It takes a little time to make a blue jean teddy bear, but once you’ve done it once or twice, you’ll get it down pat and it’ll be easier to make the next one. Here are the materials you will need to begin:
One yard of blue jean fabric, denim, or a pair of old jeans
4 plastic joints, 2 cm diameter
1 plastic joint, 3 cm diameter for the head
1 pair of security eyes, 12 mm diameter
1 security nose, 14 mm wide
Polyester fiberfill
2 pieces of foam, 2X2 cm in 1 & 5 cm thickness
50 cm of ribbon, 8 mm width
Other Supplies:
Scissors
Needles in different sizes
Pins
Knitting needle
Thread
Wooden spoon or other stuffing helper
Tool found at specialty stores for pushing the security joints (metal tube surmounted by wooden ball)
Pattern from store or from an old bear, taken apart:
Cut 2 head pieces
Cut 2 body pieces
Cut 2 arm pieces
Cut 2 leg pieces
Cut 4 ear pieces
Lay blue jean fabric out on cutting table.
Lay all pieces out onto fabric.
Mark all notches, dots, eye placement, etc. from the pattern, onto the pieces.
Cut out all pieces.
With a knitting needle, poke holes for the eyes and joints.
To begin assembling the bear, place the 2 head pieces, right side together. Sew the chin from the neck to the notch, just under the nose. Sew the top of the head, from the nape to the notch, just before the nose. There should now be a small space which will allow you to insert the stem of the craft nose. The base of the neck is not sewn shut yet. Turn right side out. Insert an eye in the eye hole. Make a hole in the center of one of the foam pads, and push it onto the stem of the eye, inside the head. Put on the safety washer, pushing it firmly on with the specialty tool. Repeat process for other eye. On the right side, place the nose into the opening. Place the tip of the triangle downward. Insert the security washer on the nose stem, using the special tool.
Stuff the head beginning by the nose. Push the filling in with wooden spoon or other implement. Fill the head until very firm. Use thread to gather the neck. Do not make a knot, but instead, leave about a foot of thread hanging. Gather slightly. Insert the large joint washer into the opening, with the stem pointing outside the head. Pull the gathering thread taught and take a few stitches to close the opening. Fold one of the arm pieces in half, along the dotted line, right sides together. Sew around the arm, leaving an opening on the back part of the arm, which would be about from the below the elbow to just above the elbow. Turn right side out and put the disk with the stem, inside the arm. The stem should go from the inside of the arm, through the hole. Repeat on second arm. For the legs, fold in half, along the dotted line, right sides together, leaving an opening along the back of the leg, similar to the way the arms were done. After this, sew the pad of the foot onto the leg. Turn right side out and put the disk with the stem inside of the leg. The stem should go from the inside of the leg through the hole. Repeat on other leg.
Put the two body pieces right sides together and sew around, leaving an opening at the back. Turn right side out. Put the stem for the head in the small space, on top of the body. Reach inside to place the plastic washer on the stem, then the retaining washer, using the specialty tool. Put the stem of the arm in the hole at the top. Reach inside to put the plastic washer on the stem of the arm. Repeat for other arm. Do the same for the legs. Now pack with filling, using small amounts at a time, pushing it into the legs and arms with wooden spoon or other implement. Stuff until firm. Sew closed all openings with a needle and thread. Place ears, right sides together and stitch around the ears, leaving the base of the ears open. Turn right side out and stitch shut. Pin the ears in place on the head and stitch in place. You can dress your bear up to your liking with doll clothes or specialty teddy bear clothes, jewelry and other accessories.
