Teddy Bear Making

I started making teddy bears when I was in high school.  My brother commissioned me to make a bear for his girlfriend.  He bought all the supplies and I did all the work.  I used a pattern from a pattern company and I don't believe the joints were articulated but it did turn out super cute.  I wish I had a picutre of that bear, but that was long before computers and blogging so I never thought about taking a picture.  I think I made that in 1973 or 1974.  I didn't make any bears after that for a long time.  

I think my daughter was 5 or 6 (1981 or 1982) when I made her a bear from cotton fabric.  I used a pattern from McCalls, I think.  She still  has that teddy bear.  That bear used buttons to make the joints for the legs and arms to move.  It was fun to make and she loves it.

I got the bear making bug again in the 1990's when I found a website called Labour of Love (it was a Canadian company) that carried teddy bear and doll making supplies.  I bought a book about how to make teddy bears which included a basic pattern, along with the book I bought several mohair fake fur fat quarters to make the bears and some joint disks to use in the neck, arms and legs.  None of those materials were available to me locally.  It's a fun pattern and that teddy bear turn out super cute.  See the bears in the picture below.  

My dear daughter got a fake fur mohair bear in 2003 for her birthday.  I used a pretty golden colored mohair fur to make that one.  I stuffed it with excelsior (wood shavings) and that was interesting to use.  I haven't made a teddy bear since then.

It's time for me to take inventory of my teddy bear making supplies that I bought so long ago.  I know I still have a bunch of excelsior and about two fat quarters of mohair, but I'm not sure how many disks and cotter pins I have for the joints or how many eyes I have in different shade and naps.  It also carried how to books that included patters.  

I have to take inventory of my supplies to see what I have to make bears and get started using those supplies up.  I love making teddy bears.  Here is a picture of bears that I made for me.  They are Mary and Jack.  I named them after my parents.