Free knitting patterns for toys, cloths, hats, pillows and other knitting projects featuring forest animals like deer, squirrels, foxes, moose, and more. Most patterns are free. Updated 1/19/25.
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
All links on this site are for informational purposes, but please note that some links are to affiliate sellers that pay me a small commission on purchases.
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Free Patterns
Miniature Fallow Deer
Free for a Limited Time. Pocket sized fawn deer toy knitted flat, joining as you go with minimal seams. Make it posable by adding wires, instructions included. Finished size 7cm/ 2.5in tall seated, but can be made larger with different yarn. Designed by Claire Garland of Dot Pebbles Knits.
Busy Beaver Hat
Baby hat with ears and face details so it looks like a beaver. Aran weight yarn. Web pattern for size 0-3 months is free. More sizes and a printable pdf are available on Etsy. Designed by Cassie at Little Red Window.
- Get the free knitting pattern for size 0-3 months
- Get printable pdf with sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, & 2T+ on Etsy
- See more Baby Animal Hat Knitting Patterns
Squirrel Hat
Hat features squirrels and acorns and oak leaves. Fingering weight yarn. Kurre hat designed by Sari Nordlund for Novita.
Chipmunk
Free for a Limited Time. Chippy Chipmunk toy softie is knitted flat, joining as you go with minimal seams. Finished size 14cm (6 in) tall. Designed by Claire Garland of Dot Pebbles Knits.
Bao the Beaver
Toy pattern for a knitted beaver worked mainly in stockinette and in the round with the ears and tail worked flat. Any weight yarn. Designed by bunnymuff - Mona Zillah.
Oravala Cardigan
Sweater knit with a forest woodland scene with squirrels in tree branches above mushrroms. Sizes XS(S)M(L)XL. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Sisko Sälpäkivi for Novita.
Star-nosed Mole
Toy softie of the mole with unique “star” around its nose of 22 super-sensitive tentacles that incredibly efficient at detecting food. Lives in marshes in northern parts of North America. Finished size: 5 in long, 3 in wide at widest point. Designed as Cris by Fawn Pea.
Fat Squirrel Amigurumi Ornament
This squirrel knit to hold a ping pong ball or ball ornament to get a rolypoly shape and holding a jingle bell acorn. Uses just 30 - 50 yards (27 - 46 m) of Fingering weight yarn. Designed by Rosemarie Montefusco.
Miss Barlow Badger
Cute and cuddly animal toy measuring approx 30cm from nose to tip of tail. Designed with babies and small children in mind, this badger requires no hard parts for the features. DK weight yarn. Designed by Jem Weston.
Autumn Harvest Knit Pillow
Fair-isle pillow cover with a squirrel and acorn design. 20″ square. Designed by Patons
Woodland Tales Animal Mobile by Amanda Berry
The pattern includes instructions for making the squirrel, racoon, fox, hedgehog, toadstool, acorn and leaves with photos. Fox, Squirrel and Racoon are 13cm tall, Hedgehog is 8cm long, and Toadstool is 7cm tall. Designed by Amanda Berry.
Ozzie the Opossum
Toy opossum softie with a coat of Fun Fur novelty yarn. Approximately 15 inches/38 cm long (not including his tail). Designed by Frances Gillespie for Knitty.
Badger Purse
A small bag large enough for a phone and other small items. Easily customizable to look like other animals like fox or bear or even birds, as other knitters have done. Designed by Kirsti Hallamaa. Aran weight yarn.
More Free Patterns
Woodland Wreath
Designed by Frankie Brown, this knitted cover for any size wreath features hedgehogs, owls, leaves, flowers, mushrooms, pine cones, acorns and other woodland flora and fauna.
- Get the free knitting patterns
- Get wreath forms on Amazon (Prime options available)
Also available in Knit a Vintage Christmas. See more on Amazon- Make a donation to the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation in Frankie’s name
Animal Tracks Cloths
Wolf, moose, badger, and otter tracks are created in knit and purl stiches for use in dish or wash cloths, blankets, or other knitting projects. Designed by Anna Koskela. Pictured projects by the designer and jofaliina who included other tracks such as birds in her project
There's A Moose on the Loose
Moose toy with optional cardigan sweater. Designed by WifeMomKnitter as There's A Moose on the Loose. Worsted weight yarn.
Tweed Toad or Frog
Sara Elizabeth Kellner’s toy softie measures about 7 inches long, and 3 inches tall. Worsted weight yarn. Pictured projects by minetv and tmdk
Wood Duck Pillow
This colorwork pillow features a wood duck in a river scene. The pattern comes with chart, written instructions, and illustrations for detail work. Intarsia, Fair Isle, and Armenian knitting are used in various areas of the construction. Great use for scrap or stash yarn! Designed by Judith A Helms.
Gray Squirrel Hat
Adorable baby hat with ears and fluffy tail. Web pattern for size 12 months is free. More sizes and a printable pdf are available on Etsy. Designed by Cassie at Little Red Window.
- Get the free knitting pattern for size 12 mos
- Get printable pdf with sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, & 2T+ on Etsy
- See more Baby Animal Hat Knitting Patterns
Whitetail Buck Pillow
This colorwork pillow features a deer in forest scene by a river with mountains in the background. The pattern comes with chart, written instructions, and illustrations for detail work. Intarsia, Fair Isle, and Armenian knitting are used in various areas of the construction. Designed by Judith A Helms.
Obligatory Owl
This toy owl is knit in the round and stands ten inches tall. Options for a forward or side facing head. The wings (with optional embroidery) are also knit in the round and seamed to body. Designed by Sara Elizabeth Kellner. Pictured project by Hip4Knits
Bear With Me Dishcloth
Emily Guise’s bear face cloth is based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Pi shawl ratio to create a flat circle. The eyes are created with duplicate stitch.
