Customer Reviews

The Knitted Teddy Bear: Make Your Own Heirloom Toys with Dozens of Patterns for Unique Clothing and Accessories

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have knit 2 of the bears in this book: Catherine and Jack. I used the materials suggested (Rowan and Jaeger yarns), and both turned out delightfully. With my next bear, I will venture out into the land of less expensive yarns.

The directions provided are, for the most part, clear. One or two minor errors were discovered, both of which should be detectable by knitters with moderate logical thinking skills. I had never made dolls/bears of any sort, so visualizing pieces and joints was somewhat of an initial challenge. A few more diagrams would have cut down on some of the mental gymnastics.

Since none of the craft stores in my area carry firm stuffing, eyes or plastic safety joints, I ordered these items from www.sparebear.com. Service was prompt and friendly. Using quality parts is essential. As each bear is stuffed and eyes set, personalities are created. Using quality materials will ensure your bear will hold up to the love it is sure to receive.

Knitting these little friends is a pleasant experience. Each is made up of small pieces, easily knit during leisure time, car rides and other stolen moments. I kept each bear's finished pieces together on a stitch holder until I was ready to assemble.

I gave both Catherine and Jack away to loving homes. They made unique gifts, especially when dressed in colors representing special memories to the recipients.

If you enjoy knitting and making gifts to give to those you love, I highly recommend the projects in this book.

I picked this book on a whim shortly after I started knitting. At the time, I knew only the knit and purl stitches. I learned very simple increases and decreases in order to do these bears and completed the "George" pattern fairly quickly and neatly. I'm currently working on another bear. I haven't found any typos yet, but I've only looked at 2 of the many patterns.

Editing 7 Feb 2006 to add: I've now a few of the bears in the book and do have a minor quibble - the author recommends using the same needle size for the clothes for each bear and I've found I've had to increase the needle size consistently or the clothes are too small.

I am a beginning knitter and have had no problem making the patterns in the book. It has been a great way to practice new techniques on a small scale. And you should see the results! I have made five bears(Catherine, Thomas, Bertie and 2 Bruces)so far- and delighted all the children in my life this last Christmas. This book is truly delightful! I highly recommend it.

The bears in this book are all adorable. I like that they are old fashioned looking, and have stitched faces. Be warned, though, that they are mostly small to mini bears, but easily sized up once you get the hang of it. The patterns are clear and most of the bears are quick makes, great little gifts for anyone. The only problem I have found so far is that the author does not give yarn requirements in yardage and does not supply any guage information. I understand that guage is not essential for these projects but it makes it very difficult to determine how much yarn to purchase, whether scrap yarn is sufficient, or how to substitute different weights and needles. Overall, though, I love this book and have a hard time picking which bear I want to make next.

I love every single pattern in this book! The bears are all so cute. mostly knit with size 1, 2, or 3 needles,so you have to like small projects (well, I guess you could use a bigger needle and bigger yarn and just make a bigger bear)

This book is quite delightful and the ah factor is very strong! The bears are traditional in style and quite small, using relatively fine needles (size 3.5 mm and down). A couple of the bears are made in worsted weight/DK yarn but most use fingering/four ply weights. There are well over a dozen different patterns, mainly in garter stitch and stocking stitch, for not only the bears but suitable clothing as well. The bears are sympathetically photographed with close-ups and full drawings of how to shape the bodies and attach arms and legs to body; some are even fully jointed.

The patterns are written for the American market but throughout the book suitable metric alternatives are given. There are many hints and tips throughout the book on personalising your bears and once you have it in your collection you are likely to pull it out many times. I already have two potential recipients on my list!

I found the instructions pretty to work with. One thing that confused me at first in the instructions to finish each piece was cast off and I finally figured that that had to mean bind off. I have only made one little bear so far but I will be making one for each neice. The pictures are just heartwarming and you just want one of each bear to cuddle. This book is better for intermediate knitters than beginners although with a little help and direction, a beginner should not be afraid to try something new. The pieces work up pretty quickly and in my opinion, sewing the parts together is the mose tedious and time consuming. Especially if that is your least favorite part like it is mine.

High praise for the assumption that the users are novices, so clear, concise instructions. Never attempted anything like this before, and the outcome was the pure excitement and joy on my granddaughter's faces when teddies completed.

The bears featured in this book are cute and not difficult to knit. I've made several and enjoy them all.

I was very pleased with this book. The instructions are good and being a beginner I did not have any problems following the patterns. These bears go above and beyond your normal knitted toys. They are heirlooms to be passed on for generations. Another great book to add to my crafting library!