How to Knit a Little Teddy Bear (Round Version) — Step-by-Step Guide

There is something undeniably charming about a hand-knitted teddy bear. Soft, squishy, and full of personality, a little knitted bear makes the perfect gift for a baby shower, a child’s birthday, or simply as a sweet handmade keepsake. This guide walks you through how to knit a little teddy bear in the round — meaning you’ll be working in the round on double-pointed needles or a short circular needle rather than seaming flat pieces together. The result is a seamless, professionally finished bear with minimal sewing required.

Whether you’re an intermediate knitter looking for a satisfying weekend project or a beginner who has mastered the basics and wants to try something new, this pattern is written to be as clear and approachable as possible. Let’s get started.

What You’ll Need

Before you cast on your first stitch, gather all your materials. Having everything at hand before you begin will make the process much smoother.

Yarn: A small amount of DK weight or worsted weight yarn in your chosen bear color. Cream, brown, honey, or grey are popular choices. You’ll need roughly 50–80 grams depending on the size of your finished bear. A small amount of a contrasting color for the muzzle and inner ears is optional but adds a lovely detail.

Needles: A set of four or five double-pointed needles (DPNs) in a size appropriate for your yarn, typically 3.5mm to 4mm for DK weight. Alternatively, you can use a 9-inch circular needle or the magic loop method with a longer circular needle.

Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill works best. You’ll need enough to stuff the head, body, arms, and legs firmly.

Additional supplies: A yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle) for finishing and weaving in ends, stitch markers, a pair of small safety eyes (8mm or 10mm) or black embroidery thread if you prefer a safer option for young children, black embroidery floss for the nose and mouth, and scissors.

Gauge: Approximately 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm in stockinette stitch on 4mm needles. Gauge is not critical for a toy, but a tighter tension will give your bear a firmer body and prevent the stuffing from showing through.

Understanding the Pattern Abbreviations

Throughout this pattern, the following abbreviations are used.

CO — cast on
k — knit
p — purl
kfb — knit into the front and back of the same stitch (an increase)
k2tog — knit two stitches together (a decrease)
ssk — slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease)
pm — place marker
sm — slip marker
MR — magic ring
st(s) — stitch(es)
rnd(s) — round(s)

A Note on Working in the Round

Knitting in the round means you are creating a tube of fabric by continuously knitting in a spiral without turning your work. Unlike flat knitting, where you alternate between knit and purl rows to create stockinette, in the round you simply knit every stitch to achieve a smooth, V-shaped stockinette fabric.

Each part of the bear — the head, body, arms, legs, and ears — is knitted as its own small tube or sphere. Increases and decreases are used to shape each piece. Once all the parts are finished and stuffed, you sew them together using a yarn needle and lengths of your yarn.

If you are new to double-pointed needles, the key is not to panic when the work looks a little unruly at first. Distribute your stitches across three or four DPNs, use the fourth or fifth as your working needle, and keep an even tension as you go. After a few rounds it begins to feel natural.

Part One: The Head

The head is the most important piece because it sets the personality of your bear, so take your time with it.

Cast on and set up

Using the magic ring method, cast on 6 stitches and distribute them evenly across three double-pointed needles, placing 2 stitches on each needle. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist, and place a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

Round 1: Knit all 6 stitches.

Round 2 (increase round): Kfb in every stitch. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 3: Knit all stitches.

Round 4 (increase round): K1, kfb repeat to end of round. You now have 18 stitches.

Round 5: Knit all stitches.

Round 6 (increase round): K2, kfb repeat to end of round. You now have 24 stitches.

Round 7: Knit all stitches.

Round 8 (increase round): K3, kfb repeat to end of round. You now have 30 stitches.

Rounds 9–16: Knit all stitches for 8 rounds without shaping. This creates the main dome of the head.

