Soft & Cuddly Crochet Teddy Bear Pattern Review

This is a review for the softest, sweetest free crochet teddy bear pattern on the internet. Designed by Stephanie of the blog All About Ami, this teddy bear is a classic that will make a perfect gift for the little ones in your life.

Making things for my little girls will always be a favorite of mine. There is nothing like a handmade gift from the heart.

Lily’s favorite toy is her stuffed teddy bear that I made last December. It has been to the mountains, to the beach, sleepovers at Grandma’s, and car rides all over the place. It goes to bed with her every single night and comes downstairs with her in the morning. Teddy has been snuggled and loved so much in her one year of existence.

I love crocheting stuffed animals, but the problem with most amigurumi is that they are made for play, not really for snuggling. The required tightness of the stitches and firm stuffing isn’t conducive to soft toys. I wanted to make something for Lily that would be her very own lovey, so I was on the look out for a soft, snuggly pattern.

Which pattern to choose?

I had been wanting to make the floppy stuffed bunny from this blog post, but I had bought the wrong weight yarn and it has been sitting unused for quite some time. When I saw the boucle teddy from Stephanie, I was smitten! Stephanie is an excellent designer and I love her patterns. They are easy to follow and understand, so I knew this would be a great one to try.

I couldn’t find the yarn she used in stock anywhere (and it has since been discontinued), so I decided to give it a try using the homespun yarn I had in my stash. My idea was to mesh the two patterns, using the idea for a floppy, soft and cuddly stuffed animal with Stephanie’s teddy bear pattern.

From the moment I started crocheting, Lily was interested in what I was making. As teddy started coming to life, she was more excited. The second she was finished, Lily grabbed her from my hands and hugged her up, and teddy has been hers ever since.

All the details: How I made this adorable crochet teddy bear

Stephanie has once again written an amazing and super cute pattern. There is a free version on her blog (which I used), and also a link to the paid ad-free version. The instructions are clear, and there are plenty of helpful tips in the “Notes” section. Be sure to read through the entire post before skipping straight to the pattern. There is also a tutorial page where you see step by step photos and explanations that is very helpful, especially if you’re new to amigurumi.

Stephanie also has a separate page with patterns for accessories you can make for the bear. She made the cutest sweater and little Santa hat. You can check those out here. I haven’t made the sweater yet, but I did add a simple scarf for teddy (the instructions are below).

Construction

As with most amigurumi, this teddy bear is crocheted in the round in a continuous spiral. There are no special stitches, just single crochet, increases and decreases. You begin with the head, stuffing and adding the eyes and nose as you go. Then the ears are completed and attached. The legs are worked individually, and then joined together to complete the body. Continue to stuff as you go. Once the body is complete, you can sew the head to the body. The arms are the last thing to make and these are left unstuffed. Once they are sewn on, teddy bear is done!

Although this pattern calls for some special shaping techniques to add character to the face, head, and feet, I didn’t do most of it. Because I was aiming for a soft, floppy snuggle toy, I didn’t think teddy needed the extra details. I only followed the shaping for the eye indentations and the nose.

Teddy’s finished size is around 9 inches from top of head to feet, but this can vary depending on the yarn and hook size you use.

As I was making Teddy, I took pictures to share to my Instagram stories. Unfortunately I only took pics on my phone so they aren’t the best quality, but you still get the idea.

Tools you’ll need to make this crochet teddy bear

Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun #5 Bulky in 412 Pearls colorway
Hook: G/6 4.5 mm
Pattern: Boucle Bear from All About Ami
Eyes: 12 mm safety eyes, I have this set from Amazon
Nose: Embroidery floss, I love DMC cotton from Hobby Lobby.
Scarf: Using this yarn, I followed my pattern for this washcloth for 2 rows, then fasted off and attached fringe.

Tips:

This blog post has so much good info on working with homespun (or any hard to see) yarn for a stuffed toy. I would highly recommend a read through before working with fuzzy yarn for crocheting.

https://www.1dogwoof.com/floppy-stuffed-bunny-crochet-pattern-easter/

How long does it take to crochet a teddy bear?

This teddy bear can be made and assembled in 2 days or less. But, it really depends on how quickly you crochet and if you have all of the necessary items on hand. If you are an experienced crocheter and have already made stuffed animals before, you could easily complete this project in one day. I had everything I needed, but my wrist tires easily when crocheting, so I had to take frequent breaks. I was still able to complete the whole project in less than 2 days (working on it for a few hours at a time).

How do you crochet a fluffy bear?

To make a fluffy teddy bear, start with a soft and lofty yarn, like the homespun, boucle, chenille, or faux fur. You might need to use a larger hook so the stitches stay loose enough that the yarn remains soft. Don’t stuff the teddy too tightly, just enough for the body and limbs to fill out, but still be squishy enough for snuggling. Using a good quality filler helps make a fluffy, soft bear. My favorite stuffing is Poly-Fil Ultra Plush.

What yarns would be good for this teddy bear?

Lion Brand’s Go For Faux (super bulky), Sirdar’s Snuggly Bouclette (worsted weight), Yarn Bee Fleece Light (bulky), or Yarn Bee Luciana Yarn (bulky) would all be great for this teddy. Premier’s Parfait Chunky is a different texture, but I’ve seen some adorable stuffed toys made with this type of yarn. Keep in mind that the weight of the yarn & hook that you use will determine the finished size of the teddy bear. This is great pattern to experiment with different weights and textures of yarns.

Tips for working with fluffy yarns:

First, don’t use fluffy yarn if this is your first amigurumi project! Use a smooth yarn for a beginner project and get a feel for the stitches and how stuffies are made and assembled. Next, you have to feel your stitches. You won’t be able to visually see where to put your hook, you’ll have to go by feel. I always use a stitch marker to mark my first stitch, and sometimes my last stitch too just to make sure I know where I am. This row counter is the one I use to keep track.

I hope this pattern review has helped and that you decide to make your very own teddy bear. Stephanie’s pattern is a keeper and you’ll love the end result! Happy crocheting!

Looking for more easy crochet patterns?

Check out my favorite blanket pattern!