Hello Kitty in a Bear Costume — Knitted Amigurumi

A beginner-friendly knitted softie: Hello Kitty's classic white face and ears, dressed in a snuggly knitted bear costume with round mitten paws and her signature bow. Finished size: approx. 9.5 in (24 cm) tall, seated.

MATERIALS

• Worsted weight yarn:
  • White (Color A – face, cat ears): 60 g / 130 yd
  • Bear costume color, e.g. tan or light brown (Color B – body, arms, legs, hood ears): 70 g / 150 yd
  • Cream or ivory (Color C – paw cuffs on hands/feet): 15 g / 30 yd
  • Red (Color D – bow): scrap, under 10 g
• Small amounts of black and yellow embroidery floss (face/nose), and Color B or brown floss for paw pads
• 2 safety eyes, 9–10 mm (or embroider eyes with black floss for very young children — safer option)
• Polyester fiberfill stuffing — approx. 5.5 oz (150–160 g) total
• US 6 (4 mm) DPNs, or a short circular needle for Magic Loop
• Tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, straight pins for laying out assembly

GAUGE

20 sts x 28 rnds = 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette worked in the round, on US 6 (4 mm) needles held tightly. Note: Gauge is not critical for toy-making, but a tight, even fabric is essential so stuffing doesn't peek through. Go down a needle size if your fabric looks loose.

ABBREVIATIONS

k = knit | p = purl | kfb = knit into front and back of same st (1 st increase) | k2tog = knit 2 together (1 st decrease) | ssk = slip, slip, knit (1 st decrease) | rnd(s) = round(s) | St st = stockinette stitch | BO = bind off | CO = cast on

HEAD (Color A)

CO 6 sts. Distribute over 3 DPNs (2 sts each) or set up for Magic Loop. Join, place marker.

• Rnd 1: kfb in every st (6→12 sts) ✓
• Rnd 2: knit
• Rnd 3: [k1, kfb] x6 (12→18 sts) ✓
• Rnd 4: knit
• Rnd 5: [k2, kfb] x6 (18→24 sts) ✓
• Rnd 6: knit
• Rnd 7: [k3, kfb] x6 (24→30 sts) ✓
• Rnd 8: knit
• Rnd 9: [k4, kfb] x6 (30→36 sts) ✓
• Rnds 10–18: knit even (9 rnds) — this forms the roundness of the face

Insert safety eyes now (if using), spaced about 2 in (5 cm) apart, roughly on rnd 13–14, before the opening gets too small.

• Rnd 19: [k4, k2tog] x6 (36→30 sts) ✓
• Rnd 20: knit
• Rnd 21: [k3, k2tog] x6 (30→24 sts) ✓
• Rnd 22: knit
• Rnd 23: [k2, k2tog] x6 (24→18 sts) ✓ — begin stuffing firmly now
• Rnd 24: [k1, k2tog] x6 (18→12 sts) ✓
• Rnd 25: [k2tog] x6 (12→6 sts) ✓

Finish stuffing firmly. Cut yarn leaving a 6 in tail, thread through remaining 6 sts, pull tight and secure. This closed point is the top of the head.

CAT EARS (make 2, Color A, worked flat)

CO 8 sts.

• Row 1 (WS): purl
• Row 2: k2tog, k4, ssk (8→6 sts) ✓
• Row 3: purl
• Row 4: k2tog, k2, ssk (6→4 sts) ✓
• Row 5: purl
• Row 6: k2tog, ssk (4→2 sts) ✓
• Row 7: p2tog (2→1 st) ✓, fasten off.

Optionally satin-stitch a small pink triangle inside each ear with scrap pink floss. Set aside.

BEAR HOOD EARS (make 2, Color B)

CO 6 sts, join in the round.

• Rnd 1: kfb in every st (6→12 sts) ✓
• Rnds 2–4: knit even (3 rnds)

Cut yarn leaving a tail, thread through 12 sts, pull closed to form a small stuffed-free pouch. Flatten gently (no stuffing needed, or a pinch only) — this rounder shape mimics a bear-hood ear.

BOW (Color D)

Bow body: CO 12 sts. Knit every row (garter st) for 6 rows. BO all sts. Wrap strip: CO 4 sts. Knit every row for 4 rows. BO all sts.

Gather the bow body in the center with a few tight wraps of yarn to form a bow shape. Wrap the small strip around the gathered center and sew the ends together at the back to hide the knot.

