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. |