Benedict the Bear
Height: 13.5″ standing
Skill Level: Intermediate
Ravelry: Benedict the Bear
If you can bear the cuteness,
Benedict would love to be your
friend. Pop by to say hello next time
you’re in his neck of the woods!
You will need
3.5mm (E) hook
15mm safety eyes(buy here)
Yarn needle
Fiber fill
Yarn (acrylic, weight 4)
Cream(I used RHSS – Aran)
Dark Brown(I used RHSS – Coffee)
Medium Brown(I used RHSS – Cafe Latte)
Instructions
1. Be sure to read the “notes” section at the bottom of the pattern before proceeding.
Snout
1. With cream yarn:
01. ch5, inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 2, 5sc in the last ch. Continue on the other side of the chain base, sc 2,
3sc in the last ch [14]
02. inc, sc 4, *inc* 3 times, sc 4, *inc* 2 times [20]
03. inc, sc 6, *inc* 2 times, sc, inc, sc 6, *inc* 2 times, sc [26]
04. inc, sc 8, *inc, sc* 2 times, inc, sc 8, *inc, sc* 2 times [32]
05. inc, sc 10, inc, sc 2, inc, sc, inc, sc 10, inc, sc 2, inc, sc [38]
06 – 07. sc in each st around [38]
08. sc in each st around, dec last 3 st together [36]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Nose
1. With dark brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. *sc, inc* [9]
03. *sc 2, inc* [12]
04. *sc 3, inc* [15]
05. *sc 4, inc* [18]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Fold the top opening in half and slip stitch closed.
Head
1. With medium brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. *sc 3, inc* [30]
06. sc 2, inc, *sc 4, inc* 5 times, sc 2 [36]
07. *sc 5, inc* [42]
08. sc 3, inc, *sc 6, inc* 5 times, sc 3 [48]
09. *sc 7, inc* 4 times, sc 5, insert marker color 1 into next sc (42nd st from start of round), sc 1, inc, sc 7, inc
[54]
10. sc 4, inc, sc 7, insert marker color 1 into next sc (14th st from start of round), inc, *sc 8, inc* 4 times, sc 4
[60]
11 – 16. sc in each st around [60]
17. sc 50, insert marker color 2 into the next sc, sc 9 [60]
18. sc 9, insert marker color 2 into the next sc, sc 50 [60]
19 – 20. sc in each st around [60]
21. sc 4, dec, *sc 8, dec* 5 times, sc 4 [54]
22. *sc 7, dec* [48]
23. sc 3, dec, *sc 6, dec* 5 times, sc 3 [42]
24. *sc 5, dec* [36]
25. sc 2, dec, *sc 4, dec* 5 times, sc 2 [30]
The starting magic ring will be in the middle of the bear’s face, and the markers in rounds 9 and 10 are
where you will place the eyes in a later step.
Attach the snout to the head. Stuff the snout when attached ¾ around, then finish attaching. Attach the nose
over the snout.
Stuff head ¾ full. Next, create the indents for the eyes (see instructions at the bottom of the pattern). Insert
eyes and secure backings.
26. *sc 3, dec* [24]
27. sc, dec, *sc 2, dec* 5 times, sc [18]
28. *sc, dec* [12]
Finish stuffing.
29. *dec* [6]
Cut working yarn and close with an ultimate finish.
Ears (make 2)
1. With medium brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. *sc 3, inc* [30]
06. sc in each st around [30]
07. *sc 3, dec* [24]
08. sc, dec, *sc 2, dec* 5 times, sc [18]
09. *sc, dec* [12]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Fold the top opening in half and slip stitch closed. Attach each ear
starting in your marked stitches, and each of the next 4 stitches on both sides.
Body
1. With medium brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. *sc 3, inc* [30]
06. sc 2, inc, *sc 4, inc* 5 times, sc 2 [36]
07. *sc 5, inc* [42]
08. sc 3, inc, *sc 6, inc* 5 times, sc 3 [48]
09. *sc 7, inc* [54]
10. sc 4, inc, *sc 8, inc* 5 times, sc 4 [60]
11 – 17. sc in each st around [60]
18. sc 4, dec, *sc 8, dec* 5 times, sc 4 [54]
19. sc in each st around [54]
20. *sc 7, dec* [48]
21. sc in each st around [48]
22. sc 3, dec, *sc 6, dec* 5 times, sc 3 [42]
23 – 24. sc in each st around [42]
25. *sc 5, dec* [36]
26 – 27. sc in each st around [36]
28. sc 2, dec, *sc 4, dec* 5 times, sc 2 [30]
29 – 30. sc in each st around [30]
31. *sc 3, dec* [24]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Stuff firmly with fiber fill.
