Picnic time
Rico’s cuddly bears and textured blanket are the perfect little knits for children’s charities!
Rico’s Baby Merino DK is really soft, so what better yarn to use for bears to hug and a blanket to play on? The bears come in three sizes so there’s one that’s just the right size for everyone, and together they make a happy group of best friends.
BLANKET
Cast on 131 sts using 4mm circular needle and thumb method. Row 1 (RS) *K1, P1; rep from * to last st, K1. Row 2 P1, *K1, P1; rep from * to end. Row 3 *P1, K1; rep from * to last st, P1. Row 4 K1, *P1, K1; rep from * to end. Last 4 rows set patt. Cont in patt until work meas 15cm (6in), ending with a RS row. Next row Patt 33 sts, P32, M1, P33, patt 33 sts. [132 sts] Patt row 1 Patt 33 sts, K66, patt 33 sts. Patt row 2 Patt 33 sts, P66, patt 33 sts. Last 2 rows set pattern with the centre 66 sts as st st. Cont in patt with centre sts until work meas 65cm (25 in), ending with a RS row. Next row Patt 65 sts, p2tog, patt 65 sts. [131 sts] Cont in patt until work meas 80cm (31 in), ending with a WS row. Cast off in patt.
TO MAKE UP
Weave in ends and block blanket to measurements given.
TEDDIES HEAD
Cast on 10 ( 10: 10) sts using 4mm needles and thumb method. Next row ( WS) P1, (pfb) 8 times, P1. [18 ( 18: 18) sts] Next row Knit. Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K2, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [26 ( 26: 26) sts]
Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K4, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [34 ( 34: 34) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K6, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [42 ( 42: 42) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K8, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [50 ( 50: 50) sts]
Next row Purl.
MEDIUM AND LARGE TEDDIES ONLY
Next row K1, *kfb, K10, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [( 58: 58) sts] Next row Purl.
ALL SIZES
Cont in st st until work meas 7 ( 8.5: 8.5) cm, ending with a WS row. Next row K1, (k2tog, K8 ( 10: 10), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [42 ( 50: 50) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K6 ( 8: 8), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [34 ( 42: 42) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K4 ( 6: 6), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [26 ( 34: 34) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K2 ( 4: 4), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [18 ( 26: 26) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K0 ( 2: 2), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [10 ( 18: 18) sts]
MEDIUM AND LARGE TEDDIES ONLY
Next row K1, (k2tog, sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [( 10: 10) sts]
ALL SIZES
Break off yarn, run yarn through rem 10 sts, draw up and fasten off.
NOSE
Cast on 26 ( 32: 38) sts using 4mm needles and thumb method.
Next row ( WS) Purl. Cont in st st for 3 ( 5: 7) rows more.
Next row K1, *K1, k2tog; rep from * to last st, K1. [18 ( 22: 26) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog) 8 ( 10: 12) times, K1. [10 ( 12: 14) sts] Break off yarn, run yarn through rem 10 ( 12: 14) sts, draw up and fasten off.
BODY
Cast on 10 ( 10: 10) sts using 4mm needles and thumb method. Next row ( WS) Purl. Next row K1, (kfb) 8 times, K1. [18 ( 18: 18) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K2, kfb; rep from * to
last st, K1. [26 ( 26: 26) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K4, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [34 ( 34: 34) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K6, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [42 ( 42: 42) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K8, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [50 ( 50: 50) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K10, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [58 ( 58: 58) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *kfb, K12, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [66 ( 66: 66) sts]
Next row Purl.
LARGE TEDDY ONLY
Next row K1, *kfb, K14, kfb; rep from * to last st, K1. [ 66 sts] Next row Purl.
ALL SIZES
Working in st st throughout, cont until work meas 10 ( 11: 12) cm, ending with a WS row. Next row K1, (k2tog, K12 ( 12: 14), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [58 ( 58: 66) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K10 ( 10: 12), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [50 ( 50: 58) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K8 ( 8: 10), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [42 ( 42: 50) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K6 ( 6: 8), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [34 ( 34: 42) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K4 ( 4: 6), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [26 ( 26: 34) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K2 ( 2: 4), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [18 ( 18: 26) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog, K0 ( 0: 2), sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [10 ( 10: 18) sts]
LARGE TEDDY ONLY
Next row K1, (k2tog, sl1, K1, psso) 4 times, K1. [ 10 sts]
ALL SIZES
Break off yarn, run yarn through rem 10 sts, draw up and fasten off.
LEGS
(BOTH ALIKE) Cast on 21 ( 27: 31) sts using 4mm needles and thumb method. Work in st st for 5 ( 7: 8) cm, ending with a WS row. Next row K9 ( 12: 14), M1, K2, M1, K10 ( 13: 15). [23 ( 29: 33) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K9 ( 12: 14), M1, K4, M1, K10 ( 13: 15). [25 ( 31: 35) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K9 ( 12: 14), M1, K6, M1, K10 ( 13: 15). [27 ( 33: 37) sts] Next row Purl.
MEDIUM AND LARGE TEDDIES ONLY
Next row K( 12: 14), M1, K8, M1, K( 13: 15). [( 35: 39) sts]. Next row Purl. Next row K( 12: 14), M1, K10, M1, K( 13: 15). [( 37: 41) sts]. Next row Purl.
ALL SIZES
Next row K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, K1. [25 ( 35: 39) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, *k2tog, K1; rep from * to last 0(1: 2) sts, K0 ( 1: 2). [17 ( 24: 27) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog) 8 ( 11: 13) times, K0 ( 1:0). [9 ( 13: 14) sts] Break off yarn, run yarn through rem 9 ( 13: 14) sts, draw up and fasten off.
ARMS
(BOTH ALIKE) Cast on 10 ( 12: 14) sts using 4mm needles and thumb method.
Next row ( WS) Purl. Work in st st for 10 ( 14: 14) rows, inc 1 st at each end of next and every foll alt row. [20 ( 26: 28) sts] Cont without shaping until work meas 4.5 ( 5.5: 7) cm from last inc row, ending with a WS row.
Next row K1, *k2tog, K1; rep from * to last 1(1: 0) sts, K1 ( 1: 0). [14 ( 18: 19) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1, (k2tog) 6 ( 8: 9) times, K1 ( 1:0). [8 ( 10: 10) sts] Break off yarn, run yarn through rem 8( 10: 10) sts, draw up and fasten off.
EARS
(BOTH ALIKE) Cast on 22 ( 28: 30) sts using 4mm needles and thumb method. Work in st st for 4 ( 6: 6) rows. Next row K1 ( 1: 0), *k2tog, K1; rep from * to end. [15 ( 19: 20) sts] Next row Purl. Next row K1 ( 1: 0), (k2tog) 7 ( 9: 10) times. [8 ( 10: 10) sts] Break off yarn, run yarn through rem 8( 10: 10) sts, draw up and fasten off.
TO MAKE UP
Fold head and body in half lenghways, join seams leaving the top open to stuff. Close seams and sew head to body. Fold nose in half lengthways, fill lightly with stuffing (taking care that the nose doesn’t get too big) and sew onto head. Fold ears in half, join together and sew onto head. Fold arms and legs in half lengthways, join seams leaving the top open to fill with stuffing and sew onto body. Using contrast yarn embroider eyes, nose and mouth as shown. See ball band for washing and further yarn care instructions.