Step One

Crochet Polar Bear Pal

Finished Size

• Softie: 10” (25.5 cm) tall x 8.5” (21.5 cm) wide before seaming and stuffing.

Gauge

• 19 sc = 4” (10 cm). Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern but stitches should be small so that fiber filling doesn’t show.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

• ch – chain
• rep – repeat
• Rnd(s) – Round(s)
• sc – single crochet
• sl st – slip stitch
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• *Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.

Pattern Notes

• Front and Back Panels are crocheted flat in rows.
• Snout-Nose, Snout-Mouth, and Ears are crocheted in unjoined spirals in the round. Move stitch markers up each round to mark position of last stitch.
• Oombawka Design has a helpful magic adjustable ring tutorial here.
• A helpful tutorial for seaming with single crochet is available here.
• A helpful tutorial for seaming with the whipstitch is available here.

Step Two

Pattern Instructions

Front and Back Panels (Make 2)

• Ch 41.
• Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next ch and in each ch across. (40 sts)
• Row 2: Turn, ch 1, sc in first st and in each st across.
• Rows 3-55: Rep Row 2 – 53 times, or until Panel measures approximately 10” (25.5 cm) tall. Fasten off.

Step Three

Ears (Make 2)

• Start with magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
• Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, pull yarn tightly to close ring, place marker in last st to mark position. (6 sts)
• Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
• Rnd 3: *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around. (18 sts)
• Rnd 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * around. (24 sts)
• Rnd 5: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around. (30 sts)
• Rnd 6: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts; rep from * around. (36 sts)
• Rnd 7: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts; rep from * around. (42 sts)
• Rnd 8: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts; rep from * around. (48 sts)
• Rnd 9: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts; rep from * around. (54 sts)
• Rnd 9: Sc in ea st around.
• Rnd 10: Rep Rnd 9 once. Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 2 yd/2 m) for seaming and joining.

Step Four

Snout-Nose

• Rep instructions for Ears through Rnd 4.
• Rnd 5: Sc in each st around.
• Rnd 6: Rep Rnd 5 once.
• Rnd 7: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around. (30 sts)
• Rnds 8-10: Rep Rnd 5, 3 times.
• Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 1 yd/1 m) for seaming and joining.

Step Five

Snout-Mouth

• Ch 6.
• Rnd 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, 2 sc in next ch, place marker 1 in first sc, sc in next 3 ch, 3 sc in next ch, place marker 2 in center of last 3 sc worked, turn to work on underside of chain, sc in next 3 ch, sc in first st. (12 sts)
• Rnd 2: 2 sc in first st, place marker 1 in first sc, sc in each st across to next marker, 2 sc in marked st, sc in each st around to marker 1. (14 sts)
• Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
• Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 3 once.
• Rnd 5: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts; rep from * around. (16 sts)
• Rnds 8-10: Rep Rnd 3, 3 times.
• Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 18”/46) for seaming and joining.

Step Six

Assembly

Snout

• Position craft nose at center of Snout-Nose. Attach firmly by securing washer on inside.
• Follow tip of safety nose to bottom of Snout-Nose. Use locking stitch marker to mark center.
• Position Snout-Mouth edge so it aligns to Snout-Nose edge. Stitch marker should be positioned to fourth stitch from edge of Snout-Mouth.
• Thread yarn needle with long yarn tail from Snout-Mouth. Join Snout-Mouth to Snout-Nose using whipstitch seam (see Pattern Notes).

• Stuff Snout-Nose and Snout-Mouth firmly.

Ears

• Fold first Ear in half along center. There will be 27 sts on each side. Working through both layers of Ear, seam with single crochet (see Pattern Notes), working through first 20 sts. Stuff firmly with fiber filling. Sc in remaining stitches. Draw yarn through last loop but do not cut off excess yarn tail. (Yarn tail will be used for seaming.)

• Repeat for second Ear. 

Front Panel

• Position Ears, safety eyes, and Snout on Front Panel.

• Thread yarn needle with yarn tail from first Ear. Sew Ear to Front Panel along flat (folded) edge. Repeat for second Ear. With yarn needle, weave in ends from Ears on back of Front Panel.
• When comfortable with position of safety eyes, attach firmly by securing washers on back.
• Thread yarn needle with yarn tail from Snout-Nose. Sew Snout to Front Panel along outer unjoined edges. After seaming, with yarn needle on back of Front Panel, bring yarn needle up through Snout-Mouth and bring needle down through Snout-Nose to “close” mouth. With yarn needle, weave in ends from Snout-Nose and Snout-Mouth on back of Front Panel.

Finish

• With locking stitch markers, “pin” Panels together with right side of Front Panel face up and Back Panel under wrong side of Front Panel.
• With right side of Front Panel (face) facing you, join yarn with sl st at bottom of Front Panel. Lining up stitches and working through both layers, ch 1, join with single crochet seam (see Pattern Notes) around 3 sides working 1 sc through each stitch or row. Stuff pillow firmly with Poly-Fil. Continue to seam side of final edge, join with sl st to first sc.
• With yarn needle, weave in any remaining ends into inside.