Polar Bear Pocket Scarf

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Have you been looking for a crochet kids’ scarf pattern for the gift-giving season? Or do you know someone who loves polar bears? Look no further! This darling, thick crochet polar bear scarf is perfect for keeping kiddos warm this winter (and it can easily be modified for an adult as well). The soft, squishy scarf is made with a bulky weight yarn from Bernat called Pipsqueak.

Working with a fuzzy yarn like this IS different than crocheting with more typical fibers like wool, cotton, or acrylic yarn. When you’re used to counting the tops of your stitches easily, it can be tricky to know how to work with a yarn that doesn’t give as much definition. When you can’t see your stitches, you have to feel them instead. Use your hook to help you feel the tops of the stitches (where you need to insert the hook), and feel the stitch posts as you go to help you count.

I wrote the Polar Bear Pocket Scarf using almost entirely double crochet with a large enough hook that the stitch posts are a generous size. This makes the posts of each stitch easier to feel as you’re working. Need more help with the fuzzy yarn learning curve? Try watching this video by Sarah Zimmerman of Repeat Crafter Me. It shows how you can keep track of your work as you’re going. If you’re ready to get started, scroll down to find this free crochet kids’ scarf pattern.

Need to save it for later? Pin it here!

You can find a printer-friendly PDF version of this pattern on Ravelry or Etsy. The premium version of the pattern includes detailed, full-color photo illustrations for each step.

Crochet Polar Bear Pocket Scarf Pattern

Materials Used:

• Bernat Pipsqueak in Vanilla – 2 balls
• Bernat Pipsqueak in Baby Blue – 1 ball
• Vanna’s Choice in Black – small amount of one ball
• Size J/5.75mm crochet hook
• Stitch marker
• Stuffing (optional)            
• Yarn needle (I like these needles from Clover)

Stitches Used:

• ch – chain
• dc – double crochet
• sc – single crochet
• sl st – slip stitch

Finished Size:

Scarf measures 68” long and 4” wide (6” wide at polar bear faces).

Gauge:

12 sts and 7 rows = 4”/10cm in dc.

Pattern:

Scarf

Using Baby Blue, ch 14.
R1: Dc in 3^rd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 2, turn. (12)
R2-R4: Dc in each st across. Change to Vanilla, ch 2, turn.
R5-R8: Dc in each st across. Change to Baby Blue, ch 2, turn.
Continue to dc in each st across, alternating Baby Blue and Vanilla every 4 rows, until you have a total of 100 rows (you’ll have 25 stripes total, with baby blue at each end of the scarf).  Weave in all ends.

Polar Bears

Face

R1: Using Vanilla, dc 12 into a magic ring. (12)
R2: 2 dc in each st around. (24)
R3: (Dc, 2 dc) 12x around. (36)
R4: (Dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc) 12x around. (48)
Fasten off with a slip stitch and trim, weaving in yarn end. Make two.

Snout

R1: Using Vanilla, dc 12 into a magic ring. (12)
R2: 2 dc in each st around. (24)
Fasten off with a slip stitch, leaving a long tail to later attach to face. Make two.

Nose

R1: Using Black, dc 6 into a magic ring. (6)
R2: 2 dc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in last 2 sts. (10)
Slip stitch to fasten off, leaving long tail to later attach to snout. Make two.   

Eyes

R1: Using Black, sc 4 in a magic ring. (4)
Slip stitch in first sc and pull tightly to fasten off, leaving long tail to later attach to face.  Make four.

Ears

R1: Using Vanilla, dc 12 into a magic ring. Ch 2, turn. (12)
R2: Dc in each st around.
Do not join.  Fasten off, leaving long tail to attach. Make four.

Finishing the face

Using a yarn needle, attach nose to snout. Attach snout to face, lightly stuffing if desired. Attach eyes on either side of the snout. Then attach ears. 

Pocket

Using Vanilla, ch 18.
R1: Dc in 3^rd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 2, turn. (16)
R2: Dc in each st across. Ch 2, turn.
R3: Dc2tog, dc in next 12 sts, dc2tog. Ch 2, turn. (14)
R4: Dc2tog, dc in next 10 sts, dc2tog. Ch 2, turn. (12)
R5: Dc in each st across, Ch 2, turn.
R6: Dc2tog, dc in next 8 sts, dc2tog. (10)
Fasten off, leaving long tail.  Use yarn needle to attach to the back of the polar bear’s head to form a pocket as pictured. Finish the scarf by attaching polar bear faces to each end of the scarf.

I hope you had fun making this cozy scarf! Please tag me in your pictures on Instagram @crochettoplay so I can admire your work.

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© 2025 Crochet to Play
All rights reserved. Designed and written by Jennifer Percival.  This pattern is property of Crochet to Play.  The written pattern and images are for personal use only.  Please do not redistribute, transfer, or sell the pattern or images, in part or in whole. Thank you.