It is winter and the days are short and gloomy, and often wet, so I decided to start knitting. There was wool and knitting needles in the house, but I did have to order a knitting pattern for bear sized clothes (details at end of blog). The pattern was for a ‘Build-a-Bear’ type of bear so I had to adjust it a bit to fit me.

I did 8 extra rows on the back and front to make the jumper a bit longer so that it wouldn’t get too short stretching around my tummy, which is rounder than a ‘Build-a-bear’ tummy! Once the back, front, and two arms were knitted they all had to be put onto one knitting needle to knit the neck. I found doing that a bit fiddly, but next time I make a jumper I am sure it will be easier.

After knitting the neck band, which I did fairly loosely as my neck is thicker than ‘Build-a-bear, all the pieces were sewn together.

I was jolly pleased with the finished article, though there were a few neck stitches that weren’t quite right.

In our house we have a large box full of buttons. My late grandhuman collected most of them. I spent quite a while looking for a button to hide my wonky neck stitches! I found a red button, and a little wooden flower button to go on the bottom edge.

It didn’t take long to sew on the buttons.

Jolly pleased with the finished jumper, the first one I have ever made!

I think deep red suits me, and it matches the furniture too!

If you have a bear like me and would like to knit a jumper, my human got the pattern from ‘Bears with Flairs’ on eBay. We had a fantastic pattern with a reindeer on the front, but just knitted it plain to get used to knitting, and we added 8 rows onto the body to make it fit me. I am quite squashy and managed to get my head through the hole without too much problem!

Pattern available here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/bearswithflairs

I bought my cream jumper with bear motif on Esty ready knitted https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/totallyhookeduk?ref=l2-about-shopname

Horace the Alresford Bear 10/12/23

Update: since knitting my jumper I have also made jumpers for Nye and Growler.