Are you ready to bring a little piece of the arctic wilderness into your home? Well then, I’d like to introduce you to Nanook the Polar Bear. From shaping his adorable features, to using creative color work on his warm sweater, to making his cozy removable hood, I’ve got you covered step-by-step with this polar bear free crochet pattern and video tutorial.
Jump into the pattern now, or PIN it for later here:
Imagine the satisfaction of snuggling up to a fluffy, adorable polar bear—except this one is not just any store-bought toy. It’s a creation of your very own, crafted with love and skill through the art of crochet.
Perfect as a gift, a toy or a symbol of your passion for crochet, this unique polar bear free crochet pattern is ready and waiting for you to bring it to life. Experience the joy of creating something adorable and endearing, stitch by stitch.
This polar bear pattern is supported by ads on my blog. You can find the 12-page PDF printable, ad-free pattern of this bear on my Etsy shop here or on Ravelry here.
This polar bear free crochet pattern is written in US terms. If needed, you can find a handy term conversion chart right here in my Resource Library.
You can find the printable, AD-FREE version of this pattern here:
Polar Bear Free Crochet Pattern Notes & Tips:
Size & Gauge:
Size: Nanook the Polar Bear will end up being 11″ tall.
Gauge: 4”x4” of single crochet = 28 stitches x 30 rows. Ultimately with toys, gauge doesn’t matter. It won’t have to fit someone’s body or a specific space. My patterns will include the size of the finished toy based on the yarn and hook I use. But if you want it smaller or bigger, just use a bigger yarn and hook! Just remember, when crocheting toys, crochet tightly and choose a hook one size smaller than the yarn size recommends in order to avoid holes between each stitch where the stuffing will show through.
Yarn & Stuffing:
Yarn: Take your choice of yarn! Choose colors that bring you joy and fibers that feel good between your fingers. I use 100% cotton yarn because I make these toys for my kids and need them to be functional. Cotton is natural, washable, soft, and relatively inflexible so the toys don’t stretch and sag – even after being thrown across the house, down the stairs and adventured through every part of the garden!
Stuffing: Stuff more than you think you should. Not enough for the stitches to stretch and show holes, but enough to make the toy stiff and able to withstand the rough trials of toy life. The filling will compress a bit over time. I encourage you to use an alternative to poly-fill (unless it’s recycled!). Try using leftover yarn scraps and snippets or old non-donate-able clothes and materials cut into strips.
Policies & Disclaimers:
This pattern is for PERSONAL USE ONLY. This pattern or parts of it may not be reproduced, resold, distributed, published, altered, translated, posted or shared without authorization. You can sell your finished items provided that you credit Off the Beaten Hook as the designer using this verbiage, “This pattern was designed by Lindsey Roe and Off the Beaten Hook.” Thank you for your respectfulness!
This post contains affiliate links for materials I use and love. If you purchase something using one of these links I may earn a small commission which in no way affects the cost to you. These partnerships help me support my small business which allows me to provide you with free crochet patterns. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support!
What makes this pattern eco -friendly and sustainable?
THE YARN: I use only sustainable and eco-friendly yarn that has been ethically grown/raised and processed, putting the people and the planet first. I also place an emphasis on sourcing yarn from transparent companies that implement environmentally sustainable practices and who put the people, animals and planet first.
THE STUFFING: I used Hoooked 100% Recycled Fluffy Cotton Filling to stuff this toy. You can also use left over yarn snippets (save them all – they add up fast!) or old fiber you’ve cut into strips.
THE SLOW YARN MOVEMENT: I’m participating in the Slow Yarn Movement. There’s far too much to talk about here, but please take a few minutes to learn about what this means by reading the article I wrote about the Slow Yarn Movement as part of my 6-part Sustainable Crochet Series.
I’M MAKING SUSTAINABLE TOYS FOR MY KIDS: This is the reason I learned how to crochet to begin with! I wanted my son to have mostly sustainable toys to play with as I eliminated a huge amount of non-renewable plastics from our house. I replaced his plastic food and veg toys with crochet ones instead!
If you’re interested in learning more about sustainable crochet you can read all about it in the 6-part series I did covering everything about Sustainable Crochet and how to implement it into your own crafting starting today!
Materials you will need:
Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to get started.
