Hello there, how are you? If you’re anything like me you’re probably a bit fed up but we have crack on don’t we! I’ve had a productive week for the most part, I’ve been sorting though my Craft Room and I have a box of things to donate when I’m able to. I have also sorted through my yarn and made some lists of projects I want to make to use some of it up, anytime I’m making lists I feel super productive 🙂
Speaking of lists, at the beginning of January I made a list of goals for 2021. One of the first things on that list was free patterns I want to design and upload here, the first one being something for Valentines Day. The first thing that came to mind is a simple and cute bear, I didn’t realise until I had almost finished that he looks very similar to the first bear a boy ever gave me on Valentines! The poor bear was hidden under my bed for years as I didn’t want my siblings spotting it and trying to figure out who gave it to me lol. You’ll find the pattern below or if you would prefer a pdf copy you will find it in the files on our Facebook Group.
Valentine Bear – pattern is written in UK terms
Materials required:
4mm crochet hook
Aran weight yarn in White & Red (I have used Stylecraft Special Aran in White and Lipstick)
10mm safety eyes
12.5mm oval safety nose
Stuffing
Stitch marker
Abbreviations:
Dc – double crochet
Inc – increase – 2dc in one stitch
Inv dec – invisible decrease – insert hook into front loop of the first stitch then straight into the front loop of the second stitch (three loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through two loops (two loops on hook),yarn over, pull through two loops
If using suggested yarn your Valentine Bear should measure around 8 inches tall. Any weight yarn can be used, adjust your hook accordingly
Pattern notes:
This pattern is worked in a spiral, do not join your rounds
Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round (move the marker up each round to keep track of your progress)
Legs – make two
Using White
Round 1: 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Round 3: dc, inc. Repeat around (18)
Rounds 4-9: dc around (18)
Fasten off leg one – weave in the end but do not cut off yarn tail (you will need this later). Repeat rounds 1-9 for leg two but do not fasten off
Joining legs
Round 10: dc in each stitch of leg one – this is the first leg you made/the leg the yarn is not attached to – 18 stitches. Dc in each stitch of leg two – 18 stitches (36)
Body
Rounds 11-12: dc around (36)
Using the yarn tail leftover from leg one, sew together any gaps left over from joining the legs. Weave in the end and cut off
Round 13: dc x5, inc. Repeat around (42)
Rounds 14-23: dc around (42)
Round 24: dc x5, inv dec. Repeat around (36)
Round 25: dc around (36)
Begin stuffing, adding more as you go on
Round 26: dc x4, inv dec. Repeat around (30)
Round 27: dc around (30)
Round 28: dc x3, inv dec. Repeat around (24)
Round 29: dc around (24)
Round 30: dc x2, inv dec. Repeat around (18)
Fasten off yarn, leaving a long tail to sew the head to the body
Head
Using White
Round 1: 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Round 3: dc, inc. Repeat around (18)
Round 4: dc x2, inc. Repeat around (24)
Round 5: dc x3, inc. Repeat around (30)
Round 6: dc x4, inc. Repeat around (36)
round 7: dc x5, inc. Repeat around (42)
Rounds 8-16: dc around (42)
Round 17: dc x5, inv dec. Repeat around (36)
Round 18: dc x4, inv dec. Repeat around (30)
Round 19: dc x3, inv dec. Repeat around (24)
Round 20: dc x2, inv dec. repeat around (18)
Fasten off yarn and sew in tail
Muzzle
Using White
Round 1: 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Round 3: dc, inc. Repeat around (18)
Round 4: dc around (18)
Fasten off yarn, leaving a long tail to sew the muzzle to the head
Insert safety eyes on Round 12 of the head, 6 stitches apart (make sure the muzzle will fit between the eyes before you place the backs on). Stuff the head.
Insert the safety nose between Rounds 1 and 2 of the muzzle, sew to the head between Rounds 12-18, lightly stuff before sewing closed
Sew the head and body together
Ears – make two
Using White
Round 1: 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Rounds 3-5: dc around (12)
Round 6: dc, inv dec. Repeat around (8)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew ears to the head between rounds 9 -11
Heart
Using Red
Round 1; 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Round 3: dc, inc. Repeat around (18)
Rounds 4-5: dc around (18)
Fasten off – weave in the end but do not cut off yarn tail (you will need this later). Repeat rounds 1-5 for but do not fasten off
Joining heart ‘bumps’
Round 6: dc in each stitch of bump one – this is the first bump you made/the bump the yarn is not attached to – 18 stitches. Dc in each stitch of bump two – 18 stitches (36)
Round 7: dc around (36)
Using the yarn tail leftover from bump one, sew together any gaps left over from joining the bumps. Weave in the end and cut off
Round 8: dc x4, inv dec. Repeat around (30)
Round 9: dc around (30)
Round 10: dc x3, inv dec. Repeat around (24)
Round 11: dc around (24)
Round 12: dc x2, inv dec. Repeat around (18)
Round 13: dc around (18)
Begin stuffing, adding more as you go on
Round 14: dc, inv dec. Repeat around (12)
Round 15: dc around (12)
Round 16: inv dec around (6)
Finish stuffing and sew closed, fasten off yarn
Sew the heart to the bears stomach
Arms – make two
Using White
Round 1: 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Rounds 3-17: dc around (12)
Fasten off yarn
Stuff the lower part of the arms, sew the end of each arm closed and sew to the body below the neck on an angle. Use thread to sew the arms to the heart as if the bear is holding on to it.
Tail
Using White
Round 1: 6dc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: inc x6 (12)
Round 3: dc around (12)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew the tail to the back of the body
And done! I’d love to see your Valentine bear so please tag me if you post on Instagram or post in our Facebook group (linked above). You can also email me at lyndascraftroom@gmail.com
Thanks for stopping by!
Lynda-Rose
