Looking for a free crochet teddy bear pattern? Here are 24 of them: easy bears for your first amigurumi, big plush and jointed teddies, tiny keychain and no-sew bears, polar bears, a panda and a koala, plus Christmas bears and bear loveys for babies. Every full written pattern is free on the designer's own site, with no sign-up. A handmade teddy is one of the most loved gifts you can make for Christmas, and most of the bears here are done in one or two evenings.
For each bear I've noted the yarn, hook, eyes and finished size where the designer gives them, plus how the pattern starts or goes together. Some designers also sell an ad-free PDF, but the version linked here is free to read on the page.
A quick note on safety. If a bear is for a baby or a child under three, skip the safety eyes and buttons and embroider the eyes and nose with yarn instead. Several patterns below are written with embroidered faces already, and I've pointed those out.
Easy teddy bears for beginners
If you can crochet in the round and work a magic ring, you can make any of these.
Crochet Teddy Bear — The Friendly Red Fox. A classic sitting bear about 9 inches tall. The head and body are one piece, starting with 6 sc in a magic circle and building to 48 stitches. Worsted yarn (about 120g) on a 3.75mm hook, with 12mm safety eyes and embroidered eyebrows.
Crochet Teddy Bear Pattern — Leelee Knits. A chunky bear about 8 inches sitting and 12 inches with its legs out. The head grows from 6 sc to 48 stitches, and the body carries on straight from the head. Paintbox Simply Chunky on a 5mm (H) hook. The designer suggests embroidered eyes for very small children.
Teddy Bear with Overalls — Wonder Crochet. A 7-inch bear in little overalls with crossed straps. The head grows from 6 sc in a magic ring to 54 stitches, with safety eyes and a safety nose. Medium-weight acrylic on a 4mm (G) hook.
Flip Flop Teddy Bear — Darling Maple Designs. Written for beginners, with a no-sew option for the arms and legs. It's shown in Bernat Velvet and Premier Parfait Chunky on a 5.5mm (I) hook, and the page gives hook sizes for worsted and super bulky yarn too. There's also a link to an embroidered "sleepy eye" tutorial.
Charlie the Chunky Bear — The Nicole Chase. Almost no sewing: the legs, body and head are worked in one piece, and the arms and ears are crocheted straight onto the body. Super bulky yarn on a 6.5mm (K) hook, about 10 1/2 inches tall. A good first big bear.
Crochet Teddy Bear — The Loopy Lamb. A small bear from the designer's amigurumi advent calendar crochet-along. The legs start with 6 sc in a magic circle, and the muzzle and nose are embroidered. Brava Worsted on a 3.5mm (E) hook. There's a "Sleepy Teddy" version with embroidered eyes, and a video.
Classic, big and jointed teddy bears
These are the heirloom-style bears: bigger, plusher, or with joints so the arms and legs move.
Tad the Crochet Teddy Bear — Craft Passion. A traditional teddy with a mended-patch look on the forehead and tummy, plus a green bow. The head goes from 6 sc to 72 stitches, and the body grows from a chain of 5 to 64 stitches. Light worsted or DK on a 2.5mm hook makes a firm, neat fabric.
Free Crochet Bear Pattern — Cuddly Stitches Craft. A sweet seated bear, 8 inches sitting and 10 inches from ears to toes. The head builds to 72 stitches on a 2.5mm (B/1) hook, with an embroidered nose and eyebrows. The designer recommends embroidered eyes for children under three.
Amigurumi Bear — Bella Coco Crochet. A guest pattern by Natasha Savel, about 23cm (9 inches) tall, on a 4mm hook with 10mm safety eyes. The head builds to 66 stitches. It's written in UK terms, so "dc" here means a US single crochet.
Plush Yarn Teddy Bear — The Friendly Red Fox. Made in Premier Chunky in the color "Teddy Bear" (2 skeins, about 180 yards) on a 4mm hook, with 18mm safety eyes. The body and head are one piece starting with 8 sc, and the nose is embroidered. It's very soft and very huggable.
Plush Teddy Bear — Kristi Tullus. The true jointed teddy on this list: the arms and legs attach with plastic doll joints (20mm and 16mm), so they move like a store-bought bear's. Super bulky velvet yarn on a 4.5mm hook, about 10 inches head to toe, with a floss-embroidered nose.
Fleece Teddy — All About Ami. A jumbo bear in Go For Faux Fleece Sherpa (about 262g) on a 6.5mm hook, with 18mm safety eyes. Stephanie shows how to sculpt eye indentations so the face looks friendly. There's a bunny on the same page too.
Mini, keychain and no-sew bears
Small bears make perfect stocking stuffers, and you can finish one in a single sitting.
Baby Bobble Bear — Once Upon a Cheerio. A tiny 7cm (2 3/4-inch) bear with no sewing at all. The arms, legs and tail are bobble stitches worked right into the body. DK chenille (Scheepjes Little Darling) on a 3.25mm hook, with 5mm safety eyes.
Teddy Bear Bag Charm — Creativebug. A 4-inch bear on keychain hardware, to hang from a backpack or a purse. The legs join into a one-piece body and head. Worsted yarn on a 5mm (H) hook. Use 6mm safety eyes, buttons or embroidery.
