FREE PATTERN: Tiny Teddy Bear

These little teddy bears were one of the very first toys I ever made, now over six years ago, and I still love them. So I thought I would share the pattern with all of you as well.

I love making these little guys as keychains or bag charms, using very fine cotton yarn (you can read more about it here), but they also make really cute little gifts or stocking fillers.

They are so quick and easy to crochet, but the small details can be a bit fiddly to make. So, if you don't enjoy working on small details, you may want to skip this one.

Size

About 8 cm (3 1/7") from head to toe, 11 cm (4 1/3") including the hat, when crocheted with DK weight alpaca and wool blend [50 g (1.8 oz) = 100 m (109 yd) / ] and a 2,50 mm hook.

Tip! You can use the same pattern to make larger or smaller toys by using finer or bulkier yarn. Pick a crochet hook at least a size smaller than suggested on yarn label and crochet tightly enough to achieve a tight gauge that will not allow the stuffing to show through the fabric.

Difficulty

2. Beginner - suitable for novice crocheters, includes small details.

Skills required

• Magic ring
• Crocheting in spiral
• Single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia)
• Crocheting in front and back loops only
• Back post single crochet stitch (back post double crochet stitch in UK and Australia)
• Increasing
• Decreasing
• Finishing pieces
• Joining pieces

You will need

• Yarn. For the body I used DROPS Lima, a DK weight alpaca and wool blend [50 g (1.8 oz) = 100 m (109 yd) / 3: light / 11 wpi] and for the hat and muzzle Alize Cotton Gold, a DK weight cotton and acrylic blend [100 g (3.53 oz) = 330 m (361 yd) / 3: light / 11 wpi]. You will need about 15 g of yarn for the body, 5 g for the hat and a couple of grams for the muzzle.
• 2,50 - 3,00 mm crochet hook (US Size 1/B - 3/D) or according to the yarn.
• Polyester fiberfill, wool, wadding etc. for stuffing.
• 8 mm (1/3") safety eyes or buttons, beads, felt etc.
• Cotton embroidery floss.
• Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker.
• Ribbon, matching thread and sewing needle.

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Abbreviations

• mr, sc n = magic ring - crochet n single crochet stitches into the adjustable loop.
• sl st = slip stitch (single crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• sc = single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• bpsc = back post single crochet stitch (back post double crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• sc n = crochet n single crochet stitches, one in each stitch.
• inc = increase - crochet two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.
• dec = decrease - crochet two stitches together using the invisible decrease method.
• (sc 4, inc) x n = repeat the pattern between parentheses n times.
• [36] = number of stitches in a round after finishing round.

Notes

• Work in a continuous spiral, do not join rounds or turn your work, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
• Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round. Move the marker up after completing each round.
• All stitches are worked into both loops, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.

 

Head

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: inc x 6 = [12] 
Round 3: (sc, inc) x 6 = [18] 
Round 4: (inc, sc 2) x 6 = [24] 
Round 5: (sc 3, inc) x 6 = [30]
Round 6: sc, inc, (sc 4, inc) x 5, sc 3 = [36]
Rounds 7-12: sc in each stitch = [36]
Round 13: sc, dec, (sc 4, dec) x 5, sc 3 = [30]
Round 14: (sc 3, dec) x 6 = [24]

Attach safety eyes between rounds 11 and 12, leaving 8 stitches (count 7 holes) between them.

Start stuffing the head. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the head firmly.

Round 15: (dec, sc 2) x 6 = [18]
Round 16: (sc, dec) x 6 = [12]

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Stuff the head firmly.

 

Muzzle

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: inc x 6 = [12] 
Round 3: sc in each stitch = [12]

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Stuff the muzzle firmly.

Sew the muzzle to the head with whip stitch, placing it just below round 10. Embroider the nose. Knot the yarn ends together under the head.

Tip! Sew the muzzle, ears and hat to the head, embroider the nose and add any other embellishments before you sew the head to the body - this way you can fasten all yarn tails securely with a knot under the head.

Ear(s)

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: (inc x 2, sc) x 2 = [10] 
Round 3: sc in each stitch = [10]
Round 4: sc 5, leave the rest of the stitches unworked = [10]

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Do not stuff the ear(s). Flatten the ear(s) and sew it (them) to the head, placing it (them) just below round 4. Knot the yarn ends together under the head.

 

Top hat

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: inc x 6 = [12]
Round 3: (sc, inc) x 6 = [18]
Round 4: (inc, sc 2) x 6 = [24]
Rounds 5: bpsc in each stitch = [24]

Tip! Alternatively, you can crochet round 5 with regular single crochet stitches in back loops only.

Rounds 6-11: sc in each stitch = [24]

Crochet round 12 in front loops only.

Round 12: (sc, inc) x 12 = [36]
Round 13: sc in each stitch = [36]

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off neatly. Stuff the hat lightly and sew it to the head with back stitch between rounds 11 and 12.

 Or skip the hat and sew a little ribbon bow to the head.

Body

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: inc x 6 = [12] 
Round 3: (sc, inc) x 6 = [18] 
Rounds 4-9: sc in each stitch = [18]
Round 10: (sc, dec) x 6 = [12]

Sl st in next stitch. Fasten off and hide the yarn tail. Stuff the body firmly. Sew the head to the body. Add a bit more stuffing before closing the seam.

Arms and legs

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: (inc, sc) x 3 = [9] 
Rounds 3-4: sc in each stitch = [9]

Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Stuff the arms and legs firmly. Sew the arms to the sides of the body, placing them one row below the head, and the legs just above round 2 and a bit more towards the front of the body.

Finish sewing and hide all yarn tails. And done!

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment below, I am always happy to help.

I would love to see how your little teddy bears turn out, so do post a photo to my Facebook page or tag me in your social media posts, I'm @kristitullus on Instagram and Facebook.

Copyright 2013 TÜ Spire. All rights reserved.

Please do not post this pattern to your website or blog, instead post a link to https://kristitullus.com/blogs/blog/free-pattern-tiny-teddy-bear. You MAY use this pattern as a teaching aid in any free class or e-course, or as part of a free crochet pattern, provided you credit me as the designer (Kristi Tullus, http://kristitullus.com).

Feel free to sell items made with this pattern.

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