Beck Toy in Berroco Pima Soft - Downloadable PDF

Beck Toy in Berroco Pima Soft – Knitted Stuffed Animal Pattern by Mel Kennelly

Beck is a charming knitted stuffed toy designed by Mel Kennelly and published by Berroco. This downloadable PDF pattern guides knitters through the construction of an adorable cuddle buddy with a finished size of approximately 8½ inches across by 10 inches tall after stuffing, not including the ears and legs. The pattern is rated Easy and is well suited to advanced beginners who are comfortable with basic knitting in the round and simple shaping techniques.

What Is Being Made

Beck is a soft, round stuffed toy animal designed to be a huggable companion. The finished piece features a rounded body, separately knitted ears and legs that are attached during finishing, and an embroidered face. The construction method keeps the project approachable: the body is formed as a simple knitted tube, the ears and legs are worked as small flat pieces, and everything is assembled before the final stuffing and closing of the ends.

Construction and Techniques

The pattern uses a clever tube-based construction method that makes the overall shaping straightforward even for newer knitters. Key construction techniques include:

• Knitting in the round on a 16-inch circular needle to create the main body tube
• Flat knitting for the ear and leg pieces, which are worked separately before being attached
• Decreasing to shape and close the ends of the body and to taper the ear pieces
• Seaming and assembly using a tapestry needle to attach the ears and legs and to close the tube ends
• Stuffing with a small amount of polyester fill to give the toy its three-dimensional, huggable form
• Embroidery using black embroidery thread to add facial details, including straight stitches for the eyes, satin stitch for the nose, and outline stitch for additional facial features

Stitches Used

The primary stitch throughout the pattern is Stockinette stitch (St st), worked both in the round for the body and flat for the smaller components. The smooth, even surface of Stockinette is ideal for a toy of this type, as it creates a clean fabric that showcases the yarn's color and softness. Decreases are used to shape the ear pieces and close the ends of the body tube. Embroidery stitches — including straight stitch, satin stitch, and outline stitch — are used during finishing to bring Beck's face to life.

Materials

The pattern calls for just one 50-gram ball of Berroco Pima Soft in colorway #4632 Cantaloupe. Berroco Pima Soft is a DK weight yarn, making it a lightweight yet substantial choice for a small stuffed toy. The yarn's Pima cotton content gives it a soft, smooth hand that is gentle and appealing for a toy intended to be held and cuddled.

The recommended needle is a 16-inch / 40 cm circular needle in size US 6 / 4 mm, or the size needed to achieve the stated gauge. Additional notions include a stitch marker, black embroidery thread, a tapestry needle, and a small amount of polyester fill for stuffing.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 18 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches in Stockinette stitch, measured after blocking. As with any project where finished size matters — particularly for a toy where proportions affect the final look — checking gauge before beginning is strongly recommended.

Pattern Format

Beck is available as a downloadable PDF from Berroco. The PDF is updated when corrections are made, so knitters are encouraged to download the most recent version before casting on. The pattern is published by Berroco, Inc. and is copyright 2024 in the USA and Canada.