Free Easy Loom Knit Teddy Bear Pattern for Beginners (Instant Access!)

If you’ve been searching for a beginner-friendly teddy bear pattern that doesn’t require two knitting needles and years of experience, you’ve landed in exactly the right place. This free loom knitting pattern will walk you through every single step of creating an adorable stuffed teddy bear using a round loom — no prior knitting experience required. Whether you’re a complete newcomer to loom knitting or you’ve made a few hats and scarves and want to try something new, this pattern is designed to be clear, fun, and totally achievable.

Loom knitting is one of the best kept secrets in the crafting world. It produces beautiful, professional-looking knitted fabric without the intimidation of traditional needle knitting, and it’s gentle on your hands and wrists. Plus, the tools are inexpensive, easy to find at any craft store, and simple to learn in an afternoon. If you’ve never picked up a loom before, don’t worry — I’ll explain everything you need to know before we even start the pattern.

Let’s get into it.

Why Loom Knitting Is Perfect for Making Stuffed Animals

Before we dive into the actual pattern, let me take a moment to explain why loom knitting is such a great method for making stuffed animals like teddy bears.

Traditional knitting requires you to manage two (or more) pointed needles simultaneously, keep track of stitches that can easily slip off, and maintain consistent tension throughout. For beginners, this can feel overwhelming. Loom knitting eliminates most of those frustrations. Your stitches stay secure on the pegs, the tension is more naturally consistent, and both hands are free to work the hook and yarn without juggling anything.

Loom knitting also produces a wonderfully thick, stretchy fabric that’s ideal for stuffed animals. The fabric holds its shape well when stuffed with polyfill, and the slight elasticity means the seams stay secure. When you’re making something that a child might squeeze and tug on for years, that durability matters a lot.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Gathering your materials before you begin will make the whole process smoother. Here’s everything you need for this free loom knit teddy bear pattern.

Loom: You’ll need a small round loom with 24 pegs, though a 28-peg loom also works if that’s what you have on hand. Many beginner loom sets come with multiple sizes, so check what you already own before purchasing. Brands like Knifty Knitter, Boye, or any generic small round loom will work perfectly.

Yarn: Choose a soft, bulky or super bulky yarn in the color you want your bear to be. Classic teddy bear shades include honey brown, caramel, tan, cream, and grey. You’ll need approximately 200 to 250 yards for the bear’s body, head, and limbs. A small amount of dark brown or black yarn will be used for the facial features.

Knitting hook or loom pick: These usually come with your loom kit. It’s the hook-shaped tool you use to lift stitches over pegs.

Blunt tapestry needle: You’ll need this for seaming the pieces together and weaving in ends.

Polyester fiberfill stuffing: This is what gives your bear its round, huggable shape. You can find it at any craft store.

Scissors: A sharp pair for cutting yarn cleanly.

Stitch markers (optional): Helpful for marking the beginning of rounds if you’re new to working in the round.

Safety eyes (optional): 12mm to 15mm safety eyes are optional but give your bear a polished, professional look. If the bear is intended for a child under three, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes with yarn instead for safety reasons.

Basic Loom Knitting Stitches Used in This Pattern

This pattern uses just two stitches, both of which are great for beginners.

The e-wrap knit stitch (also called the twisted knit stitch): This is the most basic loom knitting stitch. To work it, wrap the yarn around each peg in an “e” shape (counterclockwise), then use your hook to lift the bottom loop over the top loop and off the peg. This creates one row of knit stitches.

The purl stitch: Occasionally you’ll use a purl stitch to create texture or a seam guide. To purl on a loom, bring the yarn in front of the peg, insert the hook from the top down, catch the working yarn, pull it through the loop already on the peg, and place the new loop onto the peg. Then lift the old loop off over the new one.

That’s really all you need to know stitchwise to complete this entire pattern. If you’ve never tried either stitch before, spend ten minutes practicing on your loom with a spare piece of yarn before starting the bear — you’ll find them very quick to pick up.

