Knitted toys: Three Bear Family by Martin Storey
Gladden your child and knit him these charming knitted bears
YARN
baby mummy daddy bear
Baby Merino Silk DK DK
2 3 3 x 50gm
(baby bear photographed in Sky 676, mummy in Cantalope
686 and daddy bear in Shell Pink 674)
NEEDLES
1 pair 33?4mm (no 9) (US 5) needles
EXTRAS
2 buttons for eyes. Washable toy filling. Oddment of cream yarn for embroidery. Ribbon – 30 cm for baby bear, and 50 cm for mummy bear.
FINISHED SIZE
Completed bears stand approx 36 [46: 60] cm (14 [18: 231?2] in) tall.
TENSION
Based on a stocking stitch tension of 22 sts and 30 rows to 10 cm using 4mm (US 6) needles.
Using 33?4mm (US 5) needles, cast on 6 [8: 10] sts. Beg with a RS row, cont in g st throughout as folls:
Work 1 row. Inc 1 st at each end of next and every foll alt row until there are 22 [26: 30] sts.
Cont straight until back meas 10 [13.5: 16.5] cm, ending with RS facing for next row. Dec 1 st at each end of next 2 rows. 18 [22: 26] sts.
Cast off 4 [5: 6] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 10 [12: 14] sts. Work 4 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.**
Shape for head Inc 1 st at each end of next and every foll alt row until there are 18 [22: 26] sts.
Cont straight until head section meas 6.5 [7.5: 9] cm from first head inc, ending with RS facing for next row.
Dec 1 st at each end of next and every foll alt row until 8 [10: 12] sts rem. Work 1 row, ending with RS facing for next row. Cast off.
FRONT
Work as given for back to **. Shape front of head Next row (RS): K5 [6: 7] and turn, leaving rem sts on a
holder. Work each side of head separately. Inc 1 st at each end of next and every foll alt row until there
are 13 [16: 19] sts, then inc 1 st at centre front edge only on every foll alt row until 16 [20: 24] sts.
Work 3 [5: 7] rows, ending with WS facing for next row. Cast off 3 [4: 5] sts (for top of nose) at beg of next row.
13 [16: 19] sts. Cont straight until head section meas 6.5 [7.5: 9] cm from dividing row, ending with RS facing for next row. Dec 1 st at beg of next row. 12 [15: 18] sts. Work 1 row. Dec 1 st at each end of next and every foll alt row until 4 [5: 6] sts rem. Work 1 row, ending with RS facing for next row.Cast off. With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts, K to end. Complete to match first side, reversing shapings.
ARMS (make 2)
Using 33?4mm (US 5) needles, cast on 16 [19: 22] sts. Beg with a RS row, work in g st for 9 [10: 11.5] cm.
Cast off.
LEGS (make 2) Using 33?4mm (US 5) needles, cast on 20 [26: 32] sts. Beg with a RS row, cont in g st throughout as folls: Work straight until leg meas 4 [4.5: 5] cm, ending with RS facing for next row. Next row (RS): K8 [10: 12], cast off next 4 [6: 8] sts, K to end. 16 [20: 24] sts. Work 9 rows. Inc 1 st at each end of next and every foll 8th row until there are 22 [26: 30] sts. Cont straight until leg meas 13 [15: 18.5] cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
Cast off.
EARS (make 4 pieces)
Using 33?4mm (US 5) needles, cast on 9 [11: 13] sts. Beg with a RS row, work in g st for 2.5 [3: 4] cm, ending with
RS facing for next row.
Next row (RS): K3 [4: 5], K3tog, K to end. 7 [9: 11] sts.
Next row: K2 [3: 4], K3tog, K to end. 5 [7: 9] sts.
Next row: K1 [2: 3], K3tog, K to end. 3 [5: 7] sts.
Mummy and daddy bears
Next row: K[1: 2], K3tog, K to end. [3: 5] sts.
Daddy bear
Next row: K1, K3tog, K1. 3 sts.
All bears
Next row: K3tog and fasten off.
MAKING UP
Do NOT press.
Join centre front head seam. Join front to back around entire outer edge, leaving an opening to insert toy filling. Insert filling and close opening. Join arm seams along cast-on and row-end edges, leaving cast-off edge open. Insert toy filling into arm, then sew arm onto body. Join top seam of foot section of leg. Join leg seams along cast-on and row-end edges, leaving cast-off edge open. Insert toy filling into leg, then sew leg onto body. Sew pairs of ear pieces together, leaving cast- on edge open. Sew ears to head. Using photograph as a guide and oddment of cream yarn, embroider nose using satin stitch and mouth using straight stitch onto head. Sew on buttons to form eyes. For baby bear, tie ribbon in bow around neck. For mummy bear, tie ribbon in bow around head.
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