Friends! I am thrilled to finally be able to bring the pattern for the Pocket Bear to the blog for your crocheting pleasure!
Some of you may remember that earlier this year, I was invited to be a designer for the very first Crochet Society subscription box. Of course, I was absolutely delighted to have been asked and I said yes! This Pocket Bear (known as Penrose in the box) was the design I submitted. The pattern was subject to a licensing period but that period has now expired so I’m pleased to now be able to provide the pattern for any non-subscribers to make.
The Pocket Bear is the newest addition to my Pocket Pet series! Check out the posts for the Pocket Fox, Pocket Bun, Pocket Raccoon, and Pocket Pug to see the others. (P.S. I’m going to have a Pocket Panda adaption for this pattern coming at you REAL soon!)
The Crochet Society provided me with the yarn to use for this pattern, which was West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep yarn. It was super lovely to work with, however, it is a category 3 (light weight) yarn, which I don’t normally work with for my amigurumi, so I remade the pattern using my regular materials (and in nice Autumn colours this time!), but have included some pictures of both below.
As usual, this pattern is made in the same style as my Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together to give them that unique 2-D look. This pattern has just 2 pieces and incorporates the tapestry (or intarsia) crochet technique with a small amount of colourwork involved so please be sure to read the “Reading this Pattern” section if you’re unsure.
Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)
If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE or through the “Shop It” button above!
If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE or through the “Shop It” button above!
Materials:
(Affiliate links coming at you!)
- 2.75mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);
- 10mm safety eyes;
- Caron Simply Soft in colour of your choice for main (I used Autumn Red and Country Blue);
- Caron Simply Soft in Off White for contrasting colour;
- Stuffing;
- Tapestry needle
Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:
Everything is worked in single crochet stitches, unless otherwise specified. So, in order to indicate the colour-changes, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts in lines with colour-changes and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. For example, “Minc” means to make a regular sc increase in the main colour. “M10, C7” means to work the next 10 sc in the main colour and the next 7 sc in the constrasting colour.
The bonus part of the colour-changes in amigurumi is that you don’t have to worry about what the back of your panels look like! This is why I carry my yarn on the back instead of carrying it inside the stitch as you go. It prevents any colours from bleeding through where they shouldn’t. As long as you always carry your yarn on the back of your panel, you won’t have to tie in any ends and you’ll have a beautiful smooth front with clear lines and colours.
When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour A and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour B, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour B. Drop your working yarn in Colour A and continue with Colour B. You will pick your Colour A working yarn back up again on the way back in the next row when you need it.
*Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel!* This will be different depending on whether you’re working an odd or even row. So, for the front panel, whenever you are working an odd-numbered row (row 1, 3, 5, etc), the right side of your panel will be facing you. When you’re working an even-numbered row, the wrong side will be facing you.
This will be the opposite for the back panel. This will ensure that all the yarn ends are facing the inside when the panels are matched up.
Colour legend:
M – Main
C – Contrasting
Terms and Stitches:
Ch – Chain
Slst – Slip stitch
Sc – Single Crochet (again, in rows with colour changes, sc stitches will be indicated with the Colour Legend letter instead of “sc”)
Inc – Increase. Work a regular sc increase
Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease
Pattern
Legs:
You will make 2 legs using a 2.75mm hook and then join them together in the body section. Start with main colour. The legs are worked from the bottom up. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row unless specified otherwise.
Row 1: Ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc across (4 sts)
Row 2: Inc, sc 2, inc (6 sts)
Row 3: Sc across (6 sts)
Row 4: Sc 5, inc (7 sts)
Tie off. Place a stitch marker in the last st of row 4.
Repeat rows 1-4 for second leg but do not tie off the second leg. Move on to row 5 in the body section below.
Body:
Position the first leg so that the stitch marker from the first leg is facing to the left. On the second leg (the one still on your hook), ch 1 and turn and continue to row 5 where we will crochet across both legs to join them.
Row 5: Sc 6, inc in last st of leg on hook, join other leg: inc, sc 6 (16 sts)
In the next row, we will start the colour-work of the belly.
Row 6: Minc, M6, C2, M6, Minc (18 sts)
Row 7: M7, C4, M7 (18 sts)
Row 8: M6, C6, M6 (18 sts)
Rows 9: M5, C8, M5 (18 sts)
Row 10: M5, C8, M5 (18 sts), ch 5, turn
Row 11: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, M4 along chs and then cont across row: M5, C8, M5 (22 sts), ch 5, turn
Row 12: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, M4 along chs, and then cont across row: M5, C8, M9 (26 sts)
Row 13: M10, C6, M10 (26 sts)
Tie off.
Turn panel over. Rejoin your main yarn into the 5th st.
