How to Crochet a Tuxedo Vest for a Teddy Bear

Everybody loves teddy bears. They're so cute and cuddly. If you can crochet custom outfits for your teddy bears, they'll be the cutest on the block. A tuxedo vest can turn your bear from a everyday teddy into something really special.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn
• Crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Teddy bear

Instructions

Tuxedo Vest Back

1. Measure your bear's back, from side to side and from underarm to waist. Crochet a rectangle to those dimension.

2. Decrease one to three stitches at either end of the row to form the armhole. The number of stitches decreased depends on the size of the bear's arms.

3. Continue crocheting until the piece reaches from the bear's waist to the back of the bear's neck.

4. 

   Crochet two or three more rows, turning after only an inch or so. Tie off. Join yarn at the other side and repeat. You will have a piece that looks like this. The width of the shoulders is determined by the size of your bear's neck.

Tuxedo Vest Front

1. Measure your bear's front from side to center and from waist to underarm. Crochet a piece to those dimensions, adding an inch or so to the width.

2. Decrease one to three stitches at beginning of the row to form the armhole. Continue crocheting, decreasing one stitch at the end of that row and every second row until the piece reaches your bear's neck.

3. 

   Crochet two or three more rows, matching the width of the shoulder piece on the back. You have a shape that looks like this.

4. Repeat Step 1.

5. Decrease one stitch at the beginning of the row. Finish the row, decreasing one to three stitches at the end. Continue crocheting, decreasing one stitch at the beginning of every second row until it matches the other half.

6. Repeat Step 3.

Assembling the Vest

1. 

   Attach the two front pieces of the vest to the back at the shoulders using yarn and the yarn needle. It will look like this.

2. Sew up the two underarm seams, up to the decrease.

3. Fasten the front with Velcro, hook-and-eye fasteners or sew-on snaps.

4. Embellish the front with buttons or a cravat pocket.

Tips & Warnings

• Each teddy bear is a different size, so you will have to gauge your decreases to fit your own bear.