Deramores Woodland Creatures Benjamin the Bear in Deramores Studio DK - Downloadable PDF

Deramores Woodland Creatures: Benjamin the Bear Knitting Pattern by Amanda Berry

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern by designer Amanda Berry guides knitters through creating Benjamin the Bear, a charming stuffed toy bear standing 25cm tall. Part of the Deramores Woodland Creatures collection, this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is worked in Deramores Studio DK yarn. The finished bear makes a wonderful handmade gift or keepsake toy, combining classic knitted toy construction with carefully shaped pieces that are sewn together to create a fully three-dimensional character.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted stuffed bear toy measuring approximately 25cm in height. Benjamin the Bear is constructed from multiple individually knitted pieces — including a head, body, and limbs — that are seamed together to create the finished toy. The bear features 6mm domed black buttons for eyes, giving him an endearing, characterful expression. The design uses a combination of colours to create realistic bear colouring, with contrasting tones for the face and body.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Deramores Studio DK yarn in three colourways:

• Chocolate — the primary brown used for the bear's body, head, and limbs
• Oatmeal — a warm beige used for contrasting areas such as the muzzle
• Ebony — a deep black used for detail work

Each colour requires 1 x 100g skein. Deramores Studio DK is a smooth, double knitting weight yarn well suited to toy making, as its consistent tension and stitch definition help the shaped pieces hold their form clearly once seamed and stuffed.

Needles and Notions

• A pair of 3.75mm straight knitting needles (US size 5) are used throughout the pattern
• A darning or tapestry needle for seaming the knitted pieces together
• 2 x 6mm domed black buttons for the bear's eyes

Tension

The recommended tension is 22 stitches x 28 rows over a 10cm x 10cm square in stockinette stitch on 3.75mm needles. The pattern notes that tension is not critical for this project, as small variations will simply affect the final size of the toy rather than causing fitting issues — making this a relaxed and accessible make even for knitters who do not typically swatch.

Techniques and Stitches Used

Benjamin the Bear is classed as an intermediate knitting pattern, meaning it is best suited to knitters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to expand their skills. The techniques and stitches used include:

• Stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) — the primary fabric used throughout the bear's body pieces
• Shaping through increases and decreases — used to create the rounded, three-dimensional forms of the head, body, and limbs
• Kitchener stitch — a grafting technique used to join live stitches invisibly, giving a neat, seamless finish to specific sections of the toy
• Mattress stitch — used to sew the seams between the finished knitted pieces, creating tidy, almost invisible joins on the right side of the fabric
• Casting on and binding off — standard techniques used to begin and end each individual piece

Construction and Assembly

Benjamin the Bear is worked flat on straight needles in separate pieces, which are then assembled using mattress stitch for the main seams. The head construction begins at the back and is worked over multiple rows with careful shaping to create a rounded, realistic bear head. Kitchener stitch is introduced at key points to achieve a smooth, professional finish without visible seam lines. Once all pieces are complete, they are joined together, stuffed, and finished with button eyes. This construction method — kn