Buzzy the Bee Doll in Blue Overalls

An intermediate knitted amigurumi — worked flat on straight needles

A charming 20 cm (8 in) tall bee doll knitted flat in DK yarn, with embroidered black stripes, dainty wings, springy antennae and a set of removable blue dungaree-style overalls. All pieces are worked as flat panels and seamed — no DPNs or circular needles required.

Materials

• Yarn A – Yellow DK (approx. 60 g) — main body, head, arms, legs
• Yarn B – Black DK (approx. 15 g) — stripes, feet, antennae tips, facial features
• Yarn C – Blue DK (approx. 40 g) — overalls
• Small amount of white or grey DK — wings (or use a soft organza for a lighter effect)
• 3 mm straight knitting needles (UK metric prominent; US 2½–3)
• Two 6 mm safety eyes (or black embroidery floss)
• Polyester fibrefill stuffing — approx. 40–50 g total
• Tapestry needle
• 2 small buttons (6 mm) for overall straps (decorative)
• Stitch markers and stitch holder

Tension (Gauge)

24 sts × 32 rows = 10 cm (4 in) measured over stocking stitch (st st) on 3 mm needles.

Note: For toys, a firm, even fabric matters far more than an exact stitch count. The label may recommend 4 mm for this DK — we deliberately use 3 mm to create a tight fabric that won't show the stuffing. If your fabric feels loose, drop to 2.75 mm.

Abbreviations (UK)

• k – knit
• p – purl
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• st st – stocking stitch (k on RS, p on WS)
• kfb – knit into front and back of stitch (1 st increased)
• k2tog – knit two together (1 st decreased)
• ssk – slip, slip, knit (1 st decreased)
• RS / WS – right side / wrong side
• beg – beginning
• rem – remaining

Construction Overview

All pieces are knitted flat in st st, then seamed with mattress stitch along the back/side to form tubes, stuffed firmly, and assembled. Insert safety eyes before closing the head. The overalls are knitted separately and dressed onto the finished doll.

Assembly order: Head → Body → Legs → Arms → Wings → Antennae → dress in Overalls.

HEAD

(Yarn A – Yellow)

Cast on 10 sts.

• Row 1 (RS): [kfb] to end → 20 sts
• Row 2 (WS): p
• Row 3: [k1, kfb] to end → 30 sts
• Rows 4–18: Beginning with a p row, work 15 rows st st (ending after a WS row).

Check: 30 sts, 18 rows worked = a rectangle roughly 12.5 cm wide × 5.6 cm tall, which gathers into a ~6 cm sphere.

Shape top:

• Row 19 (RS): [k1, k2tog] to end → 20 sts
• Row 20: p
• Row 21: [k2tog] to end → 10 sts
• Row 22: [p2tog] to end → 5 sts

Cut yarn leaving a 30 cm tail. Thread through rem 5 sts, draw up tight and fasten.

Insert safety eyes now across the front-centre of the piece, approx. 2.5 cm apart and level with the middle rows, before seaming. Seam the back with mattress stitch, leaving the cast-on edge open. Gather the cast-on edge with running stitch, stuff firmly, then draw closed.

BODY

(Yarn A – Yellow; stripes added in Yarn B)

Cast on 34 sts.

• Row 1 (RS): k
• Row 2 (WS): p
• Continue in st st, working stripes as follows for a bee effect:
  • Rows 1–4: Yarn A
  • Rows 5–6: Yarn B
  • Rows 7–10: Yarn A
  • Rows 11–12: Yarn B
  • Rows 13–16: Yarn A
  • Rows 17–18: Yarn B
  • Rows 19–22: Yarn A

(Alternatively, embroider stripes afterwards with Yarn B in duplicate stitch — recommended for a neater finish. If embroidering, work all 22 rows in Yarn A.)

Shape shoulders:

• Row 23 (RS): [k1, k2tog] to last st, k1 → 23 sts
• Row 24: p

Cast off loosely. Check: 34 sts = 14.2 cm circumference once seamed — matches head base for a snug join.

Seam the back, stuff firmly, and gather both ends slightly. Attach the head securely to the shoulder (narrow) end.

