Little Bear ✨✨
Or how a lost plushie became a knitting pattern.

Many moons ago, I had a little girl in my tummy. My evenings were spent thinking about her, dreaming about the day she will be born, and all the moments that we will get to share together.

All of these emotions were put into a little bear that I was making her back then. Made out of fabric that I salvaged from a second-hand skirt, embroidery floss that I selected, and yarn leftovers from the myriad of projects that I had made, little bear was the most thoughtful gift for my yet to be born baby girl.

Many evenings were spent on my floor, making her the cuddliest bear that I hoped would follow her everywhere.
And it did! until one day, the bear got lost.

A few years after the bear was lost, she could still remember him, and kept asking me for a replacement. No bear could ever replace it, but I thought “Why not make a knitted one instead?”. It would still have some of the features from my original bear, but since knitting is my medium of choice, I could perhaps try to challenge myself!

New techniques needed to be learned in order for the little bear’s face to come to life - hello intarsia in the round! Never would I have imagined a few years ago, that I would need this technique in my knitting tool box one day! 

Even though it might look intimidating at first glance, it is nothing too difficult. One just needs to carve out a little bit of time to practice, that’s it! Learning how to knit was definitely more challenging than that!

I’ve recorded a few video tutorials (which are available in the pattern) to guide you through the intarsia process (it’s quite an addictive technique!)

Happy little bear crafting!

Yarn

(For the dark brown bear)

MC (the body): 1 skein of Retrosaria Vovó

100% Portuguese wool

156 yd (143m)= 50g

(shown in the 01 colorway)

and

CC (the face) about 10g of a contrasting color (shown in Rauma Finull in the 406 colorway).

and

about 5g of a darker contrasting colour for the eyes

(Shown in Fibertales Organic Gotland in the charcoal colorway)

Needles

US5 (3,75 mm)

Gauge

24 sts x 39 rounds = 4” (10cm) in stockinette st, when knit in the round, after blocking.

Notions

• stitch makers

• Tapestry needle

• Wool stuffing

Finished dimensions

14.5” (37cm) in circumference

10.2” (26 cm) tall

** Special techniques **

• Judy’s magic cast-on
• Intarsia in the round
• German short rows
• Grafting
• Embroidery