🧶 Beautiful ✨ Detailed 💝 Adorable

Care Bears Afghans Pattern

Care Bears Afghans Pattern
4.7★ Rating
40-50 Hours Time Needed
2.5K Made This
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Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic knitting experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

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Slow & Steady

A 10-12 hour project—great for savoring the process over several sessions.

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Cute Companion

An adorable friend to cherish, handcrafted with love to bring comfort and joy for years to come.

About This Care Bears Afghans Pattern

These Care Bears Afghans combine the best of cross stitch and crochet to create stunning baby blankets featuring your favorite 1980s characters. Each afghan showcases a beloved Care Bear with its iconic belly badge design worked in colorful cross stitch on a crocheted background. With options for both rectangular and square afghans, you can choose from six different characters including Champ Bear with his trophy, Funshine Bear with his sunny smile, and more. The pattern includes detailed charts, color guides, and full instructions for both the crochet foundation and cross stitch embellishments.

Care Bears Afghans Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

Perfect for nurseries or as nostalgic gifts, these afghans measure approximately 37x45 inches for rectangular versions or 45 inches square. The detailed instructions include gauge information, materials lists, and step-by-step guidance for creating each character with precision and care.

Why You'll Love This Care Bears Afghans Pattern

I absolutely love these Care Bears afghans because they bring back such wonderful childhood memories while creating something truly special for the next generation. The combination of crochet and cross stitch creates a beautiful textured finish that makes each character really pop off the blanket. I'm drawn to how the pattern offers six different beloved characters to choose from, so you can create a collection or pick your favorite. The nostalgic 1980s charm combined with practical functionality makes these afghans perfect baby shower gifts or nursery decorations. What I really appreciate is how the detailed charts and color-coded instructions make even complex character details achievable, and the finished product becomes a treasured keepsake that can be passed down through generations.

Care Bears Afghans Pattern step 1 - construction progress Care Bears Afghans Pattern step 2 - assembly progress Care Bears Afghans Pattern step 3 - details and accessories Care Bears Afghans Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I love how versatile these Care Bears afghans can be with just a few creative tweaks! While the pattern features the classic 1980s characters, you could easily adapt the color scheme to match modern nursery themes - imagine a Cheer Bear in soft pastels instead of bright primaries for a more contemporary look. The rectangular format works beautifully as a baby blanket, but I've found the square version makes an excellent wall hanging for a vintage-themed nursery when mounted on a dowel rod.

If you're feeling adventurous, consider working multiple characters and creating a sampler-style blanket with smaller versions of each bear arranged in a grid pattern. You could also experiment with the border colors to coordinate with your home decor - try an ombre effect using graduated shades instead of the rainbow stripes. For a quicker project, work just the character's face and belly badge as a centered medallion on a smaller throw blanket.

Don't be afraid to mix yarn textures either! Using a soft chenille or velour yarn for the character areas while keeping traditional smooth yarn for the background creates wonderful tactile interest that babies especially love. These patterns also translate beautifully into pillow covers if you want a coordinating nursery set without committing to multiple full-sized afghans.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Skipping the gauge swatch can result in incorrectly sized afghans that don't match the finished dimensions specified in the pattern instructions ✗ Not maintaining consistent tension when changing colors during cross stitch work leads to puckering or distortion of the Care Bear character designs ✗ Forgetting to mark the right side and bottom edge of the afghan body before beginning cross stitch can cause confusion with chart orientation ✗ Pulling embroidery yarn too tightly when working cross stitch details creates gathered fabric that distorts the overall shape and appearance of the design

Care Bears Afghans Pattern

Bring the beloved 1980s Care Bears characters to life with these charming crochet afghans! This nostalgic pattern collection features six iconic Care Bears including Champ Bear, Funshine Bear, Share Bear, Cheer Bear, Wish Bear, and Bedtime Bear, each beautifully rendered in vibrant colors with their signature belly badges. Perfect for baby blankets, nursery decor, or as a heartwarming gift that combines cross stitch and crochet techniques to create cuddly afghans that kids and adults alike will treasure forever.

Intermediate 40-50 Hours

Materials Needed for Care Bears Afghans Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Medium/Worsted Weight Yarn in Off-White (3 skeins, 452 yards each for rectangular afghans)
  • 02
    Medium/Worsted Weight Yarn in various colors depending on chosen character (Yellow, Orange, Red, Blue, Pink, Purple, Green, Coral, Rose, Aqua, Mint, Lt Mint, Dk Orange, Dk Blue, Dk Yellow, Brown)
  • 03
    Sport/Baby Weight Yarn in Off-White (4 skeins for square afghans)
  • 04
    Sport/Baby Weight Yarn in character-specific colors (Yellow, Orange, Pink, Blue, Purple, Med Purple, Aqua, Green, Lt Mint, Dk Orange, White, Black)

— Tools Required

  • 01
    Crochet hook, size H (5 mm) or size needed for gauge
  • 02
    Yarn needle for embroidery
  • 03
    Scissors
  • 04
    Stitch markers

Progress Tracker

0% Complete

— Afghan Body :

Foundation :

