Review: Ten Adorable Teddy Bears to Knit

I had a different book review on my calendar for this week, but the girl insisted I knit her something from Rachel Borello’s Ten Adorable Teddy Bears to Knit this week so I figured since I was using the book I might as well tell you about it. You can see a couple of the parts I’ve knit so far over on my blog.

As the name mentions, there are patterns here for 10 little bears, from traditional looking teddies to a panda and a koala. (The girl opted for the panda, but she has a long list of demands from this cute book.)

Each bear comes with its own outfit and accessories. Junior, for instance, is shown with a hat that has holes for his ears, a wee backpack and a sleeping bag with cables. Hudson has a beanie and backpack as well, but also overalls. Clarke is a superhero in shorts, a cape and a mask, while Peta has a little dress, scarf and winter hat.

The panda, named Riley, is shown in shorts, a sweater and socks, but the girl wants a lace skirt and a little top instead.

Some of the projects are worked in the round while others (like the panda) are knit flat in lots of little pieces that have to be joined to make the bear in question. That said it’s pretty easy knitting and you can stitch it up as you go, leaving less work for the end.

This book is really cute, and these tiny bears are sure to attract kids and adults alike. I think it will be fun to knit lots of little outfits, and maybe a few more bears. They’re so small, the projects actually go pretty fast even though there are lots of pieces.

About the book: 112 pages, paperback with interior flaps, 10 bear patterns plus 22 options for accessories. Published August, 2015 by Barron’s Educational Series. Suggested retail $16.99.

Looking for more Knitting patterns for Teddy Bears? Check it out here.

Next Pattern:

There’s always room for more stitch dictionaries on your shelf, but Andrea Rangel’s Knitovation Stitch Dictionary is unlike those stitch pattern books you might already own. That’s because this one is full of colorwork stitch patterns rather than textured stitches, lace or cables, so the designs are ripe for adding to hats, sweaters and other projects with a stockinette stitch background.

The book starts with a quick introduction to knitting colorwork that’s also unlike what you’ve probably seen before, because it’s less about the colors themselves and more about the kinds of fibers you choose, how the yarn is prepared and the gauge you’re working at and how those things all change the look of a design.

Most of the book is filled with motif designs and swatches. The motifs were designed and named by Andrea’s husband Sean, who is an artist and brings a bit of whimsy to the designs.

You’ll find some classic looking leaves and flowers, mosaics and waves, but also rubber ducks, penguins, puzzle pieces, cherries and cows, snails and teapots, eyeballs and chess pieces, to name a few. Many of the designs also have funny names, like a fish named toilet bound, or cats in suits called corporate fat cat.

Of course you can use the designs in any way you want on any project you like, but there are also three patterns in the book — for a hat, a sweater and a pair of fingerless gloves — plus discussion of how the motifs were added, adjusting patterns for a different size or gauge, and adding your own motifs.

If you like adding a bit of colorwork to otherwise plain projects that other people have designed, or you’re ready to start making your own designs with fun motifs, this book is a great place to start. The fun and funny motifs are sure to inspire you to want to pick up your needles and add a little more color to your projects.

About the book: 160 pages, hardcover, 150+ motifs and three knitting patterns. Published 2023 by Interweave, suggested retail $28.

Next Pattern:

Have you read?