Make a Miniature Felt Teddy Bear Ornament for Valentine's Day

Felt is a very versatile fabric. Acrylic felt comes in a large variety of colors and is very affordable. Wool felt is more expensive, but you can create your own quite cheaply by washing and drying old knit wool sweaters in hot water and a hot dryer. The heat and agitation transforms the knit into a solid and sturdy piece of felt. It is easy to cut and the edges do not fray or ravel, which allows you to leave the seams exposed.

I designed this festive miniature teddy bear ornament for children's school Valentine's Day party favors and gifts. I used a simple bear-shaped cookie cutter for the pattern, but clip art or a coloring page could also be used for the pattern. The felt bear was easily blanket stitched by hand using embroidery floss.

Supplies to Make a Felt Teddy Bear Ornament:

Standard size teddy bear cookie cutter
Scrap lightweight cardboard
Pencil
Scissors
Freezer paper
Tan craft felt, one sheet
Iron
Straight pins
Brown embroidery floss
Embroidery needle
Measuring tape
Stuffing
1/4-inch wide red satin ribbon, 18-inches
Blush and cotton swab
New pencil
Black acrylic paint
Wood skewer
1-inch wood heart
Red acrylic paint
Paint brush
Hot glue gun

Steps to Make a Felt Teddy Bear Ornament:

Step 1-
Place a standard size teddy bear cookie cutter on a piece of scrap lightweight cardboard. Trace around the shape and cut out. This is your teddy bear pattern. Place the teddy bear pattern on a piece of freezer paper and trace around it twice. Place the traced freezer paper, wax side down, on a sheet of tan craft felt. Iron the paper to the felt.

Step 2-
Cut the bear shapes out using the tracing on the paper as a guide. Peel off the paper. Note: the paper can be reused several times. Place the two teddy bear shapes together, matching the edges. Pin the shapes together to prevent slipping.

Step 3-
Cut a 36-inch length of brown embroidery floss. Separate the floss into two 3-ply lengths. Thread one 3-ply length on an embroidery needle and knot one end. Lift an edge of the top layer of the bear and insert the needle into the felt fibers. Do not go all the way through the layer, this is only to hold and hide the knot. Put the edges back together. The thread will come out between the layers.

Step 4-
Stitch a blanket stitch around the edge of the bear, attaching the sides together. Insert the needle through the top of the bear 1/4-inch to the right of the beginning floss and 1/4-inch from the edge. Pull the needle to the back of the bear. Insert the needle between the beginning floss and the bear edge and pull the floss all the way through. The finished stitch will look like a backward "L". The bottom edge of the "L" runs along the edge of the bear. The corner turn of the "L" is the end of the stitch and the beginning point of the next one. Repeat the blanket stitches around the bear, leaving a small opening for stuffing.

Step 5-
Stuff the bear through the opening. Finish the stitches and close the bear. Knot the floss and clip. Insert the thread through the top middle edge of the bear. Cut the floss with three inches on each side of the head. Bring the ends together and tie in an overhand knot for the ornament hanger. Cut an 18-inch length of 1/4-inch wide satin ribbon. Tie the ribbon around the bear's neck and tie in a bow on the front.

Step 6-
Apply blush to the bear's cheek using a cotton swab. Dip the eraser end of a new pencil in black acrylic paint. Dot the paint on the center of the face, creating a nose. Dip the blunt end of a wood skewer in black acrylic paint and dot two eyes above the nose. Allow the paint to dry.

Step 7-
Paint a 1-inch wood heart using red acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry. Hot glue the heart to the felt teddy bear's chest.