Bartholomew bear was designed as a special gift for my daughter, he is a traditional looking bear certain to be loved for many many years.

What makes this bear stand out from all of the shop-bought bears is the choice of heirloom quality materials. Using a luxurious fur texture yarn and stuffing the bear with wool makes this bear retain body heat when cuddled and I recommend adding a big handful of lavender to bring even the most unsettled sleeper extra comfort during the night.

Bartholomew can be knit quickly (ideal for last minute gifts) and using a fluffy yarn will camouflage any mistakes or tension problems making it an excellent project for learning to knit in the round.

Techniques used include short rows, joining parts by knitting and the Turkish cast on. Links to useful tutorials are provided for each technique.

The samples were constructed knitting ears, legs and tail on.

Requirements

• Six stitch markers
• Six stitch holders or waste yarn
• Optional safety eyes
• Dpns/circulars to suit yarn weight
• Stuffing

Yardage varies with yarn weight:

• 180 yards in Super Bulky yarn (Erika Knight Fur Wool in this sample) on US10/6mm needles will make a bear about 13” tall.

• 98 yards in eyelash yarn (Stylecraft Eskimo in this sample) on US4/3.5mm needles will make a bear of about 6” tall.