Make a seated crochet teddy with a small round muzzle, soft embroidered features and an open-front cardigan. The head and body are made separately, which lets you stuff each section and check the neck join before sewing. The cardigan uses three flat rectangles, so you can see exactly where the shoulder seams and arm openings belong.
About this edition: The previous abbreviated muzzle and raglan instructions have been replaced by a round muzzle and a fully specified three-panel, sleeveless cardigan. This is an AI-assisted Croshly editorial version with reviewed stitch arithmetic. A physically crocheted test sample and measured finished size are not documented. The AI project illustration is a styling concept; use the written construction below as your guide.
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Before you start
- Worsted/Aran yarn: allow a 50 g ball for the bear and a 25–50 g ball for the cardigan, plus scraps for muzzle and embroidery. These are supply allowances, not measured sample usage.
- A 3.5 mm hook as a starting point, or a hook that gives a firm fabric without visible stuffing. Use the same yarn thickness and hook for the bear and cardigan.
- Polyester stuffing, tapestry needle, scissors, stitch marker and removable assembly pins.
- Black embroidery thread or fine yarn for eyes and nose. Plastic eyes and buttons are not required.
US terms: ch = chain; sc = single crochet; sl st = slip stitch; inc = 2 sc in one stitch; dec = sc the next 2 stitches together; MR = magic ring. A bracketed sequence is repeated the stated number of times. Work rounds in a continuous spiral and move a marker into the first stitch of each new round. Turning ch 1 does not count as a stitch. Leave about 20 cm of yarn for sewing whenever an attachment tail is needed.
This project is intended as a decorative handmade figure. No fixed centimetre size is promised because yarn, tension and stuffing change the result. Make the bear first and check the cardigan panels against its body before sewing the garment seams.
Body
| Round | Instruction | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 sc in MR. | 6 |
| 2 | inc in every stitch. | 12 |
| 3 | [sc, inc] 6 times. | 18 |
| 4 | [2 sc, inc] 6 times. | 24 |
| 5 | [3 sc, inc] 6 times. | 30 |
| 6–10 | sc in every stitch; 5 rounds. | 30 each |
| 11 | [3 sc, dec] 6 times. | 24 |
| 12 | [2 sc, dec] 6 times. | 18 |
| 13–14 | sc in every stitch; 2 rounds. | 18 each |
Fasten off with a sewing tail. Keep the 18-stitch neck opening open. Stuff the lower body firmly enough to hold its shape, then add smaller amounts toward the neck. Do not stretch the stitches until filling shows.
Head
| Round | Instruction | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Repeat Body Rounds 1–5. | 30 at Round 5 |
| 6 | [4 sc, inc] 6 times. | 36 |
| 7–11 | sc in every stitch; 5 rounds. | 36 each |
| 12 | [4 sc, dec] 6 times. | 30 |
| 13 | [3 sc, dec] 6 times. | 24 |
| 14 | [2 sc, dec] 6 times. | 18 |
| 15 | sc in every stitch. | 18 |
Fasten off and leave the 18-stitch opening open. Embroider two eyes around Rounds 8–9, about 6 stitches apart, using temporary yarn markers to check symmetry. Stuff the head. Align its opening with the body neck: both have 18 stitches. Sew one head stitch to one body stitch all the way around, adding the final small amount of stuffing before closing the last gap.
Muzzle, ears and tail
Muzzle: in the muzzle color, work 6 sc in MR for Round 1; inc in each stitch for Round 2 (12); sc around for Round 3 (12). Fasten off with a tail. Embroider the nose and short mouth line on the centre. Pin the muzzle below the eyes, spanning approximately head Rounds 9–12. Sew around its edge, adding a pinch of stuffing if wanted.
Ears, make 2: Round 1, 5 sc in MR (5). Round 2, inc in every stitch (10). Round 3, sc around (10). Do not stuff. Flatten each opening and sew its two layers together across 5 pairs of stitches. Attach symmetrically to the upper sides of the head, approximately Rounds 4–6.
Tail: work 6 sc in MR (6), then inc around (12), then one round of 12 sc. Add a little stuffing and gather the 12-stitch opening with the tail. Sew low on the back of the body, around Rounds 3–5, so the tail can help support the seated pose.
Arms and seated legs
Arms, make 2: Round 1, 6 sc in MR (6). Round 2, [sc, inc] 3 times (9). Rounds 3–7, sc around (9 each). Round 8, [sc, dec] 3 times (6). Lightly stuff the lower half, flatten the top and sew across its 3 pairs. Attach each arm at the side of body Rounds 12–13, with both arms at the same height.
Legs, make 2: Round 1, 6 sc in MR (6). Round 2, inc around (12). Rounds 3–5, sc around (12 each). Round 6, [sc, dec] 4 times (8). Rounds 7–8, sc around (8 each). Lightly stuff the foot, flatten the open top and sew across 4 pairs. Attach the flattened tops to the front lower body around Rounds 3–5, with the feet pointing forward. Pin both legs before sewing so the bear sits evenly.
Three-panel sleeveless cardigan
Use the cardigan color and the same hook. This starting fit gives 32 stitches around the garment compared with the body’s maximum 30 stitches. It provides a small allowance, but yarn and seam tension still matter. Check the panels around the actual bear before seaming.
- Back: ch 17. Row 1: sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch (16). Rows 2–10: ch 1, turn, sc in all 16 stitches. Fasten off.
- Fronts, make 2: ch 9. Row 1: sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch (8). Rows 2–10: ch 1, turn, sc in all 8 stitches. Fasten off.
- Lay the back flat. Put one front against each side of the back with their top rows aligned. On each shoulder, sew the outermost 3 front stitches to the corresponding outermost 3 back stitches. Leave the middle 10 back stitches and the inner 5 stitches of each front unseamed for the neck and opening.
- For each side seam, sew the bottom 6 row-ends together. Leave the top 4 row-ends unseamed as an armhole. Repeat on the opposite side.
- Try the cardigan on by slipping each arm through an opening. The two front panels remain open at the centre. If an armhole pulls, undo a side-seam stitch rather than cutting the fabric.
- Optional ties: make two ch-15 cords, fasten off securely and sew one at each upper front corner. Keep ties short and use this fastening only on a decorative figure.
Checks before finishing
Count the 18 stitches on each neck opening before sewing. Count 16 stitches on every back-panel row and 8 on every front-panel row. If a rectangle narrows, its last stitch may have been missed. Keep shoulder seams to 3 pairs on each side so the neckline remains open. Remove all pins and check every attachment before display.
Care
Follow the yarn and filling labels. Spot clean gently, reshape and let the filling dry completely. Remove the cardigan before cleaning when possible. This pattern has not been assessed for child-product safety; embroidered eyes alone do not certify the finished item as a baby toy.
