thanks.
Molly, I have a quick question for you, I was wondering do I have to flip the pattern or do I just cut from the template? thank you:)
Hi Snooky-
You don’t have to flip the pattern if you are using fabric that doesn’t have a right or wrong side. But if you are using a fabric with a right and wrong side you should cut the pieces where you cut multiples (the pieces that say “cut 2” or “cut 4”) on a double layer of fabric that is folded with the right sides facing out so that the pieces face opposite directions when cut. I hope this makes sense! Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Molly
Is there a way to print the tutorial?
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for writing in! You absolutely can print the tutorial! If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials.
Best,
Cassy
Hi…where is the download for the pattern pieces pls?
Hi Nelmarie,
Thanks for writing in! There is a download for the pattern pieces that is linked in the Materials section. I am also including it here for you: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bear_template_REV.pdf
Best,
Cassy
Thanks for the pattern. I made this bear with left overs of a Dutch garment and African fabric for a baby in Burkina Faso.
https://scontent-amt2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/22089567_10155749198026912_7210032721086458944_n.jpg?oh=d55b0e7934b2e099f64ba5d0de1b7df8&oe=5A880779
Hello Charlotte,
Thank you for sharing! I love your version- adorable.
Happy crafting,
Marilla
I am just a little worried about the button eyes being a choking hazard for wee ones. I might suggest that stitched felt might be an option for any stuffy intended for young children. Adorable bear otherwise!
Thank you so much for this pattern and for the wonderful photos.
I’m embarking on a toy project for the first time.
If I make him without mistakes I’ll be thrilled to bits.
Amei! Simples e bonito.
Just finished making Ted. A fabulous project during lockdown in France. Have been used to making lots of quilts but this is my first attempt at a teddy bear. Really pleased with the finished Ted. I will be making another one soon.
Hi Lyn,
Glad you enjoyed it! Please feel free to share any photos with us at [email protected] or on Instagram using the hashtag #purlsohobusyhands. We’d love to see your work!
Kindly,
Anna
purlsoho.com
Bonjour, Je suis intéressée pour faire ce nounours mais je suis désolée mais je ne vois pas ou trouver le patron ?
Hi Christelle,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find the template for the Bear here: A Wool + Liberty Teddy Bear Template!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi, I’m 12 and love to sew but am not very good at. This was a super easy pattern to follow, and I think my brother will love his bear!
Hi Vivi,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed making this Teddy Bear and I bet your brother will love it!
All the best,
Gianna
Thank you for this pattern! It was a perfect base for a fat cat plushie I made, I just had to adjust the ears and tail and add some yarn fur tufts. The instructions were nice and easy to follow too. I’ll share to the hashtag on Instagram when I’m done! 🙂
Hi Brooklyn,
Thanks for reaching out! That is so cool! I am glad to hear that this pattern worked for you and you found it easy to understand! We look forward to seeing pictures!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you for sharing. My grandmas taught me how to sew by hand when I was young. They are no longer living, I miss them. I’ve been re-teaching myself how to sew for the past 2 years. I’m a food delivery driver. I hope to make this teddy bear pattern twice for my sister’s twin babies.
Hi there
Just wanted to thank you for making this pattern available, I started this yesterday and it has been very easy to follow, especially with the photographs. I think it’s going to be a very enjoyable project!
Hi Steph,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying this pattern!
Please let us know how your Teddy Bear works out!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Gianna,
Oh I’ve had lots of fun making the teddy bear, I’ve actually made two now! I’m allergic to wool so I used this scrap velvet I had and some scrap blue cotton, so they look a wee bit different to the picture but I am very happy with them, thanks again.
Cheers!
I just finished the Bear, I enlarged to 120% and made it out of some Levi jeans. Bear has three pockets cut to fit.
One comment I have regarding construction…next time I will leave an opening in the back of the arms to stuff later. It will make sewing the head on much easier the bulk from the stuffed arm will not get in the way.
Ps I’ve also made the rabbit.
Hi Eileen,
Thanks for reaching out and sharing your tip! Your version of the teddy bear sounds so cool! We would love to see your finished bear, so please feel free to email us a photo at [email protected] or share on Instagram tagging us at @purlsohobusyhands or by using the hashtag #purlsohobusyhands
Warmly,
Gianna
Maravilloso tutorial y el resultado: un osito hermoso, tierno y gordito.
Muchas gracias por su dedicación al explicar su elaboración.
Un saludo desde Colombia.
Thank you for the post and pattern. Made one out of leather for my son. Had to adjust and do thing a little different. I am still happy with the outcome.
I am new at sewing and I am just curious of the 1/4-inch allowence is included in the pattern or do you cut the pieces adding the allowence?
Hi Kat,
Thanks for writing in! The seam allowance is included when you cut the pieces!
Happy crafting!
Gianna
Hi Lyn,
I just wanted to tell you huge thanks for the amazing explanation and pattern. I will definitely make some teddy bears with my children in after school club and we will send them to children in the hospital. Thank you very much 💋💋💋💋
I can’t find the pattern pieces template please can you send or advise where to find them, thanks.
Hi Sue,
Thanks for reaching out. You can find the template for this pattern in the MATERIALS section! I’ll also link to it here, for quick reference.
All the best,
Lili
Merci pour le partage. Je vais me lancer moi qui ne sait pas coudre mais je relève le défi. C est tellement joli !
De joyeuses fêtes 🥳
Super easy pattern to follow and I have actually had it completed for 5 months now and it has just sat on my shelf staring at me waiting for eyes… I can not for the life of me figure out a good placement for the buttons. I think the seams on my bear’s head are slightly off because they seem to wide set if I put them on the line… Any tips for placement? I would really appreciate it!
Hi Kaitlyn,
Congrats on nearly finishing your bear! You can totally move the buttons around to find the best placement for your own bear before sewing them on completely. I’d recommend using a pin to stick them in different locations until you find the placement you prefer!
All the best,
Lili