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To print out your pattern pieces, go to this page. The pattern sheet should print out to fit an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper if you want to make the 8" teddy bear. To check to see if your pattern pieces are the right scale for the 8" bear, your ear piece should be 1 9/16" wide at the base and 1 5/16" high.  If you can't get your pattern to print to scale, try saving the graphic and adjusting its size in a graphics editing program.

Materials*

• 1/4 - yd fur 1/2" pile or 5/8" pile (Note: See Bear Facts for tips on choosing fur.)
• 1/4 low temp woven fusible interfacing (for knit back fabric only)
• black embroidery thread
• bonded nylon thread
• 2 small buttons for eyes
• 4 buttons (5/8") for joints
• 1/2 yd 1/4" ribbon
• kapok or firm pack poly stuffing
• 4" doll needle

Cutting: Important -- follow cutting layout. Watch nap! The nap of the fur should go down!

1. Trace pattern pieces on the wrong side of the fabric. Be sure to trace a right and left of all pattern pieces.
2. Cut out bear parts, cutting carefully inside traced lines.
3. Knit fabric only -- test iron on scrap of fur. Fuse interfacing to back of arms, legs, front and back body sectionals

Sewing: All seams are 1/4"

1. With right sides together, sew bear parts following the diagram leaving openings for turning. Tuck fur into the seams! Back stitch at the beginning and end of all seams.
2. Sew front body sections from A to B. Sew back body sections from D to B. Leave an opening for turning. Clip curves.
3. Pin forehead to front body at A markings. With the forehead on top, sew from A to C. Repeat for other side of head.
4. Finish body matching points D and B, pin. Sew down one side from D to B. Repeat for other side. Clip curves.

Groom seams: Using doll needle, work on the wrong side of the bear. Pull fur trapped in seam out of the seam. Turn bear parts right side out. Check seams and pull any fur pile trapped in seams to the right side.

Stuffing: Using small amounts of stuffing:

1. Stuff the muzzle. When muzzle is firm, work towards the back of the head stuffing the head firmly. Do not stuff neck area.
2. Stuff the hip area packing the stuffing very firmly to support leg joint.
3. Stuff the tummy and butt.
4. Stuff shoulder area, working from the front to the back. Do not force stuffing into the neck. Sew opening closed with ladder stitch.
5. Stuff arms and legs. Sew openings closed. With ladder stitch.

Putting it all together:

1. Attach the legs: Thread doll needle with a double thread at least 24" long. Sew legs onto body in this order: button, leg, body, leg, button.
2. Squeeze the gap area to set the legs in close to the body. Pass through the body at least 4 times filling all the holes in the buttons. Knot thread between leg and body. Hide the thread ends.
3. Sew arms to body in same manner.
4. Ears: whip stitch raw edges of ear. Position ear on head. Ladder stitch ear in place. Sew across front of ear and across back of ear. Knot thread and hide tails. Repeat for other ear.

Finishing touches:

1. Face -- With embroidery thread, stitch a mouth. Stick needle in at #1, out at #2 in at #3 (mouth), out at #4 in at #5. The mouth is finished -- do not cut thread go onto nose.
2. Nose -- carefully trim away fur where nose will be. Satin stitch nose -- make sure that the stitches are exactly next to each other. Start satin stitch in at #1, out at A. In at #2, out at A. In at #3, out at A. Continue until nose is covered with tightly spaced stitches. Alternate from side to side to keep nose shape even.
3. Eyes -- Thread doll needle with double length of nylon thread. With the button in the middle of the length of thread, fill all the holes of the button, un-thread needle. Repeat for second eye. Thread all four ends of thread from one of the eyes through the doll needle. Enter the bear’s head from the eye position and exit at back, pull threads tight setting eyes into the head. Tie four threads from the right eye and four threads from the left eye into a square knot. Hide thread tails.
4. Tie ribbon around bears neck and give him a name! For safety sake this bear is not child proof. Use safety eyes and child proof joints to make bear child safe.

More information on Julie Wegelin's Sewing Cellar

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