Pattern Abbreviations

Throughout the pattern you’ll see the following shorthand.

ew = e-wrap knit stitch
p = purl stitch
rep = repeat
CO = cast on
BO = bind off
rnd = round
inc = increase (add a peg or add a stitch)
dec = decrease (remove a stitch by moving it to an adjacent peg)

Free Easy Loom Knit Teddy Bear Pattern

This pattern creates a classic sitting teddy bear approximately 10 to 12 inches tall when finished, depending on your yarn weight and how firmly you stuff it. The bear is worked in separate pieces — the body, the head, two arms, two legs, and two ears — and then sewn together at the end.

Body

Cast on 24 stitches on your small round loom and join to work in the round. If you’re using a 28-peg loom, cast on 24 pegs and leave 4 pegs unused.

Rounds 1 through 20: Ew all stitches in each round.

You should have a tube of knitted fabric approximately 5 to 6 inches tall. Do not bind off yet.

Cut your yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail. Thread the tail through a tapestry needle and draw it through all 24 live stitches, removing them from the loom one at a time as you go. Pull the tail snug to close one end of the tube (this will be the bottom of the body). Tie off securely and weave in the end.

Stuff the body firmly with polyfill before closing the other end. The body should feel round and slightly firm, like a stuffed ball.

Once stuffed, thread the cast-on tail through the tapestry needle and draw it through all the stitches at the cast-on edge in the same way, pulling snug to close the top opening. Knot and weave in the end. Set the body aside.

Head

Cast on 24 stitches and join in the round.

Rounds 1 through 15: Ew all stitches.

Close and finish the head the same way you finished the body — close one end, stuff firmly, then close the other end. The head should be roughly as wide as the body but slightly smaller.

If you’re using safety eyes, attach them now before completely stuffing and closing the head. Position them on round 7 or 8, spaced about 8 pegs apart. Click the safety backs firmly into place on the inside of the knitted piece before adding fiberfill.

Arms (make two)

Cast on 14 stitches and join in the round.

Rounds 1 through 12: Ew all stitches.

Close one end, stuff lightly (arms should be softer and squishier than the body), then close the other end. Make two of these. They should be small sausage-shaped tubes approximately 3 inches long.

Legs (make two)

Cast on 16 stitches and join in the round.

Rounds 1 through 14: Ew all stitches.

Close one end, stuff moderately (firmer than the arms but not rock solid), then close the other end. Make two of these. They should be slightly larger than the arms, approximately 3 to 3.5 inches long.

Ears (make two)

Cast on 10 stitches and join in the round.

Rounds 1 through 5: Ew all stitches.

Close one end with the tail (do not stuff the ears — they should be flat or only very lightly filled), and leave the other end open. Pinch the open end together slightly to form a gentle curve. Use the open end to sew the ear to the head later. Make two of these.

Assembling Your Teddy Bear

This is the most satisfying part of the whole process — watching all those individual pieces come together into an actual bear. Take your time with the assembly. A well-assembled bear looks much more polished than one that was rushed.

Step 1 — Attach the head to the body. Using a length of your main yarn and a tapestry needle, sew the head to the top of the body using a whip stitch or mattress stitch all the way around. Try to center the head and make sure the face is pointing forward. Stitch around the full circumference twice for extra security, then knot and weave in the end.

Step 2 — Attach the legs. Position the two legs at the bottom front of the body, roughly side by side, angled slightly outward so the bear looks like it’s sitting. Sew each leg on securely using several passes of yarn through the loom fabric. The legs should hold the bear in a seated position when placed on a flat surface.

Step 3 — Attach the arms. Position the arms on either side of the upper body, just below the head. Sew each arm on securely the same way you attached the legs. Angle them slightly downward so they hang naturally at the sides.

Step 4 — Attach the ears. Pinch the open end of each ear slightly to create a gentle curve and sew them to the top of the head, one on each side. Position them roughly on either side of round 2 or round 3 of the head piece. Sew around the base of each ear thoroughly so they stand up and don’t flop.

Step 5 — Create the face. This step is where your bear really comes to life. If you’ve used safety eyes, they’re already in place. If you’re embroidering the eyes, use a length of black or dark brown yarn and a tapestry needle to create two small circular or oval shapes on round 7 or 8 of the head, spaced evenly apart.

For the nose, create a small triangle shape using dark yarn, positioned centered just below and between the eyes on round 9 or 10. Stitch over it two or three times so the shape is visible and defined.

