(For the 24 weeks leading up to December 1st, we’ll be making a Christmas ornament, giving you enough to fill an advent calendar.)

Let’s get 2014’s project started! For our first ornament we are knitting up a tiny teddy bear.

This little guy comes together very quickly and is a great use for some scrap yarns. Make him in natural colors or go crazy with colors and multi-colors (your Grateful Dead fans would love it). Experiment with different beads or embroidery to make your bears face and give him some personality.

Knit Teddy Bear Ornament

Download a pdf of the Mini Knit Teddy Bear Ornament Pattern

Supplies:

• sport weight yarn (I used Andean Trail Sport)
• four size 3 double-pointed needles (or size needed to get a tight gauge)
• stitch marker
• stuffing
• tapestry needle
• small beads or buttons and embroidery floss for face
• small jump ring
• ¼” ribbon

Gauge:
Gauge is not super important for this pattern, you just want it tight enough that the stuffing doesn’t show through. My gauge was about 7 stitches per inch and my finished bear was about 3 inches tall. If you have more stitches per inch, you’ll have a smaller bear. If you have less stitches per inch, you’ll have a bigger bear.

Abbreviations:

• k – knit
• p – purl
• kfb – knit front and back into the same stitch
• ssk – slip two stitches and knit them together
• k2tog – knit two stitches together
• bo – bind off

Body and Head:
Cast on 6 stitches. Divide between three needles and join together to knit in the round. Place a stitch marker between the first and last stitch to mark rows.
Row 1: kfb into each stitch (12 stitches)
Row 2: k
Row 3: kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k2 (18 stitches)
Row 4: k
Row 5: kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2 (24 stitches)
Row 6: k
Row 7: kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k2 (30 stitches)
Row 8: k
Row 9: kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k6, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k2 (36 stitches)
Row 10 – 19: k
Row 20: ssk, k4, ssk, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2 (30 stitches)
Row 21: k
Row 22: ssk, k3, ssk, k3, ssk, k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k2 (24 stitches)
Row 23: k
Row 24: ssk, k2, ssk, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2 (18 stitches)
Row 25: k
Row 26: ssk, k1, ssk, k1, ssk, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2 (12 stitches)
Pull cast on tail inside. Stuff and shape body.
Row 27: kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k2 (18 stitches)
Row 28: kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2 (24 stitches)
Row 29: k
Row 30: kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k2 (30 stitches)
Row 31 – 34: k
Row 35: ssk, k3, ssk, k3, ssk, k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k2 (24 stitches)
Row 36: k
Row 37: ssk, k2, ssk, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2 (18 stitches)
Row 38: k
Stuff head.
Row 39: ssk, k1, ssk, k1, ssk, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2 (12 stitches)
Row 40: ssk, ssk, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, k2 (7 stitches)
Add more stuffing to the head if needed.

Here is what you will have, a little peanut shape. There is a front and back to the bear. The front is the side where you have the increasing knits and the back is where you have the straight line of knit 2.

Note: You could do icords for the arms and legs, but I didn’t think my icords looked as neat as just knitting in the round.

Arms: (make 2)
Cast on 6. Divide between three needles and join together to knit in the round. Place a stitch marker between the first and last stitch to mark rows.
Rows 1 – 4: k

Sew into place. (I used my cast on tail for sewing them on.)

Legs: (make 2)
Cast on 8. Divide between three needles and join together to knit in the round. Place a stitch marker between the first and last stitch to mark rows.
Rows: 1 – 4: k

I added a little stuffing to the legs. Sew into place. (I used my cast on tail for sewing them on.)

Ears: (make two)
Pick up and k 3 stitches on the side of the head towards the top.
Row 1: p
Row 2: ssk, put the resulting stitch back on the left needle, k2tog.
BO
Weave in ends

Face:
You can embroider or glue on a face. I glued on beads for the eyes and nose then embroidered the mouth.

Tie a small bow with a piece of ribbon at the neck. A drop of glue on the knot will keep it from untying. Insert a jump ring to the top of the bear’s head. Put a ribbon through the ring for hanging

Copyright 2014 Kathy Lewinski JustCraftEnough.com
Do not duplicate for distribution, repost, sell or teach this pattern without permission.

2013’s week 1 ornament – A Mexican Tin Bird

2012’s week 1 ornament – Willow Wreath Frames