LEGS (make 2)

(Yarn A – Yellow, with Yarn B feet)

With Yarn B, cast on 12 sts.

• Rows 1–6: st st (this forms the foot).
• Change to Yarn A.
• Rows 7–22: st st (16 rows for the leg).

Cast off. Seam each leg into a tube, stuff lightly (leave the top 1 cm unstuffed for flexibility). Attach both legs symmetrically to the base of the body, approx. 3 cm apart.

ARMS (make 2)

(Yarn A – Yellow)

Cast on 10 sts.

• Rows 1–18: st st.
• Row 19 (RS): [k2tog] to end → 5 sts

Cut yarn, thread through rem 5 sts and draw up (this rounds the hand). Seam each arm, stuff lightly. Attach symmetrically to each side of the upper body, just below the head, so the seam faces inward.

WINGS (make 2)

(White or grey DK)

Cast on 4 sts.

• Row 1 (RS): [kfb] to end → 8 sts
• Row 2: p
• Row 3: [k1, kfb] to end → 12 sts
• Rows 4–8: st st
• Row 9: [k1, k2tog] to end → 8 sts
• Row 10: p
• Row 11: [k2tog] to end → 4 sts

Cast off. The wings curl naturally into a rounded petal shape. Do not stuff. Attach both wings to the upper back of the body, angled outward and upward.

ANTENNAE (make 2)

(Yarn A, tipped with Yarn B)

With Yarn A, cast on 4 sts. Work 10 rows st st, then change to Yarn B and work 2 rows. Cast off. Roll each strip lengthwise into a thin tube and secure with a few stitches, forming a little black ball at the tip. Attach both to the top of the head, approx. 2 cm apart.

OVERALLS (Blue Dungarees)

(Yarn C – Blue) — user-requested feature, fully drafted below

Worked flat in two mirror-image trouser panels joined at the centre, topped with a bib. The overalls are made slightly larger than the body (36 sts vs 34 sts) for ease when dressing.

Trouser legs (make 2)

Cast on 18 sts.

• Rows 1–2: k every row (garter edge, to prevent curling at the hem).
• Rows 3–14: st st (12 rows).

Leave sts on a stitch holder. Make the second leg the same, but do not cut yarn on the second leg.

Join the legs

• Next row (RS): With the working leg, k across 18 sts of leg 2, then k across 18 sts of leg 1 from the holder → 36 sts.
• Work 8 rows st st across all 36 sts (this is the body/waist).

Check: 36 sts = 15 cm circumference, giving ~0.8 cm ease over the 14.2 cm body.

Bib

• Next row (RS): Cast off 11 sts, k until 14 sts on right needle (the bib front), cast off rem 11 sts. Rejoin yarn to the 14 bib sts.
• Work 6 rows st st on the 14 bib sts.
• Next 2 rows: k every row (garter top edge). Cast off.

Straps (make 2)

Cast on 4 sts. Work in garter stitch (k every row) for 40 rows (approx. 12.5 cm). Cast off.

Overall assembly

1. Seam the inside leg of each trouser leg into a tube.
2. Seam the centre front and centre back crotch seam.
3. Sew one strap to each top corner of the bib. Bring the straps over the shoulders, cross at the back, and secure with a small button on each back waist edge (buttons are decorative; you may sew straps down permanently for a young child's safety).

Dress the doll in the finished overalls.

FINISHING

• Weave in all ends securely on the inside of each stuffed piece before final closure.
• If you did not use safety eyes, embroider two eyes in Yarn B using satin stitch, plus a small smile in backstitch.
• Add two small pink duplicate-stitch cheeks if desired.
• Give the whole doll a gentle steam-block through a damp cloth (avoid flattening the stuffing) to even out the stitches.

Final dimensions check

• Head: ~6 cm
• Body: ~7 cm
• Legs (with feet): ~6 cm
• Total height ≈ 20 cm (8 in) ✓

Safety note: For children under 3, replace safety eyes and buttons with embroidered features and sew the straps down permanently.

Enjoy your bee, buzzing about in blue! 🐝