Meet Bernadette the Bear! She’s a little lady that enjoys dressing up (you’ll see more outfits for her in the future), mixing up fun little potions in her room, and hanging out with her friends Usako and Gertrude!
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Yarn I Used
I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran for this crochet amigurumi toy, but you can use any soft cotton yarn as long as you correspond your hook to the weight of your yarn. You can also easily size up/down by using thicker/thinner yarn, just make sure to change the size of your hook and safety eyes accordingly.
I used about 32g of Soft Fudge, 18g of Daffodil Yellow, 10g of Seafoam Blue, and a little bit of Blush Pink. The amount of yarn you will need will vary based on your tension and the type of stitch you use. Each skein is 50g.
Gauge
5 Round Circle = 1.5” with a 3.25mm (D) hook
Note: I am working with the x-stitch (yarn under single crochet). If you are working a standard sc, go down a hook size.
Gauge isn’t super important for amigurumi, but I included it just in case you want to check your gauge. Being a little off should not affect the final product too much. You can learn more about how to measure gauge for amigurumi here!
Free Bernadette the Bear Spring Stuffed Animal Amigurumi Crochet Pattern
The difficulty level of this pattern is Easy/Intermediate and this pattern is written in US crochet terminology.
This pattern contains methods that could be considered more Intermediate/Advanced, but there are loads of photos in this pattern to use as guides. You can also reach out to me for help. I will respond quickest through DMs on Instagram, but you can also just fill out a contact form here.
The finished toy measures to be about 5.5 in (14.25 cm) tall.
Please do not reprint, sell or claim the pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to the free pattern on the blog. Please do not copy and post the pattern onto your site.
TERMINOLOGY
st(s): stitch(es)
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
inc: two single crochet in one stitch
dec: invisible decrease- single crochet two stitches together through the front loops only
FLO: crochet only in the front loops (loop closest to you) of each stitch
sk next # st: skip the next number of stitches and work the next step into the st after the skipped stitches
ch sp: chain space- the space created when you chain and skip a few stitches to work the next st
(…) x #: repeat anything in the parenthesis however many times the number indicates
(x, y) in the next st: work both x and y in the same st
[#]: total number of stitches for that row
#sc: one sc in the following # stitches
hdc#: hdc # times in the next stitch
THINGS YOU NEED
- Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran– I used 32g of Soft Fudge, 18g of Daffodil Yellow, 10g of Seafoam Blue, and a little bit of Blush Pink. OR, your choice of yarn & colours. I’ve included a colour swatch to give you a better idea of what these colours look like.
- DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss in Black
- 3.25mm (D) Crochet Hook (Go down a hook size if you are working the regular single crochet stitch)
- Scissors
- Darning Needle
- Locking Stitch Markers
- Pins
- Polyfil Stuffing
- 8mm Safety Eyes and Backings
- 1 Mini Button (6 or 7mm- men’s dress shirts often have spare buttons on a tag by the waist)
- Thread and Needle to Sew the Button
Notes & Guides
Seamless Join in the Round – Cut the yarn tail, fasten off, and thread the yarn tail onto a darning needle. Locate the 2nd st of the round, insert the needle under that stitch and pull through. Insert the needle into the centre of the final st of the round and out the back. This creates a false stitch and makes the edge look more seamless. Weave the tail into the back of the work.
Closing the Hole – To close the hole, fasten off and thread the yarn tail onto a darning needle. Insert the needle under the front loop of the next stitch and pull through. Repeat with the rest of the stitches, then pull on the tail to close up the hole. Weave the tail into the centre of the hole to weave the tail in.
Picking up stitches on a piece that has been fastened off – Start with a slip knot on the hook, insert the hook into the designated stitch and work the stitch regularly. Hide the tail from the slip knot by sandwiching it into the next few stitches.
Sewing Amigurumi Parts Together – Pin the loose part (the Ear in the photo example below, which I will be calling A) onto the base part (Head, B).
Thread the yarn tail from A onto a darning needle. *Insert the needle into B, immediately beneath the yarn tail and out the next space on B immediately below the next stitch of A. Pull through, then insert the needle through both loops of the next stitch of A. Repeat the steps starting from the *, going all the way around A. Thread the tail through B to hide the yarn tail.
This pattern is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Mark the first stitch of the round with a stitch marker to help keep track of where the beginning of the round is.
Changing colours – A couple stitches before changing colours from colour A to B, sandwich colour B into the colour A stitches to secure the tail of colour B (photos 1, 2, 3).
Make sure the tail of colour B is coming out of the wrong side of your work (photo 3). The photos in the example to the right are from the sun hat part of this pattern and the wrong side for this particular piece is in the side that is facing you.
When you reach the stitch where colour change is required, work the first part of the stitch with colour A, then drop colour A and pick up colour B to pull through to change the colour of the top loop of the stitch (photo 4).
Make all Bear parts with Soft Fudge yarn.
