“Bean the Bear” Low-sew Pattern (20 minute crochet)
A few months ago, with just hours until my flight, I wanted to make a little bear plushie for a friend. That became the first version of “Bean the Bear” and since then, I wanted to upgrade it to be almost completely no-sew.
While I don’t mind sewing as much anymore, sewing is still my least favorite part when it comes to crocheting plushies. It seems like a lot of other crocheters also feel this way, so I wanted to eliminate as much sewing as I can with this little bear pattern. Plus, it makes this an even quicker project to make for those on a time crunch!
The ears, feet, body, and tail are all made in one continuous piece and the only piece to sew on is the snout! It’s a super fast project that can be made in roughly 20 minutes that’s perfect for shops, markets, gifts, or anyone who just wants to make a quick, little project.
For those who may need some extra explanation on some of the stitches, I do have a full step-by-step tutorial for “Bean the Bear” on my YouTube. The tutorial was made with beginners in mind and goes over all the skills and stitches. For those who don’t need the step-by-step explanations and help, you can find the written pattern below!
A downloadable PDF version of this written pattern is also available to members on my Patreon!
“Can I sell the bears I make with this pattern?”
Yes! Absolutely! What you do with the plushies you make is completely up to you! You may gift, donate, or sell any plushies that you make with any of my patterns. I would greatly appreciate if you could give "The Mary Jay" pattern credit and link back to this pattern when possible.
However, please do not sell, copy, or duplicate (to distribute) the crochet pattern itself in any form without permission.
Here’s the written pattern:
Skills and Abbreviations (In U.S. terms)
MR = Magic Ring (Magic Circle)
CH = Chain
SL ST or SS = Slip Stitch
SC = Single Crochet
DC = Double Crochet
4-DcBo = Bobble made with 4-partial double crochets
INC = Increase
DEC = Decrease
FO = Fasten off
FLO = Front Loop Only
BLO = Back Loop Only
R = Round/Row
Sewing
Recommended Materials:
Super Bulky Weight Yarn (#6) in brown, cream, and a little bit of black for the nose (or the color of your choice)
6.5 mm Crochet Hook (or a similar hook size)
Two 12 mm Safety Eyes (WARNING: Safety eyes can be choking hazards and are not recommended for crochet plushies made for infants/young children, pets etc. )
Stuffing
Yarn Needle
Scissors
Stitch Markers (Optional)
Pins (Optional)
“Where can I get the materials?”
You can find most of these items in a craft store, sometimes in places like Walmart, or on my Amazon Storefront. My amazon storefront is an affiliate link, which means that at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you use it to make a purchase. This is one way that helps support me and lets me continue to make free content for you! These are actual items that I like and used!
While I do get some harder-to-find yarn colors off of Amazon (the ones linked on my storefront), I do get a lot of my yarn from Joann as well. The brand that I used for the bear in the sample photo is Bernat Blanket in the color, “Baby Sand” (this is also an affiliate link that helps support me!)
“Can I use a different yarn or hook size?”
Yes! The above yarn sizes and hook size are recommendations based on what I used to make the bear in the sample photo. Feel free to switch up the yarn or hook size based on what you have available or your preference.
If you are using a different yarn or hook size, don’t forget to make sure that the yarn and hook size work well together. For amigurumi, it is often recommended to use a hook size that is 1-2mm smaller than the recommended hook size on the yarn label for tighter stitches and less holes in your project. However, different crocheters have their own preferences on hook size and you are welcome to follow your own preference.
Please note that the plushie may vary a little bit in size with different yarn and hook sizes.
“Can I replace the safety eyes with something else?”
Yes! Just like the yarn and hook size, the safety eyes listed are just what I used to make the plushie in the sample photo. Feel free to use a similar eye size or switch it up with felt, buttons, or even just embroider it with yarn. If you do change the eyes, you may want to adjust the eye placement based on how different in size the eyes are.
With that said, let’s start crocheting!
Snout:
Using Cream
R1 8 SC in a MR
SL ST into first stitch to close up the circle. If you find that you need more clarification with this part, check out my tutorial at timestamp: 1:18 for how to make the Snout.
FO leaving a long tail for sewing.
Body:
Using Brown
R1 6 SC in a MR
R2 [INC] x 6 (12)
R3 [SC, INC] x 6 (18)
R4 16 SC, [SL ST, CH1, DC, CH1, SL ST] in FLO of one stitch, 1 SC
If you need more help with round 4, please visit the video tutorial at timestamp: 10:52
R5 2 SC, [SL ST, CH1, DC CH1, SL ST] in FLO of one stitch, 15 SC (the 14th SC should be made in the BLO of R3)
R6 7 SC (the third SC should be made in the BLO of R4), 4-DcBo , 3 SC, 4-DcBo, 6 SC (18)
R7-9 18 SC (18) 3 Rounds
R10 8 SC, 4-DcBo, 3 SC, 4-DcBo, 5 SC (18)
If you need more help with the bobbles, please visit the video tutorial at timestamp: 18:09
R11 1 SC, [SL ST, CH 1, SL ST] in FLO of one stitch, 16 SC
R12 [SC, DEC] x6 (12)
To place the eyes, start from the ears and count 2 rounds forward. Place the eyes here near the outer corners of the ears. If you need more clarification on where to place the eyes, please visit my video tutorial at timestamp: 32:48
Begin stuffing.
R13 [DEC] x 6 (6)
FO leaving a long tail for sewing.
Use the yarn tail to sew the plushie closed.
Assembly:
If you find that you need more help with assembly, check out my video tutorial at timestamp: 35:46
Using black yarn, sew the nose onto the snout. It should be placed slightly above the center of the snout.
After sewing on the nose detail, sew the snout piece one round beneath the eyes of the bear.
And that’s it!
Congratulations! You've finished your bear!
I hope you enjoyed this pattern and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!
I really do love seeing the plushies that ya’ll make! If you post your plushie onto social media, don’t forget to tag my socials!
Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube: @themaryjay
Thank you so much for following along with my pattern!
Ready for your next project? Find more free patterns here !