Easy Bear Finger Puppet with Free Pattern

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Learn how to sew a bear finger puppet with this free tutorial to befriend your mole finger puppet! The best part? You can access a free pattern to make them at home! With just a few materials and a little creativity, you can have your own bear puppet in no time. Try it and see what adventures your bear puppet will take you on.

General instructions

This bear felt finger puppet is easy to make. It is stitched entirely by hand, using a running stitch, backstitch, French knot, whip stitch, and fly stitch. Visit my website for the guide on hand embroidery stitches. As easier variant, you can hand-sew the bear craft with a running stitch and backstitch.

Hand stitches used in the bear finger puppet pattern

Instructions follow to make the DIY: felt finger puppet bear. The finished puppet is approximately 2.8 ” (7 cm) tall. The puppet is made from scraps of felt.

Finger puppets are not recommended for children under the age of 3.

This pattern includes the free template to make the puppet, a material and supply list, complete instructions, and supporting photos.

Three-strand embroidery floss and one-strand embroidery floss are used to embroider the bear puppet. Knot thread ends on the wrong side of felt.

TIP: Felt pieces can be pinned to the body shape to hold them in place until they are stitched.

Another option is to place a tiny dab of instant dry fabric glue on the reverse side of felt shapes and position them on the puppet’s body. Learn what’s the best glue for felt in my post.

TIP: If you want to learn tips on cutting out felt pieces, you can read my post about 6 techniques for cutting felt shapes.

TIP: You are welcome to read how to trace on felt post if you want to learn more about transferring the pattern on felt for embroidery.

What Do You Need to Make Felt Bear Finger Puppet?

• Mole Finger Puppet Free Template - to download the file, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault

• felt scraps (find great felt at Benzie Design or find more buying options in the Types of Felt section of How to Sew Felt blog post): dark brown, light brown, white

• embroidery floss: black, brown, white

• hand-sewing needles

• small or embroidery scissors (Kai 5 1/2 inch embroidery scissors are my favorites)

• pins (optional - these are my favorites) or Clover wonder clips (optional)

• Elmer’s craft bond fabric glue (optional)

• freezer paper sheet (optional, you can directly print on the sheet - Check out my tutorial to learn how to use freezer paper for cutting precise shapes from felt)

How to Make a Bear Finger Puppet

1. Download and print the free template Woodland Animals Finger Puppets (to download the file, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault).

2. Use the bear finger puppet template to cut out all of the pieces from felt. See the photo below.

TIP: Need some help with cutting the felt shapes? Learn about 6 different ways of cutting felt in How to cut felt post.

TIP: Wondering what felt to buy? Read about different types of felt in how to sew felt: tips for sewing with felt.

3. Pin or glue the light brown muzzle to the front of body shape, following the bear finger puppet diagram. Cut a length of embroidery floss and separate one strand. Sew a whip stitch or, as a variant running stitch, close to the edges of the muzzle to attach it.

TIP: For help with running stitch, read my guide for running stitch embroidery. If you wanna perfect your whip stitch, read more in the easy to follow guide on whip stitch.

For the detail of the muzzle and mouth, use three-strand black floss. Start from the top and sew a french knot, then two backstitches, and finish it off with one fly stitch, all on the line of the pattern. As a variant, use a straight stitch making a star for the detail of the muzzle and then backstitches for the rest.

4. Pin or glue two white circles for eyes to the front of body shape, following the template. With one-strand white floss, sew a whip stitch around the edges of the eyes to attach it. You can also opt for running stitch here.

Using the french knot, sew the eyes in position with three-strands of black embroidery thread. I wrapped the thread 3 times around my needle so that the knot is more significant. As a variant, you can use straight stitch and make a small star.

5. Place the bear puppet’s front and back together and begin joining the pieces with a running stitch close to the edge.

6. Your DIY: finger puppet bear made with Fun Cloth Crafts free bear finger puppet pattern is ready for its happy owner.

Bear finger puppet

Find all seven woodland finger puppet patterns in FREEBIES

Explore Other Finger Puppet Patterns

Bear Finger Puppet Craft Conclusion

In conclusion, the Bear Finger Puppet Craft is a delightful and entertaining activity for both kids and adults alike. It allows for creativity and encourages imaginative play. Making this craft with children is a great way to spend quality time together. The materials required for this craft can be easily found at home or in a local craft store making it an affordable option for a fun and engaging activity.

Be sure to visit more on this website for free embroidery and sewing tutorials to help you out as you stitch my patterns.

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I would love to see your finished projects. So if you like to share it, please send me your pictures. I welcome any feedback as it is important to make my products better. Don't hesitate to contact me with your suggestions at anna@funclothcrafts.com.

Let’s craft together!

XO, Anna

Copyright 2023 by Fun Cloth Crafts

This pattern may be copied for noncommercial use only. You can use it to make as many Bear finger puppets as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don’t make any for sale.

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