Introduction
A bear’s ears sit too high on the skull to disappear beneath a fitted hood without distorting the crown. This lavender hooded teddy bear amigurumi pattern keeps both ears exposed while framing the face with a separate chenille cap. You will use weight-five velvet yarn, a 4 mm hook and 16 mm eyes to make a 26 cm intermediate-level figure. The separate garment pieces also permit color changes without rebuilding the stuffed body.
The Design: What Makes This Hooded Bear Different
The head expands to 42 stitches while the body stops at 36, matching the photographed bear’s broad face and compact torso. That six-stitch difference creates enough width for a raised muzzle, widely placed eyes and two cheek patches without producing a cylindrical skull. Layered ears use cream outer circles and lavender inner circles. Their shallow cupped form holds the ears upright above the hood instead of letting them fold backward. The hood is worked as a crown first, then opened across the face through turned rows. This method keeps the neckline close while leaving the muzzle uncovered. A frequent error in a velvet teddy bear crochet pattern is attaching the muzzle too low. The face then looks elongated, and the hood opening appears uneven. This chenille bear amigurumi places the muzzle across the lower eye line so the nose remains centered within the circular opening.
Project Info at a Glance
| Skill Level | Time | Finished Size | Hook | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | 8–11 hours | Approximately 26 cm | 4 mm | Display, nursery decoration or supervised play |
The finished-height reference is based on a published 26 cm plush bear pattern. Hook and yarn category follow a documented chunky teddy-bear specification.
Materials and Tools
Yarn
- Cream white — weight-five chunky chenille or velvet — approximately 115 g — Himalaya Dolphin Baby, Premier Parfait Chunky or a comparable plush yarn.
- Lavender — weight-five chunky chenille or velvet — approximately 100 g — use the same yarn line and dye texture as the cream shade.
- Pale pink — chunky chenille scraps — approximately 4 g for both cheek patches.
- Brown embroidery yarn — DK or worsted — less than 2 g for the nose and mouth.
- Strong sewing yarn — cream and lavender — for the ears, limbs and garment anchors.
Tools
- 4 mm crochet hook
- Two 16 mm black safety eyes
- Polyester stuffing, approximately 100 g
- Large-eye yarn needle
- Locking stitch markers
- Dressmaker pins
- Scissors
Replace plastic eyes with embroidered eyes when the bear is intended for a child younger than three or for an animal. A locking washer reduces movement but does not make a detachable component suitable for every use.
Abbreviations
MR — magic ring; sc — single crochet; inc — two single crochets in one stitch; dec — decrease; sl st — slip stitch; ch — chain; BLO — back loop only; FLO — front loop only; hdc — half double crochet; st/sts — stitch/stitches.
An invisible decrease is worked through the front loops of the next two stitches before completing one single crochet.
Pattern — Step by Step
Work in a continuous spiral unless a section is marked as joined or turned. Move the stitch marker after every completed round.
Head
Yarn: cream white — standard six-stitch amigurumi shaping with a large 42-stitch plateau.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7: (5 sc, inc) ×6 (42)
R8–R14: sc around (42)
R15: (5 sc, dec) ×6 (36)
R16: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R17: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
Insert the 16 mm eyes between R11 and R12. Leave eight visible stitches between their inner edges, then fit both washers before adding stuffing.
R18: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
R19: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R20: dec ×6 (6)
Stuff the crown and eye area firmly. Keep the lower front slightly softer so the muzzle can settle into the fabric.
Fasten off. Leave a 20 cm tail and close the final six front loops.
Muzzle
Yarn: cream white — shallow oval adapted from standard circular shaping.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: sc around (18)
Add a thin layer of stuffing. The finished piece should project approximately 2 cm from the face, not form a hard ball.
Fasten off. Leave a 30 cm sewing tail.
Body
Yarn: cream white — medium 36-stitch plateau selected for the narrow dressed torso.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7–R11: sc around (36)
R12: (4 sc, dec) ×6 (30)
R13: sc around (30)
R14: (3 sc, dec) ×6 (24)
R15: sc around (24)
R16: (2 sc, dec) ×6 (18)
R17: sc around (18)
R18: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
Fill the belly evenly. Add denser stuffing to the upper 2 cm so the head does not tilt after assembly.
Fasten off. Leave a 35 cm tail for joining the body to the head.
Arms — Make 2
Yarn: cream white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3–R5: sc around (12)
R6: (1 sc, dec) ×4 (8)
R7–R10: sc around (8)
Stuff R1–R5 only. An unfilled upper section lets the arm sit flat beneath its sleeve.
Flatten the opening and work 4 sc through both layers. Fasten off with a 25 cm tail.
Back Legs — Make 2
Yarn: cream white.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4–R6: sc around (18)
R7: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
R8–R9: sc around (12)
R10: dec ×6 (6)
Pack the front half firmly and leave the heel slightly softer. This produces a rounded toe without forcing the leg away from the body.
Fasten off. Close the final opening and retain a 30 cm sewing tail.
Outer Ear Circles — Make 2
Yarn: cream white — layered bear-ear construction.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
Fasten off. Leave a 30 cm tail on each cream circle.
Inner Ear Circles — Make 2
Yarn: lavender.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
Center each lavender circle on one cream circle. Sew around R3 while leaving the outer cream round visible as a border.
Fold the lower quarter of each completed ear inward and secure the fold with three stitches. Retain the cream attachment tail.
Hood
Yarn: lavender — fitted to a completed 42-stitch head.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) ×6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R7: (5 sc, inc) ×6 (42)
R8–R12: sc around (42)
The next rows leave the front open. Turn after each row rather than continuing in a spiral.
