10 Koala knitting & crochet pattern ideas – 5 free!
Free koala knitting pattern and step by step tutorial. I fell in love instantly when I first came across Claire Garland’s Dot Pebbles knitting patterns. She has created a menagerie of knitted bunnies, mice, foxes, baby deer and other animals that really do tug at your heart strings. Claire somehow manages to capture the essential beauty and vulnerability of baby animals in her knitting along with the classic lovable quality of a teddy bear. Then I clapped eyes on her lovable koala softie knit and am delighted that Claire is generously sharing her pattern for free with us.
This koala is particularly special as it was inspired by the plight of these beautiful Australian animals during the Australian bush fire emergency. Claire has created the pattern for free but if you’d like to make a donation to help the WWF with its campaign to Save the Koala, you can do so here https://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/koala . Alternatively, why not join in with the random acts of knitting trend and knit one and leave for someone you’ll never know? As cuddly toys go, this koala toy softie is a definite winner and cute addition to any toy box. And free as pdf downloads here.
You can download your free koala knitting pattern PDF here – hope you enjoy! X
Claire’s knitting notes
Knitting-wise – she’s knitted almost in one piece with yarns held together to make her extra extra soft. You could also brush her a little with a wire cat fur brush to add to that extra fluffiness. Pay attention to inner ears, outer ears, toy heads and the safety eyes you choose – this is how you create character.
guage 15 stitches and 11 rows = 5 cm
in stocking stitch
finished size: about 8 inches/ 20 cm tall
What you’ll need
Needle size: US 5 – 3.75 mm
And you’ll need a pair 12 mm or 14mm brown toy eyes (depending on whether you want small or slightly larger cutesy eyes) these are largely available – I buy mine from Etsy and Ebay
I’ve given you two yarn choices within the pattern – namely Drops and Rowan
You’ll need 1 ball of each of the colours listed
Drops:
Drops Kid silk shade 01 off white mohair
Drops Brushed Alpaca silk shade 03 grey DK mohair
Drops kid silk shade 30 Curry ochre mohair
Drops Brushed Alpaca silk shade 01 off white DK mohair
Small amount Drops Kind Silk shade 15 Dark Brown mohair
Small amount Drops Alpaca shade 0506 Dark Grey Mix 4-ply
Small amount Drops Kid Silk shade 03 Light Pink mohair
Rowan Kid Silk Haze shade 634 Cream
Rowan Alpaca Classic shade 102 Charcoal Melange
Rowan Kid Silk Haze shade 686 Lustre
Rowan Alpaca Classic shade 115 Snowflake White
Rowan Kid Silk Haze shade 674 Bark
Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino shade 120 Anthracite
Rowan Kid Silk Haze shade 580 Grace
Step by steps
The pattern includes lots of step by step photos to help you see how the right side and wrong side should look, where your next st and last st should be and how to get the sitting position just right. You could even consider a few eucalyptus leaves…
But feel free to change things up – go for a chunky yarn or even acrylic yarn if you’d prefer. Make this koala your own – use up yarn in your knitting bag or go for your own particular brand of double knitting yarn or worsted weight yarn. Faux fur yarn isn’t really my cup of tea, but if you like it, try it.
And you’ll need a pair 12 mm or 14mm brown toy eyes (depending on whether you want small or slightly larger cutesy eyes) these are largely available – I buy mine from Etsy and Ebay
Knitting needles: a pair size 5/ 3.75 mm needles (straight needles).
Yardage: 140 – 145 yards (128 – 133 m)
Approximate sitting height: 20cm / 8 inches tall.
Download your free koala knitting pattern
A few images to inspire you
You might also like
Why not knit your own zoo of knitted and/or crochet koalas? This amigurumi koala free crochet pattern is worth knowing about
or you can opt to buy the same pattern on etsy without the ads as a secure download link PDF knitting pattern.
