Bees have infested my house. Not the buzzing, stinging variety, but soft, cuddly, shiny bees. Everywhere I look I see fluffy iridescent wings and crooked stares. This cute little bee is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand or hang in a window, soft enough to cuddle, and yet big enough for my teenagers to chuck at each other. The wings are a great size for baby hands to hold on to.
It’s been a hard couple of weeks with very low energy, focus or creativity. However I know that with self care and patience I always go back up to some semblance of stability in my energy levels. Yep time and patience. Sigh. Catching a glimpse of these colorful bees raises my spirits and makes me smile.
Crochet helps me so much. Between the mindful practice of creating something and the pleasure I get from looking at the cute fuzziness around me I have a sense of purpose and joy, This is the first animal I have created from scratch and it has worked out better than I had hoped.
The pattern is free below or you can purchase a pdf copy at my etsy and ravelry shops. It includes instruction to crochet eyes if you want to give it to someone under 3 years old. I use worsted weight yarn and a 4mm crochet hook for the body, Aunt Lydia’s metallic 10 cotton and 3mm hook for the wings.
Bee Pattern
This cute little bee will be buzzing around your flowers in no time.
You will need
Worsted weight yarn
Vanna’s Choice Yellow and Black for body
Lace / cotton 10 for eyes and wings
Aunt Lydia’s cotton 10 Black – eyes
Aunt Lydia’s metallic 10 – white – wings
4mm (US H/8) crochet hook – body
3mm (US ) crochet hook – wings and eyes
12mm safety eyes if not making them
Yarn needle
Scissors
Stuffing
Stitch Guide
Ch – chain
Sc – single crochet
Inc – increase, 2 sc in stitch
sc2tog- decrease, stitch 2 sc together
Sl st – slip stitch
St – stitch
Gauge
16 sc and 18 rows = 4”(10cm)
Pattern
This is made in the round so do not join. Use a scrap of yarn or stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round.
Body
Foundation round: make a magic ring with BLACK
Rnd 1 4 sc in ring. (4)
Rnd 2 (sc in the next st, inc) * repeat 2 times, switch to YELLOW on last st. (6)
Rnd 3 2sc in each st. (12)
Rnd 4 (sc in the next st, inc)* repeat 6 times (18)
Rnd 5 (sc in the next 2 sts, inc)* repeat 6 times (24)
Rnd 6 sc in each st., switch to BLACK on last st. (24)
Rnd 7 (sc in the next 3 sts, inc)* repeat 6 times (30)
Rnd 8 sc in each st. (30)
Rnd 9 (sc in the next 4 sts, inc)* repeat 6 times, switch to YELLOW on last st. (36)
Rnds10-11 sc in each st. (36)
Rnd 12 (sc in the next 4 sts, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times, switch to BLACK on last st. (30)
Rnd 13-14 sc in each st. (30)
Rnd 15 (sc in the next 3 sts, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times, switch to YELLOW on last st. (24)
Rnd 16-18 sc in each st. (24)
Rnd 19 (sc in the next 2 sts, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times (18)
Stuff body firmly with fibrefill, if using saftey eyes insert between rows 19 and 20, 4 sts apart.
Rnd 20 (sc in the next st, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times (12)
Rnd 21 sc2tog 6 times, slst at end (6)
To finish off, with yarn needle loop end through front loop of last rnd and pull tight. Insert needle through centre to flatten out end. Weave in loose end.
Wings
Use the metallic white pearl lace weight and 3mm hook for wings
Rnd 1 make a magic ring, 6 sc in ring
Rnd 2 2sc in each st. (12)
Rnd 3 (sc in the next st, inc)* repeat 6 times (18)
Rnd 4 sc in each st. (18)
Rnd 5 (sc in the next 2 sts, inc)* repeat 6 times (24)
Rnd 6 sc in each st. (24)
Rnd 7 (sc in the next 3 sts, inc)* repeat 6 times (30)
Rnd 8 sc in each st. (30)
Rnd 9 (sc in the next 3 sts, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times (24)
Rnd 10 sc in each st. (24)
Rnd 11 (sc in the next 2 sts, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times (18)
Rnd 12 sc in each st. (18)
Lightly stuff with fibrefill so it is slightly cushy.
Rnd 13 (sc in the next st, sc2tog)* repeat 6 times (12)
Rnd 14 sc in each st, slst at end, ch 1 (12)
Rnd 15 fold together and sew together by sc across all 4 loops. Fasten off and leave a long end for sewing.
Eyes
Use Cotton 10 in black and 3mm hook
Rnd 1 Make a magic ring, 6 sc in ring, slst to join, fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
If you would like to make a smaller bee, you can use Sport weight yarn #2 with a 2.5mm hook for body and 2mm for the eyes and wings.
Happy Crocheting!
Lorraine
