Making a Trauma Teddy - Instructions
What materials to use?
Yarn
- Double Knitting Wool, 4 Ply or 8 Ply Wool.
- Use small quantities of each wool for bear head, paws and feet; sweater, trousers and scarf.
- The brighter the colours, the livelier the bear will look.
- Using scraps, and left over of materials are ideal for this project.
- Make them as colourful or as plain as you like - each bear you make will be one of a kind.
Stuffing
- Use only new, clean polyester for stuffing the bears.
Gauge
- The crocheting must be tight enough that the stuffing will not come through.
- Make a little swatch and check for closeness of stitches. Change crochet hooks if necessary.
Important things to remember before you start
Important notes to read before you start knitting a Trauma Teddy.
- Do what you are best at: Some people are good knitters but don’t like sewing seams or embroidering faces. Other people are best at the finishing process. The Dry Arch can provide advice and help.
- Only a safe and strong Teddy can become a Dry Arch Trauma Teddy: Imagine that the Teddy will be hugged and chewed by a distressed little child, or held hard by someone in pain. It must be made of clean, safe materials and must not fall apart.
- Yarn: Double knitting wool, 4/8 ply or cotton wool.
- Size of the Teddy: You can make “Original” or “Little” Trauma Teddies. An Original Teddy should be approximately 28 cm (11 inches) before filling, or 32cm tall after filling. A Little Teddy should be approximately 20 cm (8 inches) before filling, or 23 cm (9 inches) tall after filling.
- Needles: Use size 4mm (11) or 4.5mm (10) needles depending on whether you are a loose or firm knitter. If your Teddy is too long, use thinner needles. If it is too short, use thicker needles.
- Head and hands: For the head, use a colour that is light enough for the black features to be seen clearly. If you want your Teddy to have “hands”, change the colour for a few stitches at the beginning and end of rows in the sleeves by twisting the yarns together on the “wrong” side of the knitting.
- No loose pieces: Trauma Teddies must never have any loose pieces or extras such as scarves unless they are knitted into the fabric of the Teddy.
- Yarn for sewing up: Whenever you cast on or off, or change colour, leave plenty of yarn for sewing up. Be sure to leave enough extra “head colour” yarn for the neck and ears.
- No knots: Yarn must be joined only at the end of the row - no knots in the middle of rows! If the wool runs out, unpick the row and join the new yarn at the edge.
Knitting Pattern for Original Trauma Teddies
Knitting Needles: 3mm (Size 11) knitting needle. A stitch holder or large safety pin would be useful.
KEY:
Garter stitch: - all rows are knitted
Stocking stitch: - one row knit, one row purl
PATTERN:
Paws and trousers:
Using main teddy colour cast on 10 stitches and proceed in garter stitch for 10 rows. Change to trouser colour and continue in garter stitch for 30 rows.
Break off yarn and repeat, casting on again for other leg.
Stitches can be left on pin or stitch holder for ease.
Using garter stitch and trouser colour, knit across all 20 stitches and work 16 rows.
Jumper:
Change to jumper colour and work 24 rows.
Head and Face:
Change to main teddy colour and in stocking stitch work 5.5 inches.
Change back to jumper colour and in garter stitch work 24 rows. Continue working in reverse order to complete legs and paws.
Stitch a happy face onto front of head using back or stem stitch in black or dark coloured yarn. Fold knitting in half at top of head to locate position.
On wrong side, stitch sides of head together then turn right way.
Arms:
Pick up 8 stitches either side of neck join (16 in total) and in garter stitch work 20 rows.
Change to main teddy colour for paws and work a further 10 rows. Cast off. Repeat for other arm.
To Make Up:
On wrong side, stitch up teddy with relevant colours leaving an opening in crotch for stuffing.
Turn to right side.
Stitch across corners of head for ears before stuffing.
Stuff rest of teddy and finish stitching crotch area.
Run a thread around the neck area and draw in slightly to
create better shape.
Scarf:
Cast on 75 stitches in bright coloured yarn and using garter stitch work 4 rows and cast
off. Tie round neck and stitch securely to back of neck.
Do not stitch down at front.
Crochet Pattern for Original Trauma Teddies
Knitting Needles: Use size 4mm or 4.5mm needles.
Key
- rnd = Round
- dc= double crochet
- sk = Skip
- slst = Slip Stitch
- st(s) = Stich(es)
- inc = increase
- dec = decrease
Head and Body
Rnd 1; 6 dc in 2nd ch from hook (or in magic loop and close)
Rnd 2: 2 dc in ea around (12)
Rnd 3: * dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (18)
Rnd 4: * 2 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (24)
Rnd 5: * 3 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (30)
Rnd 6: * 4 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (36)
Rnd 7: * 5 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (42)
Rnd 8: * 6 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (48)
Rnd 9: * 7 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (54)
Rnd 10: * 8 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (60)
Rnd 11: * 9 dc, inc, repeat from * 5 more times (66)
Rnd 12- 24: dc in ea stitch around.