With Off-White, ch 111 for rectangular afghans or ch 139 for square afghans

Row 1 :

Sc in back ridge of second ch from hook and each ch across: 110 or 138 sc

Info :

Loop a short piece of yarn around any stitch to mark Row 1 as right side and bottom edge

Rows 2-158 :

Ch 1, turn; sc in each sc across; at end of Row 158, do not finish off for rectangular afghans. For square afghans, work same as Afghan Body for 16 rows, then finish off

— Edging :

Round 1 :

Ch 1, turn; 3 sc in first sc on Row 158, sc in each sc across to last sc, 3 sc in last sc; work 139 sc evenly spaced across end of rows; working in free loops of beginning ch, 3 sc in first ch, sc in each ch across to last sc, 3 sc in last sc; work 139 sc evenly spaced across end of rows; join with slip st to first dc: 522 or 578 sc

Round 2 :

Ch 1, turn; 3 sc in same st, sc in next dc and in each dc around working 3 sc in center sc of each corner 3-sc group; join with slip st to first sc, finish off: 530 or 586 sc

Round 3 :

With right side facing, join Color B with slip st in center sc of any corner 3-sc group, ch 3; dc in same st and in each sc around working 3 sc in center sc of each corner 3-sc group, dc in same st as first dc; join with slip st to first dc: 538 or 594 dc

Round 4 :

Ch 1, turn; 3 sc in same st, sc in next dc and in each dc around working 3 sc in center dc of each corner 3-dc group; join with slip st to first sc, finish off: 546 or 602 sc

Rounds 5 and 6 :

With Color C, repeat Rnds 3 and 4: 562 or 618 dc

Round 7 :

With Color D, repeat Rnd 3: 570 or 626 dc

Round 8 :

Ch 1, do not turn; (slip st in next dc, ch 1) around; join with slip st to first slip st, finish off

— Adding Design :

Info :

Using photo as a guide and following Chart for desired character, add Cross Stitch design (Fig. 7), Backstitch (Fig. 8), Straight Stitch (Fig. 9), Satin Stitch (Figs. 10a & b), and French knots (Fig. 11)

Assembly Instructions

  • Complete the crocheted afghan body following the pattern instructions for your chosen size (rectangular or square)
  • Block the finished crochet piece gently to ensure proper gauge and shape before beginning embroidery work
  • Mark the center of your afghan and use the chart to position your chosen Care Bear character correctly on the fabric
  • Work the cross stitch design following the color chart, ensuring each square represents one full cross stitch over a single crochet
  • Add backstitch details for outlines and facial features after completing all cross stitch areas
  • Complete embellishments including straight stitch, satin stitch, and French knots for eyes and special details as indicated on the character chart
  • Steam block the finished afghan gently if needed to smooth any puckering from embroidery work

Important Notes

  • 💡Exact gauge is essential for proper size - make a gauge swatch and adjust hook size if necessary before beginning your afghan
  • 💡Mark Row 1 as the right side and bottom edge with a piece of yarn to help orient your chart correctly when adding embroidery
  • 💡Work all cross stitches on the right side of the afghan and ensure all stitches are crossed in the same direction for uniform appearance
  • 💡Use a yarn needle rather than an embroidery needle to accommodate the thickness of worsted or sport weight yarn for embroidery details
  • 💡Weave yarn ends under several stitches on the back of the afghan rather than tying knots to secure them properly

These nostalgic Care Bears Afghans bring beloved 1980s characters into your home through a beautiful blend of crochet and cross stitch techniques. Each pattern creates a treasured keepsake perfect for nurseries, baby gifts, or anyone who grew up loving these caring companions. With detailed charts for six different characters and comprehensive instructions for both rectangular and square formats, you'll create an heirloom-quality blanket filled with warmth and childhood memories. 🧶 Happy crocheting! 🧵✨

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

Can I make all six Care Bears characters, or do I need to choose just one per afghan?

The pattern is designed for one character per afghan. Each Care Bear has its own detailed color chart and requires specific color combinations, so you would create individual afghans featuring each character separately.

What's the difference between the rectangular and square afghan versions?

The rectangular afghans (featuring Champ, Funshine, and Cheer Bears) measure 37x45 inches and use medium/worsted weight yarn. The square afghans (Wish, Bedtime, and Share Bears) measure 45 inches square and use sport/baby weight yarn with slightly different stitch counts.

Do I need to know both crochet and cross stitch to complete this pattern?

Yes, this pattern combines both techniques. You'll crochet the afghan body and border first, then add the Care Bear character design using cross stitch embroidery along with backstitch, straight stitch, satin stitch, and French knots for details.

How do I ensure my cross stitch design is centered correctly on the afghan?

The pattern instructs you to mark Row 1 as your right side and bottom edge with yarn. Use the chart notes which indicate the design is spread across specific rows (for example, 158 rows for some characters), and count carefully from your marked edges to center the design.

Can I substitute different yarn weights or brands than those specified?

While you can substitute yarns, it's crucial to match the gauge exactly (14 sc and 16 rows = 4 inches for worsted weight). Different yarn weights will change the finished size significantly, so if you substitute, make a gauge swatch and adjust your hook size accordingly.