Kawaii Designs UK: Button Bears

When I started this new design I didn't really think I would seriously fall in love with it, but I have. Especially the BIG bear who I have named Bernie. I had a vision of what they would turn out like but I'm so pleased with the end result and I hope if anybody decides to make their own they will be happy too. The sketch below was my starting point, a very simple teddy shape.

I have made the pattern three times in exactly the same way but the little one Olly is make in DK, Theo in chunky and Bernie in super chunky. Here are my hints and tips in getting the best out of the design.

I always start with the body as its a simple part of the pattern and you can get your tension quickly as there is not much shaping, plus you get an instant sense of what the overall size will be. Next I tackle the head. You start with the lighter colour as the head pattern begins at the nose section. There is shaping around the cheek area and in the pattern you increase both sides. When you come to stuffing the head you need to stuff these areas fuller as you have created the space. This gives the bear face a fuller face. At row 11 you change to the dark brown, I simply tied the two colours together for the join and the knot will disappear in the head when you stuff. After row 22 its time to position the eyes. I played with different sizes and spacing for quite some time and plucked for 8mm on the DK version with little spacing. I placed them on the first row of the brown with only one whole stitch between them. Of course play with the eyes and position them where you like best. After row 29 I started to stuff the head. I really stuffed the nose and head. Use the end of a bigger crochet hook and move the stuffing into the areas that need extra shaping like the cheeks and top of the head. Finish the last 4 rows, stuff a bit more into the back of the head and then close up.

I always do the face once I have the head stuffed, I like to see what it will look like. I cut black felt for nose which I placed towards the top of the nose. I carefully pinned in place and secured by sewing a running stitch around the nose. Then with embroidery thread I placed one long line coming from the centre of the nose at the bottom directly down 6 rows below, from there I went either side in two parts 11 stitches. I did one long thread to stitch 6 and then another long thread for the remaining 5 stitches. I repeated this on the other side.

Onto the ears. The outside of the ear is very simple, when it is completed I sewed up the end and left a long thread for attaching to the head. The inner lighter brown of the ear is not crocheted in the normal amigurumi style and is simply rows of crochet decreasing in at the end. Once these inner ears are complete pin neatly into the outer ear and pull the inner ear to fit completely, once happy then sew into place and then use the darker brown thread to sew the ear to the head. I placed the ears 5 rows back from the eyes making sure that both sides of the ear are positioned on the the same row.

Making the limbs is pretty simple. When you come to stuff them, you need to stuff tightly in the hand and foot sections. The 1/3 at the top of the arm and 1/3 of the top of the leg are not filled at all, as they need to be flat so the button can be pressed against them. When sewing up the open ends of both the arms and legs try and create a rounded shape as they will be on view so the neater the better. You can see from the photo below how I have sewn up the end but given it a curved shape. The light brown pads are placed towards the bottom of each foot rather than right in the centre.

Now it is time to put your bear together. I highly recommend you watch the you tube clip below on how to sew on the arms and legs using the button method. These steps are exactly the way I assembled the bears. I could write it all down but that would be more confusing. You will need a long doll needle which I had to quickly purchase (ebay is always my go too when it comes to late night crafting purchases). Remember to check the legs both reach the ground and not one leg is higher than the other before pulling them tight. After I had put on the limbs I then finally sewed on the head.

I hope you enjoy making your own button bear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xakBaLJ6j2A