TIPS

"Grain" is just as important as the nap.  A piece which has been cut off grain can twist when sewn and stuffed.  Lay out the pattern pieces so that the grain line arrow is parallel to the grain of the fabric.

Place the pattern pieces close together to save on fabric. Many little bruins can be made from small leftover pieces of fabric.

To create a bear with a different look, consider placing pattern pieces against the grain.

Hold pen vertical as you trace to get a best proportional bear.

If you have not made a template for each piece then reverse pattern pieces as needed.

Mark joint and eye placement.

PREPARING AND STITCHING

1)       Leave a wide enough opening on the body parts that will be easy for the turning and jointing.  Hand closing with the ladder stitch is a breeze!

2)       Reduce the bulk when sewing ears.

3)       Add 1/4" to the openings on the body parts for loosely woven fabrics tending to fray.

4)       If you plan to shave the muzzle, then consider removing the fur before stitching.  This step will eliminate the "row of fur" or "rooster tailing" that can happen along a seam line.

5)       Use a 90/14 needle on your machine and a stitch size that is slightly smaller than normal.  Double stitch along pressure points especially along nose, eye corners, bends of legs and arms.

6)       Double stitch every piece of every bear if using mohair.  First one side, then turn over and stitch again.  Even with careful pining there are slight imperfections you can correct the second go around. Double check paws and pads for smooth curves and that the sizes are matching.  Consider drawing a stitching line before you pin to guide these critical stitches.

7)       Always, ALWAYS use a matching, closely coordinated machine sewing thread that is good quality.  Avoid disappointment with threads breaking at the stuffing step.  Use a balanced stitch and back stitch at the beginning and end of every seam.

8)       Sewing the gusset. Traditional method:  Sew the seam from neck to nose, then set in gusset piece and stitch one half first then the other. Leave neck open.

9)       Sewing the foot pads. Use lots of pins to put foot pad in place as shown below.  Stitch in place from the pad side being sure to get a nice rounded curve.  OR stitch from the leg side - the assembly will "set up" because of the pins and allow you to get a nice smooth rounded curvy seam.

10)   After stitching, and before turning, reinforce the jointing holes, with blanket stitch, or facing on the wrong side.

11)   Once pieces are turned right side out, you may wish to snip the fur around the holes very slightly so you can quickly locate joint holes.

12)   TIME TO TURN…  A good stuffing stick is great at helping turn the pieces right side out.

STUFFING MATERIALS

1)       Stuffing sticks are available, although the handle of a wooden spoon or chopstick is equal to the task.

2)       Wood wool (excelsior) has been used for years.  This thing finely shredded wood looks like straw.  These days, wood wool is available from specialist suppliers.  An important use is for stuffing the nose which makes embroidering much easier.

3)       Polyester is the most common filling available and is extremely easy to use.  There are many different grades and qualities.  A top quality high loft product will fill the  bear to a firm stage and not form lumps.  Be choosy because no one wants a lumpy bear!

4)       Kapok is a material that is very silky to touch, but as it is handled, the fine fibres float around, so wear a dust mask.  Kapok is best used for small and miniature bears since it gives a 'weighty' feel as it is packed in.

5)       Pellets are available in plain and scented varieties.  These 'food grade' pellets (means they pass harmlessly through if swallowed) create soft stuff squishy tummies or add weight to bear bottoms and limbs.

6)       Glass beads are easy to use.  Beads add weight without a "bean bag" feel to your bear.  Glass beads are recommended over steel shot due to health reasons.

7)       Barley, rice and lentils may seem like good fillers - Careful!!  Insects such as beetles and moths may not only be attracted to the mohair but also the free lunch inside....

8)       Polystyrene (foam) beads used in bean bag chairs are not suitable for stuffing bears.

JOINTS

The jointing system you choose depends on your own personal choice.

SAFETY JOINTS (for children’s toys) plastic joints are light and easy to install.  Since they are washable, they are excellent for teddy bears made for small children.  You can't make fine adjustments on joints with a flange system.

NUT AND BOLT LOCKING JOINTS These joints are easy to install and cannot be removed.

