Pattern Review: Plushy, Luxe Cuddle Bears
I never outgrew my love of stuffed animals. I still can't resist an adorable plush when I see one. Fleecey, furry, fuzzy -- it makes no difference. I love them all.
Lately, I've had a hankering to make a few, so I thought I'd test out Kwik Sew 3246. It has two different sizes of bears, and I chose the smaller of the two, which still comes in at an impressive 20 inches, so it's not exactly tiny.
I chose to make one version in Doux Cotton Velvet, and one in an upholstery-grade Antique Cotton Velvet, which is meant to withstand a lot of rubbing -- perfect for a cuddly stuffed bear!
I have made plush toys before, with varied results. Assembling them always takes more time than I expect it to. These took about three hours each, give or take. That being said, I had greater success with this pattern than with other plush patterns I have tried, and some of that slowness is admittedly born of the fact that I usually stitch apparel, so craft sewing is not my most practiced arena.
I will tell you this, the inside of a teddy bear is not pretty. Behold:
Once you flip it, things get a little better, but it's still a little dicey in the cuteness category. Those threads you see dangling are are attached to the eyes on the inside, and they're used to mold the face a bit once the bear's stuffed.
Here's the closeup on the Doux Cotton Velvet bear. I didn't end up doing a whole lot of shaping on the face, because I preferred it a little more au naturel.
Here is the face of the Antique Cotton Velvet bear. You can tell from these close up shots that my chin piecing technique needs some work. These guys both look a little dejected.
Here are my two bears, all assembled and ready for huggin'!
Now that I have two under my belt, my mind is whirring with ideas. I want to make a feline version with pointy ears and a long tail. Maybe for Halloween. These would also be fantastic baby gifts, especially if you embroidered the baby's name and birth date on the feet.
Now my biggest question is: What should I name these guys?
Lately, I've had a hankering to make a few, so I thought I'd test out Kwik Sew 3246. It has two different sizes of bears, and I chose the smaller of the two, which still comes in at an impressive 20 inches, so it's not exactly tiny.
I chose to make one version in Doux Cotton Velvet, and one in an upholstery-grade Antique Cotton Velvet, which is meant to withstand a lot of rubbing -- perfect for a cuddly stuffed bear!
I have made plush toys before, with varied results. Assembling them always takes more time than I expect it to. These took about three hours each, give or take. That being said, I had greater success with this pattern than with other plush patterns I have tried, and some of that slowness is admittedly born of the fact that I usually stitch apparel, so craft sewing is not my most practiced arena.
I will tell you this, the inside of a teddy bear is not pretty. Behold:
Once you flip it, things get a little better, but it's still a little dicey in the cuteness category. Those threads you see dangling are are attached to the eyes on the inside, and they're used to mold the face a bit once the bear's stuffed.Here's the closeup on the Doux Cotton Velvet bear. I didn't end up doing a whole lot of shaping on the face, because I preferred it a little more au naturel.Here is the face of the Antique Cotton Velvet bear. You can tell from these close up shots that my chin piecing technique needs some work. These guys both look a little dejected.Here are my two bears, all assembled and ready for huggin'! Now that I have two under my belt, my mind is whirring with ideas. I want to make a feline version with pointy ears and a long tail. Maybe for Halloween. These would also be fantastic baby gifts, especially if you embroidered the baby's name and birth date on the feet.
Now my biggest question is: What should I name these guys?
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How about Bridgette and Barney?