Row 14: M7, C4, M7 (18 sts)
Row 15: Minc twice, M14, Minc twice (22 sts)
Row 16: Minc, M20, Minc (24 sts)
Row 17: M24 (24 sts)
Row 18: M10, C4, M10 (24 sts)
Row 19-20: M9, C6, M9 (24 sts)
Row 21: M10, C4, M10 (24 sts)
All remaining rows of the head are worked in the main colour.
Row 22: Dec, sc 20, dec (22 sts)
Row 23: Dec, sc 18, dec (20 sts)
Rows 24-26: Sc across (20 sts)
Row 27: Dec, sc 16, dec (18 sts)
Row 28: Dec, sc 14, dec (16 sts)
Row 29: Dec, sc 12, dec (14 sts)
Row 30: Dec twice, sc 6, dec twice (10 sts)
Row 31: Dec twice, sc 2, dec twice (6 sts)
Tie off.
Ears:
Do not turn your work. Rejoin your yarn into the space next to the last st of row 31 to start the first ear.
Row 32: M1, C4, M1 (6 sts)
Row 33: M2, C2, M2 (6 sts)
Row 34: Mdec, M2, Mdec (4 sts)
Row 35: Mdec twice (2 sts)
Tie off.
Turn your work. Rejoin your yarn into the space next to the first st of Row 31 on the other side and repeat rows 33-35 for the second ear.
Back Body Panel:
The back body panel is worked exactly the same as the front panel, except without any colourwork. Anywhere you see stitches in the contrasting colour, simply work them all in the main colour.
Move on to assembly below!
Assembly:
Step 1: Face
First thing’s first! We need to attach and stitch on our facial features to the front panel.
First, using black crochet thread, stitch on a little upside down triangle for the nose and a little mouth underneath the nose. Tie a knot on the back of the panel to secure. Check out the video in this post to see how I do it!
Next, insert 10mm eyes into the front panel on either size of the muzzle.
Step 2: Body
Okay, here are all the pieces you should now have at this step.
Place the two panels together, matching up all sides.
**Make sure the front is facing you as you crochet around the outside.**
Starting on the left side above the curve of the cheek but below the ear, begin attaching the panels together by chaining one and single crocheting around the outside of the panels in the main colour.
Crochet down the side and around the arm. (Sc, ch 1, sc) into the same stitch for each of the two corners of the arm/paw to give it a nice rectangular shape. Crocheting around the neck/arm will be tricky because it is a sharp turn, but you can do it! Just take your time and make sure each stitch you make is thoughtfully placed.
Continue crocheting down the side, up the inside of the first leg and then down the inside of the second leg, then back up the other side.
Crochet around the second arm; don’t forget to (sc, ch 1, sc) into the same stitch in each of the corners of the paw.
Stop when you reach the top of the head. Now the only part of your Pocket Bear that will be open are the ears and across the top of the head.
Stuff your Pocket Bear. Use the back of your crochet hook to push stuffing right down into each of the legs. I didn’t add stuffing to the arms because they are very small and don’t really need it.
When you are satisfied, continue crocheting around the first ear.
Crochet across the top of the head between the ears and stop here for now. Using the back of your crochet hook, push stuffing up into the first ear.
Once the first one is stuffed, crochet around the second ear the same way as the first. Once you get all the way around the ear, stop here. Stuff the second ear the same way you did for the first.
You should now only have a small hole in your Pocket Bear below the ear. Take this opportunity to stuff your Pocket Bear until you are totally satisfied with it (you might be surprised at how much stuffing you use). Use the back of your crochet hook to stuff into the curve of the cheeks and to even out the stuffing across the face and especially below the ears so that there are no empty spots. Keep stuffing until it’s firm and even.
Finally, continue crocheting around and close with a slst to first st and tie off. Poke the yarn tails back inside the piece.
Lastly, I did some needle sculpting around the eyes to give them a bit more character. Check out my video on how to needle sculpt amigurumi on the Video Tutorial page if you’re not sure how!
That’s it! Add your Pocket Bears to your Pocket Pet Collection! They are seriously addictive and so cute!
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Lovely little bears. Thank you for sharing this pattern. I love your cute patterns.
Have a nice day, Margaret
Your video on needle sculpting doesn’t seem to exist 🙁
You can find it here: https://spinayarncrochet.com/video-tutorials/how-to-needle-sculpt-amigurumi/
How do you drop the yarn on the same side on each row? Do you crochet each row without turning by fastening off and starting back from the beginning of each row? I’m very confused as to how to carry the yarn
How tall is the bear?
Hi Genia,
The finished piece is approximately 12.5cm/5″ in height.
What does minc, M, and C mean?
Do you have a pocket cow? Well be making the bunny for great granddaughter