Bearmaking 101: An Ins"Bear"Ational Course
Puns aside, Rossel Waugh's introduction to the art and craft of bear making beats all previous efforts, paws down. Why? This well-respected designer of cuddly furries takes beginners step-by-step through the simplest one-pattern piece to more complicated efforts, including teddies with gusseted head, slight hump, or multijointed limbs. Each includes actual size pattern pieces, sequential color photographs, materials and supplies, and a story fantasy. In conclusion, there's a thorough, professional discussion of materials and techniques. Advice includes looking for either German or British manufactured mohair for the bear bodies (the English kind is scruffier), taking care in choosing the creature's eyes if it's to be a child's toy, and using sturdy upholstery thread in ladder stitches to close seams.Barbara Jacobs