How I Make My Comfort Bears

I have had several people ask me for a pattern for these, but I have never had one. I made my first bear after seeing a knitted version, worked out how to make it in crochet and made adjustments until I was happy with the final result.

The end product

I could have used better colours to show this but I hope you can see enough to be able to follow.

Because the tutorial for some of the stitches I use are only in US stitches I will be using US terminology for these instructions. Fro those that are used to English terminology, US sc = Eng dc.

I start with 20 foundation sc stitches but you couls start with 21 ch and 20 sc into the chain. Make sure to leave a long (10-15cm) tail at the start to help with sewing up the legs.

20 x fsc

I then continue with 1 sc in the base of each fsc (or unused part of ch st),

First round complete

I then continue with 1 sc in the front loop only of each sc for 19 rounds. Working in the front loop only makes the stitches stand up straighter than using both loops or back loop only.

The change of colour is acheived using a method that I learned online. It is called a jogless colour change. While this doesn't produce a jog free colour change, the jog is reduced significantly. It is achieved by starting the stitch with the first colour, completing it with the second and then a slip stitch into the next stitch.

The first 19 row with the first colour change

I then do 10 rounds with the second colour before changing to the third colour.

The front of the main body

Back of main body

As you can see, the jog is still visible.

Make sure to leave a long tail at the end for sewing up the ears and top.

To make the arms, start with colour 3, 2 ch, 6sc into the first ch, 2sc in each sc, 1 sc in each sc for 2 rounds, change to colour 2 and do 9 more rounds, leaving a long tail at the end. Make 2.

Body and arms

Using the tail left at the start, sew up the middle of the bottom section to separate the legs.

Body with leg stitching

Stuff the body and arms with appropriate material. With the body stuffed, using the end tail, sew across the top for 5 stitches, sew down at 45 deg toward side to create the first ear, continue sewing across the top to last 5 stitches, sew down at 45 deg toward other side to create the second ear, sew remaining stitches across top and hide the end.

Body stuffed with ears and top sewn up

Body complete, arms stuffed ready to be sewn on.

Sew on arms.

All ready for the facial features to be embroidered

 Finsh by embroidering the facial features.

The Finished item.

The dark colours make it difficult to see the facial features so here is last week's bear.

Last week's bear

I hope this helps those that want to make these.