Free knitting patterns for the creative knitter. From easy to challenging. Also knitting stitches, for beginner to expert.
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I got this idea from Jacquee Gillespie of Heber, Utah. The Double Knitting technique is from Beverly Royces’ book which is edited by Meg Swanson and available from Interweave Press. - Scraps of yarn: 1/2 oz per bear. - Contrasting colors for the nose. - Polyester stuffing. - Double pointed needles, approx. size 4. - Plastic bear noses and eyes (10mm), post style. - Tapestry needle, maybe a crochet hook.
SIZES: 4" (6", Calc) - instructions for small size are written first, then, inside the parenthesis will be the medium size, a comma, and letter indicator or instructions for calculated size. See back page for calculations. NOTE: Bear is knit inside out. Slip all sts as if to purl. Knit-slip means to 'knit one and slip one' in the same motion. Start at bottom of foot With main color, cast on 8 (12, A) sts. Pattern row: With yarn at back of work sl 1 st, [k1, sl1] across all sts ending k1. Pattern creates a tube. Repeat for 1.25" (2", or until good length for width that is happening). Leave first leg hanging on the needles and break yarn leaving a good long end for sewing up holes later. Cast on 8 (12, A) sts again and make second leg to match first, don’t break yarn. Next row: with yarn in back, sl 1, knit-slip across all sts from both legs. Continue working full body in knit-slip pattern for 1" (1.5", or until body looks right size). Cast on 10 (14, C) sts at end of row. Sl1, knit-slip across all sts. Cast on 10 (14, C) more sts at end of row for the other arm. Sl 1, knit-slip across all sts. Work in pattern until arms are about as thick as the legs are wide, about 6 (10) rows. Bind off 14 (20, D) sts from both arms. 8 (12, A) sts left, centered on body. Sl1 & knit-slip across these neck sts once for each side. CHECK WORK: By this time I hope you can see what is happening. Every time you do one row you are knitting the back side of the tube. 2 rows actually equal one round of knitting. If you look closely at your stitches you will see that every-other st belongs to either the front or the back side. This is important to understand as you increase for the neck and turn the nose. If you mess up in the knit-slip sequence you will close your tube and nothing will work. HEAD TIPS: The following instructions will seem confusing until you can visualize what is happening. For your first bear you may want to separate your intertwined stitches onto to two needles and knit with the bear opened. Increase in each st around and then do the short rows for the face on one needle, like turning a sock heel. Increases are done by picking up and knitting head of st from previous row, on back of work - squint closely back there and you'll see it. Row 1: W yarn in back [sl1, k1, inc1] across. When done you will have 2 back sts between every front st, 12 (18) sts. Row 2: W yarn in back (sl1, inc1, sl1, k1) across. 16 (24, B) sts. Front and back sts should be every-other st again. Slip and knit around once, lifting each st and looking closely to be sure you haven’t joined the sides anywhere in the increases. Join nose color (NC). Sl1, knit-slip across 1 row, turn. NOTE: Look at your work closely. You can see the front and back sts now because they are different colors. For nose you work back and forth only on nose sts, slipping all main colored sts. At this point I would like to thank my mother. She made a bear to check the instructions. I learned a lot by watching her struggle through the fine print. One point: "turn" does not mean to stand up from the couch and turn around - you just turn your little bear around. Thanks Mom. WRAPS: You've turned (the bear) now: With yarn to front, Sl 2, [p1, sl1] across to last Nose Colored (NC) stitch, *Yarn to back, sl st temporarily to right needle, bring yarn to front, sl st back to left needle, turn* - this action from * to * is called a "wrap" and produces a turn without leaving a hole. When you do a wrap on a knit st you swing yarn first to front, then to back. - With yarn to back, sl1, knit-slip across until 2 NC sts on left needle, wrap st, turn. - Purl-slip until 2 NC sts left, wrap st, turn. - Knit-slip until 3 NC sts left, wrap st, turn. - Purl-slip until 3 NC sts left, wrap st, turn. Continue in this manner, working to one more st from end each turn until you are at the center, then reverse the process working to one less st from end each turn until, on last row, you work across all NC sts on needle. Cut NC yarn. Pick up Main color and return to basic knit-slip pattern working all sts, front and back, for 2 rows. Decrease for top of head by knitting 2 sts tog at beginning of next 2 rows. Knit 4 rows even then decrease by knitting 2 sts tog at end of next two rows. Work pattern a few more rows until head looks right for body. Slip alternate sts onto two double pointed needles to open the tube. K 2 sts tog around. Break yarn and pull loosely through