This little bear can be stitched by hand or by machine and will measure just 6 inches when finished. Add your own embellishments to give it your individual look. (Please note: this is an adult collectible; use safety eyes when making bears for children.)

General Instructions

Please read instructions before beginning. Make templates using quilter’s plastic. Seam allowance of 1/8” included in pattern. Adjust templates for larger seam allowance. Transfer accurately all information from each pattern piece to the template.

Trace around the templates with black permanent ink marking pen or pencil.

Always double stitch—stitch on one side, turn over and stitch on the other side. The nap of the fur must go in the same direction as arrows marked on template. Always baste the side heads to the gusset and do the same for the footpads to the leg. Do not poke awl holes in any seam.

Instructions: Jointing 

Open the cotter pin legs and place a small washer at the curved end of the cotter pin. Pinch the cotter pin legs closed, and place a joint disc over both legs of the cotter pin. Place this joint into the openings in the head, arms, and legs. 

To close the joint disc in the head, use a gathering stitch around the bottom of the head and pull the thread tightly to encase the joint with only the cotter pin legs visible at the bottom of head. The slit on the arms and legs are ladder stitched to encase the joint. Make sure the joint is at the top of the legs and arms and does not slip down when ladder stitching the slit opening closed.

Refer to pattern and poke awl holes in the body that has not been turned right sides out.
Turn the body right sides out. Place cotter pin legs into the awl holes in the body for appropriate appendages. Make sure the toes are pointing forward on the legs. 

Place the joint disc over the cotter pin legs inside the body, and use needle nose pliers or slotted screwdriver to roll each of the cotter pin legs into a separate circle. 

Instructions: Eyes

To set eyes, use your awl to make a diagonal channel entering the head where you want eyes to be set. Do not make awl hole larger than eye you will be using.

Take each eye separately and run a long piece of strong thread through the shank of eye, and let the eye rest in the center of the thread.

Tie two knots at the eye shank. Place both ends of the thread into doll needle and insert into the awl hole shaft. Send the needle out the bottom of head as close to joint disc as possible.

Take a small stitch with one end of the thread, leaving the other thread free. Pull on the unstitched thread to set the eye in the head. Tie several knots with both ends of the thread. Do this separately with each eye. 

Place both ends of the thread into the doll needle, and stitch the thread under the fur in the direction of the cotter pin. Do this with both eyes. 

Tie several knots with the four threads close to the cotter pin and trim away excess thread.

Instructions: Ladder Stitch 

Start at the top of slit on the arms, legs, and opening in back. Hide the knot on the left underside of the slit opening and take a small stitch on top of the fur. Always sew on top or furry side of fabric to make ladder stitch.

Go to the other side of opening, and on top of fabric take one running stitch, cross over to the other side of opening, and take another running stitch. After three or four crossing stitches that look like rungs on a ladder, give the thread a tug. The outside edges of the fur will roll to the inside and stitches will be unseen.

Repeat stitching until the opening is completely closed. 

Send the needle inside the limb toward the cotter pin. Take several small stitches close to the cotter pin and cut off any remaining thread.

To finish the back, take several small stitches when the back is completely closed, and send needle through body. Cut away remaining thread. Use this stitch to sew ears to head. Start in the center back of ear, and ladder stitch all the way around the ear.

Instructions: Nose

Take several small satin stitches at the end of gusset with Perle cotton.

Make an upside “V” for the mouth.

Construction Instructions

Instructions: Head

Stitch one side head to the gusset starting at the nose end with right sides together. Stitch the other side head to the gusset.

Fold the nose end of the gusset into a flat “V,” and stitch the chin seam closed with right sides together. Turn the head right side out.

Place a very small amount of fiberfill at the very end of the nose.  Stuff remainder of head into a round ball making sure the chin seam is centered. Keep the nose in the center of the head. Add stuffing to firm the nose. Add stuffing to sides of head to make round.

Refer to general instructions to sew in the joint before adding eyes, nose, and ears.

Instructions: Arms 

With right sides together, sew the arm pad to the partial arm piece. Do this for each arm. Place the whole arm on top of the partial arm with pad, and stitch entirely closed. Repeat for second arm.

Place joint disc ¼” from seam at top center of partial arm with pad, and faintly trace circle completely around joint disc.

Draw a vertical line from top to bottom in center of circle you have just drawn. Use your sharp-pointed scissors to make a vertical slit on the line you have just drawn through one thickness of the fur fabric. Place the eraser end of the unsharpened pencil on the wrong side of the fur fabric at the pad end of arm and gently turn the entire arm right sides out. Do this for each arm. 

Stuff arm beginning at the pad end of the arm, and gradually stuff evenly until the complete arm is stuffed, including the top of the arm. Refer to general instructions, prepare the joint, insert the joint into the stuffed arm slit opening, and ladder stitch the opening closed. Do this for both arms.

Instructions: Legs 

Fold each leg in half. Sew each leg closed with right sides together, leaving the foot open. Determine center of footpad by folding footpad in half, marking center top and bottom of pad with straight pins.

Match the pins with the center front and back of foot opening. Pin remainder of pad, and hand stitch with small running stitch to bottom of foot. Both legs should be completely closed. Pin legs together.

Place joint disc ¼” from seam at top center on outside of pinned legs. Mark the top and bottom of the joint disc and draw a vertical slit line between the top and bottom. Using sharp-pointed scissors, make a slit on the line you have just drawn through one layer of fur fabric only. Place eraser end of pencil at the bottom of foot and gently turn leg right sides out through the slit. Start at the toe and stuff the leg completely, including the top. Do this for each leg. 
Refer to general instructions and prepare the joint, insert the joint into the completely stuffed leg, and ladder stitch the opening closed.

Instructions: Ears

Place one ear piece on top of the other with right sides together and stitch, leaving the straight edge of the bottom open. Do the same for the second ear.
Turn the ears right sides out. Baste the straight edge of the bottom closed. Do not stuff ears. Ladder stitch to head after eyes and nose are added. 

Instructions: Body 

Fold the front body in half with right sides together.
Stitch 1/8” seam to close entire (from top to bottom) front of body so it looks like two pieces. Sew the two body back pieces with right sides together, leaving center back section open for jointing and stuffing.

Stitch the front body to back body matching seams with right sides together. Turn the body right side out through the opening in the back.

Refer to general instructions for jointing. Joint legs to unstuffed body.  Joint arms to unstuffed body. Joint the finished head to the unstuffed body at the top where all seams meet.
Stuff the body, and ladder stitch the back closed.

Make a newspaper, ribbon, or crepe paper hat, and a medallion for the body of your bear. Continue any embellishments you desire. He’s sure to be a fall favorite.