Kimba the Lion: Your Complete Guide to DROPS Children 37-20 Free Knitting Pattern

There is something endlessly satisfying about knitting a toy that a child will actually love. Not just admire for a moment and then set aside, but carry around, drag through the garden, sleep with, and eventually wear thin with affection. Kimba the Lion from DROPS Design is exactly that kind of toy. This free knitting pattern, catalogued as DROPS Children 37-20, has captured the hearts of knitters all over the world, and it is not hard to understand why once you get a proper look at it.

Whether you are a seasoned knitter looking for your next project or a beginner who wants to try something a little more ambitious than a basic scarf, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Kimba the Lion — the pattern itself, the yarn, the techniques involved, tips for success, and why this little lion deserves a permanent spot on your knitting list.

What Is DROPS Children 37-20?

DROPS Children 37-20 is a free knitting pattern published by DROPS Design, one of the most beloved and widely used sources of free knitting and crochet patterns in the world. The DROPS Design team, based in Scandinavia, has been producing high-quality, accessible patterns for decades, and their children’s collection is among their most popular.

Kimba is a stuffed lion toy — a plush, knitted animal with a chunky mane, a cheeky expression, and an irresistible softness that makes it perfect as a baby gift, a nursery decoration, or a companion for children of all ages. The lion sits upright, has a plump and huggable body, and features a distinctive fluffy mane that really sets it apart from other knitted animal patterns.

What makes DROPS Children 37-20 particularly appealing is that it is entirely free. You can download the pattern directly from the DROPS Design website at no cost, which is very much in keeping with DROPS’ philosophy of making high-quality craft accessible to everyone.

Why Knitters Love Kimba the Lion

Ask any knitter who has made Kimba the Lion and you will get roughly the same answer: it is one of those patterns you want to make again and again. There are several reasons the pattern has developed such a loyal following.

First, there is the visual appeal. Kimba is genuinely adorable. The mane, which is worked in a different yarn or technique to give it that textured, fluffy quality, creates a real sense of character. Lions are universally loved by children, and a hand-knitted version carries a warmth and personality that no mass-produced toy can replicate.

Second, the pattern is well-written and logically structured. DROPS Design is known for producing clear, step-by-step instructions that guide knitters through each component methodically. Kimba is knitted in separate pieces — the body, the head, the limbs, the tail, and the mane — which are then assembled. This modular approach means that even if you make a mistake on one section, it does not compromise the entire project.

Third, Kimba makes an extraordinary gift. If you are looking for something to knit for a baby shower, a birthday, or the holidays, a hand-knitted lion toy is the kind of gift that people keep. It has sentimental value that grows over time, and it represents a genuine investment of love and craft.

Yarn and Materials: What You Need to Make Kimba

One of the keys to Kimba’s success is choosing the right yarn. DROPS Design patterns are optimised for their own yarn lines, which are available at DROPS retailers worldwide and are, like the patterns themselves, very reasonably priced.

For DROPS Children 37-20, the pattern recommends using DROPS Alpaca and DROPS Alpaca Bouclé. The combination of these two yarns is what gives Kimba his distinctive look. The main body of the lion is worked in DROPS Alpaca, a superfine alpaca blend that is incredibly soft, smooth, and lovely to work with. Alpaca fibres are known for being gentler on sensitive skin than wool, which makes them an excellent choice for children’s toys.

The mane is where DROPS Alpaca Bouclé comes in. Bouclé yarn has a looped, textured surface that, when worked up in the right stitch, creates a fluffy, full-bodied appearance that is perfect for a lion’s mane. This yarn gives Kimba his character and makes him look genuinely leonine rather than just like a vaguely round stuffed animal.

In addition to yarn, you will need a set of double-pointed needles in the appropriate size (the pattern specifies the recommended needle size), toy stuffing to fill the body and head, and a tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends. If you want to add embroidered facial features — the nose and mouth — you will also need some embroidery thread or a small amount of contrasting yarn.

Some knitters choose to use safety eyes instead of embroidered eyes, and this is a perfectly valid adaptation. However, if you are making Kimba for a very young child or a baby, it is worth noting that safety eyes, despite their name, are not always recommended for toys intended for children under three, as small parts can become detached. Embroidered features are always the safest choice for the youngest recipients.

Techniques Used in the Pattern

DROPS Children 37-20 is not a pattern for absolute beginners, but it is well within reach of anyone who has a comfortable handle on basic knitting techniques. Here is a breakdown of what you will need to know before you cast on.

Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles is central to this pattern. Much of Kimba is worked in the round to create seamless, three-dimensional shapes. If you have never used double-pointed needles before, this pattern is actually a wonderful opportunity to learn, since the individual components are small and manageable. The body and head are not large projects, so you will not be spending hours wrestling with a jungle of needles.

Increases and decreases are used to shape the body, head, and limbs. DROPS patterns typically use standard techniques such as knitting two stitches together (k2tog) for decreases and various increase methods for shaping. The pattern specifies which methods to use, so you do not need to guess.

Seaming is required to attach the various pieces together once they are all knitted. This involves sewing the limbs, head, ears, and tail to the body using mattress stitch or a similar technique. Taking your time with the seaming process makes a real difference to the finished look of the toy, so it is worth not rushing this step even if you are eager to see the finished result.

Working the mane is perhaps the most distinctive part of the pattern. The Bouclé yarn is worked in a way that creates volume and texture around Kimba’s face, and while the technique is straightforward, it may feel a little different to usual knitting because of the yarn’s looped structure. Sticking closely to the pattern instructions here will give you the best results.

