A single white polar bear wearing a red winter hat and matching scarf, attached to a wide white spiral decorated with red and green flower motifs and finished with two shiny bauble-style drops.
This design works especially well as a door hanging, oversized tree ornament or festive nursery decoration.
Finished length is about 32 to 38 cm.
What you’ll need
DK cotton in white, red, black and small amounts of green.
A 2.5 to 3 mm hook, stuffing, 6 mm safety eyes or black embroidery thread, tapestry needle, two small baubles or crochet balls for the bottom, and optional florist wire for the spiral.
Bear head
In white:
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Inc around. (12)
Round 3. Sc, inc around. (18)
Round 4. 2 sc, inc around. (24)
Round 5. 3 sc, inc around. (30)
Rounds 6 to 11. Sc around. (30)
Place eyes between rounds 7 and 8, about 7 stitches apart.
Round 12. 3 sc, dec around. (24)
Round 13. 2 sc, dec around. (18)
Round 14. Sc, dec around. (12). Stuff firmly.
Round 15. Dec around. Close.
Ears
Make two.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Inc around. (12)
Fold slightly and sew to the sides of the head.
Muzzle and face
Make a small oval muzzle in white: ch 5, work around both sides of the chain with sc and increases at each end for two rounds.
Sew to the lower centre of the face. Add a black nose and embroidered smile.
For the photographed look, embroider fine brows and add tiny white highlights to the eyes.
Red hat
Start at the top.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Sc around.
Round 3. Sc, inc around. (9)
Round 4. 2 sc, inc around. (12)
Continue increasing every round or every second round until the opening fits the head.
Work 3 to 4 rounds even. Add a ribbed brim in front-loop/back-loop sc if desired.
Make a red pompom and sew it to the tip.
Scarf
Ch 55 in red.
Row 1. Hdc in third chain from hook and across.
Rows 2 to 4. Ch 2, turn, hdc across.
Add short fringe to both ends and wrap the scarf around the neck.
Wide spiral
Ch 76 in white.
Row 1. Starting in third chain, work 2 dc in every chain.
Row 2. Turn, ch 1, sc in each stitch.
Rows 3 and 4. Repeat in sc if you want a wider band like the photograph.
Shape into 4 to 5 broad turns. Insert fine wire along the inside edge for stability.
Flower decorations
Make small red and green five-petal flowers.
In MR: *ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st* five times. Pull ring closed.
Sew the flowers at irregular intervals along the outer-facing sections of the white spiral.
Bottom baubles
Option A: attach two lightweight Christmas baubles in red and green.
Option B: crochet them.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Inc around. (12)
Round 3. Sc, inc around. (18)
Rounds 4 to 6. Sc around.
Round 7. Sc, dec around. (12)
Stuff.
Round 8. Dec around. Close.
Hang the two balls on short beaded cords below the spiral.
Assembly
Sew the bear head securely to the top of the spiral. Wrap the scarf over the join.
Add a hanging loop behind the hat using 20 to 24 chains or a doubled cord.
Attach one or two central bead strands through the spiral, then hang the bottom baubles at slightly different heights.
Variations
Use blue and silver instead of red and green for a winter rather than Christmas version. Replace the bear with a snowman or penguin while keeping the same wide decorated spiral.