Knitted Teddy Bear

I love this toy!
I love knitting and I love soft toys and this one is so easy.
It's knitted in one piece, then stitched up and stuffed...can't get much easier than that!




Materials -


2 x 50g balls of any fluffy yarn
1 x 100g ball of matching or contrasting 8ply yarn
6mm needles
2 black buttons for eyes (optional)
black yarn
stuffing


Legs:
With 6mm needles and one strand each of plain and fluffy yarns held together, cast on 8 stitches.
Stocking stitch for 16 rows, ending on a purl row.  Break yarn and transfer live stitches to a stitch holder.
Repeat for second leg, again ending on a purl row.  Do NOT break yarn.
Knit across the leg just worked, and the leg from the stitch holder (16 stitches).


Belly & Arms:
Stocking stitch 12 rows.
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows using backward loop cast on.  These form the arms, a total of 36 stitches.
Stocking stitch 6 rows.
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows to finish the arms (16 stitches remaining).


Head:
Stocking stitch 32 rows (creating front and back of head).


Arms & Back:
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows using backward loop cast on.  These form the arms, a total of 36 stitches.
Stocking stitch 6 rows.
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows, to finish the arms (16 stitches remaining).
Stocking stitch 12 rows.


Legs:
Work first 8 stitches on needle and slip remaining 8 stitches to a stitch holder.
Work 16 rows for leg and cast off.
Place stitches from stitch holder back onto needle, rejoin yarn and work 16 rows for leg.  Cast off.


Making Up:


Weave in all ends.  Fold bear in half along the head section ensuring legs and arms line up neatly.  Pin in place if desired.  Starting at an inside leg roughly an inch from the end of the leg, begin seaming the bear, following round the outside to the top of the head.  Secure yarn, and seam other side, again starting near the bottom of the leg and continuing to the top of the head, with an opening now left where the legs join the body.


Create ears by running stitches across the corner at each side of the head.


Stuff bear, filling head and arms first, and then legs and stomach.


Make neck by weaving a length of yarn in and out around the bear where the arms join.  Pull tight, pushing more stuffing up into the head to firm before securing the yarn and tidying the ends.  Finish stuffing the bear, and seam the opening shut.


Sew  buttons on for eyes and embroider a nose and mouth.  If giving to a child, embroider eyes rather than using buttons.

I love giving these as gifts for new born babies.