Moumer Tips

Tips

If you have any tips or tricks that you find helpful and/or make bear making more interesting, send it to me and I will post it here.

The first time I read this tip in a magazine, I must admit I thought it was a bit silly, but if you make more than the odd bear once in a while you should wear a painter's mask when cutting and trimming you bears. You'll breath easier for it.
When choosing your fur examine the backing. If it stretches then it's knitted. If it's knitted, make sure you use fray check or watered down glue around the seam allowances to make sure it stays together through the sewing and stuffing process. I suggest you apply the fray check after cutting out your pieces, making sure that there aren't any lines left from when you traced the pattern or it may run in to your fur (Yuck!). Put enough to keep the backing together but not so much as to soak it. Keep within the seam allowances.
Consider the size of your bear when choosing the fur. Too long on a small bear and it will look like a puff of hair not a bear.

Sometimes washing (on delicate or by hand) and hang drying your fabric before cutting it out can give a nice effect. You can brush it out or leave it as is for a well worn look.
Before you start tracing or cutting a pattern take the time to read it. I've found that not all bears are the same. Every artist has their own way of making bears and this is apparent in the number of patterns available on the maket. Sometimes you'll even find some really good tips.
Make sure you trace your pattern on your fabric with a thin market/crayon, this will insure accuracy. I like to use the self-erasing kind on light fabrics. The marks disappear after about 24-48 hours. For darker fabrics, tailor chalk. For ultrasuede, there are these great uniball gel pens that come in white, violet and mint The trick is not to press too hard! They give nice crisp lines on dark ultrasuede!
When cutting out your pieces make sure you use small sharp scissors and only cut the backing. You'll have less hair to clean up after and your pile will always be nice along the seam lines.
Somebody once suggested that, instead of vaccuming the cut pieces to rid them of stray fur after cutting, I could throw them in the dryer on the "fluff" (no heat) setting. If you want to try this, go ahead, be forwarned it makes a mess in your dryer. I prefer the old fashioned vaccum myself, even though I have to fish the odd bear ear out of the bag every once in awhile (Hold your pieces TIGHT!)
Matching the pieces, right sides together, use lots of pins to pin together your pieces this will stop them from shifting while being sewed. I pin perpendicularly to the fabric and when I put the piece through the machine I put the side where the point of the pin comes out underneath. I have found this helps to ensure even seam allowances.

In my opinion, the hardest part to sew on a bear is it's foot pads. The best way I have found to keep the pads even and rounded is to draw a line where I want to sew on the pad itself and then sew on the line. Oh yeah and pin, pin, pin!
Take the time to brush out the seams on the inside and outside of your bear. Your seams will lie flatter and you won't have short tuffs sticking out in between the seams. A dog grooming brush works well plus a good strong needle to take care of that stubborn hair that insists on hiding it's head (do not use your sculpting needles they'll bend out of shape).
Use an awl or CLOSED pointed scissors to seperate the fibers on the backing of the plush when making holes for joints and eyes. If you do cut it by accident use the fray check to make sure it doesn't weaken the joint.
You don't have to get a proffesional stuffing stick. You can use a chopstick, a dowl, the end of a wooden spoon or tape up a few bar-b-q skewers with the ends cut off and taped (yeah, I've done it). Basically any thin BLUNT object will do.
Stuffing the nose firmly will help you embroider the nose later on. Some people use excelsior (wood wool) stuffing just in the nose for this reason.
I got the following tip from A Bear of My Own by Rotraud Ilisch: When closing the seam around the neck joint try doing a ladder stich instead of the regular gathering stich. I don't know if this would be good for every bear design but it's what I do for mine and I find their heads lay closer to the body.
For you newbies here's a diagram of the ladder stich.

To make flexible limbs you can use floral wire.
When setting your eyes try having the thread come out at different places for a different look and expression. Tie the eye thread behind opposite ears, behind the ear perpendicular to the eye, behind the neck, etc. Don't forget to triple your upholstery thread and pull tight.
Trim your new friend's mussel using small sharp and thin scissors. Take your time, this hair doesn't grow back.

I like using a thin coat of varnish on the embroidered nose. This way they don't get mussed up.

I hope these tips help you with your bear making. Don't forget, if you have any tips or suggestions tell me and I'll post them with your name.