COTTERPIN JOINTS The disks are connected by the cotter pin, whose ends are bent like a snap or a crown with needle nose pliers, to secure them.  It takes some practice to learn to do this.  You can flatten the loop of the cotter pin to a T or thread a small washer to the loop to keep from pulling it through the washer.

THREAD JOINTING using strong upholstery thread.

WHAT SIZE TO USE?  Well that just depends!  Of course you will be limited somewhat by the dimensions of the upper portion of your bear limbs.  Otherwise you can really decide yourself.  Most patterns make suggestions, but as long as the disk fits inside the space in the top of the limbs you can be creative. For almost all of the jointing systems in order to get the stuffed head jointed to the body you are advised to glue the assembly which will end up inside the head... then of course its tough to tighten down and you get a nodding bear even if you didn't plan on it.  We recommend the head bolt joints which come in three sizes (small, medium & large).

MINIATURE BEAR JOINTING When a bear is too small for solid joints you can string joint. The limbs will still move but should not be twirled the entire way around.  Use dental floss or really strong upholstery thread. You just take a stitch through the inside of one limb, thread needle through the body - out the other side - through the inside of the other limbs - back through the body and out.  Tie threads securely and bury the threads.

STUFFING AND JOINTING THE HEAD

1)       Decide if you intend to fit plastic safety eyes or the glass/shoe button type.  Plastic eyes must be put in place before shaping the head.

2)       Place small amounts of polyester filling into the nose area, placing them as firmly as possible.  Continue to add filling little by little into the middle of the head first and then placing bits around.  Do not use large handfuls since this will create unevenness and empty pockets which will cause your bear to droop later on.

3)       As the head fills, use your stuffing stick and firm the filling down evenly and frequently as you work.  At first the filling will be bouncy but as the head fills it will become more firm and allow you to shape the head.

4)       Stuff the nose area very firmly.  It will be very difficult to embroider on a soft crunchy nose.

5)       When you believe the head is filled, be sure to stuff the stock repeatedly into the under chin area and into the nose tip.  Really be sure the nose is firm.

6)       Fill the head approximately 1/2" (12mm) of the neck edge.

7)       Complete final inspection to sure that there are no lumps or hollows.  Fix the problem areas now BEFORE you close the neck edge.

1)       Once you are satisfied then insert the head joint.

2)       Invert the head joint and lay the joint on the stuffing.

3)       Hold the head still upside down and with joint in place.  Stitch a running stitch around the neck opening using extra long thread.

4)       Pull the stitches tightly around the joint pin to gather the material around the joint pin.  Stitch from side to side through the gathered fabric.  Be sure there are no gaps which would allow joint to slide down.

5)       The most important part of this work is to be sure that the joint cannot slide out.

6)       Arms and legs are jointed in a similar fashion... and you decide whether to fill the limps with stuffing before or after completing the jointing to the body.

STUFFING THE REST OF THE BEAR

1)       Use small wads of stuffing (no bigger than the size of a cotton ball).  Start at the neck and use a stuffing tool to get the filler in and around the joints. 

2)       Even a soft stuffed bear needs to be firmly stuffed at the neck to avoid a floppy head.

3)       Stuff around the shoulders and arms and then begin at the lower part of the body.

4)       If you are thinking of a growler or music box, place it now

5)       Stuff the bear so that the final seam can be squeezed relatively easily with your fingers while you stitch.

TIPS

Make a cotton sack for the growler to protect it from bits of fibrefill getting inside the mechanism.

If you want the bear to growl if tipped forwards, then place the growler in the middle of the body cavity in a horizontal position with the holes facing backwards toward the centre back seam.

Pack stuffing around the growler so it won't fall out and also around the top so it cannot be felt when the seam is closed.

 CLOSING ALL THE OPEN SEAMS

1)       Close seams invisibly with a ladder stitch.

2)       Thread a needle with a strong thread and knot the end.

3)       Place the needle at the top of the seam to be closed and anchor the knot.

4)       As illustrated below take the thread horizontally across the opening and make a small stitch on the opposite side.

5)       Repeat on the other side and all the way down the length of the limb or the body seam.

6)       Pull the stitches to close the seam.