Fox Cloth
This fox motif designed by Elaine Fitzpatrick is perfect for dish cloth, afghan blanket square, and more. Also available as a bib pattern.
Knit One, Squirrel Two
Sara Elizabeth Kellner’s 7 inch tall squirrel is knit in the round. The tail is made of the same yarn as the body.
Liam’s Beaver
Sara Elizabeth Kellner’s 6 inch tall beaver is knit in the round. The tail is knit in linen stitch to make it more sturdy.
Willa’s Hat
Fair-isle hat knitted in the round with a squirrel and acorn design. Designed by Elizabeth Greenfield for The Craft Lizard
Squirrel Dish or Face Cloth
Squirrel silhouette in knit and purl stitches that can also be used on afghan blocks and other knitting projects. Chart can also be used for colorwork. Designed by Barbara Breiter. Pictured project by tinyknittedjoy.
Skunk Baby
Sara Elizabeth Kellner’s 6 inch skunk is knit the round with white strips knit flat and added later. The tail is made of the same yarn as the body.
Raccoon Puppet
The body of this hand puppet is knit in the round. Approx 8”/20.5cm. Designed by Pat Olski and excerpted by Craft Foxes from 60 Quick Knitted Toys.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- Get the 60 Quick Knitted Toys on Amazon (Prime available)
- See more Puppet Knitting Patterns
Forest Folk Cup Cozies
Alexandra Davidoff designed these trio of animal cozies embroidered with duplicate stitch.
Patterns for Purchase
Raccoon
Plush Raccoon stuffie approximately 12.5cm (5") tall. Great baby photo prop. Sport weight yarn. Designed by ClarasCritterCrew
Magical Woodland Knits
Free with Kindle Unlimited. Knitting Patterns for 12 Wonderfully Lifelike Animals by Claire Garland including grey squirrel, barn owl, yellow-necked field mouse, wolf, fox, wild rabbit, roe deer fawn, mallard, pheasant, badger, and more. Also available for purchase as Kindle or Paperback.
River Otter
This otter softie is 14 inches long, plus an additional 7 inches for the tail, and 5 inches wide, in worsted weight yarn. Chest and head are worked flat, body, tail and legs are worked in the round. Knit almost entirely in one piece. The pattern has lots of pictures to illustrate construction. Pattern for the little fish is included. Designed by Sara Elizabeth Kellner
- See more pics and get the knitting patterns at Loveknitting
- See more designs by Sara Elizabeth Kellner
Ginger Squirrel Toy and Blanket
Adorable tweedy squirrel softie with a large bushy tail and a simple contrasting scarf, with matching blanket. The Ginger Blanket has features squirrel silhouettes knit with intarsia. It is knitted in panels for ease and has two size options. Small (approx 55cm x 60cm) & Large (approx 80cm x 90cm). Designed by Jem Weston. 2 of the 14 patterns included in The Knitted Nursery Collection (available in paperback or Kindle).
Get the Kindle or paperback version on Amazon (Prime available)
Cute Comfort Knits
Available as e-book or individual patterns. Includes patterns for: Haggis Hedgehog & Family. Smudge the Cat. Pheasant Cushion. Deer Cushion. Hexi Placemats & Coasters. Snuggle Socks. Chunky Rug. Comfort Blanket & Wrap. Cosy Floor Cushions. Project Bag. Designed by Jem Weston
Fawn
Baby deer softie is 38cm/ 15in long (top of ear to bottom of feet) and tall. Pattern comes with video tutorial. Designed by Claire Garland of Dot Pebbles Knits.
Woodland Animals Mitts
Fingerless mitts featuring intarsia animals with tails. Pictured is set one with Badger, Owl, Deer / Stag, Wolf, and Racoon. Set 2 features beaver, fox, squirrel, bear, and rabbit. Sizes S, M, L, XL. The woodsy association designed by tiny owl knits
Gray Wolf by Amanda Berry
Wolf softie with knit jacket (not shown). All pieces are knitted flat (back and forth) on a pair of straight knitting needles, apart from the jacket sleeves which are worked in the round. Approximately 23cm tall (including the ears). Designed by Amanda Berry
Stag Head Pullover
Norah Gaughan's sweater design features a cable deer complete with antlers. Sizes 36½ (40, 43½, 47, 50¾, 54¼, 57¾, 61¼)". Pictured project by snoodfox. Worsted weight yarn.
Woodland Animals Knitting Patterns or Kit by Amanda Berry
Patterns and materials to knit a fox, rabbit, squirrel, bear, badger, and deer toys. These animals have a finished size of between 22-30cm depending on Antlers/Ears. You can select either the kit or just the pattern downloads from the product selection on the Deramore's page.
Red Squirrel
Life-size red squirrel softie knit flat on 2 needles, body made with minimal seaming, joining as you go. The finished knitted squirrel stands 15cm/ 6in long (top of head to bottom of feet). Designed by Claire Garland of Dot Pebbles Knits.
Backyard Squirrel
This toy squirrel softie is 7 inches tall with worsted weight yarn. The body is worked flat, with short rows creating the curved back. The legs, tail and head are worked in the round. Eyes and nose are embroidered. Designed by Sara Elizabeth Kellner
- See more pics and get the knitting patterns at Loveknitting
- See more designs by Sara Elizabeth Kellner
Wee Woodland Wuzzies
The pattern includes instructions for 6 animals: squirrel, mouse, hare, otter, hedgehog, and fox. The finished toys are approx. 3” tall. The pieces are all knit flat, then seamed and assembled. The hat and scarf patterns are also included. Designed by Fuzzy Mitten
Backyard Bandits
The Badger and Raccoon are 27 cm (11”) tall, and the Fox is 30 cm (12”) tall.
