Tiny Bear Basics: Knit Wardrobe Essentials for a Teddy Bear

 If you caught last week’s post, I made the Candy Bear pattern from Mary Jane’s Tearoom Shop. The bear was never the end goal; the whole reason for this project was to make her a whole wardrobe out of scrap yarn. Basically, I wanted to play dress-up—which is arguably more fun now as an adult with the ability to knit, crochet, and sew. It’s the best of both worlds: a fun, creative project and a way to use up leftovers that might otherwise sit around.

Since then, she’s gotten a bit of a style upgrade—and a name. Since the only name suggestions I got for her were Picklebean and Ziggy Noodles (thank you, Ashley), I had to take matters into my own hands. Her name is Teddi with an ‘i’ (like Teddi Mellencamp from RHOBH). Slightly tomboyish and effortlessly cool. Maybe a little lazy, or maybe sometimes the low-hanging fruit is just ripe to eat.

I’m sharing this partly because it’s been turning out so cute, but also in case it sparks some ideas for anyone who wants to make a wardrobe for their own bear, doll, or any little character. Along the way, I’ve made a few tweaks, learned what works, and what doesn’t—and it’s all been a lot of fun.

I mentioned I was working on her original outfit that came with the pattern, so I’ll show that first. But I’ve also been making her a base wardrobe— a few mix-and-match pieces to lay the groundwork for future outfits. Here’s a closer look at everything she has in her closet so far.

The OG

The original outfit that comes with the Candy Bear pattern includes a striped turtleneck sweater, overalls, and the cutest pair of shoes—they’re socks and flats combined in one piece. I already showed the shoes in my last post, since I had to make sure they fit before sewing the leg on, but I just love how they turned out.

For the sweater, I made it with worsted weight instead of DK like the pattern calls for. So I had to adjust the numbers a little bit, but it turned out great and fits her like a glove. 

For the overalls, I again used worsted weight yarn and adjusted the numbers a bit, but this time not so great. They didn’t even really turn out as a pair of overalls, since I ran out of the color I wanted to use, more like a pair of bloomer shorts. And the stitch count wasn’t quite right so they’re a little tight in a way that make her feel self-conscious, but still technically wearable. 

I probably could’ve redone the overalls in a different yarn that I had more of, but I already knew that outfit wasn't really her style. The pieces are all super cute on their own—especially the shoes and sweater—but together, it just wasn't quite the vibe I was going for. I mostly wanted to make it as a jumping-off point, to get a feel for the proportions and construction before figuring out what Teddi would actually wear.

The Basics

After finishing her original outfit, I wanted to make Teddi a base wardrobe—simple and wearable pieces that could go with whatever I make her down the line. These first few pieces are all inspired by staples from my own closet: baggy ripped jeans, Converse-style sneakers, and a couple of tank tops in black and white. For now, her vibe is just my literal child. And like any child, I’m sure with time she’ll grow into more of her own style. 

Baggy Ripped Jeans

These might be my favorite thing I’ve made for her so far. I used this {link} pattern from Etsy (it’s meant for teddy bears and dolls), and I followed the directions pretty much exactly. It comes with three size—I used the one for the 15” bear, and they fit almost perfectly. I just had to cinch the waist a little to make sure they’d stay up. The yarn I used is a cotton-acrylic blend, which I happened to already have in the perfect shade of denim-y blue. It’s the only DK weight yarn I had in jeans color, and I liked that it had some cotton in it so the texture came out more matte and jeans-like. The acrylic in the blend helped give them just enough give to slide on without too much struggle.

For the rip, I cast off a few stitches where I wanted it to land, then cast them back on in the next row. To finish it off, I filled the gap with little strands of white cotton to mimic the frayed threads. I also did the embroidery along the hem, side seams, and fake zipper area like the pattern shows, and sewed on half of a metal snap backward so it looked like a tiny silver jeans button. They turned out even better than I pictured in my head. I love the idea that if I ever knit her a matching sweater, we could twin from head to toe.

Converse-style Sneakers

Speaking of toes, these were a tweak of the original Candy Bear shoe pattern. I followed the base of the shoe as written, but stopped the body of the shoe early, before it got high enough to become a flat. And then at the end I added a little tongue to the front by casting off at the start of the last two rows, leaving just the middle six stitches that sit on top of the foot. I worked 2 rows flat on those, then did a k2tog on each end when binding off so it would look a little more rounded. After that, I added laces with some sport weight yarn. I think these came out really cute and make for a great second pair. The flats are more girly and dressy, while these are more everyday casual.

Tank Tops (Black & White)

These two are basically the same—simple tanks in DK weight acrylic yarn, one in white and one in black. I freehanded these by swatching to get the gauge, measuring my bear, and then casting on from there. I did a couple rows of moss stitch for the hem, and I cast off a few stitches for the underarms and worked a few rows of decreasing to shape the yoke. For the straps, I just continued working off of the front piece and sewed them to the back. The white one uses a 3-stitch i-cord for the straps, and the black one has slightly thicker moss stitch straps instead. 

I made these with layering in mind—like I already know I want to make her a mini version of my Bamboo Bloom Raglan eventually, and I’d want her to have something to wear under it. They’re also just good basics to have for anything I might make her in the future, like cardigans or statement tops. Plus, black and white go with literally everything.

That’s all she’s got in her closet for now. These pieces aren’t the most flashy or exciting, but they make a good starting point for more interesting outfits later on. I’m currently working on the Aros sweater from PetiteKnit for myself, and if I have enough yarn left over, I’d love top make her a matching mini version. I’m also someone who loves dressing for the seasons and holidays—so, by extension, so does Teddi. That said, there will be future updates, so if you found any of this helpful, interesting, or simply cute, feel free to stay tuned. 

And since I didn’t go into full detail on every piece, if you’re curious about how I made something or have any questions, feel free to ask. 

(Also, yes, I let my daughter get her ears double pierced.)