Teddy bear eyes are the most expressive part of a teddy bears face, so you will need to decide what sort of eyes to use, what size and colour and where to position them. If the teddy bear is for an adult or a collector, glass eyes should be used.
Glass Teddy Bear Eyes
Glass eyes come in a huge range of colours and sizes and most of them are hand made, it's very hard to choose which colour although black is the most popular.
I love to use one of the many choices of blue eyes for bears that are white or light coloured. I like to also trim the fur around the eyes so that the eyes are more visible. I use coloured head straight pins to decide where to place the eyes. I prefer the eyes to be set fairly close together, but they can be wide apart if that's the right look for the bear. Move the pins around until you're happy with the position. I use dental floss to sew in the eyes as it's very strong and almost impossible to break. Pull the eyes in tight so that they make an indent in the teddy bears head. This makes the eyes look like they are in an eye socket.
Safety Teddy Bear Eyes
Safety eyes should always be used is the teddy bear is for a baby or a child. These also come in brown, black and many other colours.
Eye sizes range from 1mm for small bears to 30mm for large bears. Safety eyes are placed in the head before stuffing the head. Glass eyes are sewn in after stuffing. I find that putting larger eyes on a teddy bear makes the teddy bear look younger. Most bear makers tend to use black shiny eyes but I like to vary the eye colours and sizes that I use.
Where to buy Teddy Bear Eyes
Glass eyes can be bought from craft shops that sell teddy bear supplies or they can be bought easily on-line.
Happy Bear-Making!
First of all, your teddy bear or stuffed animal needs to have a name. If he or she doesn't come with one or you don't like the name given, choose one that you like and which suits the toys character.
Check out the laundry instructions for washing your teddy bear or stuffed animal. Some can be washed in the washing machine, but check the label first. Please don't put you mohair collector teddy bear with glass eyes that you paid a fortune for in the washing machine. These bears can be cleaned by dusting, light vacuuming and wiping with a damp cloth. I personally like to wash teddy bears and stuffed animals by hand and hang them by the ears on the washing line out of direct sunlight. This sounds cruel but I'm sure they don't feel any pain!
Dressing the teddy bears is also fun, clothes can be bought or made if your handy with a sewing machine. Some teddies have a very nice collection of clothes for various occassions.
If your teddy bear or stuffed animal gets injured, sew him up or his stuffing may start to fall out and the hole will get bigger. Use a strong double thread to sew up any loose seams.
If you have a very fluffy teddy bear or stuffed animal they can be washed and brushed then dried with a hair dryer to keep them fluffy.
Teddy bears make good friends so spend some time with them!
Types of Fabrics Used In Making a Stuffed Teddy Bear
When buying or making a stuffed teddy, you need to decide whether you would like your teddy bear made out of mohair or a synthetic fabric. It is hard to choose if you are making a bear as there are so many choices! Beginner bear makers should start off using a synthetic fabric as mohair is very expensive and best to use when you have more experience in bear making. When buying a bear, you will find that teddy bears made out of synthetic fabrics are much more affordable.
Synthetic fabrics come in different pile lengths and a vast range of colours. Longer piles are more suitable for larger bears and short piles for smaller bears. Of course, this rule doesn't have to be followed because you can make a bear out of any kind of fabric you like. It all adds to the special character of the bear, nothing is set in concrete.
Mohair is the most popular fabric used in bear making. Mohair comes from the fleece of angora goats and it is tightly woven onto a non-stretchable backing fabric. Mohair is the traditional fabric for bears, most favoured by bearmakers. It has been used for 100 years in bear making. Mohair is also available in many colours, pile lengths and types, and like all bear making fabrics it is sold in fat quarters which are square shaped pieces of fabric. A fat quarter is more suitable for cutting out a bear pattern and measure about 70cm x 50cm which is big enough for a 40cm bear (16in).
Types of Mohair:-
Tipped Mohair - Available in straight or curly pile with the tips dyed a different colour which is very effective.
Spare-pile Mohair - This type of mohair looks a bit baldy and thinned out. Ideal to make an old looking bear.
Extra-dense Mohair - This pile is thicker than regular mohair.
