I’m sharing the first pattern in the 11th Annual Holiday Stashdown Crochet Along with CAL Central Crochet: a crochet Christmas bear pattern including a sweater, hat, and scarf! This little bear can be gifted as a toy, added to a stocking for a fun surprise, or you can use the scarf as a ribbon to tie the bear to a small gift as decoration.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Herrschners.
For this pattern, I wanted to minimize sewing. If you prefer whipstitching pieces together to crocheting pieces onto a toy, check the Pattern Notes for alternative instructions. I also used Herrschners Worsted 8 Celebrate Sparkle, a self-striping yarn, in Merry & Bright to make the red, green, and white colorwork easy.
The crochet Christmas Bear with Hat & Scarf pattern is beginner-friendly. It’s mostly made with single crochet, and there are videos for all the special stitches and techniques. The sweater is crocheted on as part of the body, while the hat and scarf are made separately.
Similarly, the nose and the tail are crocheted on as parts of the head and the body. I’ve also included plenty of pictures if you are confused about assembly.
Scroll down for the free pattern for the crochet Christmas Bear with Hat & Scarf. If you’re looking for more crochet Christmas bear inspiration, here are some free patterns that you might enjoy:
- Polar Bear Stocking Cap in 10 sizes from newborn through adult large,
- Amigurumi Polar Bear, part of a set of three Arctic animals with hats and scarves,
- Gift Pocket Bear with a granny square pocket perfect for a gift card, and
- Christmas Bear ornament by Val Pierce.
This pattern is part of the 11th Annual Holiday Stashdown Crochet Along with CAL Central Crochet. To follow the crochet along…
- Visit this blog post to get the link to each pattern as it goes live and to enter the giveaway for your chance to win one of six prizes from GlassEyesOnline, KnitPal, Knitter’s Relief Balm, LennyMudPottery, MBT Creates or Unicorn by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
- Sign up for Crochet Along updates and the Underground Crafter newsletter to get regular updates, including links to new CAL patterns as they are released. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to my subscriber vault which includes exclusive free PDF patterns, a coupon code for your choice of any crochet or knitting pattern or ebook from my Ravelry shop, and coupon codes from other indie designers and crafts businesses.
- You can join in by crocheting the patterns as you have time.
- Share your progress and post pictures of your finished projects. Tag your projects and posts #CALCentralCrochet and #HolidayStashdownCAL on all social media.
- If you’d like to chat with other crocheters, join the CAL Central Crochet Facebook group, or visit this thread in the CAL Central Ravelry group.
- By the end of the CAL, you’ll have up to 23 gifts and decorations for the winter holidays.
- Use this button below on your Ravelry project pages or elsewhere on social media. Right click (on desktop) or tap and hold (on mobile) to save.
This post is part of the third annual Countdown to Christmas I’m sharing with folks signed up for the Crochet Along updates and the Underground Crafter newsletter.
Each day through December 24, 2025, I’m sharing a 2-day free coupon code straight to your inbox for one of my crochet patterns that is perfect for winter or holiday crafting. The Christmas Bear with Hat & Scarf is the December 11 featured pattern. Sign up now to get access to the free PDF! (When you sign up for this list, you get regular updates from Underground Crafter, and an update email about every pattern for the CALs I host as those patterns are released. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to my subscriber vault which includes exclusive free PDF patterns, a coupon code for your choice of any crochet or knitting pattern or ebook from my Ravelry shop, and coupon codes from other indie designers and crafts businesses.)
If you make your own Christmas Bear with Hat & Scarf, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Bluesky as @UndergroundCrafter, Facebook as @UndergroundCrafter, or on Instagram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
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Christmas Bear with Hat & Scarf
Crochet Christmas Bear Pattern
This simple crochet Christmas bear is crocheted with a sweater as part of the body. The festive hat is seamed to the head during assembly. A long scarf can wrap around several times and be styled different ways. This is the first pattern in the eleventh annual Holiday Stashdown Crochet Along with CAL Central Crochet.
