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Making of a Bear
I can make bears out of antique fur coats or faux fur, depending on who the recipient
is. If this will be a collector’s item for an adult, I would recommend fur. However,
if you want the bear to be something a child can play with, I would “go with faux.”
But there are no hard and fast rules.
To start, I separate the liner from the fur coat by removing the seams, repairing
any damage in the hides (especially if it’s an antique), and setting aside the liner
for clothing. For one bear I made, the coat owner’s initials were stitched into
the liner, so the bear had a unique monogram across her chest when completed.
I am careful to line up pattern pieces so that the fur goes in the same direction
and colors match up as well.
I use doll “hinges” for the arms and legs so that the bear is poseable.
Leather trim is recycled for noses.
Buttons are recycled for eyes. Or, if you want a specific eye color to match the
recipient’s eyes, I can use plastic doll eyes.
Bears made from fur coats are sewn by hand, while bears made out of faux fur are
sewn on the machine.
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