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Today, we’re making a creepy felt spider, perfect for children ages 6 and up (with a little adult help!). This project is a fantastic way to learn essential hand  sewing skills while creating something fun and not too complicated. Ready to scurry into this?

What You’ll Need:

• Felt (in your chosen colors for body and teeth)
• Free Spider pattern (link below)
• 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)

Click Image to Download and Print

Click the image to download and print

Step 1: Trace and Cut

First, let’s get our spider pattern ready! Download and print the spider template (just click the image above). It has the spider’s body, legs, and fangs.

Now, take your felt (you can choose fun colors!) and place the pattern pieces on it. Use your marker to trace around the pieces. Remember, for any pieces that need to be cut out twice (like the legs), flip them over before tracing so they match up perfectly. After you’ve traced everything, carefully cut out the pieces. Trim off any visible marker lines. Don’t forget to save all the little felt scraps—they can be used as stuffing for your spider!

Step 2: Create the Face

Time to give our spider some fun features! You can make its eyes using small pieces of felt or by stitching them on.

If you choose to stitch the eyes, start by tying a knot at the end of your embroidery floss. Poke the needle from the back of the spider’s body piece to the front where you want the first eye. Pull it through, then make a little knot stitch—just pull the thread tight and tie a knot by looping the floss and pulling it through. If you want bigger eyes, stitch over the same spot a few times! Do this for the other eye too, and make sure the knots are tucked inside the body.

 

Step 3: Start Sewing the Body

Lay the two spider pieces on top of each other, with the legs sticking out. Start sewing at the back leg area, hiding your knot behind one of the legs. Use a blanket stitch around the body. When you get to the first leg, rather that doing a blanket stitch, do a running stitch to attach each of the legs on the first side of your body.

The do a blanket stitch around the side of the spiders face, until you reach the fangs.

Attach the fangs with a running stitch. Then do a blanket stitch around the other side of the spiders face.  Then start attaching the legs on the second side with a running stitch, pausing and giving space at the end to stuff your spider.

How to Blanket Stitch: To make a blanket stitch, put your needle through both pieces of fabric, and pause before pulling it all the way through.  Pull the end of your thread (Where it came of your last stitch) around the top of your needle, then pull your needle fully through the fabric.  Move down your felt a little bit, and poke the needle back through on the same side as you started the previous stitch, and again loop the tail end of the thread over the top of the needle before you pull it all the way out of your felt.  Keep repeating this process, ensuring your stitches are evenly spaced and pulling tight, until you reach the end of your stitching line.

How to do a Running Stitch: To make a running stitch, 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 4: Stuff It

Time to make your spider fluffy! Use small pieces of polyester stuffing or even tiny felt scraps. If the head area is tricky, you can use the back of a pencil to push the stuffing in. When your spider is as fluffy as you like, use the blanket stitch to close up the opening and tie a snug knot where you started.

Step 5: Enjoy!

And there you go! You have your very own cuddly felt spider, made by you! This fun project helps kids learn basic sewing skills while sparking creativity. Happy sewing and enjoy showing off your new spider friend! 🕷️❤️

If you want to take it one step further you can tie some white embroidery thread at the back of your spider to make a web strand it can hang from.