Project 52 - Miniature Bear Making - #16

Make a waistcoat

Making clothes for tiny bears can be a challenge.  Non-fray fabrics such as felt are often too bulky, and thin cotton and silk tend to fray.  It used to frustrate me no end, especially since I have a wonderful stash of vintage cotton fabric with small motifs. 

A friend who makes doll clothes taught me this method for working with fabrics that fray - simply double it up!  This means no more working with fiddly linings around the neck and armholes.  Clothes that are made this way are robust enough that children can play with it.

 

To start, you will need a paper pattern.  I designed the pattern for a waistcoat for Angus the same way that we made the bolero pattern in Week 15.  If you don't want to draw your own pattern, you can use mine, you will find the the template to print HERE.

Fold double the piece of fabric that you will use for the waistcoat, with the right sides inside, and pin together so that the fabric layers won't move.  Trace the pattern on to the fabric.
(I used calico to make a sample waistcoat so that you can see the steps more easily.  My Angus waistcoat is made from burgundy silk with a fine black stripe, it would not photograph!).

 

The template lines are the sewing line.  This makes it easier to sew the seams accurately.  The seam allowances still need to be added on so don't cut the waistcoat from the fabric yet.  I stitched my waistcoat on the sewing machine, but you could do it by hand.  Leave the side seams open.   

   

Once all the seams are sewn, cut out the waistcoat, leaving a 2-3mm (1/16 inch) seam allowance. Clip the curves and corners.  The side seam openings can be fray checked, and a very thin line of fray check applied around the neckline and on the corners if you are concerned that the fabric might fray when turned right side out.

 

Carefully turn the waistcoat right side out.  I found it easier to turn it working through the side seams on the back of the waistcoat. Use a hemostat or long tweezers.  Press the seams flat.  If your waistcoat needs ironing, now is a good time to do it.

 

Fold under the raw edges on the waistcoat side seams, front and back.  At this point your waistcoat does not have a right side and a wrong side, unless you used different fabric for the lining.  Fold the waistcoat at the shoulder so that the front and back side seams match up under the arm hole. Whipstitch together the two inside layers of the side seam.

 

Ladder stitch or whipstitch the two outer layers of the side seam together.  Repeat for the other side of the waistcoat.

 

The waistcoat is finished!

Next time we will add hand made buttons.

 

My book page for Lesson 15. 

In this miniature bear making series, we are using the Angus pattern, which you will find in my Etsy Shop, and on the Tin Soldiers Website.  Every week, you will find printable templates for Project 52 HERE .

Project 52 - Miniature Bear Making - #15

Make a bolero jacket

A bolero jacket is a short tailored jacket.  This is possibly one of the easiest pieces of clothing to make for your teddy bear.  The pattern requires very little sewing and is best made from fabric that does not fray, such as wool felt or suede.  Apryl is modelling a sleeveless bolero for us.

Start by folding a piece of scrap paper so that it is doubled.  The doubled up part should be at least as wide as your bear when it is lying on it's back.

Move the bear so that it is lying on its side, with its back against the folded part of the paper.  The fold in the paper represents the center seam at the back of the jacket.

Draw a straight line out from the top of the bear's neck, long enough to reach the end of the shoulder.  Then draw an armhole, draw a shoulder at the top of the jacket (another straight line) and draw the front of the jacket, taking the line down to the center back of the jacket.

Cut the jacket from paper and test to see if it fits.  Do you notice that the jacket is gaping a bit at the back of the neck?  Gaping neck holes are often a problem because bears have a slight hump.  The jacket covers Apryl's tail.  I'm going to shape the it at the bottom to accommodate the tail, and make a dart at the back to reduce the fabric at the neck. 

 

If there is too much fabric over the shoulders, cut the shoulders down at an angle for a better fit.

When you are happy with the shape of the jacket, cut it from fabric.

Sew the dart at the back (if you made one), then sew the shoulder seams.

 

Turn right side out, and Voila!  You have a little bolero jacket to dress your teddy.

Notice how the jacket fits neatly over the shoulders, and how the shaping at the bottom accommodates the tail?  It is worth adjusting the pattern until you are completely satisfied with the fit. 

This is my pattern template after several adjustments.  If you are making Angus, it should fit him well. 

A simple bolero can be accessorized with beads, buttons and embroidery stitches. I would love to see a picture of your completed jacket!

My book page for Lesson 15.

Next time we are going to make a more intricate waistcoat with side seams and lining, and the week after, buttons. 

In this miniature bear making series, we are using the Angus pattern, which you will find in my Etsy Shop, and on the Tin Soldiers Website.  Every week, you will find printable templates for Project 52 HERE .

Project 52 - Miniature Bear Making - #14

Hold it all together

Well, I'm certainly trying to hold it all together!  While I'm recovering from surgery, today's lesson is a short one.

After I mark out  and cut out a teddy bear's pieces, I usually save the parts in a ziplock baggie.  At any given time I will have lots of little baggies, I never work on only one bear at a time.

