Teddy Bear Ornament

Teddy Bear Ornament by Terry Morris

What is Being Made

This is a small knitted teddy bear ornament designed by Terry Morris (SailingKnitter) that functions as a holiday decoration, package tie, or toy. The finished ornament measures approximately 4 ½" x 3 ¾", making it an ideal size for hanging on a Christmas tree, decorating gift packages, or giving as a small handmade gift.

Knitting Techniques Used

The teddy bear ornament is constructed using fundamental knitting techniques that build the three-dimensional bear shape. The pattern employs a modular construction method, where different body parts are knitted separately and then joined together. The legs are cast on and worked individually in stockinette stitch, then joined together on a single needle to form the body. This joining technique creates a seamless transition between the separate leg sections and the main body. Arms are similarly cast on and incorporated into the piece using the same methodical approach. The pattern demonstrates how strategic yarn breaks, stitch holders, and careful joining create a cohesive stuffed ornament from flat knitted pieces.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch throughout the entire ornament, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. This creates the smooth, flat fabric that forms the bear's body, legs, and arms.
• Casting On: Used to create the initial stitches for each body section (10 stitches for legs, 8 stitches for arms)
• Joining Stitches: The pattern uses a technique where stitches from separate pieces are placed on the left-hand needle and knitted together in a single row to join the legs to the body

Materials and Tools

The teddy bear ornament is knitted using fingering weight yarn, with 1 yard of black fingering weight yarn required for the bear's features or details. The project calls for US Size 1 (2.25mm) needles, which are small needles appropriate for working with the delicate fingering weight yarn. The gauge is 8.5 stitches and 12 rows per 1 inch over stockinette stitch, which determines the final size of the ornament. Additional materials include 24 inches of ¼" satin ribbon for hanging or decorative purposes, and a stitch holder or safety pin to temporarily hold stitches while constructing different sections of the bear. A yarn needle is needed to weave in the 6" tails left when breaking yarn between sections.

Construction Overview

The ornament is built in distinct sections that are methodically joined together. The legs are created first as two separate pieces, each cast on with 10 stitches and worked in stockinette stitch to a height of 1 inch. These leg sections are then joined by slipping the first leg's stitches back onto the working needle and knitting all 20 stitches in a single row, effectively attaching the two legs. The body continues upward in stockinette stitch from this joined point until the total piece measures 2 inches. The arms are subsequently added using a similar casting-on technique with 8 stitches. This modular approach allows knitters to build a three-dimensional bear shape from essentially flat knitted components, which can then be stuffed and finished into a dimensional ornament.