I have just uploaded a video that shows how to weave Tiny Comfort Looms on Sharon Brener’s Swatch Looms.
Here’s the story of how this came to be:
Instagram popped up a link to the delightful Swatch Looms created by Touchgrass Textiles (Sharon Brener) and I loved them!
I talked with Sharon, and we agreed that my book, Innovative Weaving on the Frame Loom would be a perfect resource for the Swatch Looms.
AND it struck me that the Swatch looms would be a great choice for people who wanted to weave the wonderful little treasures that I designed for the Weaving Kindness Project,
The Swatch looms are a little bit bigger than the Kindness looms, but the projects are totally doable on them.
I have been having a lovely time designing Tiny Woven Comfort Bears on the Swatch looms, using techniques from Innovative Weaving on the Frame Loom (written by me and available at all online booksellers).
The techniques that I present are different from the way that Sharon works with the Swatch looms, but she said it was okay for me to show other ways of working with them.
BTW, I don’t profit or get paid for exploring the Swatch Looms- they are entirely Sharon Brener’s design and sole intellectual property and we are not affiliated.
The Tiny Comfort Bear is my design and is my copyright design, and I hope that you will enjoy making them and that they will bring you all kinds of happiness!!!!
Day 8 of #100daysofspoolknittersandlittlelooms-A BooBoo Bear
I spent the day, hard at work on delicious new things so I could catch up on posting Days 6 & 7 of #100daysofspoolknittersandlittlelooms and it’s all VERY exciting and yay and I am looking forward to actually doing those posts.
BUT…. my ‘little’ brother (he’s a whole lot younger than me), Jonathan (@distinctivewoodworking) threw me for a loop…. eegads and little fish! He sent me a photo of truly yikes-ness….. he was trying to push through on meeting deadlines and completing projects and he cut the heck out of the palm of his hand.
I was aghast. We are a ton of miles apart (several provinces away) so I couldn’t rush over and try to be useful, so my response was to revert to my ‘love language’, which is ‘Teddy Bear’.
I immediately drew, then burned and painted this ‘BooBoo Bear’ and took this pic and sent it to him.
He thought that it should be called: Injured and Grumpy Because of It Bear.
Please send him healing energy!
And, I ‘ll get back to work on the projects that I am working working working working on to get myself back in sync with the ##the100dayproject2026 timeline.
I’m no longer carving wood, which of course means that I am not carving crochet hooks anymore.
I’m doing a big downsize, so am offering the last of my One of a Kind crochet hooks for sale.
I’ve made a video so you can see them in my hands. The video is posted below the list of the hooks. If you would like to buy any of the hooks, please send me a message or post a note in the comments, which I will pick up and respond to.
NOTE: Because the crochet hooks are hand carved from wood, you need to be gentle with them. Wood has grain, which can cause breakage if you are rough with the hook.
The hooks are varnished to preserve the finish.
All of the hooks have sold except for:
Star Babies approximately 8 inches (20 cm) tall. Approximately hook size 6 mm (size J) Price: $85 +shipping
Sweet Girl with book or box in her hands approximately 8 3/4 inches (22 cm) tall. Approximately hook size 8 mm (size L) Price: $125 +shipping
A couple of years ago, I had a wonderful time designing, carving and painting one of a kind wooden Teddy Bears and Pandas. Each one is unique.
They all have jointed arms and legs, so they can sit and move about.
I am not carving wood anymore, and won’t be making any more of the Wooden Teddy Bears or Pandas. These are the last of my series and are for sale.
Hand Carved WOODEN PANDAS
1- This Panda is approximately 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm) tall $95 + shipping
Note: It has a beaded necklace that can be removed if you prefer them to not wear a necklace.
2– This little Panda has a gold heart, red bead necklace and red shoes and is approximately 5 1/2 inches (14 cm) tall $95 + shipping
3- This Panda has a gold heart, a gold bead necklace, red shoes that have flowers on the soles, green and purple leggings and a flowered body suit and is approximately 7 1/2 inches (19 cm) tall
$95 + shipping
Hand Carved Wooden TEDDY BEARS THAT ARE ABOUT 7 1/2 Inches TALL:
4-This Teddy Bear has red bead necklace, red boots with flowers on the soles, blue and white striped leggings and a flowered body suit and is approximately 7 1/2 inches (19 cm) tall $95 + shipping
4- This Teddy Bear is approximately 7 1/4 inches tall (18 cm) and has a pinkish gold necklace, pink and purple high top boots that have flowers on the soles, a floral body suit and leggings. $95 + shipping
I have made a couple of dresses that fit these Pandas and Larger Teddy Bears and are available, too….