Finished Size
- Bear with Hat: 12″ (30.5 cm) tall after assembly.
- Scarf: 18.5″ (47 cm) long x 1″ (2.5 cm) wide (not including fringe).
Materials
- Herrschners Worsted 3 yarn (100% acrylic, 3 oz/85 g, 183 yd/168 m) – 1 skein in Pecan (CA), or approximately 70 yd (64 m) in CA in any medium weight yarn.
- Herrschners Worsted 8 Celebrate Sparkle yarn (92% acrylic/ 8% polyester, 8 oz/226 g, 489 yd/448 m) – 1 skein in Merry & Bright (CB), or approximately 90 yd (82.5 m) in CB in any medium weight yarn.
- KnitPro Waves 2.0 (available at LoveCrafts | Amazon) US Size E-4/3.5 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- Stitch markers – at least 3.
- Fiber filling (available at Herrschners | Amazon).
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- Through Rnd 5 in pattern for Head = 2″ (5 cm) diameter. Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern. Stitches should be small so fiber filling doesn’t show through.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- bob – 5-repeat bobble – [Yo, insert hook into st, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops] 5 times in the same st, yo and draw through all 6 loops on hook. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the bob above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- FL – front loop only – A helpful video demonstrating how to identify the front loop in crochet is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the front loop above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- FPsc – front post single crochet – Insert hook from front around back to front of st in previous round, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the FPsc above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.hdc – half double crochet
- invdec – invisible decrease – Insert hook in front loop only of each of next 2 sts, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops. A helpful video tutorial for this decrease is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the invdec above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- pf – 5-repeat puff stitch – [Yo, insert hook into st, yo and draw up a loop] 5 times in same st, yo and draw through all 11 loops on hook. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the pf above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- pm# – place stitch marker#
- rm# – remove marker#
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sc4tog – single crochet 4 stitches together (decrease) – [Insert hook in next st, yo and draw up a loop] 4 times, yo and draw through all 5 loops on hook. A helpful video tutorial for this decrease is available below.
- If you can’t see the video for the sc4tog above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- sl st – slip stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over
- [] Repeat instructions within brackets as indicated.
- * Repeat instructions after asterisks as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- When choosing colors, CA is the Bear color and CB the color of the Sweater, Hat, and Scarf. I used CB to embellish the Mouth, but if you choose a yarn without red, you’ll also need approximately 12″ (30.5 cm) of red yarn.
- Oombawka Design Crochet has helpful photo and video tutorials for starting with the magic adjustable ring here.
- A helpful video demonstrating the whipstitch seam is available below.
- If you can’t see the whipstitch video above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- A helpful video tutorial for the embroidery backstitch as used for the Mouth on this project can be found at the end of this blog post.
- Cute As a Button Crochet has a helpful photo tutorial for adding fringe to a crochet scarf here.
- I designed this pattern to minimize sewing. If you prefer crocheting pieces separately and joining later, make these modifications:
- For First Sleeve and Arm: Starting with a long yarn tail for seaming (approximately 12″/30.5 cm), with CB ch 11. Rnd 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next 10 ch, pm1 to mark end of Rnd 1, move up each rnd. (10 sts) Follow pattern instructions through First Hand. Thread yarn needle with CB from start of First Sleeve and Arm. With whipstitch seam (see Pattern Notes), join Sleeve at Rnd 1 to Armhole. Weave in yarn tails on inside.
- For Head: Follow pattern instructions through Rnd 19. Fasten off CA with long yarn tail for seaming (approximately 12″/30.5 cm). Follow instructions for embellishing and stuffing face.
Pattern Instructions
First Leg
- With CA, start with the magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm1 in last st to mark end of Rnd, move marker up each rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: Sc in each st around.
- Rnds 5-15: Repeat Rnd 4, 11 times.
