This little crochet bear is about 8.5 cm (3.3 in) tall, with round ears, a soft muzzle and short arms. He is small enough to ride along on your keys or bag, and sweet enough to give as a gift.
This easy free small crochet bear pattern has every round written out below, with photos of the pieces and of the legs joining into the body. Prefer paper? Download the free printable PDF at the end.
Materials
- Fine weight cotton blend yarn (50 g, 160 m)
- Brown or black embroidery thread for the nose
- A 3.0 mm crochet hook
- Two black beads for the eyes, or black thread to embroider them
- Fiberfill stuffing
- A tapestry needle and a stitch marker
Skill level and size
This is an easy pattern, made in continuous rounds of single crochet. The only new trick is joining the two legs with a short chain, and the photo shows exactly how.
The finished bear is about 8.5 cm (3.3 in) tall.
Abbreviations (US terms)
| MR | magic ring |
|---|---|
| ch | chain |
| sc | single crochet |
| inc | increase: 2 sc in the same stitch |
| inv dec | invisible decrease |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| sts | stitches |
Work in continuous rounds, in a spiral, and move the stitch marker up at the start of each round. New to the magic ring? Our free crochet stitch guide shows it with step by step photos.
Pattern
The number in brackets at the end of each round is your stitch count.
Head
- Round 1Make 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
- Round 22 sc in each stitch around. (12)
- Round 3(sc in the next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch) around. (18)
- Round 4(sc in the next 2 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch) around. (24)
- Rounds 5 to 8Sc in each stitch around. (24)
- Round 9(sc in the next 2 stitches, inv dec) around. (18)
- Round 10(sc in the next stitch, inv dec) around. (12)
- FinishStuff the head firmly. Fasten off and cut the yarn.
Ears (make 2)
- Round 1Make 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
- Round 2(sc in the next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch) 3 times. (9)
- Round 3Sc in the next 3 stitches, inv dec, sc in the next 2 stitches, inv dec, sl st. (7)
- FinishFasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Muzzle
- Round 1Make 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
- Round 2(sc in the next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch) 3 times, sl st. (9)
- FinishFasten off, leaving a long tail to sew the muzzle to the face.
Arms (make 2)
- Round 1Make 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
- Rounds 2 to 6Sc in each stitch around. (6)
- FinishStuff only the bottom of the arm, very lightly. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Legs and body
First leg:
- Round 1Make 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
- Round 2(sc in the next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch) around. (9)
- Round 3Sc in each stitch around. (9)
- FinishFasten off and cut the yarn.
Second leg and body: make the second leg like the first (rounds 1 to 3), then keep going.
- JoinDo not cut the yarn after round 3. Ch 5 and join to the first leg. Put the marker on the last chain: it is the new end of the round.
- Round 4Sc 9 around the first leg, sc 5 along the chain, sc 9 around the second leg, sc 5 along the other side of the chain. (28)
- Rounds 5 to 10Sc in each stitch around. (28)
- Round 11(sc in the next stitch, inv dec) 9 times, sc in the last stitch. (19)
- StuffStart stuffing, and keep stuffing to the end.
- Round 12(sc in the next 2 stitches, inv dec) 4 times, sc in the next stitch, inv dec. (14)
- Round 13Sc in the next 2 stitches, inv dec, sc in the next 5 stitches, inv dec, sc in the next 3 stitches. (12)
- Round 14Sc in each stitch around. (12)
- FinishFasten off, leaving a long end to sew the body to the head. Stuff the body well.
Assembly
- Sew the head to the body.
- Sew the ears onto the head.
- Embroider the nose with brown or black thread, then sew the muzzle to the face.
- Sew on two black beads as eyes, or embroider the eyes with black thread.
- Sew the arms to the sides of the body.
To hang your bear from your keys or bag, sew a keychain chain or split ring firmly to the top of his head, through several stitches. For a toy for a small child, embroider the eyes instead of using beads.
Tips for a perfect bear
- Use the stitch marker every round: in a small spiral it is easy to lose count.
- Stuff the head firmly and the arms only lightly, so the arms hang softly.
- Pin the ears and muzzle in place and look from the front before you sew them on.
- Try a cream muzzle on a brown bear for a classic teddy look.
Questions
Is this bear pattern good for beginners?
Yes. It is an easy pattern in continuous rounds of single crochet. If you can make a magic ring, increase and decrease, you can make this bear.
How tall is the bear?
About 8.5 cm (3.3 in) tall with fine weight cotton blend yarn and a 3.0 mm hook.
What is an invisible decrease?
Insert your hook into the front loops of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both loops, then finish the single crochet as usual. It makes a neater decrease than working two stitches together through both loops.
Can I sell the bears I make?
Yes. You are welcome to sell the finished bears you make from this pattern, and a credit to Crochet Simplified with a link to crochetsimplified.com is appreciated. Please do not share, copy or sell the pattern itself.
Is there a printable version?
Yes. The free PDF has the whole pattern with the photos. Download it, open it on your phone or print the pages you need.
Using this pattern
This pattern is for your personal use. You may not copy, share, translate, resell or publish this pattern or its photos, in print or online, in whole or in part, free or paid.
