Whisking on Pens & Needles

Pattern: Best Friend Bears, by Joan Haigh & Patricia Wulff

Source: Interweave Knits Gifts, Holiday 2006, p. 68-71

Materials: 2 skeins of Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran in color 300101 (90m/50g), size 5 straight metal needles, size 11 straight metal needles, embroidery needle, scrap black worsted weight yarn for nose, teddy “snap” eyes, polyfill for stuffing and scrap worsted weight green yarn for scarf

Size: Small bear-sized … ~1′ 2″ tall

Timeline: 9/16-9/28

I’ve been wanting to make this bear since last Christmas, and I finally got around to it and was pleased to discover that the pattern was not all that difficult. I did make a few changes to the pattern: I used a soft cashmerino wool that I had in my stash (which I picked up for 1/2 price this summer!), I knit the bear on size 5 needles, I knit a nose directly on the bear instead of knitting a separate piece for the nose to stitch on, I used teddy eyes instead of knitted eyes, and I didn’t “shape” the ears since I like my teddy bears’ ears puffy. I also opted to make my own scarf with some leftover yarn – just a simple 10 stitch garter stitch scarf made on size 11 needles – instead of making a sweater. I may attempt to make the roll neck sweater given in the original pattern at some point, but at the moment I like Tom as is