Free Crochet Bear Amigurumi Pattern

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This bright blue bear cub is one of those patterns that photographs beautifully the moment it’s finished – a soft, round little cub in a color-blocked hooded costume, complete with felt-lined ears, a needle-sculpted face, and a hand-painted blush. It’s a slightly more involved make than a simple round-bodied amigurumi, but every technique it uses is explained step by step below, including several general tutorials for skills you’ll reuse in other projects.

This free pattern covers the full build: arms, a color-blocked body and head, needle sculpting for the face, small sewn-on ears, legs, a hood, tail, embroidered nose and eyebrows, felt eye details, a soft hair tuft, and a second set of larger felt-lined ears for the hood itself. Grab your hook and let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Skills You Need

Basic-to-intermediate crochet, amigurumi and sewing skills.

Abbreviations

  • Rnd – round
  • st, sts – stitch, stitches
  • Ch – chain stitch
  • slst – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • dec – decrease (2 sc together)
  • inc – increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
  • (...) * repeat n times – repeat the instructions in brackets a total of n times
  • (number) – total stitch count at the end of that round

General Advice

  • All parts of this bear are crocheted in a spiral – don't join at the end of each round.
  • Mark the first stitch of every round so you always know where the round begins, and can compare your stitch count to the pattern.
  • Crochet tightly! If your stitches come out loose, size down your hook.
  • Stuffing is what gives amigurumi its shape – stuff tighter than feels necessary, then add a bit more. A broken chopstick is a great tool for pushing fiberfill into small corners.
  • If this toy is for a child under 3, use safety eyes or embroider the eyes with yarn instead of using small glued-on details like felt sequins or beads, and make sure every piece is sewn on securely.
  • Most important: have fun!

Tutorials

A few core techniques come up throughout this pattern – here's a quick reference for each.

A. Decrease

Work a regular sc decrease (two single crochets worked together as one).

B. Increase (inc)

To increase, work two single crochet stitches into the same stitch.

C. Front Loop, Back Loop, Back Bump

Sometimes a pattern calls for working into just one part of a stitch – either the front loop or the back loop, rather than both.

D. Close Remaining Stitches Through the Front Loops

Pull the yarn tail all the way through the last stitch. With a yarn needle, draw the yarn through every remaining front loop, working from outside to inside, then pull gently to close the gap.

E. Invisible Fasten Off

Skip one stitch. Insert your needle into the next stitch and pull the yarn through, then insert it into the back loop of the same stitch the yarn tail is coming from and pull gently. This creates a false stitch that mimics the skipped one, for a seamless-looking finish.

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Arms (Make 2)

Crochet with blue yarn, 4.0mm hook.

  • Rnd 1: 6sc in the magic ring (6)
  • Rnd 2: (1sc, inc) x3 (9)
  • Rnd 3–4: 9sc (2 rounds) (9)
  • Rnd 5: (1sc, dec) x3 (6)
  • Rnd 6–8: 6sc (3 rounds) (6)

Stuff the lower part of the arm, fold it in half, and crochet 3sc through both layers together. Cut the yarn and fasten off.

Pair of finished blue crochet amigurumi bear arms this …

Both arms finished and ready to join into the body.

Body + Head

Crochet with blue yarn, 4.0mm hook.

  • Rnd 1: 6sc in magic ring (6)
  • Rnd 2: (inc) x6 (12)
  • Rnd 3: (inc) x12 (24)
  • Rnd 4: sc around (24)
  • Rnd 5: (1sc, inc) x12 (36)
  • Rnd 6: sc around (36)
  • Rnd 7: blue yarn: 14sc, light blue yarn: 8sc, blue yarn: 14sc (36)
  • Rnd 8: blue yarn: 13sc, light blue yarn: 10sc, blue yarn: 13sc (36)
  • Rnd 9: blue yarn: (2sc, dec) x3, 1sc, light blue yarn: 2sc, (dec) x3, 2sc, blue yarn: dec, 2sc, dec, 2sc, dec, 1sc, dec (26)
  • Rnd 10: blue yarn: 10sc, light blue yarn: 7sc, blue yarn: 9sc (26)
  • Rnd 11: blue yarn: 10sc, light blue yarn: 7sc, blue yarn: 9sc (26)
  • Rnd 12: blue yarn: (2sc, dec) x2, 2sc, light blue yarn: dec, 2sc, dec, 1sc, blue yarn: 1sc, dec, 2sc, dec, 2sc (20)
  • Rnd 13: blue yarn: 8sc, light blue yarn: 5sc, blue yarn: 7sc (20)
  • Rnd 14: blue yarn: 3sc, dec, 3sc, light blue yarn: 2sc, dec, 1sc, blue yarn: dec, 3sc, dec (16)
Changing yarn color: with the two loops of the previous color still on the hook, wrap the new color around the hook and pull it through both loops of the stitch. That's it – you're now crocheting in the new color.
  • Rnd 15: blue yarn: 7sc, light blue yarn: 4sc, blue yarn: 5sc (16)

