This cute little panda bear is dedicated to my mom. She loved panda bears and I thought about her a lot as I designed this little bear. The sample Patty was knit with Bloom from 29 Bridges Studio. This beautiful DK weight blend of domestic wools is soft and squishy and is perfect for toy making.

https://29-bridges-studio.myshopify.com

A few notes about the pattern
Patty is knit in the round from the bottom up. The arms are knit first and then set aside to be attached later. Next each leg is knit and then joined together to work the body. The arms are then joined before knitting the shoulders, neck and head. The stitches for the muzzle are provisionally worked with waste yarn which is later removed. The live stitches are then picked up and worked in the round to form the muzzle. The ears and tail are knit separately and sewn on. The sample used safety eyes, but you could substitute beads if you prefer.

Yarn

For Patty - Bloom from 29 Bridges Studio, DK weight, 240 yds/219 m. Sample used about 22 yds/20 m of Au Natural and 32 yds/30 m of Steel.
For Patty’s Apron - Go To Sock from 29 Bridges Studio, fingering weight, 463 yds/423 m. Sample used about 25 yds/23 m.

Needles

For Patty - US size 2 /2.75 mm double pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge below. You’ll need two sets of double pointed needles (ten total). One set is used for holding stitches and one is used for knitting.
For Patty’s Apron - US size 2/2.75 mm or size needed to obtain gauge below, 24” circular or straight, plus a U.S. size D/3.25 mm crochet hook for straps.

Miscellaneous- darning needle for weaving in ends; 2 locking stitch markers; about 1/4 oz/7 g of wool stuffing (or stuffing of your choice); a scrap of fingering weight yarn or embroidery floss in black for the nose; two small pieces of felt in black and white; pair of 5 or 6 mm safety eyes or two small black beads for eyes.

Gauge

Panda gauge - 6.5 sts by 9 rows over 1”/2.5 cm lightly stuffed. Make sure your fabric is tight enough so the stuffing doesn’t show through when stuffed at this gauge. I recommend at least two to three sizes smaller than the recommended needle size for your yarn.
Apron gauge - 7 sts by 10 rows over 1”/2.5 cm lightly blocked.

Finished size - approximately 6”/15.25 cm