BODY (Color B)

CO 6 sts, join in the round.

• Rnd 1: kfb in every st (6→12 sts) ✓
• Rnd 2: knit
• Rnd 3: [k1, kfb] x6 (12→18 sts) ✓
• Rnd 4: knit
• Rnd 5: [k2, kfb] x6 (18→24 sts) ✓
• Rnd 6: knit
• Rnd 7: [k3, kfb] x6 (24→30 sts) ✓
• Rnd 8: knit
• Rnd 9: [k4, kfb] x6 (30→36 sts) ✓
• Rnd 10: knit
• Rnd 11: [k5, kfb] x6 (36→42 sts) ✓
• Rnds 12–24: knit even (13 rnds) — this is the body height
• Rnd 25: [k5, k2tog] x6 (42→36 sts) ✓
• Rnd 26: knit
• Rnd 27: [k4, k2tog] x6 (36→30 sts) ✓
• Rnd 28: knit
• Rnd 29: [k3, k2tog] x6 (30→24 sts) ✓
• Rnd 30: knit — begin stuffing firmly now
• Rnd 31: [k2, k2tog] x6 (24→18 sts) ✓
• Rnd 32: [k1, k2tog] x6 (18→12 sts) ✓
• Rnd 33: [k2tog] x6 (12→6 sts) ✓

Finish stuffing very firmly. Cut yarn, thread through remaining 6 sts, pull tight and secure.

ARMS with PAWS (make 2)

With Color C (paw color), CO 6 sts, join in the round.

• Rnd 1: kfb in every st (6→12 sts) ✓
• Rnds 2–3: knit even (2 rnds)

Switch to Color B (carry Color C loosely up the inside for weaving in later, or cut and rejoin).

• Rnds 4–12: knit even (9 rnds) — arm length
• Rnd 13: [k1, k2tog] x4 (12→8 sts) ✓

Stuff firmly (fill the paw fully, arm lightly so it stays soft and flexible). Cut yarn, thread through remaining 8 sts, pull closed — this becomes the shoulder attachment point.

With Color B or dark floss, embroider 3 short straight stitches fanning out from the center of each paw tip to create a cute "paw pad" detail.

LEGS with PAWS (make 2)

With Color C, CO 8 sts, join in the round.

• Rnd 1: kfb in every st (8→16 sts) ✓
• Rnds 2–3: knit even (2 rnds)

Switch to Color B.

• Rnds 4–14: knit even (11 rnds) — leg length
• Rnd 15: [k2, k2tog] x4 (16→12 sts) ✓
• Rnd 16: knit
• Rnd 17: [k1, k2tog] x4 (12→8 sts) ✓

Stuff firmly. Cut yarn, thread through remaining 8 sts, pull closed — this is the hip attachment point.

Embroider 3 short paw-pad stitches on each foot tip, same as the hands.

FACE (Head)

• Eyes: Safety eyes already inserted at rnd 13–14 of the head, OR embroider two small black satin-stitch ovals in the same position.
• Nose: Embroider one small yellow satin-stitch oval centered between the eyes, slightly below.
• Whiskers (optional): With white or clear thread, add 3 short straight stitches fanning out from each side of the face, level with the nose.
• Mouth: None — this is intentional and authentic to Hello Kitty's design, not a missing step.

ASSEMBLY / FINISHING

1. Ears to head: Pin the 2 cat ears (Color A) flat to the top of the head, angled slightly outward, about 1.5 in apart. Sew in place with the tail end.
2. Bear hood ears: Position the 2 bear hood ears (Color B) directly behind/around the cat ears, slightly wider apart, so both peek through like a hood. Sew in place.
3. Bow: Sew the finished bow to the head, just above and outside the left cat ear (Hello Kitty's signature placement).
4. Head to body: Center the gathered top of the body under the gathered base of the head. Whip-stitch or mattress-stitch around the seam, working through both closure points and the surrounding fabric for a secure, invisible join.
5. Arms: Pin symmetrically to the upper sides of the body, roughly at the rnd 25 color-decrease line. Sew securely with the shoulder-closure tail.
6. Legs: Pin symmetrically to the lower front of the body for a seated pose. Sew securely with the hip-closure tail.
7. Weave in all remaining ends inside the body pieces before final closure where possible, and trim neatly.

Your Hello Kitty bear-costume softie is complete — check that both paws, both ears, and the bow all sit symmetrically before final tacking.