Spelling Bee Plushy

This cute, cartoony bee plushy pattern is ready to fly onto your crochet hook! It's extra cuddly (no stinging, I promise), sweet as honey, and quick to make. This little bee has some cute glasses to help it read books, which is perfect, since it loves to spell (S-P-E-L-L) all sorts of words (although you can easily leave the glasses off if you prefer). So grab your H-O-O-K and Y-A-R-N and make your very own B-E-E! 

If you're interested in an ad-free printable PDF version of this pattern, you can find one on Ravelry. (And a special thank you to everyone who supports my blog and keeps it running!)

Stitch Glossary:
st(s) = stitch(es)
ch = chain
ss = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
inc = sc increase (work 2 sc into the same st)
dec = sc decrease (I prefer to use an invisible decrease st)
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet

Materials:

• 31 yds (17 g) of I Love This Cotton! Yarn in Curry
• 29 yds (16 g) of I Love This Cotton! Yarn in Black
• 8 yds (4 g) of I Love This Cotton! Yarn in White
• A little bit of black and red scrap yarn
• Size F (3.75 mm) crochet hook
• 2 (6.0 mm) safety eyes
• Fiberfill stuffing
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers

Gauge:
2” = 10 sc sts, 2” = 10 rows
Finished bee is about 6" long
Gauge isn't crucial for this project as long as your stitches are tight enough to keep in the stuffing when making the head and arms. I tend to crochet tightly, so if you're a looser crocheter, I recommend sizing down a hook. 

Note: Unless otherwise specified, this pattern is worked in continuous rounds without joining. I recommend using a stitch marker and moving it after each round to help you keep your place.

Body:
Starting with the Curry yarn:
​Round 1: Make a magic circle and work 6 sc into the circle (6)
Round 2: inc 6 times (12)
Round 3: [inc, sc] 6 times (18)
Round 4: [sc, inc, sc] 6 times (24)
Round 5: sc around (24)
Round 6: [inc, sc in the next 3 sts] 6 times (30)
Round 7: sc around (30)
Round 8: [sc in the next 2 sts, inc, sc in the next 2 sts] 6 times (36)
Round 9: sc around (36)
Round 10: [inc, sc in the next 5 sts] 6 times (42)
Switch to the Black yarn. I recommend leaving the Curry yarn attached until you get to the last Black yarn section so you can easily swap back and forth between the two for the stripes. 
Rounds 11-12: sc around (42)
Round 13: [sc in the next 3 sts, inc, sc in the next 3 sts] 6 times (48)
Pause crocheting and add the face. You can use a stitch marker in the last stitch to hold you place so that nothing unravels while you work. 
Attach the safety eyes between rounds 3 and 4, about 9 stitches apart. I recommend placing the fronts of the eyes, but not fastening the backs on until you've finished making the glasses so that you can shift them slightly around to get the ideal placement (I forgot to do this and mine came out a little wonky...oops). 
Using the red yarn and your crochet hook, surface crochet glasses for the bee; or, if you prefer, you can stitch them on using a backstitch with a tapestry needle. You can make them round, rectangular, or any shape you'd like. 
Using the black yarn and a tapestry needle, stitch on eyebrows just above the glasses and a smile between rounds 2 and 3. 

Continue crocheting. Switch back to the Curry yarn.
Rounds 14-16: sc around (48)
Switch back to the Black yarn
Rounds 17-19: sc around (48)
Switch back to the Curry yarn
Rounds 20-22: sc around (48)
Switch back to the Black yarn
Round 23: [sc in the next 3 sts, dec, sc in the next 3 sts] 6 times (42
Rounds 24-25: sc around (42)
Switch back to the Curry yarn
Round 26: [dec, sc in the next 5 sts] 6 times (36)
Round 27: sc around (36)
Round 28: [sc in the next 2 sts, dec, sc in the next 2 sts] 6 times (30)
Switch back to the Black yarn. You can now fasten off the Curry yarn, since you're done with it for the body.
Round 29: sc around (30)
Round 30: [dec, sc in the next 3 sts] 6 times (24)
Round 31: sc around (24)
Pause and begin to stuff the body. Continue to stuff as you go. 
Round 32: [sc, dec, sc] 6 times (18)
Round 33: sc around (18)
Round 34: [dec, sc] 6 times (12)
Round 35: sc around (12)
Round 36: dec 6 times (6)
Round 37: [dec, sc] 2 times (4)
Fasten off, leaving a yarn tail. Finish stuffing. Using the tapestry needle, pull the yarn tail through the front loops of the last round and pull taut to close the hole. ​

Wing (make 2):
Using the White yarn:
​​Row 1: Make a magic circle and work a sc, hdc, sc into the circle, pull taut to close, turn (3)
Row 2: ch 1, inc, work 2 hdc in the next st, inc, turn (6)
Row 3: ch 1, sc, inc, hdc, work 2 hdc in the next st, sc, inc, turn (9)
Row 4: ch 1, sc, inc, hdc in the next 2 sts, work 2 dc in the next st, hdc in the next 2 sts, inc, sc, turn (12)
Row 5: ch 1, sc in the next 3 sts, inc, hdc, work a hdc and dc in the next st, work a dc and hdc in the next st, hdc, inc, sc in the next 3 sts (16)
Fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing.

Antenna (make 2):
Using the Black yarn:
​​Round 1: Make a magic circle and work 6 sc into the circle (6)
Rounds 2-3: sc around (6)
Round 4: [dec, sc] 2 times (4)
Rounds 5-6: sc around (4)
​Fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing.  

Assembly:
Using a tapestry needle and the long yarn tails, sew the wings onto the back of the bee (roughly across the middle 2 black stripes), with one wing on each side of the bee. Mine are about 10 sts apart, but you can put them as close together as you'd like. Then sew the antenna above the eyes, across round 9 or so. Weave in remaining ends. 

And there you have it! I hope that this pattern buzzed along for you (okay, no more bee puns) and that you enjoyed making it. If you end up making one, I'd love to hear about how it goes! And, as always, feel free to reach out with any comments or questions about the pattern. You can contact me via the comments section below, by email, or on social media. Happy hooking!

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***You're welcome to do whatever you'd like to with finished products made from this pattern but if you do sell them, I ask that you link back to my page. You may not copy this pattern, repost it anywhere (either altered or in its original form), or claim it as your own. You may not use any photos on this site for your own use. **