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Crocheted Autism Awareness Bears
What is Autism Speaks?
My aunt asked me to donate some of my crocheted work for her Autism Speaks event this year. So, of course, I said I would love to. It took me awhile to decide what I would make, but eventually I decided on just creating something new. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy them and have fun making them.
Please feel free to make these and sell these to raise money for your own fundraisers, whether it's for Autism or something else (I'd love to hear what you make them for, so let me know in the comments below). However, I offer this pattern for free, so please do not try to take my pattern and sell it. That's just not nice. On the other hand, if you would so kindly direct people to this pattern--that would be super nice.
I made these in the colours of Autism Awareness; Red, Yellow, Royal Blue, and Light Blue. Feel free to use whatever colours you like.
Head and Body
Head
Ch 2 or make a magic ring if you prefer.
1. SC 6 in second ch from the hook/magic ring. (6)
2. SC 2 in each stitch around. (12)
3. SC 1, SC 2 in next stitch, repeat around. (18)
4. SC 1, SC 1, SC 2 in next stitch, repeat around. (24)
5. SC 1, SC 1, SC 1, SC 2 in next stitch, repeat around. (30)
6 - 14. SC around. (30)
15. SC-2-TOG, SC 1, SC 1, SC 1, repeat around. (24)
16. SC-2-TOG, SC 1, SC 1, repeat around. (18)
17. SC-2-TOG, SC, repeat around, fasten off and leave a long tail. (12)
Add eyes if you are using safety eyes.
Body
Ch 2 or make a magic ring if you prefer.
1. SC 6 in second ch from the hook/magic ring. (6)
2. SC 2 in each stitch around. (12)
3. SC 1, SC 2 in next stitch, repeat around. (18)
4. SC 1, SC 1, SC 2 in next stitch, repeat around. (24)
5 - 13. SC around. (24)
14. SC-2-TOG, SC 1, SC 1, repeat around. (18)
15. SC-2-TOG, SC, repeat around, fasten off. (12)
Arms & Legs
Arms
Ch 2, or magic ring.
1. SC 5 in second chain from the hook. (5)
2. SC 2 in each stitch. (10)
3. SC, SC 2, around. (15)
4 - 8. SC around. (15)
9. SC, SC-2-TOG, around (10)
10 - 14. SC around (10)
Fasten off and leave tail for sewing.
Legs
Ch 2 or make a magic ring.
1. SC 6 in second ch from the hook/magic ring. (6)
2. SC 2 in each stitch around. (12)
3. SC 1, SC 2 in next stitch, repeat around. (18)
4 - 10. SC around. (18)
11. SC-2-tog, SC, around. (12)
12 - 15. SC around, fasten off, leaving tail (12)
Sew it up
After the head, body, and appendages were done. I stuffed them and sewed them up before moving on to details. This just happened to be the order that worked best for me because I was running around working on other things while making these. So, put them together in a way that is comfortable for you.
Ears, Hair, and Face
Ears
Ch 2
1. SC 6 in 2nd chain from hook (6)
2. SC, 2SC, repeat around (9)
3. SC around. (9)
4. SC the opening closed, fasten off, leaving a tail to sew on the ears.
Hair
This is entirely optional, but before I added the ears to the chubby little bear bodies my mother saw them and commented on how bald they were. So I decided to add hair using the scrap threads from the tails I'd clipped sewing everything together.
I basically add the hair the same way I would on my mermaid dolls (basically by knotting it), then took a wire brush and brushed it out so it was fluffy.
Face
I simple embroidered noses and mouths with black yarn and some scrap pieces of yarn from my clippings.
Puzzle Piece
This is an optional detail that I added because I wanted to represent Autism Speaks.
I drew a stencil in the shape of the Autism Speaks puzzle piece and cut out bits of felt in the iconic blue colour. I doubled up the felt by gluing pieces together so that the pieces would be strong.
Then I took a yarn needle and some yarn the colour of the bear's body and tied the puzzle piece to the bears' hands.