Knitting: Easy Large Panda Bear

Grandson number two asked for a panda bear a month or two ago.  I found a smallish crocheted panda and started it.  The head was not even half done when I had to put down the crochet hook due to unpleasantness in the right hand.

Next I searched for a knitted panda bear.  Finally I found one on the Rowan website called Panda and Big Bear by Jem Weston.  Very cute.  I did not have access to the furry yarn but did happen onto nearly a full skein of black worsted weight yarn already in the stash.  I already had several balls of creamy white worsted weight yarn wound and US size 7 needles are always to hand.

This project was pretty easy.  The only real glitch was that I mis-read part of the pattern or something as there are a couple of stray stitches in one eye patch.  Looking at the picture on the pattern as I write this, I see that I did not mis-read, the issue is that I was not using the furry yarn!  Oh, well. It is still a panda.  Still kind of cute.

On vacation I finished the ears, legs, and eyes, then drove all over the sap works looking for animal eyes, and finally found them at A.C. Moore!  After installing the eyes, using a piece of felt behind the eyes to make them more stable, I was ready to finish stuffing the panda.  Finally I finished the seam at the top of the head.

This is Mister Panda:

Big Panda Bear...about 18 inches tall

I hope he will be acceptable...