Rnd 25: * 9 dc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (60)
Rnd 26: * 8 dc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (54)
Rnd 27: * 7 dc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (48)
Rnd 28: * 7 dc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (42)
Crochet in the front loop only to create the bears neck.
Stuff the head at this point.
Rnd 29: dc in the FL only of ea stitch around
Rnd 30: *6 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (48)
Rnd 31: dc in ea stitch around.
Rnd 32: *7 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (54)
Rnd 33: dc in ea stitch around.
Rnd 34: *8 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (60)
Rnd 35: dc in ea stitch around.
Rnd 36: *9 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (66)
Rnd 37: dc in ea stitch around.
Rnd 38: *10 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (48)
Rnd 39-51: dc in ea sc around.
Rnd 52: *10 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (66)
Rnd 53: *9 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (60)
Rnd 54: *8 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (54)
Rnd 55: *7 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (48)
Rnd 56: *6 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (42)
Rnd 57: * 5 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (36)
Rnd 58: *4 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (30)
Rnd 59: *3 dc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (32)
Stuff the Body
Rnd 60; * 2 dc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (18)
Rnd 61; * dc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (12)
Rnd 62; * dc, sk, rep from * 5 more times (6)
FO, leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining sts and pull to close. Weave in end.
Arms (Make 2)
Ch 2 or begin with magic loop.
Rnd 1: 5 sc in 2nd from hook (or into magic loop and close)
Rnd 2: Sc in ea sc around (10)
Rnd 3: * Sc, inc rep from * 4 more times (15)
Rnd 4: * 2 Sc, inc rep from * 4 more times (20)
Rnd 3: * 3 Sc, inc rep from * 4 more times (25)
Rnd 6-8; Sc in ea sc around
Rnd 9: * 3 sc, dec, rep, from * 4 more times (20)
Rnd 10-18; Sc in ea sc around
Stuff arm and flatten the opening so that the sts line up in pairs. Sc the pairs together to close.
FO, leaving long tail. Pin to body in position and sew using long tail.
Repeat for other arm.
Legs (make 2)
Ch 2 or begin with magic loop.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd from hook (or into magic loop and close)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc of round (12)
Rnd 3: * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (18)
Rnd 4: * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (24)
Rnd 5: * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (30)
Rnd 6: * sc, inc, rep from * 5 more times (36)
Rnd 7-9: 2 sc in ea sc around
Rnd 10; *4 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (30)
Rnd 11; *4 sc, dec, rep from * 5 more times (24)
To complete the Teddy yourself, see the instructions below. If you prefer to pass your Trauma Teddies on to your Dry Arch for completion, tie the two sides together so they won’t get separated from each other.
Trauma Teddy (approx. 28cm long)
Completing the Trauma Teddy
Sewing up - Sewing pins or needles, left inside Teddies, could cause harm and distress. Do not use pins at all and use just one sewing needle at a time. Better safe than sorry. Use the yarn left when changing colour to sew up the Teddy, using small neat stitches. Leave the top of the head open. Darn about 2cm of yarn into the seam or across the back of the fabric, so seams don't come undone if the Teddy is cuddled too hard. Don't leave long ends inside that a child could pull through and wrap around a finger.
Filling - Trauma Teddies should be stuffed with a polyester monofilament (Dacron) fibre approved by the Dry Arch Children’s Centre. Bean bag filling, corn, stockings, foam rubber and cut up rags are never to be used. Tear the filling into small pieces and fluff it up before filling the legs and body. The Teddy should be firm, but not too hard. A good test is to hold it by the legs - it should be able to “stand up”. Using small stitches, make a gathering thread at the row where the colour changes for the head. Draw the thread to make a well-defined neck, but don't pull it too tight. If necessary, push more filling into the body and arms. Fill the head firmly. Join the two cast off edges at the top of the head with a neat seam, putting in more filling if necessary.
The face - Make a happy face, with an upturned mouth. Use black wool for all the features. It can be sewn using any stitch, but stitches should cover no more than two rows or two stitches of knitting, to stop a small finger getting caught. To avoid the risk of choking, under no circumstances are plastic eyes, noses or buttons to be sewn on.
Quality control - Never hand out a Trauma Teddy until it has been inspected by your local coordinator and the Dry Arch Children’s Centre identification label has been sewn (not glued) onto Teddy’s tummy.
Trauma Teddies (approx. 32cm long)