sts, don’t tighten yet because you need to stuff. Use your loose hanging pieces of yarn to sew up holes where legs meet and where arms join body. There may also be holes near the face corners. No need to work in ends of yarns. Turn bear right side out and the ends become part of the stuffing. Attach plastic nose and eyes to face and stuff with polyester stuffing. Pull yarn tightly through top sts, then run it down, inside head stitch twice around neck, tightening it up. KNIT STYLE: With MC cast on 8 (12, A) sts. Sl, Knit-slip, for 2 rows. Next row: Sl 1, join NC and knit-slip across 6 (10, E) sts, finish row with MC. Next Row: Work in MC. Rep last two rows once more. Work two more rows in MC, cut main colored yarn leaving about a foot for sewing. Secure and cut other ends short. Slip alternate sts to 2 double pointed needles, open tube and turn it right side out. With tapestry needle draw yarn through all sts on needle and pull tight. Make 2. Sew to top side of head with NC facing forward. CROCHET STYLE With crochet hook make inner ear as follows: On one side of head top join NC yarn with sl st. Work 3 single crochets down side of head, finish with sl st. OUTER EAR: Join main color yarn to inner ear with sl st, then work sc in each sc of inner ear. Work sl st at end, turn. Work back across ear again with sc in each sc, finish with sl st. Knot and sew in end. Repeat for other side. NOTES ON BEAR/HUMAN RELATIONS: After you make your first bear somebody is going say something like, "Gee that’s great, can you make them sitting down?" You’ll smile graciously and make a sitting down bear. Then the ingrates will say, "Can’t you make the arms come forward." So you’ll smile, a bit less graciously, and sit down to another bear-knitting session. Strangely enough, you’ll find later, that the basic bear is the one who always gets played with. I’ve been pondering this phenomenon for weeks and have come to the conclusion that sitting bears are desired for the challenge, but they look occupied, and get ignored - why play with them, they are already playing? The basic bear, on the other hand, is completely helpless; if it is not being played with it just lays there ignominiously. When played with, though, it can dance, run, jump and fly across the room. Sitting bear can only hold one-sided conversations - people don’t like them best. So take a clue from my bear psychology studies - make a few fancy bears, but you’ll find the basic bear to be the most famous. WRAP METHOD: Work legs as for basic body. Join and work 4 rows even. Starting on front: Sl 1, knit-sl to 3 sts from end, wrap/turn. Sl 1, purl-sl to 4 sts from end, wrap/turn. Sl 1, knit-sl across all front sts. Sl 1, knit-sl across back sts. Rep these four rows 4 more times, or until belly looks right size. Cast on for arms and finish as for basic bear. INCREASE METHOD: Work legs same as for basic body. Join for body and work 2 rows even. Front: Sl1, k1, sl1, increase in next st, sl-knit across rest of row until 3 sts from end, increase in that st, finish row. Work three rows in pattern - EXCEPT - make sure you correctly work the double sts where you increased, this will break your even knit-slip pattern, so watch closely. Next row: Knit-slip across half your sts and increase in center st, finish row. (All together you have increased 3 sts on front). Work body to arms. On last row knit the 3 sets of double sts together. You are back to your original number of sts. Finish as usual. NOTE: When you start the nose on this bear, make sure you get it on the front! Work legs same as for basic body. Join legs and, on back side, work wrap rows exactly the same as you would for nose. The only difference is that you are working with only one color. Look closely at your sts and you’ll see the front and back sts for turning. When done, start working evenly for body and finish same as for basic bear - make sure the nose faces forward. The arms will bend forward if there are more sts on the back than on the front. Work body to arms in option of your choice until it is right size. If you have sitting feet, or a fat belly, make sure back of bear will be the next sts worked after turning. -When finished with the following rows you should have 2 pairs of double sts on back side of each arm at "pit". Watch carefully to knit these correctly. Cast on 9 (13, C-1) sts, turn. Work slip, knit-slip pattern across 8 (12, A) sts (ending w a k), k1 more, sl1, increase in next st, sl1 - knit-slip across body sts, increase in last st. Cast on 9 (13, C-1) sts, turn. Work slip, knit-slip pattern across 7 (11, A-1) sts (ending w a sl), sl1 more, k1, sl2. Knit sl across body 13 (21, B-3) sts, sl2, k1, sl2, knit-slip to end. As you finish the arms in double knit you have 4 pairs of sts to slip when working the front, and these same 4 pairs to knit when working the back. Make sure you get them right or you'll join the tube. A = even number B = A x 2 C = A + 2 D = (C+C+A) ¸ 2 E = A - 2
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