Crochet chenille panda

If you enjoy working with chenille yarn or are curious to try it, a new Soft Panda Bear crochet pattern has just been added to the shop.

My panda bear was specifically designed for chenille yarn. Or rather, it feels like the design was just waiting for the right yarn to come to me, because I had already sketched this exact bear in my notes a long time ago. While searching for inspiration for this project, I flipped through my inspiration folder—and there it was. In a second, I knew that chenille yarn is calling exactly for this bear.

Although chenille is a synthetic material, it is surprisingly pleasant to crochet with. I remember making my first toys ages ago with the cheapest acrylic yarn, and there’s simply no comparison to chenille. Of course, different manufacturers may offer varying qualities, but I can highly recommend Chenillove yarn. It is incredibly silky and velvety. Since the yarn is quite thick, the work progresses quickly.

The finished bear is about 27 cm tall—nice and chunky.

I love combining different materials in a single toy because they highlight each other’s beauty. This panda is no exception. To me, the cotton eye patches and wooden or fabric-covered buttons further emphasize the softness and texture of chenille.

During the pattern development process, I crocheted four pandas in total. Surprisingly, I don’t have a single classic black-and-white panda to show! Instead of black, I chose beige and gray shades for the contrast. However, I really hope to make a traditional black-and-white panda soon.