Pattern Description:
This traditional jointed teddy bear pattern uses 1/4 metre mohair, felt or ultrasuede for pads, black perle cotton, strong thread, 9mm glass eyes, and cotter pin joints. Pieces are enlarged by 120% and trimmed 0.5 cm for neat seams.
Carefully cut, pin, and sew the head, body, arms, legs, ears, and pads, leaving openings for turning and stuffing. Precision ensures a well-shaped, fully jointed bear.
Materials Needed:
- 1/4 metre short pile mohair
- Felt or ultrasuede for paws and pads
- Black perle cotton
- Extra strong thread
- 9mm black glass eyes
- Two 45mm cotter pin hardboard joints for the arms
- Two 50mm cotter pin hardboard joints for the legs
- One 50mm cotter pin hardboard joint for the neck
- Polyester filling
- Stuffing tool
Measurements for the Pattern:
- Templates for the bear (Back Body, Front Body, Outer Arm, Inner Arm, Leg, Head, Head Gusset, Ear, Paw Pad, Foot Pad) need to be enlarged by 120%.
- After cutting out your pattern pieces, you should trim 0.5 cm (1/4″) of mohair around the edge of all your pattern pieces to ensure a neater sewing seam.
- When assembling, leave a 0.5 cm (1/4″) seam allowance when sewing the pinned pattern pieces together.
Instructions for Making the Traditional Jointed Teddy Bear Pattern:
Fabric Cutting & Trimming
Precision in cutting and trimming your fabric pieces is vital for a well-shaped bear.
- A. Fabric Placement: Place your prepared card templates on the reverse side of your chosen mohair fabric. It’s crucial to position the directional arrows on the pattern pieces in line with the pile direction of the mohair. This ensures the bear’s fur lies correctly.
- B. Marking: Mark the joint positions and openings on the fabric as indicated on your templates.
- C. Pad Tracing: Trace the paw and foot pads onto your chosen felt or ultrasuede fabric.
- D. Precise Cutting: Using small, sharp-pointed scissors, carefully cut out all the pattern pieces. Take extreme care to avoid cutting into the mohair pile itself, as this can damage the fur and affect the bear’s appearance.
- E. Mohair Trim: Once all pieces are cut, trim 0.5 cm (1/4″) of mohair from around the entire edge of each pattern piece. This step is critical as it will provide a much neater sewing seam, preventing the mohair from getting caught in the stitches and creating bulk.
Initial Pattern Assembly (Pinning)
Before sewing, correctly pinning your pattern pieces together is essential for accurate alignment.
- A. Head: Start by pinning the two head pieces together, beginning from point A and continuing to point B as marked on your pattern.
- B. Arms: Next, pin the inner arm pieces to their corresponding paw pads, ensuring you match the right arm to its right pad and the left arm to its left pad.
- C. Body: Pin the right front body piece to the right back body piece, and then repeat this process for the left front body and left back body pieces.
- D. Legs: Fold each leg piece in half lengthwise and pin from the tip of the toe up to the designated opening mark at the top of the leg. Repeat for both legs.
- E. Ears: Finally, pin the ear pieces together.
Sewing Prep & Tips
Prepare for sewing by understanding the necessary allowances and techniques.
- A. Seam Allowance: When sewing all of the pinned pattern pieces together, ensure you leave a 0.5 cm (1/4″) seam allowance. This consistent allowance is key to maintaining the pattern’s intended size and shape.
- B. Openings: Crucially, remember to leave an opening where required on each piece, as indicated on your templates. These openings will be used later for turning the pieces inside out and for stuffing.
- C. Stitching: It is recommended to use a fine machine stitch and to double stitch each seam to provide added strength, especially for a well-loved bear. If your sewing skills are a bit rusty, practicing on scrap pieces of fabric first can be beneficial.
Subsequent Pattern Pinning & Sewing
With the initial pieces sewn, the next step involves assembling the more intricate parts of the bear’s body.
- A. Head Gusset: Pin the head gusset into the head pieces. Start at the tip of the nose and carefully work your way to the back of the head. This step requires extra care, as the nose area is one of the most difficult pieces to sew accurately.
- B. Body & Arms: Next, pin the right body piece to the left body piece. Simultaneously, pin together the corresponding inner and outer arm pieces.
- C. Leg Pads: Pin the foot pads securely to the legs.
- D. Sewing & Turning: Sew all these newly pinned pieces together, again ensuring you leave a 0.5 cm (1/4″) seam allowance and required openings. After sewing, carefully turn all the pieces inside out.
Seam Checks
Before moving on to stuffing, it’s important to inspect your sewn seams.
- A. Smoothness: Run your finger on the reverse side of the seams to check that they are smooth and free from puckers or loose stitches.
- B. Pushing Out: Gently push the seams out with your fingers, paying particular attention to the nose and pad areas. Ensuring these areas are well-defined now will contribute to the bear’s overall sculptured look later.
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