YARN:
- Rico Essentials Organic Cotton DK
- 100% Organic Cotton | Weight: 3/DK/Light Worsted | 115 yards per ball
- YOU’LL NEED: Cream (body color) x2 balls (about 130 yards)
- Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- 100% Cotton | Weight: 3/DK/Light Worsted | 137 yards per ball
- YOU’LL NEED: Racing Green (main sweater & hood color): x1 ball (about 100 yards)
- Rico Creative Ricorumi DK
- 100% Cotton | Weight: 3/DK/Light Worsted | 137 yards per ball
- YOU’LL NEED: Mustard (mountains on sweater & hood poms): x1 ball (about 60 yards)
- Black | 100% Cotton DK (nose & ears): leftovers of whatever – you won’t use much at all!
YARN SUBSTITUTION OPTIONS:
If you can’t access the recommended yarn for this pig free crochet pattern, want to explore other colors, or would just prefer to use a different yarn, here are some others that will work well! All of these are DK weight:
100% Cotton Options:
- Deramores Studio Organic Cotton DK
- Stylecraft Naturals Organic Cotton
- Rico Essentials Organic Cotton DK
- Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK
- Rowan Handknit Cotton
- Debbie Bliss Cotton DK
Cotton Blend & Other Fiber Options:
- Scheepjes Linen Soft (Cotton/Linen/Acrylic)
- Paintbox Yarns Simply DK (Acrylic)
- Stylecraft Bamboo & Cotton Blend
- Sirdar Stories DK (Cotton/Acrylic)
- Valley Yarns Haydenville DK (Wool/Acrylic)
OTHER TOOLS & MATERIALS:
- Crochet Hook: 3.00mm
- Safety Eyes: 8.00mm
- Tapestry Needle
- Stitch Markers
- Measuring Tape
- Scissors
- Stuffing (here’s a great chance to use all those tiny yarn snippets you’ve been saving for stuffing!)
Abbreviations used in the polar bear free crochet pattern:
ch – chain
st – stitch
hk – hook
sl st – slip stitch
sk – skip
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
BLO – back loop only
inc – increase
dec – decrease
fhdc – foundation half double crochet
(…) x – repeat instructions indicated number of times
[…] – number of stitches in row/round
PH – photo for reference
Meet Nanook:
In the land of snow and icy chill,
Lived a polar bear, big and ill-will.
With a roar that shook the frozen ground,
Nanook bullied others, all around.
He’d slide on ice and cause a fright,
Making cubs and seals shiver with fright.
His heart was cold, like winter’s breeze,
No care or kindness, just mischief and tease.
But one cold day, through ice and snow,
He met a wise walrus, under moon’s glow.
“Dear bear,” she said like a gentle dove,
“Why spread fear? Why not spread love?”
This caught Nanook off his guard,
Now this he could not disregard
He didn’t know he had the choice
to spread love – not fear – with his voice
So he changed his ways and made amends,
Received forgiveness and made new friends.
He helped lost penguins find their way,
Guided seals through the icy bay.
No more growls or nasty sneers,
Instead, he’d offer smiles and cheers.
No longer feared, but loved instead,
Nanook’s kindness blossomed and spread.
So let this tale of change inspire,
That even bullies can aspire.
To change their ways and make things right,
And shine as beacons of pure light
The Polar Bear Free Crochet Pattern:
SNOUT:
NOTES:
- The snout, ears and tail are worked in continuous rounds – do not join after each round
- I cover the making of the snout in it’s entirety in the video tutorial
Start with natural yarn, chain 6
Rnd 1: sc in the 2nd ch from hk and in the next 3 ch, inc in last ch. Continue on the other side of the ch: sc 4, inc in last st [12]
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) x6 [18]
Rnd 3: sc around [18]
Rnd 4: (sc 5, inc) x3 [21]
Rnd 5: sc around [21]
Rnd 6: (sc 6, inc) x3 [24]
Rnd 7: (sc 7, inc) x3 [27]
Embroider the black nose onto the snout – PH 01, 02, 03, 04 below:
Thread your tapestry needle with black yarn and embroider the nose by inserting your needle from back to front between rows 1 & 2 on the bottom and back to the inside between rows 2 and 3 over the top of the snout. Repeat over and over again across using 4 stitches across the bottom and about 8 stitches across the top. For the mouth, bring the tapestry need from back to front at the bottom center of the nose and down back to the inside at round 7.
Ears – make 2:
Rnd 1: st 6 in a magic circle [6]
Rnd 2: inc in each st around [12]
Rnd 3-5: sc in each st around [12]
Fasten with a sl st. Snip, leaving a long tail for sewing on.
