http://openhouseminiatures.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/meet-noah/

1. Meet Noah…
(a bear in the making)

2. Before we begin, I would like to apologise for the state of my thumbnail.
The grubbiness under the nail is paint, not dirt.
I like working with knitted materials.
As a general rule, they don’t fray as
easily as woven fabrics.
I think that very fine pins are
absolutely essential when sewing
in miniature.

3. It is easier to cut out the pattern, pin it to a large piece of material,
and then sew round the pattern.
I sewed the
curve at the
back of the
leg into
place first.

4. When the seams are sewn are in place, cut round the outside of the seams.
Don’t cut too
close to the
stitches !

5. There are many theories about the “right” way to construct a sewn toy.
I oversewed
the pad of the
paw into place
and left a gap
at the toe for
stuffing.
I did this
because I am
going to
embroider the
paws, and this
is the easiest
way for me to
hide the
opening.
Some people
leave a gap at
the top of the leg
for stuffing and
some people
leave a gap at the
back of the leg.

6. Turn the leg the right side out and coax into shape.
Scissors are
very useful
for
stretching a
fabric into
shape, but
you have to
open them
gently.
Make
two
legs.

7. This is the pattern for the body
Note the
huge flap.
This is
because the
body needs
to be stuffed
very firmly
and I find it
easier to
close the
opening
when there
is a large
flap.

8. Here is the body with the seams sewn in place.
Note – I have
not cut out
the darts.

9. The area above the darts has not been seamed.

10. Pinch the body together and sew along the dart lines without cutting them.

11. Then turn the body the right side out.
This is a
side view.

12. Stuff the legs and the body firmly and close the seams as neatly as possible.
A soft toy
maker
once told
me that
the art of
making a
toy is all
in the
stuffing.
Don’t be
afraid to
keep
packing the
stuffing in
and keep
squeezing
the toy into
shape with
your fingers.

13. Now make the arms.
Make
two
arms

14. If you cut the fabric too close to the seam this will happen.
I left the
hole for
stuffing at
the back of
the paw.
The hole at
the top of
the arm was
my mistake.

15. Then make the head.
I could not
use my
previous
method for
the head.
I had to cut
out the
parts and
then sew
them
together.
It is possible
to joint a
bear at the
neck at this
size, but I
just gathered
the neck
together and
finished it of
neatly.

16. Then make the ears
I over-sewed
the ears.
They can
get rather
bulky with an
inside seam.

17. Check that all the pieces are ready to be assembled.

18. It is a good idea to make sure that you have everything
that you are going to need before you start.
It was at this
point – just as
I was about to
embroider
Noah’s nose that I
discovered
that I had run
out of black
embroidery
cotton.
Linen
thread was
too thick, so
I used
sewing
cotton
instead.

19. Sew the nose into place first then the mouth.
I find that
sewing the
nose first
makes it
easier for me
to decide
where the
eyes are
going to go.
Noah’s eyes
are made
with
French knots.
I stitched the
eye sockets
into place first.
Stitching across
the face gives
a more
pointed face.
Stitching front
to back will
give a flatter,
broader face.
I stitched
side to side.

20. Finish the thread off where it will not be seen – at the neck joint.

21. The position of the ears is very important.

22. Shape the ears and sew them into place,
to suit the character of your bear.

23. Join the head to the body first.
Then join the arms.
I forgot to
photograph
embroidering
Noah’s paw
pads.
They are very
simply satin
stitched, with
a very fine
backstitch
border.

24. To joint the arms, take a few stitches, on the inside of the arm,
to secure your thread.
Then pass needle and thread through the arm.

25. Position the arm on the body and sew back through both the arm and the body.

26. Then attach the other arm, on the other side of the body.
I sewed
backwards
and
forwards –
through the
arms and
the body
-about 12
times.
I tried to pass
the needle
through the
same
entrance and
exit holes
each time.
I finished off
the thread on
the inside of
one arm.

27. Fix the legs in place by the same method.
I embroidered
all of Noah’s
paw pads
before I
sewed his
arms and legs
into position.

28. Afterword
I do not make bears very often and I do not make them for sale as
“Toys”
If you are serious about making soft toys,
especially for sale,
please take the time to investigate
the rules and restrictions in your country.