A free easy to sew cute koala bear sewing pattern for beginners
Looking for a simple koala bear sewing pattern you and your kids will LOVE to sew. Meet Gulla’alla, she’s a project I first designed many years ago and has been a favorite stuffed toy sewing project with the kids in my workshops ever since. Probably because she’s possibly the cutest koala you’ll ever sew. The kids seem to love the fact that she has a little one in her pouch and they refuse to go home with their mums until they have finished the baby. There can be some pretty frantic sewing going on as the mums arrive. And that’s how I learnt the importance of rule 5 of The 7 Golden Rues of Teaching Kids to Sew.
That little bikini was my daughter Yiscah’s addition when we decided to take them both to the beach where I swim for a photo shoot. Yiscah is also the source of the name “Gulla’alla”. This is how she pronounced the word “koala” when she was learning to talk.
What you need to make your koala bear softie
Calico (muslin)
Brown homespun
Needle
Pins
Thread
Koala noses (large and small)
Koala paws (large and small)
Wiggly eyes
Polyester fiberfill
Rice
What to do
1. Download the templates here and here and here. Print and cut out. You will need to tape together the two parts of the koala bear template. Trace onto your calico. Cut the pouch from a separate piece of calico.
2. Place the calico with the traced outline face down and pin the pouch into position on the untraced side of your calico. You might need to hold the calico up to the light in order to see the outline of the koala so that you can put your pouch in the right place. I sewed my pouch on with seed beads to make it look pretty…mums need a bit of pampering just after they’ve had a baby.
3. Attach the koala nose onto the same side of the calico as the pouch.
4. Now pin the calico with the traced side facing upwards onto a piece of brown homespun. Sew them together along the traced line. Remember to leave a turning gap. Then just turn the whole thing inside out (which basically turns it right side out).
5. Push small amounts of polyester fiberfill into the koala’s head and top half of the body. Now fill the bottom half with rice grains to give the base weight. I used about a cup of rice grains for my koala softie. Slipstich the opening of the turning gap closed, add eyes, paws, and voila!
The baby is made in the same way except there’s no pouch and you don’t add rice grains to the stuffing. A baby’s nappy (ie diaper) can be made from a triangle of terry towelling and kept in place with a saftey pin or glue.
This is an abbreviated version of the koala stuffed toy pattern you’ll find in my boob Sew Together Grow Together.
If you’ve caught the sewing bug and I hope you have, you might also like these stuffed toy patterns.
Or take a look at my book Sew Together Grow Together
Happy sewing and if you make my little koala join us over on the Sew a Softie facebook page and show us!!
PIN FOR LATER
Oh. My. This is SO darling – I don't usually make softies but I MUST make this one! Thank you!
I've had a thing for koalas since I was in third grade so I love this. Thanks so much for the tutorial! The bikini, towel and purse are cute additions. 🙂
Thanks for comments Trixi, I love your little houses…and nice tutorial for the Gulla'alla!
Kurma is such a great cook and great fun to cook with Chele x
This is so cute!! I posted a link to your pattern & tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
https://sewing.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-koala-softie/2009/10/21/
(link will go live at 10:18 CST)
–Anne
Hi Trixi,
I love toy animals with babies but have you noticed how many commercial joeys either can't be removed from the pouch or otherwise once removed have no legs or tails. They must use formaldhyde in the production!
The nappy idea is cute too – I imagine all pouched animals wish they had access to nappies.
My daughter is going to love this. Ever since our visit to NSW this summer she has been insisting that we get a pet koala if we move out there.. I think I'll stick to a cat!!!! In the meantime she can have a go at making this very cute substitue. I fancy using something furry for the back… but I've no idea where to get a nose from in the UK – may have to be a stuffed appliqued bit of felt.
If it's ok with you I should like to link to your posting on https://amoebahandmade.blogspot.com/ and will promise to post a picture of our attempt!
How cute, Trixi! Even cuter than the real ones! Happy Tuesday!
oh my god, that is so adorable and PERFECT for my friend. She is from melbourne, but married and Irish guy and is living here now and her first baby is due in the next couple of weeks. I think I finally know what I'm going to make for him/her :o) Thank you so much for sharing. I promise when I make it I'll link back to your blog. M x
Hi Trixi,
that koala mum and bub is just too cute !
I am earmarking this for a weekend project in the near future !
Thanks for sharing,
PJ x
Awww…. those koalas are so cute!
had to leave another comment. I just love the humour in this picture, I see a little something else each time. The full coloured co-ordinated ensemble : towel, bikini, bows , sunnies…the beach bag has lunch sticking out and a Sydney beach (the best kind!) in the background!!!
thanks for this one Trixi!! xxx
You're such an amazing creative person. Yet again, another neat little project to add to my list.
Gulla'alla is very cute Trixi. I love how she got her name. What a lovely memory for you everytime you hear it. How gorgeous that your students wont go home without the baby!
And what a great idea from Yiscah to add the bikini. That made me laugh!
I love that book and I love your koala , so cute !
This is so gorgeous, well done!