Curly Mohair - This is very soft and has curls and waves made by steam processing.
Distressed Mohair- This mohair is made to look like the old fur seen on antique bears.
Straight pile Mohair - This is popular with bear makers and is a straight, thickly woven pile.
For first time bear makers I recommend buying a bear making kit. These kits include everything that you need to make your first bear and detailed instructions. It's an easy way to start off, and familiarises you with bear making techniques to make your bear making journey more enjoyable.
Trauma Teddies are given out to people (usually children) who are suffering a traumatic experience.
The Red Cross(In Australia) donate the teddies to hospitals, emergency services, police, fire brigades and nursing homes who then give them to people suffering trauma. They are very easy to make.
Trauma Teddy Pattern
Trauma Teddies are knitted and then donated to the Red Cross who distribute them to the emergency services. They can be knitted in any colours, I like to use bright colours but you can use pastels or any other combination. Football club colours are good to use too.
Trauma Teddies are made in 8 ply wool (no angora) and need to be stuffed with Hobby Fill, not old stockings, cut up rags or bean bag filling. Also for safety reasons no buttons, plastic eyes, plastic noses or beads.
The eyes, nose and mouth need to be embroidered on with wool.
Cast on 12 stitches (leg)
knit 34 rows
Change wool colour for pants
Knit 8 rows
Join by knitting across both legs.
Then knit 14 rows (this finishes the pants)
Sleeve
Cast on 12 stitches on each side knitting
Knit 18 rows
Cast off 12 stitches each end (this forms the arms)
Head
Knit 34 rows (see instructions for alternative head)
Cast off
Back
Repeat this procedure to obtain the other side of the teddy.
Sew on the face. Join up and fill with Hobby Fill only.
Gather around the base of the head to form the neck (and pinch the corner of the head and sew to form the ears.
Alternative head
Knit 10 rows
Cast on 2 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows
knit 10 rows
Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows
Knit 10 rows
Cast off
I think my love of Teddy Bears is a result of an incident from childhood. My mother threw my teddy bear down the rubbish shute in the big block of flats that we were living in at the time. I tried in vain to retrieve him but was unable to. All this happened because we were moving into a house and my parents threw out just about everything including my few toys and my teddy bear. I was inconsolable. Of course now I have lots of teddies and toys that I've kept, all belonging to my own five children. They will not be thrown out they're all stored away for the future grandchildren.
I started making my own teddy bears about 15 years ago. There is something special about the giving and receiving of a hand-made bear, a bear with character. Choosing the fabric, the eyes, the fabric for the paws, where to place the ears, how to embroider the nose, it's all a work of art. One could use the same pattern and fabric for two bears, and have two teddy bears with completely different characters.
I have made teddy bears out of acrylic fabric, mohair, and old fur coat, wool, felt and other assorted fabrics. I even thought that our family cat would make a beautiful bear (just joking!) There are so many methods to choose from in bear making. I have made a teddy bear out of cream wool fabric, embroidering the pieces in ribbon embroidery before stitching the bear together. I embroidered all the state and territory flower emblems of Australia on the bear and he is truly spectacular. I have also made lengths of patchwork, then cut out the teddy bear pattern. This makes such a unique teddy bear and a delight for any child.
Dressing the bears is also heaps of fun. I made a teddy bear once for the local orchestra to raffle. I dressed him in a fine waistcoat and of coarse he had a miniature violin to play. I've also made teddy bears for the local schools that my children attended. These were made in the school colours with the school emblem on the tummy and a bow made out of the school uniform fabric. I was approached once by a woman who wanted me to make a 'special' panda bear for her adult daughter.
This panda had alternate black and white limbs and ears, a copy of a long lost childhood toy. I was able to make this to order for a very delighted customer. So this makes teddy bear making very special, when you can make people enormously happy by fulfilling their desire for a 'special' bear.
So if you have the time and inclination, bear making is definately a most enjoyable pastime and/or business if you can bear to part with your creations.
My very first teddy bears, I thought at the time were a bit of a disaster, with their lopsided eyes and ears and crooked noses, but they have become family favourites and I wouldn't change them for anything.