Embroider the black hair on the ears:
Using the black yarn threaded double through a tapestry needle, insert the tapestry needle from back to front through a stitch in the center of the ear between Rnds 3-4. Bring the yarn straight down and insert the needle through the stitch directly below at Rnd 5. Continue in this way, making an “asterisk/star” shape with embroidery. Tie off and bring yarn tails to inside.
HEAD:
NOTES:
- The head is worked in continuous rounds from the top down – do not join after each round
- You’ll stop at the top of the neck to add the facial features, and then pick up where you left off and continue on with the body
Use the natural colored yarn.
Rnd 1: st 6 sc in a magic circle [6]
Rnd 2: inc in each st around [12]
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]
Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) x6 [24]
Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc) x6 [30]
Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc) x6 [36]
Rnd 7: (sc 5, inc) x6 [42]
Rnd 8: (sc 6, inc) x6 [48]
Rnd 9-10: sc around [48]
Rnd 11: (sc 7, inc) x6 [54]
Rnd 12-13: sc around [54]
Rnd 14: (sc 8, inc) x6 [60]
Rnd 15-23: sc around [60]
Rnd 24: (sc 8, dec) x6 [54]
Rnd 25: (sc 7 st, dec) x6 [48]
Rnd 26: (sc 6 st, dec) x6 [42]
Rnd 27: (sc 5 st, dec) x6 [36]
Rnd 28: (sc 5, inc) x6 [42] PH 05
Stop for a moment and apply the facial features – refer to the video tutorial for help with the snout! When placing the facial features, make sure the front of the bear is on the opposite side of where the start / end of your rounds are so the sweater color change will be to the back.
- Stuff the snout and sew it to the head over rounds 15-24. PH 06
- Insert the safety eyes to the right and left of the snout between rounds 16 & 17, spaced 3 stitches away from the snout on either side. PH 07
- Flatten the ears and sew to the head over rounds 6-10 centered over the top of the head, using the snout as your guide for the center of the head. PH 08
BODY:
NOTES:
- The body is worked in continuous rounds – do not join after each round
- Pick up straight away where you left off on the head, but change to the shirt color
Switch to sweater colored yarn
Rnd 29: (sc 6, inc) x6 [48]
Rnd 30-31: sc around [48]
Rnd 32: (sc 15, inc) x3 [51]
Rnd 33-34: sc around [51]
Rnd 35: (sc 16, inc) x3 [54]
Rnd 36-37: sc around [54]
Rnd 38: (sc 17, inc) x3 [57]
Rnd 39-40: sc around [57]
Rnd 41: (sc 18, inc) x3 [60]
Rnd 42-43: sc around [60]
Rnd 44: (sc 19, inc) x3 [63]
For Rounds 45-48 you’ll be doing several color changes as you create the mustard yellow mountains. Refresh yourself on color changing if you need to (bringing in the new color during the last yarn over of the previous color)! I carried the secondary color along the row with me as I did the color changes. You’ll be single crocheting around for these rows without any increasing or decreasing, so I simply used the abbreviation of “G” to represent using the Green yarn and “Y” to represent using the Yellow yarn. Refer to the color chart above to give you a visual of these 4 rows as well!
Rnd 45: sc around using this color pattern: (G sc 3, Y sc 1, G sc 3) x9 [63] PH 09
Rnd 46: sc around using this color pattern: (G sc 2, Y sc 3, G sc 2) x9 [63]
Rnd 47: sc around using this color pattern: (G sc 1, Y sc 5, G sc 1) x9 [63]
Rnd 48: sc around with yellow [63]
Rnd 49: sl st around with yellow [63]
Switch to natural colored yarn
Rnd 50: through both loops of Rnd 48, (behind the Rnd 49 of slip stitches), sc around. [63] PH 10-12
Rnd 51: (sc 20, inc) x3 [66]
Rnd 52-60: sc around [66] PH 13
Stuff the body before splitting for the legs.
LEGS:
SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE: The legs and feet are worked in continuous rounds – do not join after each round. In order for the toes to be on the right side of the legs, Rnds 68, 69 & 72 on the feet are done in differently for the second leg. The main goal here is to realize that the decreases and increases being done during these rounds are creating the front of the foot, so one way or another be sure the increases and decreases are being done at the FRONT CENTER of the round. Stuff as you go along.
Split round 60 for the legs: There will be 25 st for each leg and 16 st for the gap in between – 8 from the front and 8 from the back.
It should be close already, but give or take a few stitches to position your hook at the back of the bear at the stitch just before the gap in the legs.
You now have your hook positioned for closing the gap between the legs. Holding the front and back together, sl st closed with 8 sl st. Then, continue straight away to the first leg.
