Knit Mrs Claus Bear
Pick up your knitting needles, it’s time to create the cutest bear ever…
When it comes to knitting patterns, there’s nobody better to ask than our colleagues at Let’s Knit Together. Sign up to this friendly online knitting club to access exclusive knitting collections. To introduce you to their designs, we bring you Mrs Claus Bear, one of a 6-part collection of Treasured Toys. The full pattern is below. If you want to complete the set, simply head over to their knitalong pages to find out how you can join in the fun…
You will need:
- Yarn: DK, shades (A) Beige 30g, (B) Red 40g, (C) Fluffy yarn 20g, (D) Black 10g, (E) Brown 10g
- Needles: 3.5mm
- Tapestry needle
- Safety toy stuffing
- Safety toy eyes: 12mm black, two
- Ribbon, gold
- Gold wire, 24 gauge
Tension square:
When making toys and decorations like Mrs Claus, it isn’t always essential to match your gauge perfectly to the pattern – after all, it doesn’t need to fit a specific size like a garment does. However, if changing colours or yarns mid-project, make sure to use the same type of yarn (or as close as possible), to ensure an even tension across the entire project.
To make body:
Using 3.5mm needles and yarn B, cast on 10 sts.
Row 1 and all WS rows: p to end
Row 2: kfb ten times. 20 sts
Row 4: (kfb, k1) ten times. 30 sts
Rows 5-14: beg with a p row, work ten rows in st st
Join yarn D, do not cut yarn B.
Rows 15-18: using yarn D and beg with a p row, work four rows in st st.
Cut yarn D, cont with yarn B.
Row 19: p
Row 20: (kfb, k1) 15 times. 45 sts
Row 22: (kfb, k2) 15 times. 60 sts
Row 24: (kfb, k3) 15 times. 75 sts
Rows 25-39: beg with a p row, work 15 rows in st st
Join yarn C, do not cut yarn B.
Rows 40-42: using yarn C and beg with a k row, work three rows in st st
Cut yarn C, cont with yarn B.
Rows 43-50: beg with a p row, work eight rows in st st
Row 51: (p2tog, p3) 15 times. 60 sts
Row 52: (k2tog, k2) 15 times. 45 sts
Row 53: (p2tog, p1) 15 times. 30 sts
Row 54: k2tog 15 times. 15 sts
Cut yarn leaving a tail, thread through sts, pull tight and fasten off.
Head:
Using 3.5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 12 sts.
Row 1 and all WS rows: p to end
Row 2: kfb 12 times. 24 sts
Row 4: (kfb, k1) 12 times. 36 sts
Row 6: (kfb, k2) 12 times. 48 sts
Rows 7-23: beg with a p row, work 17 rows in st st
Row 24: k2tog 24 times. 24 sts
Row 25-31: beg with a p row, work seven rows in st st
Row 32: k2tog 12 times. 12 sts
Row 34: k2tog six times. Six sts
Cut yarn leaving a tail, thread through sts, pull tight and fasten off.
Arms (make two):
Using 3.5mm needles and yarn B, cast on four sts.
Row 1 and all WS rows:
p to end
Row 2: kfb four times. Eight sts
Row 4: kfb eight times. 16 sts
Rows 5-17: beg with a p row, work 13 rows in st st
Cut yarn B, join yarn C.
Rows 18-19: beg with k row, work two rows in st st
Cut yarn C, join yarn A.
Rows 20-25: beg with p row, work six rows in st st
Cut yarn leaving a tail, thread through sts, pull tight and fasten off.
Ears (make two):
Using 3.5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 20 sts.
Rows 1-5: beg with a p row, work five rows in st st
Row 6: k2tog ten times. Ten sts
Row 7: p
Row 8: k2tog five times. Five sts
Cut yarn leaving a tail, thread through sts, pull tight and fasten off.
Cloak:
Using 3.5mm needles and yarn B, cast on 30 sts.
Row 1 and all WS rows: p to end
Row 2: (kfb, k1) 15 times. 45 sts
Row 4: (kfb, k2) 15 times. 60 sts
Rows 5-13: beg with a p row, work nine rows in st st
Cut yarn B, join yarn C.
Rows 14-16: beg with a k row, work three rows in st st.
Cast off, leaving a yarn tail.
To make up:
Use mattress stitch to close Body seam halfway, then stuff. Cont to sew seam until completely closed.
Fix safety toy eyes to Head, then stuff and sew Head seam closed as before.
Stuff and sew Arm seams, filling hand area firmly.
Weave in yarn ends on Cloak, then use a length of gold ribbon to hold two sides of Cloak together.
Assemble Mrs Claus by whip stitching everything in place. Wrap Cloak around shoulders and tie up with gold ribbon to secure. Using yarn E, embroider a nose onto face, then make glasses from gold cake wire to finish.
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