purlJam

# Trailblazer Ted — Mountain Bike Teddy
*An intermediate knitted amigurumi bear with a removable mini mountain bike*

Worked in the round in stockinette throughout, this little adventurer is seamed from separate pieces. His knitted mountain bike is built from i-cord tubes and firm stuffed wheels, then strapped beneath him so he's always ready to hit the trail.

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## Finished Measurements
- **Bear:** approx. 20 cm tall (seated approx. 14 cm)
- **Bike:** approx. 14 cm long × 9 cm tall; wheels approx. 6 cm diameter

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## Materials
- **Yarn (worsted/aran weight, ~190 m/100 g):**
  - Colour A — warm brown: approx. 70 g (bear body, head, limbs, ears)
  - Colour B — cream: approx. 5 g (muzzle, inner ears)
  - Colour C — charcoal grey: approx. 40 g (bike frame, wheels)
  - Colour D — bright accent (red/orange): small amount (bike details, scarf optional)
- **Needles:** 4.0 mm DPNs or one long circular for Magic Loop (one size smaller than the 5 mm typically recommended for worsted, to create tight fabric)
- **Notions:**
  - Polyester fibrefill stuffing — approx. **60–70 g** total (bear ~45 g; bike wheels ~15 g)
  - Two 9 mm safety eyes (or black embroidery floss)
  - Black embroidery floss for nose/mouth
  - Two pipe cleaners or lengths of floral wire (~30 cm each) for wheel shaping
  - Tapestry needle
  - Stitch markers

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## Tension (Gauge)
**22 sts × 30 rows = 10 cm** over stocking stitch in the round on 4.0 mm needles, worked firmly.

> **Tension note:** Exact stitch count is less important than a **tight, even fabric** that won't let stuffing peek through. If your fabric looks gappy, drop to 3.75 mm. Measure after working a few rounds, as in-the-round stocking stitch can pull differently from flat swatches.

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## Abbreviations (UK)
- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **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)
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **rnd(s)** – round(s)
- **st st** – stocking stitch (knit every round in the round)
- **PM** – place marker
- **rep** – repeat
- **MC/CC** – main/contrast colour

> All pieces begin with a small cast-on closed at the end, or use Judy's Magic Cast-On / a tight long-tail then cinch closed. Work in the round throughout (knit every round = stocking stitch).

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## HEAD (Colour A) — make 1
Cast on 8 sts, divide over needles, PM, join in the round.

- **Rnd 1:** kfb in every st → **16 sts**
  *(8 + 8 = 16 ✓)*
- **Rnd 2:** knit
- **Rnd 3:** *(k1, kfb)* rep to end → **24 sts**
  *(16 + 8 = 24 ✓)*
- **Rnd 4:** knit
- **Rnd 5:** *(k3, kfb)* rep to end → **30 sts**
  *(24 + 6 = 30 ✓)*
- **Rnd 6:** knit
- **Rnd 7:** *(k4, kfb)* rep to end → **36 sts**
  *(30 + 6 = 36 ✓)*
- **Rnds 8–18:** knit (11 rnds straight)

**Insert safety eyes** between rnds 12 and 13, approx. 7 sts apart, before decreasing closes the head.

- **Rnd 19:** *(k4, k2tog)* rep to end → **30 sts** *(36 − 6 ✓)*
- **Rnd 20:** knit
- **Rnd 21:** *(k3, k2tog)* rep to end → **24 sts** *(30 − 6 ✓)*
- **Rnd 22:** *(k2, k2tog)* rep to end → **18 sts** *(24 − 6 ✓)*

**Stuff firmly now.**

- **Rnd 23:** *(k1, k2tog)* rep to end → **12 sts** *(18 − 6 ✓)*
- **Rnd 24:** *k2tog* rep to end → **6 sts** *(12 − 6 ✓)*

Top up stuffing. Break yarn, thread through remaining 6 sts, cinch and secure.

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## MUZZLE (Colour B) — make 1
Cast on 6 sts, join in the round.
- **Rnd 1:** kfb in every st → **12 sts** *(6 + 6 ✓)*
- **Rnd 2:** *(k1, kfb)* rep → **18 sts** *(12 + 6 ✓)*
- **Rnds 3–4:** knit

Leave sts live on a holder or work a few rnds straight; do not close. Leave a long tail for sewing. Stuff lightly when attaching.

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## EARS (Colour A outer, Colour B inner) — make 2
With Colour A, cast on 6 sts, join.
- **Rnd 1:** kfb in every st → **12 sts** *(6 + 6 ✓)*
- **Rnds 2–4:** knit
- Switch to a flat fold: do not stuff. Flatten the tube and seam the cast-on edge closed; pinch base. Use a few cream sts inside if desired, or embroider an inner-ear oval in Colour B.

