Bear necessities

One of my favourite soft toys to make is Teddy Bear by Amigurumi Today. I've made it dozens of times. In fact, I now know most of the pattern by heart :)

The size of the finished bear will depend on the yarn and hook used.

For 4 ply I tend to use a 2mm hook. For 8ply/DK I used either a 3 or 3.5mm hook. For aran or some of the much chunkier yarns I have used 4, 4.5 and even a 5mm hook.

I have learned a few tricks due to the number of times I have made this pattern.

• Do the top stitching on the feet around round 9 or 10. You can fasten off the ends so much more easily that trying to do it afterwards.

• Do not use big chunks of wadding to stuff. It can make it uneven. I tear off small pieces and stuff just a little at a time.

• The head and body is done in one piece.

  • I add the eyes where instructed in the pattern.

  • I wait to stuff the head until I have finished the straight section of the body. Otherwise the head can be too bulky as you work.

  • I stuff the body when almost done, not as I go as otherwise I found the stuffing could fall out.

• You need a long needle/bodkin for stitching on the arms and legs as you need to get through both arms/legs plus the body.

• I have a little HandMadebyJaneNZ button. I always stitch this to the back of the right ear.

• I make the entire bear before I stitch it together.

• I do not do all the top stitching as shown in the pattern but that's my choice as I don't find it aesthetically pleasing to the finished product.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Anatomy of a teddy bear