SewMag Memory Bear

[b15erk]

As many of you know, I have failed miserably to make any acceptable toys, and this post will illustrate that nothing has changed...

I decided to use the above Bear pattern, to use up some small pieces of fabric for the Stashbuster thread.  It went together very well, difficult bits for me were, the ears, nose and feet - as you can probably see!

Does anyone know of any YouTube tutorials which can help?  The feet, I've sorted now - to my embarrassment  , but the nose, is awful.

Looking at the picture, I think the eyes need looking at as well.

Any suggestions gratefully received!  I will make a half decent bear at some point... 

Jessie

[annieeg]

@b15erk When I read your post I didn't know what to expect, but lo and behold he's lovely!
Annie

[Ploshkin]

The features are always the hardest bit.  When I used to make stuffed toys (@FloBear and I did lots) I always used felt for noses and usually for eyes too (black pupil on white).  I think perhaps the eyes look a little bit odd because there is no pupil (but that's just me)
I learnt too that stuffing was key and that it needed to be put in a little at a time and really packed into the corners and crevices.  I would still be poking stuffing in until the last few stitches of the final join. - it probably took as long go stuff as it did to make the thing.

[Greybird]

I think he's rather lovely. He looks as if he's been enjoying himself. I think the eyes are fine but the effect is due to the fact that they are tonally similar to the colour of the face. If they were more of a contrast the effect would be quite different. Perhaps a less "woolly" nose? Maybe something like embroidery thread?

[Flobear]

I think he's really sweet @b15erk. Agree that he'd look very different with darker eyes. 

Adding to what @Ploshkin said. I used to cut out the felt eyes, pupils, and nose, position them using a pin poked into the toy then leave them for a quite a while, perhaps repositioning once or twice until it had an nice expression.

I find embroidering features on larger toys too difficult - apart from mouths which have to be - but I noticed the toy-repair ladies on The Repair Shop put a pin at each end of the 'smile' and took the thread round those before sewing it down.

Although I rarely buy a toy now, I would always look at all the candidates until I found one whose face I liked!

[fajita]

Maybe the nose could be a nose coloured fabric sewn to the bottom edge of centre face before construction of the head.

Beyond that I have no expertise whatsoever in doll faces.

[wrenkins]

TSP bear hasn't been about for a while but I'm sure he wouldn't mind me putting up his picture. His eyes are beady in an attractive way and slightly closer together than yours but not at all sinister or squint.
I find him veh veh handsome myself and I normally go for blue or green eyes. 

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I've just googled teddy bear faces, and it looks like a lot of the eyes are lower down, nearer the nose?  I can't criticise, cos I wouldn't be able to do a teddy face at all!

[b15erk]

Thanks everyone!  He's a bit of an odd chap isn't he?  You're right about the eyes @Bodgeitandscarper ,  they are not right at all.  I've found a lovely set of videos here and they go through every step.

So, hopefully my next attempt will look a bit better.  Have you seen his feet?  How could I have been so thick?   

I have another one cut out and a couple of the bits sewed.  In fact it was the head seam I was sewing when I accidentally sewed my finger last night!

Jessie

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Ah, yes, I've just found a pic from the original, the feet do look a bit different...  but I've no idea what you've done!

[b15erk]

I think I was in a world of my own when I did them!!   They look more like ballerina feet! 

Jessie

[Iminei]

Helllloooooooo



From the two of us!

Linky

[Celia]

@Iminei they are lovely have you just made them?

[Greybird]

I thought Vegegrow made them.

[Iminei]

Ah, my favourite tale to tell ....

Just  after TSP was born Vege started a thread in The Darkside about scraps

Ever anxious to get rid of help, I sent her an envelope filled with scraps, a lot of them from The Undulating Terror, 3 days after they arrived, I opened a parcel to find TSP bear!!!!




linky

and later still came TSP Bears lil buddy!

I strongly encourage you to reread the thread and rediscover our wonderful, generous Vege in her own words!