Begin stuffing the body evenly and tightly.

  • Rnd 16: blue yarn: 4sc, 3sc worked through both loops of the arm and body at the same time, 1sc, light blue yarn: 3sc, blue yarn: 1sc, 3sc worked through both loops of the arm and body at the same time, 1sc (16)
  • Rnd 17: blue yarn: 8sc, light blue yarn: 3sc, blue yarn: 5sc (16)
Blue and light blue crochet amigurumi body piece with both arms attached

The body with both arms joined in, before starting the head.

Start the head here – change the color to your milk/cream shade using the same color-change technique described above.

  • Rnd 18: (inc) x16 (32)
  • Rnd 19: (3sc, inc) x8 (40)
  • Rnd 20–24: 40sc (5 rounds) (40)
  • Rnd 25: (2sc, dec) x10 (30)
  • Rnd 26: 15sc, (1sc, dec) x3, 6sc (27)
  • Rnd 27: sc around (27)
Safety eyes: if using them, install the eyes between rounds 24 and 25, about 6sc apart from each other.
Bear amigurumi with cream head, safety eyes placed, and blue color-blocked body

Eyes placed and the head taking shape – the color-blocked belly really starts to read as a bear here.

Stuff the head firmly.

  • Rnd 28: (1sc, dec) x9 (18)
  • Rnd 29: sc around (18)
  • Rnd 30: (1sc, dec) x6 (12)

Finish stuffing the head firmly with fiberfill.

  • Rnd 31: (dec) x6 (6)

Break the yarn and close the remaining 6 stitches through the front loops (see Tutorial D above). Weave in the ends.

Finished blue and cream crochet amigurumi bear body and head, before face sculpting

Body and head complete – the face sculpting step below is what brings this to life.

Face Sculpting

Use a strong thread and a long needle for this step. Insert the needle at point 1, pull it out at point 3, leaving a long thread tail. Insert at point 4, pull out at point 2, then pull the threads snug and tie a knot. Insert again at point 1, pull out at point 5, then insert at point 6 and pull out at point 2. Pull everything well, tie off, and hide the yarn tail inside the head.

Amigurumi bear head marked with pins showing the face sculpting points 1 through 6 Amigurumi bear head after face sculpting, showing the shaped muzzle area

Before and after – the sculpting stitches pull the face into a softer, more defined shape.

Nose & Eyebrows

Embroider the nose with black thread, positioning it between rounds 20 and 22, centered on the face.

Amigurumi bear head with an embroidered black nose

The embroidered nose, centered between rounds 20 and 22.

Using black thread, embroider the eyebrows between rounds 27 and 30, spacing them about 5 stitches apart.

Ears (Make 2)

Crochet with milk/cream yarn, 4.0mm hook.

  • Rnd 1: 6sc in the magic ring (6)
  • Rnd 2: (inc) x6, slst (12)

Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew the ears on between rounds 25 and 30, spacing them about 5–6 stitches apart.

Amigurumi bear face with eyebrows embroidered and pins marking where the ears will be sewn

Pins mark the ear placement before sewing – this saves guesswork on symmetry.

Finished amigurumi bear head with both cream ears sewn on

Both ears sewn on – the face is really coming together now.

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Legs (Make 2)

Crochet with dark blue yarn, 4.0mm hook.

  • Rnd 1: 6sc in the magic ring (6)
  • Rnd 2: (inc) x6 (12)

Change the color to blue.