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## BODY (Colour A) — make 1
Cast on 8 sts, join.
- **Rnd 1:** kfb in every st → **16 sts** *(8 + 8 ✓)*
- **Rnd 2:** *(k1, kfb)* rep → **24 sts** *(16 + 8 ✓)*
- **Rnd 3:** *(k2, kfb)* rep → **32 sts** *(24 + 8 ✓)*
- **Rnds 4–20:** knit (17 rnds straight)
- **Rnd 21:** *(k2, k2tog)* rep to end → **24 sts** *(32 − 8 ✓)*
- **Rnd 22:** knit
- **Rnd 23:** *(k1, k2tog)* rep to end → **16 sts** *(24 − 8 ✓)*

**Stuff firmly.**

- **Rnd 24:** *k2tog* rep to end → **8 sts** *(16 − 8 ✓)*

Leave the 8 sts live on the working yarn — you'll use the open end to seam to the head. Do not cinch fully yet.

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## ARMS (Colour A) — make 2
Cast on 6 sts, join.
- **Rnd 1:** kfb in every st → **12 sts** *(6 + 6 ✓)*
- **Rnds 2–14:** knit (13 rnds straight)
- **Rnd 15:** *(k1, k2tog)* rep to end → **8 sts** *(12 − 4 ✓)*

Stuff lightly (keep arms soft and bendy at the top). Flatten the top opening; you'll seam it to the body. Thread tail through last sts loosely.

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## LEGS (Colour A) — make 2
Cast on 8 sts, join.
- **Rnd 1:** kfb in every st → **16 sts** *(8 + 8 ✓)*
- **Rnds 2–4:** knit
- **Rnd 5:** *(k2, k2tog)* rep to end → **12 sts** *(16 − 4 ✓)*
  *(this shapes the foot)*
- **Rnds 6–16:** knit (11 rnds straight)

Stuff firmly in the foot, lightly up the leg. Leave open top to seam to body. Long tail for sewing.

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# THE MOUNTAIN BIKE (Colour C unless noted)

### WHEELS — make 2
Each wheel is a stuffed knitted tube formed into a ring around wire.

Cast on 8 sts, join.
- **Rnds 1–onwards:** knit every round until the tube measures **19 cm** (the circumference for a 6 cm-diameter wheel: π × 6 ≈ 18.8 cm ✓).

Bind off leaving a long tail. Thread a pipe cleaner/wire through the tube, stuff lightly around it, then bring cast-on and bound-off ends together to form a ring and seam closed. **Twist and tuck wire ends inside so no sharp points protrude.**

With Colour D, embroider 6–8 straight "spoke" lines across each wheel from a central point.

### FRAME (Colour C) — i-cord tubes
Work all frame bars as 4-st i-cord (k4, slide, repeat).

- **Top tube + down tube (main triangle):** Work a 4-st i-cord **18 cm** long. Fold/bend into a triangle shape (top tube ~7 cm, down tube ~7 cm, seat tube ~4 cm) and tack the joins with matching yarn.
- **Chain stays/forks (rear + front holders):** Work two 4-st i-cords each **8 cm** long. These cradle the wheel axles.

### HANDLEBARS (Colour C)
Work a 4-st i-cord **8 cm** long; bend into a flat-bar shape. Attach Colour D dots at each end for grips.

### SEAT (Colour C)
Cast on 6 sts, knit 4 rnds, flatten and seam to form a small saddle pad.

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## ASSEMBLY

Work in this order for a balanced, sturdy toy:

1. **Muzzle to head:** Centre the muzzle over rnds 11–15 of the head, between/below the eyes. Stuff lightly and mattress-stitch all around.
2. **Nose & mouth:** With black floss, satin-stitch a triangular nose at the top of the muzzle; add an inverted-Y mouth beneath.
3. **Ears to head:** Pin symmetrically near the top, approx. 6 sts apart. Curve slightly forward and sew the pinched base securely.
4. **Head to body:** Align the head's cinched base with the body's open 8-st top. Mattress-stitch firmly around the join, adding a little extra stuffing at the neck before closing for support. The head should sit upright without flopping.
5. **Legs to body:** Attach at the front-lower edge of the body so the bear can sit. Position symmetrically — measure an equal number of stitches from the centre front on each side. Sew all around each opening.
6. **Arms to body:** Attach at the upper sides, just below the neck seam, symmetrically. Angle slightly forward so the bear can "hold" the handlebars.
7. **Assemble the bike:** Slot each wheel into a fork/stay i-cord, securing the axle ends. Attach handlebars to the front fork and saddle to the seat tube. Tack all frame joins firmly.
8. **Mount the bear:** Sit the bear on the saddle, bend the arms to the handlebars and the legs toward the pedals area; tack lightly with Colour C if you'd like him fixed in place, or leave free so the bike is removable.

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## FINISHING
- Weave in all ends securely **inside** the stuffed pieces, travelling the tail through the stuffing before trimming so nothing works loose.
- Check that all wire ends in the wheels are fully enclosed.
- Give the bear a gentle shape: roll seams between fingers to even them out.
- **Safety:** If this toy is for a child under 3, omit safety eyes and the wheel wire — embroider eyes in black floss and stuff wheels firmly without wire instead.

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### Designer's Notes
- For extra trail-ready character, knit a small Colour D scarf (cast on 4 sts, knit i-cord 20 cm) and tie it round the neck.
- Bending the arms and legs gives a dynamic "riding" pose; tack at the joints to hold the position.
- Swap Colour A to white or black for a panda or polar variant — the bike works with any bear.

Happy trails! 🚲🐻