This helps to keep me organized, and generally it works well.  But accidents do happen and over the years every once in a while a part of a teddy bear that I am working on has disappeared into thin air.  If the teddy was cut from the last scrap of a piece of vintage fabric, this is disastrous.  I'm sure all of you have dived under the couch cushions at one time or another looking for a part that was lost. 
Most of the missing part mystery incidents happen to me because I don't work in only one place.  I don't even necessarily work while stationary.  Bears travel with me in cars, on planes, trains, even the occasional boat.  (I've never made a bear while sitting on the back of a camel, ha ha.  Just wait, as soon as I feel better I'm going to try that)!

In 1849, well ahead of the problem, Walter Hunt found the solution to the missing parts mystery when he patented the safety pin.
Use a large safety pin to keep your teddy bear's pieces together.  Don't use a rusty pin, and pin in the seam allowance if possible. If you are on the move, you can even attach the safety pin to the hem of your skirt to make sure you don't leave it behind when you hop off the bus.  It's no wonder I often get strange looks when I'm standing in the queue at the Post Office...

I made the polymer clay teddy that travels with me on my favourite big safety pin.  One should have pretty little treasures all around you!

My book page for Lesson 14.

In this miniature bear making series, we are using the Angus pattern, which you will find in my Etsy Shop, and on the Tin Soldiers Website.

Some of us are making a book or a set of note cards with techniques for miniature bear making.  I have made page templates if you would like to copy mine, but it could also be fun to make your own.  Every week, you will find printable templates for Project 52 HERE .

Project 52 - Miniature Bear Making - #12A

String jointing a miniature bear

  

I cobbled this lesson together in a hurry when I heard that I would be away from the studio for a while.  Did you notice the number of this lesson?  Who says that you shouldn't tread lightly around Murphy and black cats???

There was no time to make sample bears for the techniques as I originally intended.  Today we will make do with diagrams, and you will get to meet bears that have been living in my studio for about fifteen years.  They graciously offered to be models for the techniques.  Please make allowance for the dust they have gathered in time, and my early attempts at facial features!

The bear with the blue waistcoat is the original Angus!  One of the first patterns I ever produced, and after all these years still my favourite.  The ballerina, clown and bee are variations on the Angus pattern.  They were all string jointed.

When bears are tiny, say less than 15cm (about 5 inches) tall, it is possible to string joint them rather than using split pin joints.  Although string joints are sturdy, it is not a good jointing method for teddies that will be played with.  I prefer to string joint my very tiny bears.   The thread running through the body of the bear pulls the arms and legs close to the body, giving the bear a nice compact look. 

On the left is Chloe.  She was split pin jointed.  You can see how the discs make the limbs stand away from the body.  Although she's a little smaller than Angus, she appears much fatter.  I believe the term thunder thighs is not inappropriate here!  Angus is much more streamlined and compact.  String jointing pulled his arms and legs snug to the body.

What tools will you need?
A needle that is long enough to easily pass through the body of the bear.  Sometimes I use my 9cm sculpting needle, but often I prefer to use a long darner because the needle is finer. Small sharp scissors. 

What thread to use?
You should only use teddy bear floss or waxed upholstery thread for jointing your bears.  Most dental floss these days is biodegradable.  It will become brittle and disintegrate after a while.

Where to place the joints?
The joint position for string jointing is the same as for disc jointed bears.  If the joints were indicated on the pattern, you can use the marks for string jointing.  

If there are no joint positions indicated, first hold the limbs to the bear in a ‘standing upright’ position and look at the bear from the side.  The top of the arm and the top of the leg should be in the middle of the body, i.e. an equal amount of the back and tummy showing.

Next, turn the limbs so that the bear is sitting.  It should sit on its tummy, and on its legs.  If necessary, adjust the position of the arms and legs.  You can pin the arms and legs to the body.

Thread a long needle with waxed thread.  For string jointing we use a single strand of thread, and do not put a knot in the end.  Run the thread through the bear’s body at the arm position, leaving a tail at least four fingers long.

Take a stitch through the inside of the arm, scooping stuffing as you go through.  Check that your needle goes through the arm parallel to the seam over the top of the arm.  If your stitches are skew, the arm will turn in or out, and not lie neatly against the body.

Put the needle through the body, try to stay as close to your original stitches through the body as possible, without snagging the tread inside the body.  Sew through the second arm.
Pull firmly on both ends of your thread and test the joint by turning the arms against the body.  They should turn easily, but stay in position when you let go.  If the jointing thread is too loose, you can sew through the body and arms again and pull tight as you go.  Once the joint is tight enough, knot the thread ends together.    Lose the thread ends through the body before snipping them off.  Repeat for the legs.

My book page for Lesson 12A.

In this miniature bear making series, we are using the Angus pattern, which you will find in my Etsy Shop, and on the Tin Soldiers Website.

Some of us are making a book or a set of note cards with techniques for miniature bear making.  I have made page templates if you would like to copy mine, but it could also be fun to make your own.  Every week, you will find printable templates for Project 52 HERE .

