A block party of bears by Debora Hoffmann
Fun Fur Facts
Knowledge seekers, curious sorts, trivia buffs--this is the place for you! Have you ever wondered how an original, collectible, jointed mohair teddy bear comes to be? If you read the first installment to the fun fur facts files, you now know how mohair is produced, but how does an artist-designed bear spring from a piece of material? Just sit back and grab a cuppa, and let us tell you a little bit about the designing and making of those cuddly critters.
It all starts with an idea.
 Sketching an idea is usually a bear maker�s first step. Elaborate or basic, a sketch can help tremendously in pattern making. A side view is helpful for determining proportions and even age--a small head would make the bear appear older, and a bigger head would make it look younger. In the sketch below, the bear is five heads high, the usual proportions for an older bear.
 A pattern is then drafted. Big feet? A honey-filled tummy? Maybe a long nose? All come about by tweaking the size and shape of pattern pieces. Each bear designer has his or her own preferred methods, and all designers strive to develop their own unique style of teddy bear. What is appealing to you? Traditional? Character type? Whimsical? It�s all out there! The fur fabric is chosen next...or perhaps the fur sparked the idea in the first place. Mohair, alpaca, wool, rayon, synthetic...long, short, dense, sparse, curly, straight, distressed, tipped, matted...brown, golden, tan, red, white, blue...the possibilities are endless. The bear maker traces the newly designed pattern pieces onto the backing of the chosen fabric, and then cuts them out carefully so as not to leave an unsightly chopped appearance to the fur... Read part II of How Do You Make a Teddy Bear? here! |