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How To Make Heirloom Teddy Bears
Sue Quinn

Search Press
24 June 2017/ ISBN 9781782211433
How-To Books/Sewing

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

 

Heirloom quality teddy bears are collectors’ items, expensive and often viewed as an investment. But surely every child wants to own a bear they can grow up with and maybe pass on, an item that is built to last for many years? In this book you can discover how to make such a bear and maybe even make something that might become an heirloom in its own right.

I have been a toymaker since childhood when I realised that I could make my own soft toys rather than waiting for a birthday. If you have done this type of basic toymaking, it will stand you in good stead here, as will any basic sewing knowledge. This book is aimed more at somebody who has mastered all this and wants to move on to making something special to treasure. The book starts by describing what you will be using to make the bears, such as fabrics, eyes, joints and tools and then continues to describe some basic techniques. From filling and shaping to transferring templates, knotting threads correctly and looking for inspiration and sketching your bear, these are the skills you need to master. The rest of the book is devoted to detailed instructions for three bears. Start by making a small simple bear and practising some essential skills, move on to a larger more complex one and finally complete your apprenticeship with the heirloom bear. Each project has a great many (up to eighty) captioned photographs showing exactly what to do at each stage, making it pretty foolproof and very easy to follow. The rest of the book covers individual style and takes a look at the details such as fur, noses, paws, features, shaping and aging. There are some clothes to make the heirloom bear a girl or a boy, and how to look after your bear and restore an old bear. Scattered throughout this very attractively produced book are also profiles of bear collectors and lots of inspiring photographs of teddies to get you thinking about your own style. This is a great book that belongs on a keeper shelf, perhaps next to your new heirloom bear!

Reviews of other titles by Sue Quinn

How To Sew Little Felt Animals
How To Make Heirloom Teddy Bears

If you cannot find a good range of teddy bear making materials locally try www.searchpress.com for a list of suppliers.

UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in The Bead Magazine, Making Jewellery and www.craftsuprint.com/rachel-a-hyde/
Reviewed 2017
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