Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Draw a circle on a sheet of blank paper to represent the bear's head. Use a pencil in order to correct any mistakes and erase unnecessary lines as the pattern takes shape. Sketch two half circles on top of the circle to represent the teddy bear's ears.
Draw a long vertical oval shape beneath the circle to represent the bear's body, adjacent to the portion of the circle that does not have the "ears." Overlap the oval and the circle. Erase the pencil marks where the lines overlap.
Compose two more elongated ovals slightly overlapping the oval representing the body. Draw the ovals to the left and right of the body near the head. These ovals should be half to three fourths of the length of the oval representing the bear's body. Erase the lines where these three ovals overlap. These are the teddy bear's arms.
Form two more ovals of the same shape and size as the arms at the very bottom of the oval representing the bear's body. Overlap these ovals with the body oval. Erase the lines where these two ovals overlap with the body of the teddy bear. These represent the bear's legs.
Enlarge the pattern on a copy machine. Enlarging the pattern by 100 to 250 percent creates a larger bear, enabling ease of sewing and a larger finished project for small hands. Cut out the enlarged pattern piece using scissors or a craft knife.
Pin the pattern piece to polar fleece in the color of your choice. Cut out two pieces of fleece from the bear-shaped pattern. Remove the pins and pattern pieces from the fleece.
Pin the two pieces of fleece together, positioned with any pattern the fleece may have facing inward. This exposes the "wrong side" of your project. Sew along the outer perimeter of the bear 1/4 inch from the edge, stopping when there is a gap of approximately two to three inches.
Turn the bear inside out, so that the "right side" of your project is facing out toward you. This means that the seams you just completed are tucked away inside the bear for a nice, neat edge.
Stuff the bear using polyester fiberfill or a suitable equivalent, such as wool roving, cotton batting or recycled fiberfill stuffing.
Use a needle and thread to sew up the two to three inch gap you used to stuff the bear. Use a near invisible stitch, keeping stitches between the two layers of fabric. Knot and secure the thread once the gap is securely sewn shut. Cut all loose threads.
Embroider eyes and a nose with yarn, or applique them using pieces of fleece or felt in the appropriate colors. Avoid using hard eyes and noses that need to be sewn on, as these could be chewed off by a child.
Add any finishing touches and embellishments, such as embroidered initials on the bear or separately sewn clothing items. Remember that any items such as ribbons or bows could be detached and pose a choking hazard to babies.