polar bear pouch

I have a new winter holiday pattern for you this year: a little knitted pouch, with a flap shaped as a polar bear face! This quick knit makes a sweet tree ornament, or it can be worn as a necklace. Hide a surprise or a treasure inside to make it extra special!

You need to know how to knit in the round, increase, decrease (ssk and k2tog), and make bobbles. An intermediate-level knitter should be able to knit and finish at least one of these in an evening. But don't be intimidated if you're more of a beginner: this project is so small, it's a great way to learn a new skill!

You will find the full pattern below, or download the PDF from Ravelry. Happy holiday knitting!

P.S. If this project is not your style, try one of my other free holiday patterns: Holiday Mice, Inuk and Seal, Reindeer finger-puppet, Mini Pookies. (Ravelry links: Holiday Mice, Inuk and Seal, Reindeer finger-puppet, and Mini Pookies.)

Polar Bear Pouch

Yarn to make 1: 5-10 g of cream or white fingering weight yarn

Needles and Notions: set of four 2.75 mm (US size 2) double pointed needles (dpns), tapestry needle, two 3 mm black beads or buttons, one 1 cm (3/8”) black button, narrow ribbon for cord (for length, see finishing instructions), thread and hand-sewing needle to attach buttons and ribbon, bell etc for embellishment (optional).

Gauge: 8 sts and 11 rows = 2.5 cm (1") in st st

Size: 5 cm (2”) tall

Special Stitches

mb = make bobble (for ears): increase 5 sts into next stitch by k1, p1, k1, p1, k1 into this st. Turn, p5. Turn, ssk, k1, k2tog, then pass first 2 sts over last to have 1 st remaining.

Instructions

CO 16 sts. Divide stitches between 3 needles.

Rnd 1: Join in the round, knit.

Rnd 2: [k1, m1, k7, m1] x 2. (20 sts)

Rnd 3: Knit.

Rnd 4: [k1, m1, k9, m1] x 2. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: Knit.

Rnd 6: [k1, m1, k11, m1] x 2. (28 sts)

Rnd 7-13: Knit 7 rnds.

Rnd 14: [k5, ssk, k1, k2tog, k4] x 2. (24 sts)

Rnd 15-19: Knit 5 rnds.

Rnd 20: k1, bind off 10 sts, k to end. (14 sts)

Place all sts onto one dpn. Pouch flap is knit flat:

Row 21 (WS): k2, p10, k2.

Row 22: k3, mb, k6, mb, k3.

Row 23: k2, p10, k2.

Row 24: Knit.

Row 25-28: Repeat Rows 23-24 twice.

Row 29: k2, p10, k2.

Row 30: k4, k2tog, k2, ssk, k4. (12 sts)

Row 31: k2, p8, k2.

Row 32: k3, k2tog, k2, ssk, k3. (10 sts)

Row 33: k2, p6, k2.

Row 34: k2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k2. (8 sts)

Row 35: k2, p4, k2.

Row 36: [k2tog] x 2, yo, [ssk] x 2. (5 sts)

Bind off.

Finishing Instructions

Sew together cast-on edge of pouch. Weave in yarn ends on WS. 

With thread and hand-sewing needle, sew smaller buttons/beads to pouch flap for eyes. 

Fold flap down over pouch, mark where button nose needs to be placed, then sew larger button to pouch front. The pouch can have a short cord* (10-12 cm, 5”) for hanging as an ornament, or a long cord for wearing as a necklace (20-24”). Fold over 3 mm (1/4”) at one end of the ribbon. With thread and hand-sewing needle, sew this end, with folded edge towards pouch, just below and to outside of one ear. Repeat for other end of ribbon.

Bells or other embellishments can be added to the pouch. I’ve added a small bell to the bottom to add extra colour. You could also try a ribbon bow, fancy buttons, or just leave it simple.

*If you don’t have ribbon, you could make I-cord for the pouch, but this is not shown in the pattern.
With 4 mm dpns, cast on 4 sts. Work in I-cord until you reach desired length. Bind off. Sew cord ends to top corners of pouch, and weave in yarn ends on WS.

Abbreviations

[ ] x N = repeat sequence in brackets N times ("to end" means to repeat until the end of the row)

CO = cast on

K = knit

k2tog = decrease 1 by knitting 2 together

m1 = increase 1 by picking up loop between stitch just worked and next stitch, from front to back, and knit into the back of this loop

P = purl

Rnd = round

RS = right side

ssk = decrease 1 by slipping 2 stitches purl-wise, then knit slipped stitches together

st or sts = stitch or stitches

st st = stockinette stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS)

WS = wrong side

yo = yarn over: increase 1 st by taking yarn from back, over needle, then to the back again to work next st