Finishing details — embroidering the face, stuffing the toy firmly and evenly, and joining the final seams — are the steps that truly bring Kimba to life. Many experienced knitters will tell you that the finishing is where a toy either succeeds or falls short, so treating this stage with the same care and attention as the knitting itself is important.

Tips for Getting the Best Results

Having studied the pattern and read through the experiences of many knitters who have made Kimba, a few consistent pieces of advice emerge that are worth keeping in mind before and during your project.

Check your tension. As with any knitting pattern, getting the right tension (or gauge) is important. For a stuffed toy, tension affects not just the size of the finished piece but also the density of the fabric. You want the knitted fabric to be tight enough that the stuffing does not show through, so if your tension tends to be loose, consider going down a needle size.

Stuff firmly and evenly. Kimba should be plump and well-rounded, not lumpy or flat in places. Use small amounts of stuffing at a time and push it into every corner of the body and limbs as you work. A knitting needle or pencil is useful for pushing stuffing into smaller areas like the ears or the tip of the tail.

Keep your yarn joined neatly. When working with two different yarns — the Alpaca and the Bouclé — you will have yarn joins to manage. Try to join at points that will be hidden in seams where possible, and always weave in your ends securely. With a toy that a child will play with, you want to be confident that nothing is going to unravel.

Take your time with the mane. The mane is the feature that makes Kimba recognisably a lion, and it is worth giving it the attention it deserves. Follow the pattern instructions carefully for working with the Bouclé yarn, and do not be tempted to rush through this section just because you are keen to see the finished toy.

Use high-quality stuffing. The stuffing inside a toy contributes significantly to how it feels in a child’s hands. Good quality polyester toy stuffing is washable, hypoallergenic, and holds its shape well. Cheap stuffing can clump or flatten over time, which affects how the toy looks and feels.

Block the individual pieces lightly before seaming. This is a tip that not every knitter bothers with for toys, but it can make the seaming process much easier and neater. Lightly blocking the knitted pieces before you sew them together helps them lie flat and makes it easier to line up edges accurately.

Adapting the Pattern

One of the joys of a free pattern like DROPS Children 37-20 is that once you have made it once and understand its construction, you can adapt it to suit your own tastes or the preferences of the recipient.

Colour is the most obvious way to personalise Kimba. DROPS Alpaca comes in an extensive range of colours, so you could make a traditional golden lion, a soft cream version, a grey lion for something a little more unusual, or even a fantastical multicoloured lion if you are feeling bold. The mane, worked in Bouclé, also comes in various colours, and choosing a contrasting or complementary shade can change the whole feel of the finished toy.

Some knitters have adapted the pattern to create a larger or smaller version of Kimba by adjusting their needle size and yarn weight. Going up to a heavier yarn with larger needles will produce a bigger, squishier lion, while using a finer yarn and smaller needles results in a pocket-sized miniature. Keep in mind that significant changes to yarn weight will affect how much yarn you need, so plan accordingly.

Adding accessories is another popular modification. A small knitted crown, a bow tie, or a tiny knitted blanket can transform Kimba into an even more charming gift, especially if you are making him as a personalised present.

Kimba the Lion as a Gift

There is a particular pleasure in giving a hand-knitted gift that you know has taken real time and skill. Kimba the Lion is one of those gifts that tends to produce a genuinely emotional response from the recipient — or more accurately, from the parent of the recipient, since babies are notoriously unreliable in their gift appreciation.

For baby showers, Kimba is a wonderful choice because he is soft, safe, and beautiful. He also photographs extraordinarily well, which matters in the age of social media where new parents love to document every lovely object in their child’s nursery.

For older children, Kimba makes a wonderful birthday gift, especially if you know the child loves animals or has a particular affinity for lions. Children who receive hand-knitted toys often develop a strong attachment to them precisely because they are unique — unlike the identical plush toys available in every toy shop, a hand-knitted Kimba is one of a kind.

For adults who collect knitted or handmade items, Kimba is a lovely decorative piece that looks at home on a bookshelf, a desk, or a mantelpiece. There is no rule that says stuffed animals are only for children.

Where to Find the Pattern and Get Started

DROPS Children 37-20 is available for free on the DROPS Design website. Simply search for “Kimba the Lion” or “DROPS Children 37-20” and you will find the pattern page, which includes the full instructions, a yarn requirements list, and photographs of the finished toy.

The DROPS website also has a community forum and a project gallery where knitters share photographs of their finished Kimbas. Browsing through these images before you start your own is a wonderful source of inspiration — you will see the range of colour choices other knitters have made, as well as variations in size and style, and it will give you a clear sense of what your finished lion could look like.

If you are working from the pattern for the first time and run into questions, the DROPS community is exceptionally helpful. There are also numerous knitting forums, Facebook groups, and Ravelry project pages dedicated to DROPS patterns where experienced makers are generous with advice and encouragement.

A Final Word on Kimba

Knitting is one of the few crafts that allows you to create something genuinely alive with personality. Kimba the Lion is a perfect example of what a well-designed pattern can achieve — a toy that looks charming, feels wonderful to the touch, and carries the unmistakable warmth of something made by hand.

Whether you are making him as a gift, as a decorative piece, or simply as an enjoyable project for yourself, Kimba is a pattern that rewards the time and care you put into him. The combination of the soft Alpaca body, the fluffy Bouclé mane, and the carefully embroidered face adds up to something that is genuinely greater than the sum of its parts.

If you have been on the fence about trying DROPS Children 37-20, consider this your encouragement to take the leap. Download the pattern, gather your yarn, and let yourself enjoy the very particular pleasure of knitting a little lion who is already waiting to be loved.