  • Rnd 3: (1sc, inc) x6 (18)
  • Rnd 4: blue yarn: 4sc, dark blue yarn: 3sc in the same stitch, blue yarn: 2sc, dark blue yarn: 3sc in the same stitch, blue yarn: 2sc, dark blue yarn: 3sc in the same stitch, blue yarn: 7sc (24)
  • Rnd 5: sc around (24)
  • Rnd 6: 6sc, (dec) x6, 6sc (18)
  • Rnd 7: 3sc, (dec) x6, 3sc (12)
  • Rnd 8: sc around (12)

Stuff the lower part of the leg.

  • Rnd 9: (4sc, dec) x2 (10)
  • Rnd 10: sc around (10)
  • Rnd 11: 1sc – fold in half and crochet 5sc through both layers.

Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Pair of finished dark blue and blue crochet amigurumi bear legs with paw pad detail

Both legs finished, with the three-stitch paw pad detail worked right into round 4.

Sew the legs to the body across rounds 4–8.

Finished blue crochet amigurumi bear body with head, ears, face and legs all assembled

With the legs, ears and face all in place, the bear is ready for its hood.

Hood

Crochet with blue yarn, 4.0mm hook.

  • Rnd 1: 6sc in the magic ring (6)
  • Rnd 2: (inc) x6 (12)
  • Rnd 3: (3inc, 3sc) x2 (18)
  • Rnd 4: (1sc, 1inc) x3, 3sc, (1sc, 1inc) x3, 3sc (24)
  • Rnd 5: (1sc, 1inc, 1sc) x3, 3sc, (1sc, 1inc, 1sc) x3, 3sc (30)
  • Rnd 6: (3sc, 1inc) x3, 3sc, (3sc, 1inc) x3, 3sc (36)
  • Rnd 7: (2sc, 1inc, 2sc) x3, 3sc, (2sc, 1inc, 2sc) x3, 3sc (42)
  • Rnd 8: (5sc, 1inc) x3, 3sc, (5sc, 1inc) x3, 3sc (48)

Continue back-and-forth from here rather than in the round.

  • Rnd 9: 45sc, 1ch, turn (45)
  • Rnd 10: 42sc, ch, turn (42)
  • Rnd 11: 42sc, ch, turn (42)
  • Rnd 12: 42sc, ch, turn (42)
  • Rnd 13: 42sc, ch, turn (42)
  • Rnd 14: 42sc, ch, turn (42)
  • Rnd 15: 42sc, ch, turn (42)

Cut the thread, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Finished blue crochet hood shape for the amigurumi bear

The hood shape, worked flat after round 8 to create the face opening.

Put the hood onto the head and sew it around the neck.

Tail

Crochet with milk/cream yarn, 4.0mm hook.

  • Rnd 1: 8sc in the magic ring (8)
  • Rnd 2: (1sc, inc) x4 (12)
  • Rnd 3: (dec) x6 (6)

Add a little filler to the tail, cut the yarn and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew the tail on between rounds 3 and 6.

Small cream pompom tail being stuffed and sewn onto the amigurumi bear body

A small stuffed pompom tail, sewn on just above the hood line.

Nose Piece for the Hood

Crochet with dark blue yarn, 4.0mm hook.

Chain 4: starting on the 3rd chain from the hook, work 2hdc in the same stitch, then (2hdc + chain 2 + slst) in the next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew this nose piece onto the hood, centered between rows 11 and 13.

Felt Eyes

Cut felt pieces for the eyes: 2 in white, 2 smaller pieces in black, and 2 tiny circles in white. This template is sized for Dolce-weight yarn and a 4.0mm hook – scale the pieces up or down if you're using a different yarn or hook size. Glue the eyes onto the hood between rounds 9 and 13.

Felt eye piece and dark blue hair tuft glued onto the blue amigurumi hood

One felt eye and the hair tuft in place on the hood.

Hair

Crochet with dark blue yarn, 4.0mm hook.

Chain 5 (starting from the 2nd chain from the hook): 4 slst, chain 4, 3 slst, slst into the first chain you made earlier, chain 5, 4 slst, slst into the same chain. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Sew the hair tuft between rows 6 and 7, centered on the hood.