Now it’s time to attach the safety eyes. Before you begin decreasing, insert your safety eyes. Count down from the top of the head approximately 5–6 rounds and position the eyes roughly 5–6 stitches apart on either side of the center front. Push the backs firmly onto the posts to secure them. If you are making this bear for a child under three years old, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes with black embroidery floss after stuffing.

Round 17 (decrease round): K3, k2tog repeat to end of round. You now have 24 stitches.

Round 18: Knit all stitches.

Round 19 (decrease round): K2, k2tog repeat to end of round. You now have 18 stitches.

Round 20: Knit all stitches.

Begin stuffing the head firmly at this point. Use small pieces of fiberfill and push them in carefully with a pencil or stuffing tool, making sure the head is very firm and round.

Round 21 (decrease round): K1, k2tog repeat to end of round. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 22 (decrease round): K2tog to end of round. You now have 6 stitches.

Add any remaining stuffing if needed, then cut your yarn, leaving a 15cm tail. Thread the tail onto your yarn needle and draw it through the remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close the opening and weave in the end on the inside.

Part Two: The Muzzle

The muzzle gives your bear that classic round-nosed look and is worked as a small flat circle that you’ll sew onto the face.

Using your main yarn or a slightly lighter contrast color, cast on 6 stitches and distribute across your DPNs. Join to work in the round.

Round 1: Knit all 6 stitches.

Round 2 (increase round): Kfb in every stitch. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 3: Knit all stitches.

Round 4 (increase round): K1, kfb repeat to end of round. You now have 18 stitches.

Rounds 5–6: Knit all stitches.

Cast off all stitches loosely. You now have a small flat circle. Leave a long tail for sewing. Position the muzzle centrally on the face, just below the eyes, and sew it on using the mattress stitch around the edge, stuffing lightly with a small amount of fiberfill before closing completely. Once attached, use black embroidery floss to embroider a small triangle nose at the top of the muzzle and a simple Y-shaped or curved mouth below it.

Part Three: The Body

The body is worked in the same way as the head but is slightly larger and more elongated.

Cast on 6 stitches using the magic ring method and distribute across your DPNs.

Round 1: Knit all stitches.

Round 2: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 3: Knit all stitches.

Round 4: K1, kfb repeat. You now have 18 stitches.

Round 5: Knit all stitches.

Round 6: K2, kfb repeat. You now have 24 stitches.

Round 7: Knit all stitches.

Round 8: K3, kfb repeat. You now have 30 stitches.

Round 9: Knit all stitches.

Round 10: K4, kfb repeat. You now have 36 stitches.

Rounds 11–22: Knit all stitches for 12 rounds without shaping. This is the main barrel of the body.

Round 23 (decrease round): K4, k2tog repeat. You now have 30 stitches.

Round 24: Knit all stitches.

Round 25 (decrease round): K3, k2tog repeat. You now have 24 stitches.

Begin stuffing the body now, adding fiberfill generously and pressing it in firmly to achieve a fat, round shape.

Round 26 (decrease round): K2, k2tog repeat. You now have 18 stitches.

Round 27 (decrease round): K1, k2tog repeat. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 28 (decrease round): K2tog to end. You now have 6 stitches.

Finish stuffing, then close as you did for the head. Weave in the end securely.

Part Four: The Arms (Make Two)

The arms are small tubes that taper slightly at the paw end.

Cast on 12 stitches, distribute across DPNs, and join to work in the round.

Rounds 1–14: Knit all stitches for 14 rounds. This creates a simple tube.

Round 15 (decrease round): K1, k2tog repeat to end, then knit any remaining stitches. You now have approximately 8 stitches.

Rounds 16–17: Knit all stitches.

Stuff the arm lightly, leaving the top inch unstuffed so it sits flat against the body when sewn on. Close as before by drawing yarn through the remaining stitches and pulling tight. Leave a long tail for sewing.

Part Five: The Legs (Make Two)

The legs are slightly larger than the arms and worked in the same manner.

Cast on 14 stitches, distribute across DPNs, and join to work in the round.

Rounds 1–16: Knit all stitches for 16 rounds.

