Knitted Comfort Bear by Noreen Crone-Findlay

Today, we need kindness more than ever before.

It brings me such joy to see people everywhere finding ways to create comfort and to show their love of humanity.

Recently, I went to a benefit concert for Syrian refugees, and one of the organizers said:  If you want to help, don’t ask us what you can do, tell us what your strengths are, and then do that.

I thought about what she said and then asked one of the other organizers if knitting teddy bears for the Syrian children was culturally acceptable, and she said that it is indeed.

And, so, I have designed a tiny knitted teddy bear that fits in a pocket to be a perfectly portable comfort, cuddle or hug.

I decided that I also need to help out with children who are already here, and are in distress.

So I offered to knit some for the  children in the Women’s Shelter as well as for the Syrian Refugee children.(The lady at the Women’s Shelter was delighted with my offer and has heartily taken me up on it 🙂 )

Also, I am going to knit a few  to keep in my bag for those times when I meet someone who just needs a little extra TLC.

I invite you to knit them for whatever charity makes your heart sing.

Feel free to share the link to this page… it would be wonderful to have knitters all over the world knitting these wee ambassadors of love and comfort!

Note: the finished size of this Tiny Comfort Bear is determined by the size of knitting needles that you choose and the thickness of the yarn.

YOU WILL NEED:

EQUIPMENT: Knitting needles (the Cuddle Bear in the photos was knitted with 2.75 mm needles); scissors; darning or tapestry needle; embroidery needle; ruler or tape measure.

Note: You can also knit these Comfort bears on a knitting machine if you have one.  Because I have been requested to knit so many, I have made a whole bunch of them on my knitting machine.

YARN: 1 ball of sock yarn will make 10 or more Comfort Bears.

ALSO: A small amount of stuffing; black sock yarn or embroidery floss to embroider the features.

FINISHED SIZE:

With sock yarn and 2.75mm needles, the Comfort Bear is 3 inches/ 7.5 cm tall.

With sock yarn and 2.25mm needles, the Comfort Bear is 2 1/2 inches/ 6.25 cm tall

NOTE: For a very small bear: Use smaller needles and thinner yarn, such as lace weight.

For a larger bear, use thicker needles and heavier yarn.

INSTRUCTIONS:

BODY:
Leave at least 6 inches/ 15 cm of yarn for finishing and cast on 12 stitches.

Row 1: K 12

Row 2: K 1, P 1 in each stitch. (24 stitches)

Set up your knitting:  You can either work the Comfort Bear flat on 2 needles, then sew the center back seam after finishing, OR, work it in the round, using 4 dpns, OR in the round on a magic loop on 1 long circular needle OR in the round on 2 shorter circular needles.

Rows or Rounds 3 – 15: Work in st st.

NECK:

(Eyelet Row/Round): Row or Round 16: [K2tog, yo] 12 times.

HEAD:

Rows or Rounds 17 – 30: Work 24 stitches in st st.

Row or Round 31: [K2tog] 12 times. (12 st)

Cut yarn, leaving 8 inches/20 cm for finishing.

FINISHING:

(Note: If you knitted your Comfort Bear flat on 2 needles, sew up the back seam now before completing the steps.)

1] Thread the yarn end at then end of the last round into a darning or tapestry needle and take it through all the stitches.

2] Pull up the stitches to close the top of the head, then take the needle through all the stitches again to secure them.

3] Stuff the entire body.

4] EARS:

Pinch a semi-circle out at the side of the head and stitch through the base to form the ear. Stitch along the base of the ear, back and forth to define it well.

Stitch in place at the top of the head, then take the yarn inside the head and come out at the other side. Stitch in place to secure the yarn and then stitch the other ear in the same way.

Take the yarn end inside the body.

5] LEGS:

Thread the yarn end at the lower edge of the body into the needle and then pull up to gather the lower edge closed. Stitch in place to secure the gather.

Take the needle through the body about 1/4 inch/.5 cm up from the base.

Go through the body again, slightly up from the last stitch.

Now, stitch back down towards the feet.

Stitch through the body several more times, to create the line between the legs.

Stitch in place at the base, then take the yarn end back into the body.

6] NECK: Cut a piece of yarn about 30 inches/75 cm long and fold it in half.

Thread the ends into the darning needle then go in and out the eyelet round at the neck.

Wrap the yarn around the neck several times and then tie a tight knot to secure the neck.

Take the ends inside the body.

ARMS:

1] Leaving several inches of yarn at each end for attaching the i cord, knit a 3 stitch i cord that is 1 3/4 inches/4.5 cm long.

2] Sew the arms to the body.

FACE:

With black sock yarn or embroidery floss, embroider the face:

Bring the needle up through the head from the back of the neck to the center of the face.

Take a couple of tiny stitches to secure the yarn.

 

Stitch a ‘V’ for the nose, then take the needle out at the first eye.

Take a couple of tiny stitches for the first eye.

Then across to the second eye. Take a couple of tiny stitches for the second eye.

Take the needle from the top of the nose, down to the point of the V, then out to one side for the first half of the smile:

Pull the needle through the face at the point of the V and out to the end point of the smile.

The needle goes back in almost where it came out to catch the middle of the smile line, then comes out at the point of the V.

Repeat for the second half of the smile.

Take a couple of tiny stitches in the nose to secure the end.

 

Then, go through the body to bury the yarn end.

Snip the yarn end at the back of the neck.

And there you have it!

Here’s a video tutorial on how to embroider a teddy bear face:

I hope that you’ll enjoy the tiny comfort bear to bring joy into your life in the knitting of it, and joy into the life of whoever you give it to.

🙂

Happy Knitting!

❤ Noreen