Tester Call: Crochet Polar Bear Christmas Dumpling in A Steamer Box

Oh, this little bear makes me smile every single time. I am Amy, and I cannot resist a plushie with a story: this one is a soft white polar bear dumpling, wearing a curled-top Santa hat, tucked inside its very own black crochet steamer basket. It is worked in plush chenille yarn, so it stays wonderfully squishy.

The pattern has four friendly parts: the bear dumpling body with its muzzle and ears, the Santa hat, the two basket halves, and the simple hinge-and-handle assembly at the end. Everything is single crochet in continuous spirals, so if you can increase and decrease, you are ready. You can also skip the hat and basket and simply enjoy him as a sweet bear food plush.

Materials

• Super bulky chenille/plush yarn (about 100 g / 120 m) in white/cream for the bear body and ears
• Super bulky chenille/plush yarn in black for the steamer basket
• Thin plush or fingering yarn in white for the Santa hat pom-pom and trim
• Thin plush or fingering yarn in red for the Santa hat body
• Fine yarn or thread in black for embroidering the nose, mouth, and muzzle details
• Strong white thread to cinch the top hole closed
• 4.0 mm crochet hook (or size appropriate for your plush yarn)
• 12 mm black safety eyes, 1 pair
• Polyester fiberfill stuffing
• Stitch marker
• Yarn needle
• Sewing pins
• Scissors
• Ruler

Abbreviations

• MR = magic ring (adjustable loop)
• ch = chain stitch
• sc = single crochet
• hdc = half double crochet
• inc = increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• dec = decrease (sc 2 stitches together / invisible decrease)
• sl st = slip stitch
• FLO = front loops only
• BLO = back loops only
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• [ ] = total stitch count at the end of the round

Gauge & Size

• Worked in continuous spirals; use a stitch marker to track the start of each round
• Hook: 4.0 mm, or the size that gives you a tight fabric with your plush yarn so no stuffing shows through
• The body is built on a 32-stitch widest round and stuffed lightly to medium firmness so it stays soft and squishy

Bear Dumpling Body

Worked in continuous spirals using Color A (white).

Round 1: In a MR, work 8 sc. Pull ring closed. [8]

Round 2: 8 inc (2 sc in each st around). [16]

Round 3: (1 sc, inc) * 8. [24]

Round 4: (2 sc, inc) * 8. [32]

Rounds 5-8 (4 rounds): 32 sc around. [32]

Round 9: (2 sc, dec) * 8. [24]

Safety eye placement: Insert the 12 mm safety eyes between Rounds 7 and 8, spaced approximately 6 stitches apart. Secure with washers inside.

Round 10: (1 sc, dec) * 8. [16]

Stuff the body lightly to medium firmness with fiberfill. Keep it squishy and soft.

Round 11: 8 dec. [8]

Round 12 (dumpling top pleat/frill): Working in FLO only: (inc, 1 sc) * 4. [12]

Fasten off with a sl st, cut yarn leaving a short tail, and pull through.

Closing the top hole: Thread a needle with a piece of strong white thread/yarn. Weave through all 8 unused back loops from Round 11 inside the frill. Pull tight to cinch the hole completely shut, tie a secure double knot, and hide the tails inside.

Muzzle and Ears

Muzzle: Using white thin plush yarn and a 4.0 mm hook:

Round 1: In a MR, work 6 sc, sl st to join. [6]

Round 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around, sl st to join. [12]

Round 3: Ch 1, [sc, inc] * 6. [12]

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Embroidery: Using fine black yarn, stitch a small vertical nose and a cute curved smile right in the center of the muzzle. Pin the muzzle centered just below and between the safety eyes, then sew it securely onto the bear’s face.

Ears (make 2): Using white plush yarn: In a MR, work 10 hdc, join with a sl st to the first hdc. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Position the ears on top of the head (roughly spanning Rounds 10-12 on either side of the top pleat) and sew them down.

Santa Hat

Worked with thin white plush yarn and red plush yarn (14 rounds).

Round 1: In a MR with white, work 6 sc. [6]

Round 2: (1 sc, inc) * 3. [9]

Round 3: 9 sc around. [9]

Round 4: Switch to red yarn. (2 sc, inc) * 3. [12]

Round 5: 12 sc around. [12]

Round 6: (3 sc, inc) * 3. [15]

Round 7: 15 sc around. [15]

Round 8: (4 sc, inc) * 3. [18]

Round 9: 18 sc around. [18]

Round 10: (2 sc, inc) * 6. [24]

Rounds 11-13 (3 rounds): 24 sc around. [24]

Round 14 (white brim): Switch back to white yarn. Work 24 sc around to form the fuzzy brim. [24]

Fasten off and weave in ends. Place the hat on top of the bear between the ears.

Steamer Basket

Make 2 halves, worked in continuous spirals using Color B (black).

First half (bottom bowl):

Round 1: In a MR, work 8 sc. [8]

Round 2: 8 inc. [16]

Round 3: (1 sc, inc) * 8. [24]

Round 4: (2 sc, inc) * 8. [32]

Round 5: (7 sc, inc) * 4. [36]

Round 6: Working in BLO only: 36 sc around. [36] (This creates the crisp flat base rim.)

Rounds 7-8 (2 rounds): Working through both loops: 36 sc around. [36]

Fasten off, cut yarn, and weave in the tail.

Second half (top lid): Repeat Rounds 1-8 exactly as the first half. Do NOT cut the yarn at the end of Round 8.

Finishing & Assembly

Connecting the hinge: Place both basket halves together with their open rims touching. Align the connection point at the back. Using the working yarn left on the second half, insert your hook through the stitch on the current half (front loop) and the corresponding stitch on the other half (back loop). Work 4 to 5 sc across to join them together and create a flexible hinge. Fasten off, weave in the tail, and tuck it inside.

Adding the handle: Fold the lid shut. Using pins, mark two points across the center of the top lid where the handle will arch across. Join black yarn with a slip stitch at one pinned point on the top lid. Chain 14-16 (adjust length so it spans comfortably across the top dome with slight slack). Attach the end of the chain to the opposite pinned point with a sl st / sc. Turn and crochet 1 sc into each chain back down to the starting point to give the handle thickness and sturdiness. Fasten off securely and weave in all remaining yarn tails.

Place your finished festive bear dumpling inside the black steamer basket box, close the lid halfway, and enjoy your holiday creation.

Tips

• Add the safety eyes before you close the body — between Rounds 7 and 8, about 6 stitches apart.
• Stuff lightly to medium: an overstuffed dumpling loses its soft, squishy charm.
• Optionally tack the tip of the hat down to the side so it flops over cutely.
• Skip the hat and basket and the same body becomes a plain grizzly-style bear food plush.