The Knit Guru

The start of a project for 2026 – and part one is this wee bear. This bear is knit flat and seamed up the back. The video is useful to show the stitching together process. This written pattern has all the row and stitch counts.

You will need:
– 3.5mm knitting needles
– safety eyes and nose (optional – you can embroider these)
– DK yarn
– Stuffing
– Keychain
– Darning needle and scissors

Body – starts with 2 legs

Leg

Cast on 12 stitches.
Stockinette stitch 10 rows. Cut yarn with a 15cm tail. Slide the work to the other end of the needle and cast on 12 stitches for leg 2. Stockinette stitch 10 rows on this leg. Slide the 2 legs together and treat the work as one piece from now on. (24 stitches)

Stockinette stitch 14 rows.

Neck row: Knit 1, knit 1 front and back – repeat these stitches over the whole row. (36 stitches)

Stockinette stitch 13 rows beginning on a purl row.

Decreasing for the top of the head.

Row 1- knit 2, k2 tog – repeat over the whole row
Row 2- purl
Row 3- knit 1, k2 tog – repeat over the whole row
Row 4- purl
Row 5- k2 tog – repeat over the whole row

Cut yarn with 20cm tail remaining. Thread the yarn onto a needle, slip remaining stitches onto the yarn and pull tight. This yarn tail will be used to stitch up the back of the head later.

Arms – make 2

Cast on 10 stitches
Stockinette 10 rows
K2 tog over whole row (5 stitches remain) Cut yarn with 10cm tail remaining. Thread the yarn onto a needle, slip remaining stitches onto the yarn and pull tight. This yarn tail will be used to stitch up the side of the arm later.

Ears – make 2

Cast on 9 stitches
Stockinette stitch 2 rows
CDD, CDD, CDD
Purl
CDD
Cut yarn with 10cm tail remaining. Thread the yarn onto a needle, slip remaining stitches onto the yarn and pull tight. This yarn tail will be used to stitch the ears onto the head later.

Follow the instructions in the video to stitch and stuff the bear. Short version is that the legs fold in half to be stitched up across the bottom of the foot and up the inseam. The head stitches down from the top. Stuff the head and legs through the back opening before stitching closed. Using a length of yarn, wrap and tie around the neck tightly.

The arms fold in half and stitch up the side. The ending point of the knitting are the hand ends. Stuff the arms and stitch them to the body.

Bend the ears a little into a C shape. The cast on edge is the part of the ear that goes around the top. The cast off stitch is the centre bottom of the ear.

To follow along with this project, keep an eye out for the February release of an ‘upgrade’ to the bear with me project….