Project 52 - Miniature Bear Making - #12

Make a wobbly neck joint 

Wobbly neck joints are easy.  But why would you want to make one?  For fun, and pose-ability.  Wobbly joints work especially well on  tiny bears.

 

When people pick up a wobble jointed bear in my studio, their first reaction is often one of shock.  When the head flops sideways, they think it's going to fall off any  moment.  As soon as they hold the bear for a minute, and see how cute it is with the head tilting in all directions, they fall in love.  The bear on the blue blanket is Inga, a little sister for Angus.  The tilted head adds lots of expression to her pose.

To make a wobble head joint, you will need two discs, and two split pins instead of the usual just one.

To make sure that the wobble joint 'wobbles' properly, the split pins need large round heads.  I usually bend open the split pin, and enlarge the head with chain (round) nose pliers.

On the left you can see the result.  Nice big round head.  Do the same with the second split pin.

Hook the two split pins together.

Slip a split pin through a disc and use needle nose pliers to curl its ends.

Keep turning the curls until they fit snugly against the disc.  There must be no play between the disc and the curls of the split pin.  Wave the joint around and check that the split pin that is hanging moves freely.  In the picture you can see that mine is swinging nicely.

Now we are ready to insert the joint into the head.  The disc with the curled split pin is inserted inside the neck opening.  Gather the neck opening closed and end off securely.  Note:  Because the neck will be able to tilt sideways on the body, the underside of the neck will be visible.  The neck opening should be closed very neatly!  If you usually have trouble with this, refer to the lesson about using a fabric circle to close the neck.  

I did not use a fabric circle to close the neck this time, but I did gather up the fabric very neatly.  You can see that the head of the split pin that is inside the neck is nicely embedded in the fabric. 

Attach the head to the body, using a disc and the second split pin.  Keep curling the ends of the split pin until they fit snugly against the disc.  When making a wobbly neck joint, the eyes of the split pin might be visible in the neck area of the bear, espeially with tiny bears.  Try to tighten the split pins really well, so that they are not too obvious.  If the eyes of the split pins were large enough to start off with, the neck will still wobble quite well.

You can see how the head tilts from side to side.  This little Angus is ready to have his arms and legs jointed, and facial features added.  We will do that in a future lesson.

My book page for Lesson 12.  

In this miniature bear making series, we are using the Angus pattern, which you will find in my Etsy Shop, and on the Tin Soldiers Website.

This is Phillys' Project 52 book.  She is laminating her pages.  It looks so sturdy and neat, I'm impressed!

Some of us are making a book or a set of note cards with techniques for miniature bear making.  I have made page templates if you would like to copy mine, but it could also be fun to make your own.  Every week, you will find printable templates for Project 52 HERE .

Project 52 - Miniature Bear Making - #11

Closing neck openings with a fabric circle

Before I designed my own patterns, I made scores of bears from patterns that I found in books and magazines, and patterns and kits that I bought.  One of the things that I often found frustrating was trying to close the neck opening neatly.  It took me a while to figure out that some designers did not leave enough fabric at the base of the neck that one can gather it closed after inserting the neck disc.  Sometimes the neck openings were so huge and gaping around the disc that gathering up all the fabric left lots of unsightly puckers.

Now that I'm designing my own patterns, I always make sure that there is enough fabric in  the neck to close over the disc, and I make the neck opening small enough that the disc will fit snugly, eliminating the need to gather too much fabric.

I don't really like to improve other designers' patterns, also called messing with, I guess everyone has their reason for doing things they way they do :-)   But sometimes a bear is so cute that you just have to try the pattern, even if you can see that there are pitfalls.
Angus doesn't need it, but I'm using his pattern to show you how to eliminate the gaping neck problem.

A neat way to close the neck is to add a circle of fabric over the opening.  You will need to create your own template for this.  Check to see how big the disc is that you will insert in the neck.   Place it on the teddy bear fabric.  Draw a line around, then add a seam allowance and mark the centre of the circle with a dot.  Cut out the circle with the rest of the teddy bear pieces. 

Sew the head as usual.

Before you turn the head right side out, sew the fabric circle into the neck opening half way around.

 Now turn the head right side out and stuff it.

When you are ready to insert the neck joint, use an awl to make a hole in the centre of the fabric circle.

Insert the joint through the hole.

Close the last little bit of the opening with ladder stitch.  We discussed ladder stitch in Lesson 9.  Here's an opportunity to practise ;-)

Neck opening closed over the disc.  How neat is that?
This way of closing a neck opening can also be very useful when making wobble neck joints.  More of the neck area is visible when the head is wobble jointed because the neck can swivel.   Let's talk about wobble joints next week!

My book page for Lesson 10.

A close up view of Gerda's book cover and inside pages.  I love the little polymer clay bear!  The inside pages are covered with hand made paper containing botanicals.

In this miniature bear making series, we are using the Angus pattern, which you will find in my Etsy Shop, and on the Tin Soldiers Website.

Some of us are making a book or a set of note cards with techniques for miniature bear making.  I have made page templates if you would like to copy mine, but it could also be fun to make your own.  Every week, you will find printable templates for Project 52 HERE .