Free Funny Cross Stitch Patterns: Sloths, Capybaras and a Grumpy Koala

By The Editorial TeamUpdated 5 min read
Cross-stitch designs of a capybara in a sun hat, a grumpy koala with coffee, a penguin in a Hawaiian shirt, and a sloth sipping a coconut cocktail

Here are 9 free funny cross stitch patterns, compared side by side. Each one shows an animal doing something people do: a sloth on vacation, a koala before its coffee, a cat at a bar, a puppy with a burger. Six are small and take a few weeks of evenings; three are big wall pieces. Start with our top picks, then read the card for each pattern. Each one is a free PDF with the chart and the thread list.

Our top picks

Best first funny pattern

Gray koala with a furrowed brow holding a steaming yellow coffee mug, cross-stitch pattern previewGrumpy Koala with Coffee

Intermediate · 5.4" x 5.9" · 47–79 hours

Get the free PDFWhy we picked it

Best gift for a gamer

Sloth wearing blue gaming headphones with a skeptical side-eye expression, cross-stitch pattern previewGamer Sloth with Headphones

Intermediate · 5.3" x 6.9" · 52–86 hours

Get the free PDFWhy we picked it

Best for a home bar

Cross-stitch pattern of a smiling orange tabby cat leaning on a wooden bar and holding a cocktail glass with a citrus slice and mint leavesGinger Cat with a Cocktail

Advanced · 12.0" x 11.3" · 155–258 hours

Get the free PDFWhy we picked it

Compare the patterns

Free Funny Cross Stitch Patterns: Sloths, Capybaras and a Grumpy Koala: difficulty, size, colors and stitching time of each pattern
PatternBest forDifficultySize (14-count)ColorsStitching timeDownload
Penguin in a Hawaiian ShirtBest summer giftIntermediate4.3" x 5.9"2236–60 hoursFree PDF
Sloth with a Coconut CocktailBest beach pairIntermediate4.3" x 6.0"2438–63 hoursFree PDF
Capybara on a Beach TowelBest wide pieceIntermediate6.9" x 5.7"2539–66 hoursFree PDF
Grumpy Koala with CoffeeBest first funny patternIntermediate5.4" x 5.9"1847–79 hoursFree PDF
Gamer Sloth with HeadphonesBest gift for a gamerIntermediate5.3" x 6.9"2152–86 hoursFree PDF
Baby Raccoon with a CookieBest for a kitchen or playroomIntermediate9.9" x 11.6"17138–231 hoursFree PDF
Ginger Cat with a CocktailBest for a home barAdvanced12.0" x 11.3"19155–258 hoursFree PDF
Yawning PuppyBest sleepy dogIntermediate5.7" x 5.9"1845–76 hoursFree PDF
Puppy Eating a BurgerBest for a kitchenIntermediate10.6" x 11.1"25165–275 hoursFree PDF

How we compared them: every number on this page is read from the pattern's own chart, the same one in the free PDF. Stitching times assume 60 to 100 stitches an hour. All of them use full cross stitches only.

Best summer gift

Penguin in a Hawaiian Shirt

Penguin wearing an orange floral Hawaiian shirt and straw hat, cross-stitch pattern preview

A penguin in an orange flowered shirt and a straw sun hat.

Good for: a beach house or a summer gift

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
3,617 (60 x 83)
Finished size (14-count)
4.3" x 5.9"
Colors
22 DMC
Stitching time
36–60 hours
Fabric to cut
11" x 12"

What we like

  • 3,617 stitches, the fewest of the nine.
  • The same width as the Coconut Sloth, so the two frame well as a pair.

Keep in mind

  • 22 colors in a small design.
  • 11 colors are used for fewer than 60 stitches, mostly in the shirt.

Stitching tip: Stitch the navy body and white belly first. The busy shirt is easier to place once the penguin's shape is there.

Best beach pair

Sloth with a Coconut Cocktail

Sloth wearing sunglasses and a flower lei, drinking from a coconut cup with a straw, cross-stitch pattern preview

A sloth in teal sunglasses and a flower necklace, drinking from a coconut.

Good for: a matching pair with the penguin, or with the Gamer Sloth

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
3,809 (60 x 84)
Finished size (14-count)
4.3" x 6.0"
Colors
24 DMC
Stitching time
38–63 hours
Fabric to cut
11" x 12"

What we like

  • 3,809 stitches: a few weeks of evenings.
  • Works in two pairs: with the Penguin for a beach set, or with the Gamer Sloth.

Keep in mind

  • 24 colors, and 14 are used for fewer than 60 stitches.
  • The small black details in the sunglasses need careful counting.

Stitching tip: Fill the face and body before the sunglasses, so you can check the black details sit in the right place.

Best wide piece

Capybara on a Beach Towel

Capybara in a striped sun hat and floral swim trunks, reclining on a patterned beach towel, cross-stitch pattern preview

A capybara in a striped bucket hat and flowered swim shorts, lying on a beach towel.

Good for: a patio or bathroom wall; it's wider than it is tall

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
3,945 (97 x 80)
Finished size (14-count)
6.9" x 5.7"
Colors
25 DMC
Stitching time
39–66 hours
Fabric to cut
13" x 12"

What we like

  • A wide shape (6.9" x 5.7") that suits a shelf or a short wall.
  • Fits the beach set with the Penguin and the Coconut Sloth.

