Tina Ballerina Bear Crochet Pattern

August 14, 2014 by Squirrel Picnic 31 Comments

Tina Ballerina Bear is an expert at having fun. She’ll even show you how when you crochet her with this free pattern.

Tina’s just one of the characters here at Squirrel Picnic, but she is by far the most outrageously fun-loving of the bunch. She loves karaoke, pillow fights, food fights, tickle fights, water-balloon fights, and limbo. But most importantly, she loves to dance… all the time. In fact, she was dancing right before I took this photo of her. That’s why she has that startled “caught in the act” look on her face.

She’s also a bit of a party girl. You know anyone who wears a tutu year-round brings the party with them wherever they go. She’s ready to celebrate anything and everything. She once threw a party just to celebrate the fact that she had cleaned the dishes.

Her enthusiasm and excitement are contagious. She inspires me to let loose now and then and to fully enjoy every opportunity that comes my way, big or small. So if you have something to celebrate, don’t hold back. Get out your tutu and live it up!

Tina Ballerina Bear Crochet Pattern

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Finished size: 6″ tall and 16″ around at the widest point

Materials

85 yds worsted-weight yarn in black (Caron Simply Soft in Black, 6 oz [170 g] / 315 yds [288 m])
35 yds worsted-weight yarn in light brown (Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand, 3.5 oz [100 g], 170 yds [156 m])
50 yds worsted-weight yarn in pink (Caron Simply Soft in Soft Pink, 6 oz [170 g] / 315 yds [288 m])
G-6 (4.00 mm) crochet hook
1 set of size 12 mm safety eyes (If making this for a child, please consider embroidering the eyes.)
Light brown felt
Embroidery floss in black
Polyester Fiberfill
Tapestry needle
1/8 in satin ribbon in pink

Gauge

5 sc = 1″
5 rows = 1″

Abbreviations

beg = beginning
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
rep = repeat
rnd = round
sc = single crochet
sc2tog = decrease by single crocheting next 2 stitches together
sk = skip
slst = slip stitch
st(s) = stitch(es)

Instructions

For Eyes: Grab your light brown felt and scissors and head on over to this tutorial for step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the eyes for your bear. Complete steps 1-4, then set them aside and continue with the instructions for the Body. (You’ll pick them back up again after Rnd 35 of the Body.)

Body

Note: Body is worked in unjoined rounds. Do not begin round with a chain. Do not join with slst at end of round.

With black, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: * Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (18 sc)

Rnd 4: * Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (24 sc)

Rnd 5: * Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (30 sc)

Rnd 6: * Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (36 sc)

Rnds 7-15: Sc in each sc around.

Rnd 16: * Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (42 sc)

Rnd 17: Sc in each sc around.

Rnd 18: * Sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (48 sc)

Rnd 19: Sc in each sc around.

Rnd 20: * Sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (54 sc)

Rnds 21-30: Sc in each sc around.

Rnd 31: * Sc in next 7 sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (48 sc)

Rnd 32: * Sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (42 sc)

Rnd 33: * Sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (36 sc)

Rnd 34: * Sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (30 sc)

Rnd 35: * Sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (24 sc)

Insert safety eyes between stitches in Rnds 9 and 10 and pop on the backs to secure.

Stuff bear firmly.

Rnd 36: * Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (18 sc)

Rnd 37: * Sc in next sc, sc2tog, rep from * 5 more times. (12 sc)

Rnd 38: * Sk next sc, sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times. (6 sc)

Slst in next sc. Fasten off, leaving a tail of about 12 inches. Thread tail through remaining sts and pull to close. Weave in end.

Nose and Mouth

Cut an oval out of light brown felt. Using dark brown or black embroidery floss, embroider a nose and mouth onto the felt. Then sew this oval onto Tina’s head. Check out this tutorial for step-by-step instructions.

Belly

Note: Belly is worked in joined rounds.

With light brown, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around, join with slst to first sc. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: Ch 1, * sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst to first sc. (18 sc)

Rnd 4: Ch 1, * sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst to first sc. (24 sc)

Rnd 5: Ch 1, * sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst to first sc. (30 sc)

Rnd 6: Ch 1, * sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, rep from * 5 more times, join with slst to first sc. (36 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a tail of at least 18 inches for sewing.

Sew this circle to the middle of Tina’s belly.

Tutu

Pull up a loop of pink in any st of Rnd 23 of the Body. Turn Body upside down.

Rnd 1: Pull up loop and sc in each st of Rnd 23. (When you get to the Belly Spot, just try to continue in a straight line to the other side.) Join with slst to first sc. Do not turn.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join with slst to first sc.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join with slst to first sc.

Fasten off and weave in ends. You may have to fiddle with the ruffles a bit to even them out.

Hands (Make 2)

With black, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 4 sc into 2nd ch from hook. (4 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (8 sc)

Rnds 3-5: Sc in each sc around.

Tuck in ends and press flat, lining up 3 sets of sts in the middle.

Row 6: Working through both thicknesses, sc open end closed with 3 scs (skipping the sts on either end where it is folded). Turn. (3 sc)

Row 7: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), 2 dc in each of next 2 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, slst) in last sc. (6 dc, 2 ch-2)

Fasten off, leaving a tail of about 18 inches for sewing.

With the tail, thread through the first of the 3 sc in Row 6 of Hand. Pull the thread up and over the dcs in Row 7 and back through the same space. Pull tight to create “fingers.” Then thread through the 3rd sc in Row 6. Pull the thread up and over the dcs in Row 7 and back through the same space. Weave in to secure, but don’t trim just yet. (You’ll use the rest of the tail to sew the arm to the bear.)

Sew each arm to side of bear so that fingers reach out just in front of belly, above the tutu.

Feet with Ballet Slippers – Bottom (Make 2)

Note: Feet are worked in unjoined rounds. Do not begin round with a chain. Do not join with slst at end of round.

With pink, ch 6.

Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 chs, 3 sc in last ch, turning around the ch as you go, sc in next 3 ch, 2 sc in last ch. (12 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in each of next 2 sc. (18 sc)

Rnd 3: 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in each of next 2 sc, slst in next sc. (24 sc)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Feet with Ballet Slippers – Top (Make 2)

With black, ch 6.

Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 chs, 3 sc in last ch, turning around the ch as you go, sc in next 3 ch, 2 sc in last ch. (12 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in each of next 2 sc. (18 sc)

Switch to pink, leaving a long tail of black, which you will use later to sew foot to bottom of bear.

Rnd 3: 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in each of next 2 sc, slst in next sc. Fasten off, leaving a tail of at least 18 inches. (24 sc)

Assemble Feet

You should have 4 ovals for the feet: 2 in solid pink (Bottom of Foot) and 2 that are pink with black centers (Top of Foot).

Pair up 1 solid pink oval with 1 pink and black oval and hold them with right sides facing out. Thread the pink tail (from the oval with black center) onto a tapestry needle. Sew the two ovals together by pairing up the stitches on each and threading your needle through all loops in each pair. Weave in remaining pink end.

Repeat for other pair of ovals.

Using the long tail of black on the top of each foot, sew each foot to the bottom of the bear. I tend to place the feet toward the front of the bear so that the toes point out at an angle. The back of each foot ends up being close to the bottom center of the bear.