Amigurumi Bear in Lion Brand Truboo - M21019 TB - Downloadable PDF

Amigurumi Bear Crochet Pattern – Lion Brand Truboo M21019 TB

This free downloadable crochet pattern from Lion Brand guides crafters through creating an adorable Amigurumi Bear standing approximately 7 inches (18 cm) tall. Designed for beginner to easy-level crocheters, this project is a wonderful introduction to amigurumi — the Japanese art of crocheting small, stuffed toy figures. The finished bear makes a charming handmade gift, nursery decoration, or collectible plush toy.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a soft, stuffed amigurumi bear worked in the round and assembled from multiple separate pieces. The bear features a rounded body, a distinct head, limbs, ears, a decorative bow, and a tail — giving it a classic, endearing teddy bear silhouette. Facial features including the nose and mouth are hand-embroidered for a charming, handcrafted look, and safety eyes add realistic detail. The completed bear is fully stuffed with fiberfill to give it a plump, huggable shape.

Construction and Techniques

The bear is constructed in 9 separate pieces, each worked independently before being sewn together and stuffed. The pieces are:

• Body/Head – worked as a single combined piece
• 2 Arms
• 2 Legs
• 2 Ears
• Bow
• Tail

All pieces are worked in the round, which is the hallmark technique of amigurumi construction. Working in continuous rounds — rather than back-and-forth rows — creates a seamless, tube-like fabric that is ideal for three-dimensional stuffed figures. Beginners will find this method straightforward once the magic ring or chain foundation is established.

Facial features such as the nose and mouth are created using embroidery with a small amount of black yarn, a technique that allows for expressive, customizable details without the need for additional materials. The 10mm safety eyes are inserted before the pieces are fully closed, a standard amigurumi practice that ensures secure placement.

Pieces are joined using a large-eyed blunt needle and sewn together after stuffing with fiberfill, giving the bear its soft, dimensional form. Stitch markers are recommended throughout to keep track of round beginnings, which is especially helpful for newer crocheters working in continuous rounds.

Stitches Used

The pattern relies primarily on the single crochet (sc) stitch, the most fundamental crochet stitch and an excellent starting point for beginners. The tight, dense fabric created by single crochet is ideal for amigurumi because it prevents fiberfill stuffing from showing through the finished fabric.

A key specialty stitch used in this pattern is the invisible single crochet decrease (inv-dec), which is explained directly within the pattern. This technique involves:

• Inserting the hook through the front loop only of each of the next 2 stitches
• Yarning over and drawing through both stitches
• Yarning over and drawing through the 2 remaining loops on the hook

The result is a decrease of 1 stitch that is virtually invisible on the right side of the fabric, creating smooth, clean shaping — particularly important when forming the rounded curves of the bear's head and body. This is considered a more refined alternative to the standard single crochet decrease and produces a noticeably neater finish.

Materials and Tools

The pattern calls for Lion Brand Truboo (Art. #837) in #123 Tan, with 1 ball required for the entire project. Lion Brand Truboo is a DK weight yarn made from bamboo fiber, known for its soft, smooth texture and subtle sheen — qualities that give the finished bear a gentle, luxurious feel that is also gentle against sensitive skin, making it well-suited for a children's toy.

Additional materials required include:

• Crochet hook size C-2 (2.75 mm) — a smaller hook than typically used for DK weight yarn, intent