- Fasten off CA.
Second Leg
- Repeat as for First Leg through Rnd 15. DO NOT fasten off.
Join Legs
- Keep marker1 in last st of Rnd 15 to mark end of Rnd. Pm2 in ninth st on Second Leg and any st on First Leg. Pm3 on tenth st on Second Leg and next st on inside of First Leg as shown in photo below. (In photo below, marker1 is red and marker2 and marker3 are pink.)
- Rnd 16: Sc in next 8 sts on Second Leg, sc through both legs at next marked stitch to join, rm2.
- On First Leg, sc in next 16 sts, sc through both legs at next marked stitch to join, rm3.
- On Second Leg, sc in last 8 sts, pm1 in last st to mark position, move up each rnd. (34 sts)
- Rnd 17: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 18: Repeat Rnd 17 once, fasten off CA.
Bobble Tail
- Rnd 19: With wrong side facing, join CA with sl st at center (between joined legs but on Rnd 18), ch 1, bob in same st.
- Sc in next 33 sts, fasten off CA. (34 sts)
Sweater
- Rnd 20: With right (front) side facing, join CB with sl st in second st after bob, ch 1, sc in same st and each st around to last 2 sts, FPsc around bob, sc in next st, pm1 in last st to mark end of Rnd, move marker up each rnd. (34 sts)
- Rnd 21: Sc in each st around.
- Rnds 22-30: Repeat Rnd 21, 8 times.
- Keep marker1 at last stitch of Rnd 30 to mark last st of rnd. Position body on a flat surface. Flatten in half with tail at center back. Pm2 at one corner and pm3 at the other corner with 16 sts between marker2 and marker3. (In photo below, marker1 is orange and marker2 and marker3 are green.)
Armholes
- Rnd 31: Starting in first st of Rnd, sc in every st to 2 sts before marker2, ch 5, skip 5 ch, rm2, sc in every st to 2 sts before marker3, ch 5, skip 5 ch, rm3, sc to marker1, pm1 in last st to mark end of Rnd, move marker up each rnd. (24 sts + 2 ch-5 sp)
- Rnd 32: Sc in each st and ch around. (34 sts)
Continue Sweater
- Rnd 33: [Invdec, sc in next 2 sts] around to last 2 sts, invdec. (25 sts)
- Rnd 34: [Invdec, sc in next 3 sts] around. (20 sts)
- Fasten off CB. Stuff body firmly with fiber filling.
Head
- With CA, start with the magic adjustable ring (see Pattern Notes).
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, tighten magic ring to close, pm1 in last st to mark end of Rnd, move marker up each rnd. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rnd 5: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts] around. (30 sts)
- Rnd 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 14 sts] around. (32 sts)
- Rnd 7: Sc in each st around.
- Rnds 8-12: Repeat Rnd 7, 5 times.
Nose
- Rnd 13: Sc in next 2 sts, pf, sc in next 29 sts.
Finish Head
- Rnds 14-16: Repeat Rnd 7, 3 times.
- Rnd 17: [Invdec, sc in next 6 sts] around. (28 sts)
- Position safety centered above nose. When satisfied with position, attach firmly inside Head by securing washers.
- Rnd 18: [Invdec, sc in next 5 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rnd 19: [Invdec, sc in next 4 sts] around. (20 sts)
- Fasten off CA.
- Thread yarn needle with 12″ (30.5 cm) red piece of CB yarn. Embellish face by adding Mouth using embroidery backstitch (see Pattern Notes). Weave in yarn tail from Mouth inside of Head. Stuff Head firmly with fiber filling.
First Sleeve and Arm
- Rnd 1: Join CB with sl st to skipped st on Rnd 31 of Sweater, ch 1, sc in same st and each of next 4 skipped sts, scFL in next 5 ch, pm1 to mark end of Rnd 1, move up each rnd. (10 sts)
- Rnd 2: Sc in each st around, changing to CA in last yo of final st of rnd (see video below), fasten off CB.