Blue amigurumi hood with felt eyes and hair tuft attached, front view before the side ears are sewn on

Felt eyes and hair tuft complete – the hood's face is ready for its ears.

Hood Ears

Make 2 inner ears in light pink. Chain 13, starting on the 2nd chain from the hook:

  • Rnd 1: 11sc, 4sc in the same last stitch, continue along the other side of the foundation chain: 11sc (26)
  • Rnd 2: 3sc, 5hdc, 3dc, 4dc inc, 3dc, 5hdc, 3sc, slst (30)

Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

Make 2 outer ears in blue. Chain 13, starting on the 2nd chain from the hook:

  • Rnd 1: 11sc, 4sc in the same last stitch, continue along the other side of the foundation chain: 11sc (26)
  • Rnd 2: 3sc, 5hdc, 3dc, 4dc inc, 3dc, 5hdc, 3sc, slst (30)

Without cutting the yarn, place the pink inner ear inside the blue outer ear and crochet 30sc all the way around through both layers, then slst and fasten off. Once you've worked the sc all the way around, fold each ear and sew 3 stitches through both layers to give it a slight cup shape.

Pair of finished large blue ears with pink felt-soft inner lining for the amigurumi bear hood

Both hood ears finished, with their soft pink lining folded in.

Sew the ears onto the sides of the hood at rows 8 and 11.

Finishing Touches

Make blush: using a small brush and a touch of blush powder or fabric-safe pigment, gently color the cheeks for a soft, rosy finish.

Blush being brushed onto the cheek of the finished amigurumi bear

A little blush is a small step that adds a lot of warmth to the finished face.

Finished blue crochet bear amigurumi wearing its hood, sitting

Your bear, fully assembled – hood, ears, tail, blush and all.

Styled photo of the finished blue crochet bear amigurumi sitting on a wood slice with flowers

A finished bear, ready for a photo shoot of its own.

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Tips for a Polished Finish

  • Don't skip the general tutorials if you're newer to amigurumi. The front-loop-only fasten-off and invisible fasten-off techniques come up constantly in this pattern, and getting comfortable with them here will make every later step faster.
  • Mark your face-sculpting points before you start stitching. A couple of pins or contrasting scraps of yarn at points 1–6 make it much easier to keep the needle path straight the first time through.
  • Stuff the head extra firmly before sculpting. The tightening stitches need something solid to pull against, or the face will look flatter than the photos.
  • Color changes always happen on the last stitch, not after it. This is what keeps the body's color-block stripes crisp instead of jagged.
  • Save the felt cutting for a calm moment. The eye pieces are small and exact sizing matters for the expression – cut a spare pair in case your first attempt comes out uneven.

FAQ

Is this pattern good for beginners?
It's rated basic-to-intermediate. The stitches themselves (sc, hdc, dc, inc, dec) are beginner-friendly, but the color-blocking, face sculpting, and felt details add more steps than a first amigurumi project usually has. It's a great "second or third project" pattern.
Can I skip the felt eyes and hair tuft?
Yes – those details are on the hood, not the bear's actual face, so the toy is still complete without them if you'd rather keep the hood plain. They do add a lot of character, though, so it's worth trying at least once.
What if I'm making this for a baby or toddler?
Follow the pattern's own safety note: use safety eyes rated for the child's age or embroider the eyes with yarn instead, skip small glued details like felt sequins or beads, and make sure every piece is sewn on very securely.
My color-block stripes look jagged, not clean – what went wrong?
This almost always comes down to when the color change happens. Make sure you switch colors on the last stitch before the change (with the new color still needing to be pulled through the final two loops), not on the first stitch after.
Do I need to use felt for the eyes, or can I embroider them instead?
Felt gives the crisp, graphic eye shape shown in the photos, but embroidering a similar shape in black and white yarn works too, and is a safer choice for younger children since there's nothing glued on that could come loose.

Conclusion

Between the color-blocked body, the needle-sculpted face, and all those small felt and yarn details on the hood, this bear packs a lot of technique into one pattern – and it shows in the finished photos. Take the tutorials section slowly if any of it is new to you, and the rest of the pattern will go much faster. Save this pattern for later with the Pinterest button above, and happy stitching!

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