Bear Head
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (inc) x 6 [12]
3 (sc, inc) x 6 [18]
4 sc, inc, (2sc, inc) x 5, sc [24]
5-6 sc in all sts [24]
7 (3sc, inc) x 6 [30]
8 sc in all sts [30]
9 12sc, inc, 4sc, inc, 12sc [32]
10 12sc, inc, 6sc, inc, 12sc [34]
11 12sc, inc, 8sc, inc, 12sc [36]
Insert safety eyes between rounds 8 & 9, into the base of the two increase stitches on round 9 that are towards the front of the face. There should be 6 sts between the eyes. Snap the backings in.
12 (inc, 5sc) x 6 [42]
13 (dec, 5sc) x 6 [36]
14 8sc, dec, 2sc, dec, sc, dec, 3sc, dec, sc, dec, 2sc, dec, 7sc [30]
15 (3sc, dec) x 6 [24]
16 sc, dec, (2sc, dec) x 5, sc [18]
17 (sc, dec) x 6 [12]
Stuff fully, fasten off, close hole, and leave a tail to help with shaping.
Optional – Shaping the Head: Pass the tail through the centre of the bottom hole and out the front of the face, between rounds 9 & 10 and between the eyes. Pull through, then insert the tail back into the head, making sure the needle is going into the next space. Thread the tail out the back of the head and pull very lightly to create a shallow dent in the face. Weave the tail into the head and cut the excess yarn tail.
Arms
Make 2
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (sc, inc) x 3 [9]
3-9 sc in all sts [9]
Do not fasten off, remove your hook from the loop and place a stitch marker into the loop to keep the loop from slipping. You will need this to crochet the Arms to the Body. Cut the working end of the yarn, leaving a tail that is about 10” long. Stuff the arms very lightly.
Ears
Make 2
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (sc, inc) x 3 [9]
3-4 sc in all sts [9]
Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing (at least 10” long).
Legs
Make 2
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (inc) x 6 [12]
3-6 sc in all sts [12]
Fasten off the first leg, but do not fasten off the 2nd leg. You will be connecting the 2nd leg to the first leg in the next part.
Body
1 Ch 1, sl st into the 1st st on the first leg (this is the first st of your round), 11sc, inc in the back bump of the chain (2nd photo), 12sc, making sure to not work into the first stitch of the 2nd leg (orange stitch in 2nd photo), inc in the front of the chain (right photo) [28] Please count your sts to make sure you’re on the right track before continuing to the next round.
2 6sc, inc, 12sc, inc, 8sc [30]
3 12sc, inc, 2sc, inc, 14sc [32]
4 7sc, inc, 14sc, inc, 7sc, inc, sc [35]
5 inc, 34sc [36]
6-7 sc in all sts [36]
8 10sc, dec, 11sc, dec, 9sc, dec [33]
9 sc, dec, 28sc, dec [31]
10 sc, dec, 28sc [30]
11 sc in all sts [30]
12 4sc, dec, (8sc, dec) x 2, 4sc [27] Mark the 6th, 9th, 21st, and 24th stitches of this round with stitch markers. You will be attaching the Arms to the stitches between the stitch markers.
ATTACH ARMS – To attach the Arms, slip your hook out of the loop on the Body (you can place a stitch marker into the loop to keep the loop from slipping) and insert your hook back into the loop of the Arm. Line the next few stitches of the Arm to the stitches you marked on the Body. Work 4 sl st through both the Body and the Arms. Fasten off and weave the tails from the Arm in. Repeat on the other side with the other Arm. (If you are Left handed, the start and end spots will be opposite.)
13 5sc, 5sc on the outer edge of the left arm, 11sc, 5sc on the outer edge of the right arm, 3sc [29]
14 15sc, dec, 12sc [28]
15 7sc, dec, 4sc, dec, sc, dec, 4sc, dec, 4sc [24]
Fasten off, stuff the body fully, and leave a long tail for sewing (at least 15” long).
Dress
Note: For the dress, you will be working in joined rounds instead of continuous rounds. The ch 1 at the beginning of each round does not count as your first st. Instead, work the first sc of each round into the same st you sl st into (see photos below). Doing so creates a seam towards the back of the dress, but it makes the rounds look more level.
starting with Daffodil Yellow yarn
1 Ch 48. Making sure that the ch is not twisted, sl st into the first ch to join.
2 Ch 1, 48sc, sl st to the first st to join [48]
3 Ch 1, 3sc, dec, (6sc, dec) x 5, 3sc, sl st to the first st to join [42]
4 Ch 1, sc in all sts, sl st to the first st to join [42]
5 Ch 1, (5sc, dec) x 6, sl st to the first st to join [36]
6-7 Ch 1, sc in all sts, sl st to the first st to join [36]
8 Ch 1, 5sc, dec, (10sc, dec) x 2, 5sc, sl st in the first st to join [33]
9 Ch 1, 5sc, ch 6, sk next 5 sts (see photo below), 12sc, ch 6, sk next 5 sts, 6sc [23 sts and two ch sp]
Fasten off and weave the tails in. From this point on, there will be a gap towards the top of the back of the dress. This gap will make it easier for you to put the dress onto your bear later on.
