Adorable bears wearing hats. What else do you need to know? The Unbearable Hoodie is a Les Garçons collaboration with West Wool. It is knitted in one piece from the top down, starting with a provisional cast-on at the neckline. The hood is knitted at the end seamlessly. You will find on this page all the techniques used in the pattern. Scroll down to learn how to make the bear ears (yes, adult bears have ears too!).
Techniques used in the pattern
Backwards loop cast-on
Step 1: Wrap yarn around your left thumb.
Step 2: Insert the needle in front of the thumb and up under yarn.
Step 3: Release the yarn from your thumb and pull the tail to form the stitch.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you have made the required number of stitches.
German short rows (making a doubled stitch)
Step 1: Knit or purl to the stitch specified in the pattern. Turn the work as instructed in the pattern.
Step 2: Bring your yarn to the front and slip one stitch purlwise.
Step 3: To make a doubled stitch, pull the yarn over the top of the right needle, towards the back of the work, to distort the stitch. It will look as if there are 2 stitches instead of 1, because the two legs of the stitch below will come up on the needle.
Step 4: If you are on the wrong side (the next stitch is a purl stitch):
Keeping some tension on the yarn to keep the stitch distorted, bring the yarn to the front between the needles to begin purling.
If you are on the right side (the next stitch is a knit stitch): Keeping some tension on the yarn to keep the stitch distorted, begin knitting.
Step 5: Repeat steps 1 to 4 until you have made the required number of doubled stitches.
Step 6: When you need to work the doubled stitches, knit or purl them as a single stitch (working both strands as a k2tog or a p2tog).
Kitchener stitch
You will notice that I skip the setup for the kitchener, in order to avoid the little ears at each end of the toe.
Step 1: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit, pull the yarn through, removing the stitch from the needle.
Step 2: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl, pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the needle.
Step 3: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl, pull the yarn through, removing the stitch on the needle.
Step 4: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit, pull the yarnthrough, leaving the stitch on the needle.
Mattress stitch
Step 1: Align the two edges you wish to seam. Bring your tapestry needle from the back of your work to the front at the location where you want your seam to begin.
Step 2: Locate the running thread between the first and second stitches on the first row of the opposite edge.
Step 3: Return to the first edge, and pick up the bar above your entry point.
Step 4: On the second edge, pick up the bar above the last bar you picked up.
Step 5: Repeat steps 1 to 4 until both edges are fully seamed.
Provisional cast-on
There are numerous techniques to do a provisional cast-on. Please find below links to videos explaining two methods that I tested and recommend. The provisional cast-on with a crochet chain is easier to achieve but takes longer to make. The method with waste yarn is faster, but more difficult.
Provisional cast-on with a crochet chain
Provisional cast-on with waste yarn
Making the bear ears
All the techniques used in the ears are explained on the Mini-Unbearable Hoodie page.
With larger needles and MC, cast on 15 sts.
Row 1 (RS): K to end of row.
Row 2 (WS): P to end of row.
Work rows 1 and 2, alternating, a total of 5 times.
Shaping
Row 1 (RS): Ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (2 dec)
Row 2 (WS): P2tog, p to last 2 sts, ssp. (2 dec)
Work rows 1 and 2, one more time.
Row 1 (RS): Ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (2 dec)
Row 2 (WS): P2tog, p to last 2 sts, ssp. (2 dec)
Work rows 1 and 2, one more time.
Bind off all sts.
Make three other ear pieces.
Inside of the ear
With CC1, work a duplicate stitch over the 5 centre sts of the bottom (cast-on) edge of one ear piece. Do the same on the following 2 rows. On the fourth row, work a duplicate over the 3 centre sts.
With CC1, work a duplicate stitch over the 5 centre sts of the bottom (cast-on) edge of one ear piece. Do the same on the following 2 rows. On the fourth row, work a duplicate over the 3 centre sts.
Break CC1. Repeat on a second ear piece.
Seaming
Place one back ear piece and one front ear piece (with the duplicated sts) together, RS facing. Sew them together using the whip stitch, leaving the base of the ear open. Turn the ear right side out.
Place one back ear piece and one front ear piece (with the duplicated sts) together, RS facing. Sew them together using the whip stitch, leaving the base of the ear open. Turn the ear right side out.
If you want, you can gently stuff the ear with batting or your cut tail ends. Position the ear where you want it on the hood, making sure the base stays slightly open. Using the whip stitch, sew the ear to the hood.
Repeat for the second ear