A hand knitted old fashioned looking dress: $35 + shipping
It fits the 7 1/2 inch bears but is too big for the 4 inch bears
This is what it looks like on the bears (the bear is not included in the purchase of the dress…. they are all sold separately)
And here is a little sewn dress that is reversible. It fits all the bears. $20 +shipping
Here’s what the dress looks like on the bears (dress and bears sold separately)
4 inch tall Carved Wooden Teddy Bears
1a- 4 inch tall Hand Carved Wooden Teddy Bear in a Pinafore (the pinafore is included in the price) $95
If you are interested in purchasing any of the bears, please drop me a note in the comments
I love weaving these Small Square ‘Comfort’ Teddy Bears!
They have ‘huggy arms’ that hold onto a thumb or finger so hugs are always near.
To make a Small Square ‘Comfort’ Teddy Bear that is a Panda, weave the body in white and work the ears, arms and legs in black or any color that you prefer.
Weave them in just one color or with 2 shades to make them ‘tweedie’.
They have lucky pennies and good wishes hearts inside, so they have very good energy.
Because they are so small, they easily fit in your pocket. It’s so good to always have a couple of them with you, because you never know who you will meet that needs a little bit of comfort!
These charming and whimsical Small Square Comfort Teddy Bears fit in an envelope so you can send them to friends who need a little hug.
They are quick and easy to make and are a lovely way to share love, kindness and all good things!
I wove one miniature panda, then another and another- I couldn’t resist weaving the tiny tiny pandas using the pattern that I designed for the wee teddy bears that are part of the Lily Doll Project that I created for Mirrix looms.
The pandas and bears are all woven on the Mirrix Chloe Loom.
The pandas are made the same way as the tiny teddy bears, except the ears, arms and legs are different color yarns, and a couple of little stitches are added to the face to make their face patches.
Panda bears…. so sweet! I can’t resist…. so I wove a tiny Panda, using scraps of yarn left over from the Lily Doll kit (using the instructions from the Tiny Teddy Bear in the Lily Doll Project)
He felt like having a little nap so I tucked him into the teeny tiny crib. Two of the Tiny Bears raced over to see who was this new little friend in the studio.
Panda said that he was a little chilly all alone in the crib, so the Little Bears invited him to hop into their cozy bed and tell them all about himself….
They are so happy being together in the studio that they are hoping that there will be more bears coming along, soon to join them! They posed for a few photos…
And went back to bed to tell each other winter stories and to nap and dream of Springtime….
I am a dyed in the wool Teddy Bear fanatic. I especially like very very small bears.
So, of course, when I was designing for the Lily Doll Project, the first friend I designed for her is an absolutely tiny Teddy Bear.
These tiny Teddy Bears have my ‘signature’ hugging arms so they can hug back and also hold onto things.
Because they are so little, they are fairly quick and easy to make, so they are a great choice as Pocket Bears, and as Comfort Bears to give to other people.
The knitted Clancy Comfort Bear is my latest design for comfort bears.
I designed it in honor of my beloved son in law who died last year.
Clancy was kindness incarnate and always kept several Comfort Bears in his pocket to offer to people who were having a difficult time. So, the Clancy Bear is a living legacy to keep his kindness unfolding in the world. With love in every stitch……
THE ‘HOW TO’ VIDEO FOR THE CLANCY COMFORT BEAR IS AT:
NOTE: The finished size of the Clancy Bear is determined by the thickness of yarn and size of knitting needles that you use.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Knitting Needles in a size that is appropriate for the thickness of your yarn,
Yarn: Less than an ounce for each Clancy Comfort Bear
A crochet hook that is appropriate for the thickness of your yarn.
Black 6/0 glass beads for eyes, Stuffing,
Black sewing thread and a needle that is small enough to sew on the beads, Tapestry or darning needle
Sewing machine thread in a color that matches your yarn (optional)
Felting needle, Tape measure, Row Counter, 4 small safety pins, Scissors or thread snip
INSTRUCTIONS: Beginning at the feet:
Cast on 11 stitches.