- If you can’t see the video above demonstrating how to change color, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts] around. (12 sts)
- Rnds 5-14: Repeat Rnd 3, 10 times. Rm1 and remove hook, pm1 in loop top prevent unravelling. Stuff arm firmly with fiber filling.
First Hand
- Rnd 15: Invdec around. (6 sts)
- Fasten off CA with long yarn tail (approximately 8″/20.5 cm long) for seaming. Thread yarn needle with CA, whipstitch hand closed (see Pattern Notes). Weave in yarn tails on inside of Bear.
Second Arm
- Repeat as for First Arm through finishing First Hand.
Festive Hat
- Starting with long yarn tail (approximately 12″/30.5 cm) for seaming, with CB ch 31.
- Rnd 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next 30 ch, pm1 to mark last st, begin crocheting in the round and move up marker each rnd. (30 sts)
- Rnd 2: Sc in each st around.
- Rnd 3: Repeat Rnd 2 once.
- Rnd 4: [Invdec, sc in next 3 sts] around. (24 sts)
- Rnds 5-6: Repeat Rnd 2 twice.
- Rnd 7: [Invdec, sc in next 2 sts] around. (18 sts)
- Rnds 8-9: Repeat Rnd 2 twice.
- Rnd 10: [Invdec, sc in next st] around. (12 sts)
- Rnds 11-12: Repeat Rnd 2 twice.
- Rnd 13: Repeat Rnd 10 once. (8 sts)
- Rnds 14-15: Repeat Rnd 2 twice.
- Rnd 16: Invdec around. (4 sts)
- Rnd 17: Repeat Rnd 2 once.
- Rnd 18: Sc4tog. Fasten off CB.
- Thread yarn needle with CB from start of Festive Hat. Join Festive Hat to top of Head with whipstitch seam (see Pattern Notes).
Ears (Make 2)
- Starting with long yarn tail (approximately 12″/30.5 cm) for seaming, with CA ch 2.
- Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, 4 sc in next ch. (4 sts)
- Row 2: Turn, ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st. (6 sts)
- Row 3: Turn, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, 2 sc in each of next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts. (8 sts)
- Fasten off CA.
- Thread yarn needle with long yarn tail in CA. Fold Ear at center (starting chain). Whipstitch (see Pattern Notes) folded bottom edge (unworked edge) together to create a folded Ear as shown in the photo below. Seam Ears to Head at bottom of Festive Hat with whipstitch seam. Weave in yarn tails on inside of Head.
Join Head to Body
- Position Head on torso with Nose centered in front. Use stitch markers to hold pieces together. Join CB with sl st through both layers (Head and torso), ch 1, join Head to torso with single crochet seam (see video below) by working sc through both layers in each st around, join with sl st.
- If you can’t see the video above for the single crochet seam, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- Fasten off CB. With yarn needle, weave in yarn tails on inside.
Scarf
- Starting with long yarn tail (approximately 8″/20.5 cm long) for fringe, with CB ch 83 (see video below).
- If you can’t see the video above with tips for working with a long foundation chain, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- Row 1: Turn, skip 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next 79 ch. (80 sts)
- Row 2: Turn, ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next st and each st across.
- Fasten off CB with long yarn tail (approximately 8″/20.5 cm long) for fringe.
- Prepare 4 groups of fringe (one group for each row on each side of the scarf) as follows:
- Cut three 8″ (20.5 cm) pieces of CB for each group.
- Fold each group of 3 strands of yarn in half.
- Attach fringe sing crochet hook at end of each row, incorporating hanging yarn tail from that row into group. (See Pattern Notes for tutorial for attaching fringe.)
- Repeat for each row on each side of scarf.
- Trim fringe to approximately 2″ (5 cm).
Finishing
- Wrap Scarf around Bear’s neck.
- With yarn needle, weave any remaining ends on inside of Bear.