Keep in mind

  • 25 colors, tied with the Puppy Eating a Burger for the most.
  • The towel's pattern takes the most time.

Stitching tip: Stitch the black outline first, then the capybara, then the towel.

Best first funny pattern

Grumpy Koala with Coffee

Gray koala with a furrowed brow holding a steaming yellow coffee mug, cross-stitch pattern preview

A grumpy gray koala holding a steaming yellow mug.

Good for: anyone who can't talk before their first coffee

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
4,718 (75 x 82)
Finished size (14-count)
5.4" x 5.9"
Colors
18 DMC
Stitching time
47–79 hours
Fabric to cut
12" x 12"

What we like

  • 18 colors, tied with the Yawning Puppy for the fewest of the small designs.
  • One color covers about a third of the design, so the koala fills in fast.

Keep in mind

  • Rated Intermediate, not Beginner.
  • The frown is only a few stitches, so count it twice.

Stitching tip: Stitch the light gray body first, then the darker gray, then the black outline on top.

Best gift for a gamer

Gamer Sloth with Headphones

Sloth wearing blue gaming headphones with a skeptical side-eye expression, cross-stitch pattern preview

A sloth in big blue gaming headphones, giving an unimpressed look.

Good for: a gamer's room; hang it next to the coconut sloth as a pair

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
5,166 (74 x 96)
Finished size (14-count)
5.3" x 6.9"
Colors
21 DMC
Stitching time
52–86 hours
Fabric to cut
12" x 13"

What we like

  • One brown is almost a third of the design, so you get the sloth's shape early.
  • A fun pair with the Coconut Sloth: one on holiday, one at home.

Keep in mind

  • 21 colors, and 13 are used for fewer than 60 stitches.
  • 5,166 stitches, the most of the small six.

Stitching tip: One brown (DMC 3032) is almost a third of the design. Stitch it first to get the sloth's shape.

Best for a home bar

Ginger Cat with a Cocktail

Cross-stitch pattern of a smiling orange tabby cat leaning on a wooden bar and holding a cocktail glass with a citrus slice and mint leaves

A ginger cat leaning on a wooden bar and raising a cocktail with lime and mint.

Good for: a home bar

Difficulty
Advanced
Stitches
15,477 (168 x 158)
Finished size (14-count)
12.0" x 11.3"
Colors
19 DMC
Stitching time
155–258 hours
Fabric to cut
18" x 18"

What we like

  • An adult joke that isn't rude, so it works as a gift.
  • Almost square (12.0" x 11.3"), so it suits a square frame.

Keep in mind

  • Rated Advanced, with 15,477 stitches.
  • Three colors in the glass look almost the same.

Stitching tip: The glass uses 7 colors, and three of them (DMC 14, 928 and 3865) look almost the same. Label them before you start.

Best sleepy dog

Yawning Puppy

Cross-stitch pattern of a tan puppy with floppy brown ears yawning wide and rubbing one eye with its paw

A floppy-eared tan puppy caught mid-yawn, rubbing one eye with its paw.

Good for: a bedroom or a card for a new puppy owner

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
4,534 (80 x 82)
Finished size (14-count)
5.7" x 5.9"
Colors
18 DMC
Stitching time
45–76 hours
Fabric to cut
12" x 12"

What we like

  • 4,534 stitches: a few weeks of evenings.
  • A thick black outline that separates the ears from the face.

Keep in mind

  • Two close pinks in the mouth.
  • 9 colors are used for fewer than 60 stitches each.

Stitching tip: Stitch the tongue's two pinks (DMC 3858 and 3859) together, checking each row.

Best for a kitchen

Puppy Eating a Burger

Cross-stitch pattern of an orange puppy in a blue paw-print bandana sitting and biting into a big cheeseburger, with crumbs flying

A chubby orange puppy in a blue bandana biting into a cheeseburger almost as big as its head.

Good for: a kitchen or diner-style wall

Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
16,507 (149 x 155)
Finished size (14-count)
10.6" x 11.1"
Colors
25 DMC
Stitching time
165–275 hours
Fabric to cut
17" x 18"

What we like

  • Big blocks of orange and cream in the puppy.
  • Pairs with the tiny Kawaii Smiling Burger.

Keep in mind

  • 16,507 stitches.
  • The burger packs many colors into its layers.

Stitching tip: Stitch the burger one layer at a time: bun, patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato.

Which one should you stitch?

What you need

Questions

Are these patterns really free? Yes. Open a pattern, click “Get the Pattern”, and the PDF downloads. No account or email is needed.

Are they hard? None is rated Beginner, but the six small ones are only 3,600 to 5,200 stitches. If you’re new, read how to cross stitch for beginners and start with the Grumpy Koala.

What’s the hardest part? The faces. A smile or a frown is only a few stitches, and one square out of place changes the expression. Count each face twice before you stitch it.

Want more? See all animal patterns, the cute patterns, the cat patterns, the summer patterns or how to frame and finish cross stitch.

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