How to Hand Sew a Simple Felt Alligator – Free Printable Pattern – Great for Beginners and Kids

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Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to present this fun, beginner-friendly sewing project: a fearsome felt alligator! This simple pattern is perfect for kids ages 6 and up (with a little adult supervision!). It’s a fantastic way to learn the basics of sewing while making something fun. Are you ready to dive in? Let’s make our new green friend!

What You’ll Need:

• Felt (in your chosen colors for body)
• Free Alligator pattern (link below)
• Sharpie Creative Markers (or similar) for tracing
• Embroidery floss (try to match the colors to your felt)
• Needle with the big eye / Embroidery Needle (a child-friendly one works best)
• Scissors
• Stuffing (polyester filler, scrap felt, or even ripped-up plastic grocery bags)

(Two pattern options below, one with an image of the finished project, one without)

Click Image To Download and Print

Step 1: Trace and Cut

Start by downloading and printing the free alligator pattern (click the image above). The pattern includes the alligator’s body, legs, teeth, and spines.

Next, lay the pattern pieces on your felt and use your marker to trace around them. Remember to flip the pattern pieces for those you need to cut out twice, ensuring they align perfectly when sewn together. After tracing, carefully cut out your felt pieces, trimming any marker lines where possible. Don’t forget to save your scraps—they make great stuffing!

Step 2: Create Eyes

Let’s add some charming eyes! You can use small pieces of felt in a contrasting color or stitch simple eye shapes.

To stitch eyes begin by knotting the end of the embroidery floss, then push the needle from the back of the alligator’s body piece to the front where you want the eye to be. Secure it with a “knot stitch” by pulling the thread tight and tying a little knot. If you want bigger eyes, you can repeat this a few times—usually, 3 stitches work well. Repeat for the second eye, ensuring the knots are inside the alligator’s body piece.

Step 3: Add the Legs

Now, let’s attach those cute legs! Place the leg pieces on either side of the alligator’s body. Thread your needle again and use a simple knot stitch to secure them in place.

Step 4: Start Sewing the Body

Begin sewing at the back leg area of the alligator. Knot your starting stitch behind one of the legs, and use a blanket stitch around the bottom of the body, pausing when you reach the top of the tail and the place where were going to start adding the spines.

How to Blanket Stitch: To make a blanket stitch, start by threading a needle with some sturdy thread and tying a knot at the end. Choose the edge of your fabric where you want to start stitching. Poke the needle up from the back of the fabric, so the knot is hidden. Pull it all the way through. Next, bring the needle back down into the fabric a little bit away from where you came up, then pull it through again. Before you pull the thread all the way tight, loop the thread around the edge of the fabric and bring the needle back through the hole where you first poked it up. Keep repeating this process, making sure to keep the stitches evenly spaced and pulling the thread tight each time, until you reach the end of your stitching line.

Step 5: Add the Tail

When you reach the tail top, it’s spine time! Place the spine between the two felt pieces and use a running stitch to sew it in place. Pause at the halfway mark of sewing on the tail spine, and stuff your tail! Then keep sewing until you’re above the back legs, and pause again to stuff the rest of the tail.

How to do a Running Stitch: To make a running stitch, start by getting your needle and thread ready with a knot at the end. Begin by pushing the needle up through the fabric from the back to the front, pulling it all the way through. Then, move the needle a little forward and poke it back down through the fabric making sure to leave a small space. Pull it through until the thread is tight. Next, poke the needle back up through the fabric right where you came down so it makes a little stitch. Keep going back and forth, moving forward a little each time and sticking the needle down and then back up, making sure the stitches are nice and straight. Continue until you reach the end of where you want to stitch!

Step 6: Continue with a Blanket Stitch

Once the spines is secure, continue with a blanket stitch up around the face and snout.  When you get to the end of the snout, add the teeth in, and do a running stitch to attach the top and bottom teeth. Then continue with a blanket stitch around the alligators bottom jaw.

Step 7: Fill and Finish

Now it’s time to add stuffing! Use small pieces of polyester filler, scrap felt, or even torn-up plastic bags. For those tricky spots, like the head, a pencil can help push the stuffing in. Once your alligator is cuddly and full, use the blanket stitch to close the opening and knot securely.

And there you have it! Your very own fearsome felt alligator, made by your hands! This project not only introduces kids to sewing basics but also encourages imagination and the joy of crafting.