Amigurumi - Lil bear

I really wanted to try these out and had a book: Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Amigurumi by Tomoko Takamori, (published by Chronicle Books). I also have lots of left over wool from hats, scarves, socks and other projects and am loathe to just toss them out... so I've been looking for interesting things which can be made...
Lil bear is the first Amigurumi animal I've tried and the brown variegated sock wool left in my sock wool scrap bag was crying out to be used for him. I've altered the pattern a little as the eyes are meant to be plastic and the dark part of the nose from felt (I've just embroidered them all with more sock wool.)
The pattern itself was a bit of a challenge...
I'm used to following standard written instructions... with not even the diagrams found in many American patterns. So working out the intent of the instructions written in English, but not in a manner I'd ever seen before, became an interesting exercise... and a warning is that the rows are diabolical to count with variegated wool.. however think how boring the craft would be if these challenges weren't there!
Note: Sitting down, Lil bear measures about 9cm..... And in retrospect I'll redo the eyes and move them to either side of his nose.
Another thing I've been trialling is the use of the doubling ball idea in a previous posting but using it as a brooch for adding interest to what could otherwise be a lacklustre outfit. Photos coming.. Now onto that baby's jacket!