How to make a Polar Bear Feltie

This polar bear is so cute! Felties are really easy to make and can be made into brooches, key rings, or just little toys.


Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1 and a half hours approximately                      
                                                                             
What you need:

- White felt
- Black embroidery floss
- Pink pencil
- Black pencil
- White embroidery floss
- Template [ shown below ]
- A small amount of stuffing
- Sewing tool box

How to make the face:

1. Trace the template below and pin onto felt. Cut.
2. Separate the black embroidery floss into strands of 3.
3. Using 3 strands, sew the polar bear's eyes on with a french knot onto the face/head. If you can not do this stitch, sew a small dot and go over it a few times to make it thick. Make sure each eye is close to the edge of the face.
4. Add some eyelashes by doing a straight stitch on top of the eye.
5. Repeat step for other eye.
6. With 3 strands of black embroidery thread, sew a nose by doing a straight stitch. Repeat step but with each stitch getting smaller than the other.
7. Add a mouth by sewing 2 straight stitches that are slightly curved.

How to make the ears:

1. Sew the ears onto the face with a straight stitch.

How to make the head:

1.Align both head pieces together.
2. Using 2 strands of white embroidery floss, sew a small over stitch or blanket stitch over the 2 head pieces. Leave room at the bottom for the width of the body.
3. Stuff carefully with tiny pieces of stuffing.

How to make the body:

1. Attach the arms to the back of the body, with 1 strand of white embroidery floss.
2. Sew the pouch on to the front of the body with 1 strand of embroidery floss. Make sure the thread goes through both layers of felt.
3. Stick your finger in the pouch to make space for the baby.
4. Align both body pieces and sew with a blanket stitch or over stitch. Do not sew the top of the body.
5. Carefully stuff the body through the top of the head.

How to attach the body to the head:

1. Insert the top of the body into the gap of the head. Pin in place.
2. Use a small over stitch to attach the body to the head, going through the front of the head and the front of the body.
3. Repeat step on opposite side, going through the back of the head and the back of the body.

How to make the baby:

1. Sew on the baby's eyes and mouth with 3 strands of black embroidery thread. Create a french knot for the eyes and a tiny X for the mouth.
2. Sew around the baby's body with 1 strand of white embroidery floss.
3. Place him/her into the pouch.

Finishing touches:

1. Add some cheek colour by gently using the pink pencil onto the polar bear's cheeks.
2. Add some claws with the black pencil onto the arms.
3. Colour in the most of the polar bear's ears.

Your Polar Bear is now finished!

You can make your feltie in a brooch, by attaching a safety pin or brooch back.

Or you can make it into a key ring, by leaving a gap at the top of the head, threading a key ring through some strong ribbon, folding the ribbon in half and inserting it into the gap at the top of the head. Stitch the gap closed with an over stitch or blanket stitch.

Template [ sizes are roughly to scale ]

You may want to increase the sizing by a few milimeters or to your satisfaction ]