Makin' Messes

When I’m in between knitting projects, and I just don’t know what to do.  I like to make knitted or crocheted animals.  My favorite knitted animals are teddy bears.  Specifically the  Save the Children Teddy.  They make me super happy.

There’s something about making something with a face that’s so satisfying.  One of the things I like most about this pattern is that it’s all one piece except the arms.  It is sewed together up the inside of the legs, the center of the tummy and in a V from the nose to each ear.  You stuff it as you sew it together, then sew on the arms and embroider a face.  I’m not great at faces.  Even still they turn out pretty cute and lovable.

My first bear was the green guy on the left.  He turned out great but I felt like he was a little too big for the quick, satisfying project I was going for.  For the rest of the bears, including the blue fellow on the right, I modified the pattern using fewer stitches and fewer rows.  I don’t think the shape of the smaller bear’s face is perfect.   I only made one big guy though so it could have just been beginners luck.  Old bluey here is about 10 inches and big green is 14 inches when knit on size US 4 needles.  If you want a copy of my changes, email me and I’ll send them to you.

I made my bears to give to a charitable organization.  I haven’t given them away yet, I’m still adding to the collection, but I love knitting along thinking about some little child loving one of the bears that I made.