1907 Teddy Bear instructions

This bear is adapted from an authentic 1907 pattern. The pattern is free to use, but bears made from it must have attribution if sold. The pattern may not be copied and resold.


A few notes on materials:

Bears of this time period were made of mohair, but you'll probably be using faux fur (refer to my faux fur guide: fav.me/d4agdzp ). The most common authentic color was gold, with dark brown, white, gray and cinnamon also used. You can, of course, use any color you prefer.

The amount of material you'll need depends on what size bear you're making. The pattern can be enlarged or shrunk. 1/3 to 1/2 yards should be more than enough, with plenty left over in case of mistakes. If your fur has a stretchy backing, you should bond it to iron-on interfacing before cutting the pattern, as this will keep the pieces from stretching and distorting. It also makes the pattern easier to draw on. If you use mohair, you won't need interfacing.

For the paw pads, wool or wool blend felt (not the cheapo acrylic craft felt) is the most authentic material. If you can't find it, try wool suiting, corduroy, upholstery velvet, or fleece backed with interfacing instead.

Very old bears had eyes made from glass or leather-covered shoe buttons that were tied or glued in. It's much simpler to use modern plastic safety lock eyes. The eye will have a long stem which you push through a small hole in the material, and a toothed washer slides onto the stem from inside the bear's head to hold it in place.

There are plastic safety lock noses available, but for a real old-fashioned look you should embroider the nose, as well as the claws on the paw pads (claw positions are indicated on the pattern, but you can design your own). Look at pictures of vintage bears to get an idea of typical nose and mouth shapes.

Plastic safety lock joints are also the less expensive, easier to use alternative to cotter pin and other styles of joints, although feel free to use them if you're experienced with them.

Old bears were stuffed with wood wool (excelsior) and a cottony natural material called kapok. Polyester fiberfill is a perfectly acceptable substitute. You can also add a bag of plastic beads (like what's in Beanie Babies) in the bear's lower torso to give it heft. If you want your bear to slump like antiques often do (due to the breaking down of their wood wool / kapok), then stuff the torso lightly. The head and limbs should always be stuffed firmly.


Construction:

Print or trace pattern pieces onto cardstock. Punch small holes in the patterns at the eye and Xs so these can be marked. Follow instructions as to how many of each piece should be traced, and whether they should be reversed (flipped over).

The hairs of fur fabric "grow" in a direction, just like real animal hair. Before tracing the pattern, determine which way the hairs point and mark with an arrow on the back (wrong side) of the fabric. When you lay out the pattern pieces, match the arrow directions (be sure to draw the arrows on both sides for pieces that need to be reversed).

The hand and foot paws should be cut from a different material (see material notes).

Iron on interfacing if needed, and trace the pattern onto the fabric. Leave enough space between pattern pieces for a 1/4 inch seam allowance - the drawn line is the line you'll sew along.

We'll start with the body. Sew the top and bottom darts - that is, fold one body piece along the center so A and A touch, with the furry side (right side) of the fabric together, and sew from A to B. Do the same with C and C, sewing from C to D. Repeat for the other body piece.

Pin the two body pieces together with the furry (right) sides together. Sew from E to A, leaving a very small gap at A to put the joint in later, then from A through C to F, leaving from E - F open.

Clip very small notches on the curved edges of the fabric, being careful not to snip through the sewn areas. This will ease the fabric and make it easier to turn. You'll do this for all the pieces.
Turn the body through the opening and leave it for now.

Pin the foot paw to the leg matching G and H, and sew from G to H. Make a small hole in the fabric at the X - this is where the joint will go. You might want to mark it's location on the other side by taking a few small tacking stitches in a contrasting color thread (yo'll remove these later).

Fold and pin the leg piece with right sides together (so it looks like an inside-out leg) and sew from H to G along the outside of the leg, then G-H along the paw pad. Make a small slit in the fabric below the joint marking and turn the leg. Clip the curved edges.

Insert the part of the safety lock joint with the stem into the leg - the stem will be sticking into the body. Stuff the leg firmly and close the turning slit with a ladder stitch. Repeat for the other leg.

Check and make sure you have a left and a right arm before you start!

Sew a paw pad onto the arm matching K and J. Just as with the leg, make a small hole at the X, fold and pin the arm with right sides together and stitch around it. Clip the curves, make a small slit below the X and turn the arm. Insert the joint, stuff firmly, and close the opening with a ladder stitch. Repeat for the other arm.

Embroider the claws in the hand and foot paws, if you want claws.

Match two ears together, right sides together, and sew from M to N to M, leaving M to M open. Clip the curves and turn them right side out.

Mark the eye placement just as you did the joints. Pin the two head sides right side together and sew from P to Q.

Sew the small dart in the head center piece at S just as you did for the body.

Pin the head center piece to one side head starting at R. Since both pieces are curved, you will have to ease the fabric slightly as you go. Sew the center pieces to the side from R to S. Repeat for the other side, then sew the two side head pieces from P to S on the center piece. Clip the curves and turn right side out.

Stuff the head lightly and use pins to determine where the eyes should go. The pieces might have shifted as you sewed them, this is a way to double check the eyes are level. Unstuff the head and insert the eyes.

Stuff the head firmly, using small pieces of fluff and a wooden spoon to pack the fiberfill in tightly. Place the part of the joint with the stem in at the neck opening, just as you did with the limbs. Use a gathering stitch along the base of the neck to pull the material closed around the joint (a bit like a drawstring bag).

I prefer to finish the features at this stage, but some people like to wait until the bear is put together. At any rate, pin the ears onto the head, making sure they're even, and not too close together, too far forward or back, or too low. Refer to photos of antique bears for guidance. Fasten the ears to the head by sewing all round them with a ladder stitch. Embroider the nose and mouth.

You can also sink the eyes into the head a bit by using a long doll needle, which gives the bear a more naturalistic, less pop-eyed look. Use strong upholstery or button and craft thread. Anchor the thread behind the ear, then push the needle through the head, coming out at the corner of the eye. Take a small stitch and push the needle back through the head, coming out where you started. Knot the thread, then repeat for the other corner of the eye. Do the same for both eyes.

Start snapping the bear's joints together, starting with the legs, then the arms and lastly the head. Stuff the torso lightly and double check the arms and legs are even and well-placed. When you are sure everything look good, stuff the torso well and close the E to F opening in the back with a ladder stitch.

You're done!