Row 13: ch 1, turn, sc in next 34 sts (34)
Row 14: ch 1, turn, sc across (34)
Row 15: ch 1, turn, dec, 30 sc, dec (32)
Row 16: ch 1, turn, sc across (32)
Row 17: ch 1, turn, dec, 28 sc, dec (30)
Row 18: ch 1, turn, sc across (30)
Fit the hood over the stuffed head. The upper edge should follow the crown while the opening clears both eyes by at least one full stitch.
Work one round of sc around the face opening, placing two stitches in each lower corner. Join with sl st. Work a second edging round in BLO and fasten off.
Dress
Yarn: lavender — worked from the neckline downward.
R1: ch 24, join without twisting, sc around (24)
R2: (3 sc, inc) ×6 (30)
R3: (4 sc, inc) ×6 (36)
R4–R6: sc around (36)
R7: work in FLO, (5 sc, inc) ×6 (42)
R8: (6 sc, inc) ×6 (48)
R9–R10: hdc around (48)
R11: sc around (48)
Place the dress on the body before final assembly. The lower edge should cover the widest body round and stop above the feet.
Fasten off and weave the tail through the inside of the garment.
Short Sleeves — Make 2
Yarn: lavender.
R1: ch 12, join without twisting, sc around (12)
R2: (1 sc, inc) ×6 (18)
R3–R4: sc around (18)
R5: (1 sc, dec) ×6 (12)
Slide one sleeve over each arm before sewing the arms to the torso.
Fasten off. Leave a 20 cm tail for tacking the sleeve to the dress.
Cheek Patches — Make 2
Yarn: pale pink — flat-circle construction.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
Fasten off. Leave a 20 cm tail and flatten each circle before pinning.
Neck Bow
Yarn: lavender.
Row 1: ch 9, sc in second ch from hook and across (8)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc across (8)
Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc across (8)
Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc across (8)
Fasten off. Wrap a separate 22 cm strand around the center five times and knot it on the back. Keep both ends for sewing.
Hood Drawstrings — Make 2
Yarn: lavender.
Ch 30. Starting in the second chain from the hook, sl st through all 29 chains.
Fasten off. Leave an 8 cm tail at the upper end and a 10 cm tail at the lower end.
Drawstring Pompoms — Make 2
Yarn: lavender.
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc ×6 (12)
R3: sc around (12)
R4: dec ×6 (6)
Add a pea-sized amount of stuffing before closing R4.
Fasten off. Thread one drawstring tail through each pompom and knot it inside.
Assembly
- Center the body beneath the head and sew through all 12 neck stitches twice. Keep the face aligned with the midpoint between the feet.
- Pin the muzzle across head R12–R16. Add small pieces of stuffing as the seam closes, then check that its widest point remains horizontal.
- Embroider a brown triangular nose across two stitches at the muzzle center. Add one vertical line and two short downward mouth stitches.
- Place the cheek patches beside the lower outer corners of the eyes. Their upper edges should sit approximately one round below the eye centers.
- Sew the layered ears to the head between R3 and R7. Leave approximately 12 stitches between their inner attachment points.
- Fit the lavender hood around the ears and face. Tack it to the back of the head at four points without stitching across the removable-looking front edge.
- Pull the dress over the body and anchor its neckline to body R16 with six evenly spaced hidden stitches.
- Place each arm inside a sleeve, then sew the arms to the upper sides of the body. Tack each sleeve to the dress at its shoulder edge.
- Attach the feet to the lower front of the body with three visible stitches between their inner edges. Test the bear on a level surface before tightening the seams.
- Sew the drawstrings to the lower hood corners and place the bow over their attachment points. Pass every remaining yarn tail through the stuffed body in three directions.
The completed bear should measure approximately 26 cm from the foot base to the upper edge of the ears.
7 Technical Tips
- Lost round position: Chenille fibres can conceal the first stitch and shift the facial center. Lock the marker into the stitch itself, not around the working loop.
- Forward-dropping head: Loose neck stuffing cannot support a 42-stitch head. Pack the upper 2 cm of the body approximately 20 percent more firmly than the belly.
- Decrease gaps: Conventional decreases expose the white stuffing between velvet stitches. Work every head and body decrease through the front loops only.
- Incorrect eye timing: The washers cannot be fitted after the opening contracts to 12 stitches. Install both 16 mm eyes after R17 and compare their height before continuing.
- Stripped velvet core: Excess tension can pull chenille fibres away from the central thread. Keep each working loop level with the 4 mm hook shaft rather than tightening it below the throat.
- Asymmetrical ear angle: Sewing one ear before positioning the second often creates a visible height difference. Pin both ears first and measure the 12-stitch gap between their inner bases.
- Escaping yarn tails: A chenille tail shorter than 15 cm may slide back through the fabric. Leave at least 20 cm on attached parts and weave each tail through three separate paths.
Conclusion
Test the hood before tightening its four anchor stitches. Both ears should remain upright, the face edging should clear the eyes, and the lower opening should meet evenly beneath the muzzle. Photograph the bear from the front and both sides, then correct any difference in foot height, sleeve position or ear angle. Record the yarn brand, hook size and final measurement because chenille thickness can alter the figure by several centimetres. Share the completed lavender hooded teddy bear amigurumi pattern project on Pinterest and post the assembly view on Instagram with #LavenderHoodBear. Which ear treatment matched your bear more closely: flat layered circles or lightly cupped ears with folded bases?