Little Panda — Little Crochet Farm. A pocket-size 7.5cm (3-inch) panda in DK or sport cotton on a 2mm hook. The head and body are worked in one piece, and the eyes are embroidered, with safety eyes optional.
Polar bears and koalas
Pjotr the Polar Bear — Mariska Vos. A 7-inch polar bear dressed for winter in a red sweater and a hat. The head grows from 6 sc to 72 stitches. Sport cotton on a 2.5mm (B/1) hook, with 10mm safety eyes. He'd look lovely under the tree.
Koala — Mariska Vos. From the same designer, a 6-inch koala in sport cotton on a 2.5mm hook. Same 72-stitch head and 10mm safety eyes, with big round ears.
Polar Bear Christmas Ornament — Little Crochet Farm. A 4-inch polar bear with a scarf and a Santa hat, ready to hang on the tree. Sport cotton on a 2mm hook. The eyes are embroidered, with safety eyes optional.
Christmas bears and gift bears
These are made for gifting, from tree ornaments to a bear in a cocoa cup.
Orin the Ornament Bear — Sweet Softies. A 6 1/2-inch bear in a scarf, sitting inside a crocheted ornament ball. Add a loop to hang him on the tree. The head grows from 6 sc to 36 stitches. Worsted yarn on a 3.25mm hook (6mm for the scarf), rated easy.
Christmas Cocoa Bear — Crochet Concupiscence. A 4-inch bear tucked into a crocheted cocoa mug with an embroidered snowflake. Worsted yarn on a 4.25mm hook, with 6mm safety eyes and an embroidered mouth. A sweet gift with a packet of hot chocolate.
Bear Head Ornament — The Loopy Lamb. A fluffy 3 1/2-inch bear head in Fable Fur faux-fur yarn on a 5.5mm hook, with 12mm safety eyes and an 18mm safety nose. Quick to make, so you can do a whole set for the tree.
Bear loveys for babies
A lovey is a small security blanket with a soft toy head, so it's perfect for a new baby's first Christmas. Want a full-size blanket to match? See our free crochet baby blanket patterns.
Hug Me Bear Lovey — The Nicole Chase. A 14-inch granny square blanket hugged by a 3 1/2-inch bear. Worsted (Brava) on 4mm and 5mm hooks. The designer advises embroidered details for babies.
Bear Lovey — Cuddly Stitches Craft. A pretty eight-point star blanket, 14 1/2 inches across, with a little bear head in the middle. Sport or DK yarn on a 3mm hook, with embroidered eyes, so it's baby-safe as written.
Honey Bear Lovey — Stitching Together. A hexagon puff-stitch blanket, 21 inches at its widest, with a bear head that builds to 48 stitches. Lion Brand The Cottony One on 4mm and 5mm hooks. Cotton makes it soft and washable.
Tips for a better crochet teddy bear
- Use a smaller hook than the yarn label says. Tight stitches keep the stuffing from showing through. Most amigurumi bears go down one or two hook sizes.
- Mark the first stitch of every round. A locking stitch marker saves you from losing count when you crochet in a spiral.
- Stuff firmly, especially the neck. Add stuffing a little at a time as you close the head and body so the head doesn't flop.
- Try the eyes before you lock them. Pin the safety eyes in place and look at the face from a distance first, since even a one-stitch shift changes the bear's expression.
- Brush fuzzy yarns gently. Plush, chenille and faux-fur yarns hide stitches, so count carefully and feel for the loops.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest crochet teddy bear for a beginner?
Charlie the Chunky Bear and the Flip Flop Teddy Bear are good first bears. They use big hooks and thick yarn, so they work up fast, and both need very little sewing. If you want to practice smaller amigurumi, the Friendly Red Fox teddy is a classic with clear rounds.
How much yarn do I need to crochet a teddy bear?
Small bears and ornaments use 20 to 50 yards. A medium 8 to 10 inch bear usually needs 100 to 200 yards of worsted or chunky yarn. Jumbo bears in sherpa or plush yarn can take two or three skeins.
Are crochet teddy bears safe for babies?
They can be, if you leave off safety eyes, buttons and anything else that could come loose. Embroider the eyes and nose with yarn, stuff firmly, and sew all the parts on securely. The bear loveys above are a good choice for babies.
What yarn is best for crochet teddy bears?
Cotton gives crisp, well-defined stitches and washes well. Acrylic is cheap, soft and comes in lots of colors. Chenille, velvet and plush yarns make the softest, most huggable bears, but they're harder to count, so they're better for your second or third bear.
More crochet gifts for Christmas
A teddy bear makes a lovely pair with our crochet Santa amigurumi patterns and crochet gnome patterns. For smaller things to hang on the tree, see our amigurumi Christmas ornaments and crochet snowman patterns. Mini bears fit right in with our crochet stocking stuffer patterns, and you can wrap a big one in one of our crochet gift bags. For a birthday, pair a bear with a soft dress-up crown from our free crochet crown patterns. Making for a baby? Our crochet baby Christmas outfits go nicely with a bear lovey. For an older child, a bear pairs well with a kids' backpack from our free crochet backpack patterns. Never made a stuffed toy before? Start with our easy amigurumi patterns for beginners, including a chunky no-sew bear.