Pick up round 10 starting from the top of the first stitch of round 9:
10 sc, dec, 2sc, 6sc in the ch sp, 5sc, dec, 5sc, 6sc in ch sp, 2sc, dec, 2sc [32]
Fasten off and weave the tail in.
Collar Trim and Button Loop
switch to Seafoam Blue yarn
Pick up the following, starting from the top of the first stitch of round 10: 6sc, dec, 15sc, dec, 7sc, ch5 (adjust the amount of chains based on how big your button is; more chains for bigger buttons), sl st into the top of the final st of the round to create a button loop [30]
Place a stitch marker in the back loop of the 19th stitch of this round to help with the Collar later on.
Fasten off and weave tails in. Sew the mini button onto the other side of the gap.
Bottom Trim of the Dress
with Seafoam Blue yarn
Flip the dress upside-down and locate the back of the dress. Start with a slip knot on your hook, pick up the following around the bottom of the dress:
1 48sc, sl st to the first st to st to join [48]
2 (Ch 4, sk next st, sl st) x 23, ch 4, sk the final st, and sl st to the first st of round 1 [24 ch sp]
Fasten off and weave the tails in.
Dress Collar
with Seafoam Blue yarn
With the dress still upside-down, locate the stitch marker from round 11 of the dress. Work the following into the front loops only:
1 sc, (hdc, dc) in the next st, (dc, hdc) in the next st, sc, sl st, sc, (hdc, dc) in the next st, (dc, hdc) in the next st, sc [13]
Fasten off and weave the tails in.
Sun Hat
starting with Daffodil Yellow yarn
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (inc) x 6 [12]
3 (sc, inc) x 6 [18]
4 (2sc, inc) x 3, turn [12]
Begin working Back Panel:
5-6 12sc, turn [12]
7 (3sc, inc) x 3, turn [15]
switch to Seafoam Blue yarn
8 15sc [15]
Fasten off, weave tail in.
Front Panel
starting with Daffodil Yellow yarn
Pick up the following on round 3 of the Sun Hat, starting from the 2nd st beside the Back Panel (st highlighted in green in the photo on the right):
1 (2sc, inc) x 2, sc, turn [9]
2-3 9sc, turn [9]
4 (3sc, inc) x 2, sc, turn [11]
switch to Seafoam Blue yarn
5 11sc, ch 3, working into the Back Panel (left photo below): 15sc, ch 3
6 Working into the Front Panel: 11sc, 4sc in ch sp, 15sc, 4sc in ch sp [34]
Fasten off, seamless join in the round, and weave tails in.
Hat Rim
with Daffodil Yellow yarn
With the hat upside-down, pick up the following starting from the back of the Sun Hat: FLO, sl st, ch 2 (this counts as your first st), hdc2, (hdc, hdc2) x 16, sl st to the top of the ch 2 [51]
Fasten off and weave tails in.
Hat Bow
with Seafoam Blue yarn
Ch 10, sl st into the 6th ch from the hook, ch 5, sl st into the same ch you sl st into earlier, ch 4
Fasten off and weave tails in. With a separate piece of yarn, sew the Bow onto the back of the Hat by running the yarn over the middle of the Bow a couple times. Tie a double knot with the loose ends on the inside of the hat to secure.
Sewing the Bear Together
- Fold the Ears in half and pin them to the top of the Head. The placement of the Ears is very important to ensure that the Hat fits onto the Head properly. The top corner of the Ears should start on round 4 of the Head, leaving rounds 1 to 3 of the Head exposed. The bottom corner of the Ears should be 4 sts behind the eyes. Sew both the inner and outer side of the Ears to the Head.
- Pin the Body to the Head. The sc between the two dec sts on round 15 of the Body is the centre of the Body, so you can use that as a guide. When you are happy with the placement, sew the Body to the Head.
- With Black embroidery thread, embroider in a nose on round 10 of the Head, between the eyes.
- Embroider an upside down “Y” to create the mouth.
- Optional: With pink yarn, sew a short line underneath each eye for the blush.
- Put the dress on from the head down and slip the arms through the arm holes of the dress. Button up the back to close the gap.
- Fit the hat over the head.
You have just finished creating your very own Bernadette the Bear! Thank you so much for following along with this pattern!
Please leave me a comment down below (or contact me) if you have any questions about this pattern. I would also love to see your creation so don’t forget to tag me (@olliehollycrochet) on Instagram or use the #olliehollycrochet! Follow me on Instagram to get updates on new patterns and to see what I’m up to on a daily.
If you find any mistakes in the pattern, please contact me and let me know! My testers and I do my best to catch my mistakes, but we will still miss things here and there. Also, I will sometimes make mistakes while formatting the blog post.
You may sell products made from this pattern in small quantities but please clearly credit the design to me, Abby Sy of Ollie + Holly and provide a link to my blog www.OllieHolly.com. Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind. Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding!
Please do not reprint, sell or claim the pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to the shop or the free blog post. Please do not copy and post the pattern onto your site.
Oh my goodness, she is just soooo cute! I can’t wait to make her and to see what other outfits you come up with for her!
She is adorable.!! Thank you so much for sharing your pattern with us.