Round 17 (decrease round): K1, k2tog repeat to end, knitting any remaining stitches. You now have approximately 10 stitches.

Rounds 18–19: Knit all stitches.

Stuff the leg firmly from the bottom up, again leaving the top inch unstuffed. Close and leave a long tail for sewing.

Part Six: The Ears (Make Two)

The ears are small, flat semicircles worked flat on two DPNs or on a small circular needle.

Cast on 10 stitches.

Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3 (increase row): Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb. You now have 12 stitches.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7 (decrease row): K2tog, knit to last 2 stitches, ssk. You now have 10 stitches.
Row 8: Purl.
Row 9 (decrease row): K2tog, knit to last 2 stitches, ssk. You now have 8 stitches.

Cast off all stitches. Fold the ear in half along the cast-on edge to create a gentle cup shape. Pinch the bottom edges together. Leave a long tail for sewing.

Assembling Your Teddy Bear

Now comes the most satisfying part — bringing all the pieces together into one adorable bear.

Attaching the head to the body: Position the head on top of the body, centering it carefully. Use the long tail from the head and a yarn needle to sew the two pieces together using small, firm stitches all the way around the join. Go around twice for extra security. Pull the yarn tight as you go to make the join invisible.

Attaching the ears: Position the ears on either side of the top of the head, roughly 4–5 stitches back from the top. The base of each ear should sit just above where the head begins to curve. Sew firmly using a ladder stitch or whip stitch, making sure both ears are at the same height and angle before you commit to the full seam.

Attaching the arms: The arms should sit on either side of the upper body, about 3–4 rounds down from the neck join. Hold each arm in place and check that they are symmetrical before sewing. Sew around the full circumference of the top of each arm, going around twice to ensure they are firmly attached.

Attaching the legs: Position the legs at the base of the body, on the underside, about 3 stitches apart from each other. The legs should hang slightly forward from the body so the bear appears to be sitting naturally. Sew firmly as you did with the arms.

Adding the Finishing Details

Once the bear is assembled, spend a few minutes on the finishing touches that give it real charm.

If you haven’t already embroidered the nose and mouth, do this now. Thread a length of black embroidery floss onto your needle and, starting from a hidden point on the muzzle, bring the needle up to the top center to create the triangular nose. Work three or four satin stitches side by side to fill in the triangle, then bring the needle straight down from the center base of the nose and out slightly to the left to create one side of the mouth, back to center, and out to the right to create the other side. Fasten off at the back of the muzzle and weave in the end.

You can also add small claws by embroidering three short straight stitches across the front of each paw and foot.

If you’d like to give your bear a scarf, simply cast on 6 stitches and knit a long garter stitch strip in a contrasting color until it is long enough to wrap around the neck and tie in a loose knot. Weave in the ends and tie it around your bear’s neck.

Tips for the Best Results

Using a slightly smaller needle than the yarn label recommends will give you a tighter fabric that holds the stuffing in well and gives the bear a crisp, firm shape.

Always stuff more than you think you need to. A firmly stuffed bear holds its shape beautifully over time, while an understuffed bear tends to go limp and floppy.

If your yarn has a slight halo or is a bit fuzzy, it will give the bear a wonderfully soft, almost furry texture. Mohair blends work beautifully for this.

When sewing the pieces together, use the same yarn you knitted with so the seams blend seamlessly with the fabric. If your yarn is chunky or textured, you may want to split a length of it into thinner plies for the seaming.

Keep your tension even throughout. If you notice the fabric is looking loose, go down a needle size.

Caring for Your Finished Bear

A hand-knitted bear made with natural fibers should ideally be hand washed in cool water with a gentle detergent. Squeeze out excess water gently — never wring — and lay flat to dry away from direct sunlight or heat. If made from acrylic yarn, it can typically be machine washed on a gentle cycle, which makes it especially practical for a baby gift. Always check your yarn label for specific care instructions.

Final Thoughts

Knitting a teddy bear in the round is one