Rows 1- 16: Work in st st (knit one row, purl the next)
Place one of the little safety pins at each end of Row 6 and then 1 more pin at each end of Row 10.
At the end of Row 16, cut the yarn, leaving a 42 inch/105 cm long tail
Thread the tail end into a darning or tapestry needle and lift all the stitches off the needle.
Pull up to gather the top of the head.
Take the needle through the stitches one more time to secure them.
HEAD:
Sew the centre front seam using the Baseball stitch to the first set of safety pins. (see video for how to).
Take a couple stitches to secure the head. Remove the 2 safety pins.
Stuff the head.
Wrap the yarn tightly around the neck 2 times then stitch over the wraps to secure them.
EARS:
Take the yarn up to the side of the head at the top of the head and stitch over the knitting needle or crochet hook twice.
Stitch over these loops several times to make the first ear.
Repeat for the 2nd ear.
Take the needle back down and out at the ‘shoulder’ to be used to make the arms.
TUMMY SEAM:
Thread another strand of yarn or the sewing machine thread into a needle and stitch the center front down to the next set of safety pins.
Stuff the body.
LEGS:
Fold the cast on edge in half to find the midpoint.
Take the needle through it and stitch it to the end of the tummy seam.
Stitch in place a couple of times to secure it.
Squeeze and fold the edges of the front to meet the cast on edge, forming the leg with the corner point becoming the toe. It’s a bit like origami.
Stitch the leg inseam together, pulling up tightly.
Stitch the second leg inseam.
Secure at the middle.
Take the needle through the body to the back, and snip.
ARMS:
Take the crochet hook through the stitch at the shoulder where the yarn came out.
Yarn over, pull up a loop through the stitch on the body.
Chain by taking the yarn over the hook and pulling it through the loop on the hook.
Do this 7 to 9 times, depending on the thickness of your yarn.
Take the crochet hook through the shoulder on the other side of the body and pull up a loop.
Thread the yarn end into the tapestry needle and stitch the loop to the body.
Take the hook through the first chain stitch at the shoulder, and make a slip stitch in it by pulling up a loop through the chain stitch.
Repeat this for all the chain stitches, ending at the first shoulder.
Stitch the end into the body and use the felting needle to secure the arms to the shoulders and to bury the yarn end.
NOSE:
Take the black thread through the head, coming out at the center of the face.
Secure it with a couple of tiny stitches.
Make several horizontal stitches for the nose.
MOUTH:
Move down and take a couple of shorter horizontal stitches for the mouth.
EYES:
Take the needle up slightly above and to one side of the nose and sew on the bead for one eye,
then the other.
Secure the stitches by going back down to the nose and taking a couple of tiny stitches at the corner of the nose, then taking the needle back through the head. Snip the ends.
PANDA:
INSTRUCTIONS: Beginning at the feet:
Cast on 11 stitches with black yarn.
Rows 1- 6: Work in st st (knit one row, purl the next)
Place one of the little safety pins at each end of Row 6
Rows 7 & 8: Join white yarn and work in st st
Rows 9 & 10: Drop white yarn and work in black yarn.
Place 1 more pin at each end of Row 10.
Cut the black yarn, leaving a tail of 42 inches/105 cm.
Rows 11- 16: Work in white yarn.
At the end of Row 16, cut the yarn, leaving a 20 inch/50 cm long tail
Thread the white yarn end into a darning or tapestry needle and lift all the stitches off the needle.
Pull up to gather the top of the head.
Take the needle through the stitches one more time to secure them.
Stitch the center front seam of the head with the white yarn.
Stuff the head and wrap and secure the neck.
Take the black tail end out through to the shoulder and leave it there for now.
Work the rest of the Panda body, legs and arms the same way as the Basic Clancy Bear.
EARS:
After working the Arms, take the black yarn up to the top of the head and make the ears.
EYE PATCHES:
Take 3 small vertical stitches for each eye patch.
NOSE:
Take 2 horizontal stitches for the nose.
MOUTH:
Take 1 smaller horizontal stitch for the mouth. Secure the yarn by stitching through to the back of the neck and stitching in place the burying the yarn in the body.
EYES:
Sew the eye beads to the center of the patches. Secure the thread ends in the eye patches.
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