Designing and making a teddy bear
I thought it might be interesting to tell you how I create one of my little critters. This pair were sold on E-bay and are named Geoffrey and Chawcer.
I start out with an idea, then I sketch my ideas in my sketch design book. Then I draw the patterns on copy paper, and refine them, making the leg longer or shorter, less or more hump on the back, shorten or make the nose longer, etc.
Then I assemble all the materials, sometimes I stay on target with my sketch, sometimes it changes as I work with the materials. As you can see from the sketch, the name for my teddy changed from Chaucer to Chawcer. For him I bought an old red wool blanket at a flea market, then washed and felted it. I used the edge of the blanket so that I could have the black stripe be incorporated into his body, and the black wool stripe was used for his ears and paw pads. I hand sew most of my critters twice, so the seams are very sturdy. I sewed pink felt patches on his cheeks and felt patches on his tummy with vintage buttons. I also sewed a green felt patch on his arm and a felt patch on his leg. I made his collar out of different colors of felt.
His companion Geoffrey is made from felt with hand painted black spots. His mane and tail are made from black felt. I painted the wheels red and mounted Geoffrey on them.
After I finish making my critters, I photograph them for posterity. I keep a scrapbook of all my creations and a note of who bought them.
I love designing and making my little critters. They start out as just an idea, then pieces of material, then become personalities. It is an amazing transformation for me, the designer.