Leg #1:
Rnd 61-63: sc around [25]
Rnd 64: (sc 3, dec) x5 [20]
Rnd 65-66: sc around [20]
Rnd 67: (sc 2, dec) x5 [15]
Rnd 68: sc 10, inc 5 [20]
Rnd 69: sc 14, inc 2, sc 4 [22]
Rnd 70-71: sc around [22] PH 16
Rnd 72: sc 14, dec 2, sc 4 [20]
Rnd 73: BLO (sc 2, dec) x5 [15]
Rnd 74: (sc, dec) x5 [10]
Rnd 75: dec around [5] PH 17
Sl st in the next st and snip, leaving a long tail. Pull the tail through the final 2 loops. Using the yarn end and a tapestry needle, thread the yarn through the front loop only of the remaining 5 stitches and pull tightly to close. Bring the yarn to the inside and back out one of the side walls. Snip cleanly with the surface.
Leg #2: Sl Knot onto your hook and rejoin
at the back gap
Rnd 61-63: sc around [25]
Rnd 64: (sc 3, dec) x5 [20]
Rnd 65-66: sc around [20]
Rnd 67: (sc 2, dec) x5 [15]
Rnd 68: sc 3, inc 5, sc 7 [20]
Rnd 69: sc 7, inc 2, sc 11 [22]
Rnd 70-71: sc around [22] PH 00
Rnd 72: sc 8, dec 2, sc 10 [20]
Rnd 73: BLO (sc 2, dec) x5 [15]
Rnd 74: (sc, dec) x5 [10]
Rnd 75: dec around [5] Close as you did Leg #1
ARMS – make 2:
NOTE:
- The arms are worked in continuous rounds – do not join after each round
- Very lightly stuff the arms. If you stuff them to hard, they’ll stick out straight sideways and won’t lay flat against the body.
Begin with natural yarn.
Rnd 1: st 5 sc in a magic circle [5]
Rnd 2: inc in each st around [10]
Rnd 3-6: sc around [10]
Switch to sweater colored yarn.
Rnd 7-25: sc around [10]
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing on. Using a tapestry needle, sew Rnd 25 closed. Sew the arms to the sides of the body at Rnd 29.
TAIL:
Rnd 1: st 6 in a magic circle [6]
Rnd 2: inc in each st around [12]
Rnd 3-5: sc in each st around [12]
Fasten with a sl st, leaving a long tail for sewing on. Stuff tail and sew onto bum over rounds 49-52.
HOOD:
NOTES:
- The hood is worked in turning rows – chain 2 and turn after every row
- The ch 2 at the end of the row does NOT count as a stitch
- The hood uses the green colored yarn (or whatever color you used for the sweater)
Row 1: fhdc 45, ch 2, turn [45]
Row 2-5: hdc across [45]
Row 6: hdc 12, ch 7, sk 7, hdc 7, ch 7, sk 7, hdc 12 [31 hdc + 14 ch] PH 20
Be sure your hood fits over the ears where you made the ear slits in Row 6. PH 21 If not, adjust the openings as appropriate.
Row 7-16: hdc across [45] PHOTO 23
Fold the hood in half PH 22, and, picking up the yarn where you left off, seam the hood closed down the back with a row of slip stitches. Sl st through both loops of the stitches on each side PH 23 Fasten off and weave in end. PHOTO 24
POMS & HOOD TIES:
Make lots of tiny yellow poms! I used the smallest size pom pom maker I had and was able to fit 17 around the hood. The actual size of pom-pom is not critical so if your poms are bigger, that’s okay! For the ties, take a length of yellow yarn about 25-30 inches long and fold it in thirds. Loop it through the corner of the hood, snip the ends, braid the tie and knot off at the end. Add a pom to the end of a tie. I simply thread the pom onto a tapestry needle and push it through the end knot of the tie. Knot off and snip. Repeat on other side. PH 25-27
Add the rest of the poms evenly across the front of the hood. I simply bring one strand of the pom tail through the stitch, tie off well and snip! PH 28-29
POLAR BEAR FREE CROCHET PATTERN VIDEO TUTORIAL:
Unleash your inner artist, embrace the therapeutic rhythm of the hook, and create a bond between yourself and your polar bear that transcends the limits of hook and thread.
I would love to see your completed polar bears. Please post pictures on instagram and tag me @offthebeatenhook and use #offthebeatenhook. Cheers!
PIN THIS POLAR BEAR FREE CROCHET PATTERN FOR LATER!
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