Arms (make 2)
1. With medium brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. BLO: sc in each st around [24]
06 – 08. sc in each st around [24]
09. sc 11, dec, sc 11 [23]
10. sc in each st around [23]
11. sc 21, dec [22]
12. sc in each st around [22]
13. sc 10, dec, sc 10 [21]
14. sc in each st around [21]
15. sc 19, dec [20]
16. sc in each st around [20]
17. sc 9, dec, sc 9 [19]
18. sc in each st around [19]
19. sc 17, dec [18]
20. sc in each st around [18]
21. sc 8, dec, sc 8 [17]
22. sc in each st around [17]
23. sc 15, dec [16]
24 – 25. sc in each st around [16]
26. *sc 2, dec* [12]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Stuff firmly with fiber fill. Fold the top opening in half and slip
stitch closed.
Arm Pads (make 2)
1. With cream yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Legs (make 2)
1. With medium brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. sc, inc, *sc 2, inc* 5 times, sc [24]
05. *sc 3, inc* [30]
06. BLO: sc in each st around [30]
07 – 09. sc in each st around [30]
10. sc 14, dec, sc 14 [29]
11. sc 27, dec [28]
12. sc 13, dec, sc 13 [27]
13. sc 25, dec [26]
14. sc 12, dec, sc 12 [25]
15. sc 23, dec [24]
16. sc 11, dec, sc 11 [23]
17. sc 21, dec [22]
18. sc 10, dec, sc 10 [21]
19. sc 19, dec [20]
20. sc 9, dec, sc 9 [19]
21. sc 17, dec [18]
22. *sc 7, dec* [16]
23. *sc 2, dec* [12]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Stuff firmly with fiber fill. Fold the top opening in half and slip
stitch closed.
Leg Pads (make 2)
1. With cream yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. *sc 2, inc* [24]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Tail
1. With medium brown yarn:
01. start 6 sc into a magic ring [6]
02. inc in each st around [12]
03. *sc, inc* [18]
04. *sc 2, inc* [24]
05. *sc 2, dec* [18]
06. *sc, dec* [12]
07. *sc 2, dec* [9]
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Fold the top opening in half and slip stitch closed.
Notes
Abbreviations
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
inc: 2sc increase
dec: invisible decrease
BLO: back loop only
Attaching with thread vs. yarn tail
For a cleaner look on the snout, I opted to cut a short tail, weave it in, and attach it to the head with matching thread.
However, you can also attach the snout using a yarn needle and the yarn tail. It’s up to you!
Optional: Skip arm & leg pads
Instead of attaching separate arm and leg pads, you can simply start with cream yarn for rounds 1 – 3 on the arms,
and rounds 1 – 4 on the legs, then switch to medium brown yarn for the remaining rounds. I prefer the look of the
separate pads, but skipping them is definitely easier. 🙂
Regarding stitch markers
Note: The photos above show a fox, but the technique is the same for all of my patterns.
The pattern indicates to insert 4 different stitch markers in various places besides the one you use to track the
beginning/end of each round.
I recommend using strands of yarn in 3 different colors as your stitch markers: Two strands in color 1 (blue) to mark
where you will place each eye, Two strands color 2 (pink) to mark where you will start attaching each ear, and one
long strand in color 3 (green) to track the beginning/end of each round.
The photos above demonstrate how to mark a stitch while crocheting a round: lay your strand of yarn acting as a
marker over your working yarn and the stitch you’ll be working into, then complete the stitch as normal.
You’ll essentially be weaving the long strand in color 3 through your work with each round. On odd rounds you’ll be
laying the strand back-to-front, and on even rounds you’ll be laying the strand front-to-back.
The advantage of using this technique is you’ll have the beginning of every single round marked, which makes it
much easier to find your place if you make a mistake. That said, It’s perfectly fine to use a regular ol’ safety pin-like
marker to keep track of your rounds instead. 🙂
How to indent the eyes
Note: The video above shows a fox, but the technique is the same for all of my patterns.
Step 1 – Cut a strand of yarn approximately 12″ long. Tie a large, secure knot in one end and thread the other end
through your yarn needle.
Step 2 – Insert your needle through the back opening of the head and sew between the two spots where you’ll be
placing your safety eyes (marked with your color 1 stitch markers).
Step 3 – Pull your strand of yarn taut, which will create indents.
Step 4 – Fasten off with a knot and hide your yarn tail inside the head.