For the mouth, come down from the center bottom of the nose triangle and stitch a small “Y” shape or a gentle curved smile beneath it. A simple curved line also looks adorable on smaller bears.

Finishing Touches and Tips for a Beautiful Bear

Once your bear is assembled and the face is complete, take a moment to check all the seams. Gently tug each limb to make sure it’s securely attached. Squeeze the body and head to make sure the stuffing feels even and full — if any section feels flat, you can actually use a tapestry needle to coax a little more stuffing into that area through the knit fabric.

If you’d like to add a little extra detail to your bear, consider these optional finishing touches.

A simple ribbon or bow tied around the neck transforms even the most basic bear into something that looks gift-ready. A 12-inch length of satin ribbon in a contrasting color works beautifully.

You can also lightly brush the finished bear with a stiff-bristled toothbrush or a pet slicker brush to create a fuzzy, fluffy effect on the surface of the yarn. This works especially well with mohair or faux fur yarn and gives the bear a more traditional stuffed animal look.

If you want to give the bear a little more definition between the head and body, tie a length of yarn snugly around the “neck” area after attaching the head and cinch it slightly. This creates a visible neck and makes the proportions look more classic.

Yarn Substitutions and Color Ideas

The great thing about this pattern is how much room there is to personalize it. Here are a few yarn and color combinations to spark your creativity.

A pale pink or lavender bear with white ears makes an adorable baby shower gift. Use a soft, low-pill yarn if you’re gifting to a newborn.

A classic honey brown bear with a cream-colored muzzle gives you a more traditional look. To add a cream muzzle, simply sew a small oval of cream-colored felt or knit a tiny flat piece in cream yarn and stitch it onto the face before embroidering the nose and mouth.

A grey bear with pale blue accents is a sweet, modern take on the classic design.

Dark charcoal or black yarn creates a dramatic bear that looks surprisingly chic — this color combination has become very popular on handmade gift markets.

How Long Does This Project Take?

For an absolute beginner working at a relaxed pace, this bear typically takes about three to five hours spread across two or three sessions. For someone with a bit of loom knitting experience, you can finish all the pieces in a single afternoon and spend another hour or two on assembly and finishing.

This makes it a wonderful weekend project, a great craft to work on during movie nights, or a manageable gift project when you need something handmade and heartfelt in a short timeframe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use worsted weight yarn instead of bulky?

Yes, you can. If you use worsted weight yarn, your bear will simply be a little smaller and slightly more detailed. You might also need to work a few extra rounds on each piece to achieve comparable sizing. Using a loom with smaller peg spacing (sometimes called a fine gauge loom) will give you the best results with worsted weight.

My bear looks lumpy. What did I do wrong?

Lumpy bears are almost always a stuffing issue rather than a knitting issue. Either the stuffing wasn’t packed in evenly, or there wasn’t quite enough of it. Try teasing the fiberfill apart into smaller pieces before stuffing — large clumps of polyfill are the main culprit. If the bear is already assembled, use a tapestry needle or a pencil to poke more fiberfill in through the knitted fabric at problem spots.

Can I wash this bear?

That depends on the yarn you used. Check your yarn label for washing instructions. Most acrylic and acrylic blend yarns are machine washable on a gentle cycle, which makes them ideal for children’s toys. Wool or natural fiber yarns typically need to be hand washed carefully to avoid felting.

Is this pattern suitable to sell?

Yes! This is a free pattern shared for both personal and small commercial use. You are welcome to sell finished bears made from this pattern. Please credit the pattern if you’re sharing it online.

One Last Thought

There is something genuinely special about handing someone a stuffed animal you made yourself. Whether it’s a gift for a new baby, a comfort toy for a child you love, or even just a fun project you made for the joy of making something with your hands, a handmade teddy bear carries a kind of warmth that a store-bought one simply can’t replicate.

This free pattern is designed to take that beautiful idea and make it as achievable as possible — no matter where you are in your crafting journey. Beginners can finish this bear. Experienced crafters can finish it quickly and in bulk for gift-giving season. Everyone who tries it ends up with something they’re proud of.

So grab your loom, pick out a cozy yarn in your favorite teddy bear shade, and get started. Your bear is waiting.