How to Make a Stuffed Teddy Bear

Choose material for the teddy bear. If the teddy bear is for a child, soft or furry material will be best. If the teddy bear is for show or collecting, chose any material, though a heavier or more durable material may be best.

Fold the material over once and lay a teddy bear pattern on it.

Trace around the pattern with a pen or a black marker.

Cut out the material along the traced line. Since the material is folded, there will be two pieces of fabric cut.

Lay the two pieces of the cut-out fabric aligned with the "right" sides of the material facing each other.

Sew the two pieces of fabric together along the edges. Leave a 2-inch opening at the top of the teddy bear's head.

Carefully draw the fabric out through the gap in the teddy bear's head. As it comes out it will show the right side of the fabric on the outside. Straighten the arms and the legs of the teddy bear. It is now an empty teddy-bear-shaped bag.

Stuff quilting cotton or poly-fill into the fabric. Start by filling out the teddy bear's extremities (arms and legs) and slowly working toward his middle and finally his head.

Fold in the edges of the gap in the teddy bear's head and hand-sew the gap closed.

Follow the same system to make the teddy bear's ears and tail. Sew two pieces of material together in the shape desired, wrong-side of fabric together, with a gap open in one corner. Turn the material right-side out and stuff it with filler. Hand-sew it shut and then sew it onto the teddy bear's body.

Add accessories as desired--button eyes, ribbon mouth, etc.