This Katie Koala pattern by Amanda Berry. It’s available to buy on Love Crafts here
The koala is knitted on single pointed needles (not in the round). Katie and the scarf are worked in acrylic DK yarns (double knitting/light worsted). For confident beginners and above, other techniques used include casting on and off, knits, purls, increases and decreases, and seaming to finish. The nose and mouth are embroidered onto the koala’s head using black yarn. The cute scarf is worked in garter stitch to give a cute contrast.
If you don’t need instant access to the pattern you want to make and prefer a printed leaflet, check out this Koala pattern on Knitting by Post (there’s free UK delivery with Royal Mail if you spend £13 or more on leaflet orders). This is a great option if you prefer more traditional pattern formats – ie post patterns.
And for the cutest Koala baby or child hat, check out Little Red Window’s free cuddly koala hat pattern – this website is a great place to find some of the best free guides online but if you prefer a pdf pattern they are also available to buy on etsy.
The koala hat pattern is here. Love the cute ears either side of the head and that the side of the nose sits slightly proud because it’s added on top of the main hat. Simple knitting techniques and suitable for beginners upwards.
You will need:
Worsted weight yarn in grey, charcoal and white – ideal for using up your own knitting supplies. Aran weight yarn would also work fine.
Knitting needles (brand of needles is entirely up to you and your own personal preference.
US 7 16″ circular knitting needles
US 7 double pointed straight knitting needles
Yarn needle
Scissors
Or how about these cute koala finger puppets? They make great stashbusters. This crochet pattern is available on Etsy here.
Or how about this free cute Kenny mini koala finger puppet pattern free to read online here or to buy as a printable pattern on etsy here.
The koala size is small enough for you to make it into a keychain. You will need a 3.75 mm hook and worsted weight yarn of your choice. I guess you could use dk weight yarn if you prefer – just keep to a consistent yarn type for the whole thing is what I’ve learned.
I’ve seen nursery mobiles at craft fairs made from finger puppets in bright colours that are sewn up at the bottom and stuffed. If you go for chunkier yarn to make a tubby koala, adjust what size mm crochet hook you go for. A tip to help avoid cramp when crocheting, use the chair arm to support your own arm as you crochet. Maybe even consider making a few finger puppets to leave around the place as little acts of crochet kindness?
Find more etsy shops selling patterns to make koalas and other delightful creatures – there are always new ideas to discover when you look. Instant access printable PDF options mean you can buy – and access – your knitting pattern anytime that suits you. It’s also a great way to support small, creative businesses. I do like the extra support you can get on Etsy too – you can message the seller really easily via the platform.
Other ideas
When it comes to knitted animals, Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne are worth checking out. Their book Knit your Own Zoo has 24 cute animals to knit including a cute koala.
You can also just buy the koala pattern from the book here
The Prima team are always sharing great patterns too, including this cute free koala crochet pattern Once made he has an approximate sitting height of 18cm.
This is the last, but by. no means least, of the koala patterns I’d like to share with you. This one has such a cute outfit – I really like the neat crochet edge to the trousers.
It’s by Lulupetitedoll and you can buy it on Etsy here.
INFORMATION
This article contains some affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our blog posts are independent and in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set.
Dot Pebbles is listed in the From Britain with Love directory here >>
How to receive all of Claire’s free patterns
Sign up for #freebiefridayknits bimonthly free knitting patterns by Claire here
Where to buy Dot Pebbles patterns
All of Claire’s other patterns are available to buy from Etsy by clicking here
Are you a maker or creative course provider? Like to list with us and benefit from joining our supportive community? We’d love to hear from you. Check out the packages we offer on our Join Us page and get more details from our Information pack here
A PIN TO SAVE TO PINTEREST
Hope you enjoyed this blog post: Free koala knitting pattern and tutorial by Claire Garland. It would be great if you could share the love by pinning this to Pinterest. Simply hover over the image until the red Pin it symbol appears and share! Thank you X
hello id like to have a knitting pattern of koala bears thank-you
A Koala is a KOALA not a BEAR !!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the correction – we’ve made the amend
Too right Mate!
see above 😊
It made me scream with delight! Thank you for being so amazingly talented!