Pattern and Instructions for a

25cm Bear with movable joints. Ideal for beginners!

Design by
Megan Wallace
 The Basics
Reading all the instructions before you start is VERY IMPORTANT! It gets
your creative juices flowing, and gives you an over all sense of how the bear will
be made before you get stuck into the details.
Johnny should be easy to construct if you follow the work method described. If
you feel that you would have done something differently, let us know. Your com-
ments and input is welcome. There is always room for improvement.

Getting Started
Get your tools and sewing supplies together. The following will be needed:
• Template plastic or thin card.
• Small sharp scissors for fabric cutting and paper scissors for templates.
• Lots of large head pins.
• Sewing needles and sewing thread to match the colour of your fabric.
• Very long needle for inserting eyes and nose embroidery.
• Awl, needle nose pliers, screw driver and lock nut tool for jointing the
bear.
• FrayStop. This is optional. I prefer not to use it if I don’t have to, and
never apply in the nose area. You will regret it when you can’t get your
embroidery needle through!
• Hemostat for turning and stuffing pieces. A stuffing stick also works well
on large bears.
• Fibre fill stuffing, as well as steel or glass filling to add weight to the
bear. Adding a bit of weight to the tummy is recommended for this bear.
• Gel pen for tracing out the bear.
Making Pattern Templates, and Marking and Cutting out Fabric
It is best to work with a template made from rigid material. I prefer to use
thin card or template plastic. Trace your pattern pieces on to the template ma-
terial, remembering to transfer all markings such as openings and joint position.
Cut out neatly using paper scissors.

When marking out the bear, determine the direction of the fur pile on your
fabric. When you stroke over the fur it should feel smooth stroking towards
your body. Lay the fabric face down with the fur ‘growing’ towards you. When
you lay out your pattern on the fabric, make sure that all the arrows are pointing
towards you as well.
Using the pattern layout as a guide, mark the pattern pieces on the wrong side
of the fabric using a gel pen. Beware of dark coloured pens on white mohair!
We don’t want our markings to show through.
 The Basics
If you are concerned that the fabric might fray, paint a thin line of fray stop around
all the pattern pieces and let it dry before cutting out.
Cut out the teddy bear pieces using small sharp scissors. Take care not to cut the
fur, only the fabric backing.
Seam allowance for this bear is 5mm.
Pieces are stitched together using backstitch or stab stitch. Use a double strand of
good quality sewing thread. Try to keep your stitches small and tight. Johnny is
fairly big. If you are in a hurry, you might want to use your sewing machine instead of
hand sewing the long seams.

For sewing the bear together I recommend

a small running stitch, also called stab stitch. The
picture to the right shows you how do it.

To close openings neatly, lad-

der stitch (picture to the
right) is great. If you have
trouble mastering this at first,
just use whip stitch (picture
left), also sometimes called
over stitch.
 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

Sewing the Ears

The ears are sewn together in pairs. Put 2 ears right sides together and
sew along the curved edge. Turn right side out using a hemostat to smooth
the curve of the ear from the inside. Close the bottom of the ear with
whipstitch. Pick out any fur trapped in the seams with a needle. If you are
using a very dense fur, you might find that the corners of the ears become
very bulky when you attach them to the bear’s head. This can be fixed by
snipping fur off the ear corners as shown in the diagram below. Repeat all
steps for the other ear.

Sewing the Side Head and Gusset

Sew the two side head pieces together from A to B. The gusset is inserted
between the two side head pieces and sewn into position starting at B. Do
first one side, cut your thread and then sew the other side. When you get
to C the bottom of gusset and side head pieces should match up.

B
B

A C
C
Turn the head right side out. Use your hemostat to press out the seams.
Use a needle to pick out any fur trapped in the seams.

Stuffing and Jointing the Head

Fill the head with fibre fill stuffing. Use your hemostat to insert small
pieces of stuffing at a time. Make sure that the muzzle area is especially
firm, that the cheeks are nicely rounded and symmetrical to one another,
and that the back of the head is stuffed round as well.
 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

Use a long needle and strong thread to run a

gathering thread all the way around the
neck opening. Start at the centre back of
the head and leave a long tail so that you can
knot the thread ends together to close the
opening.
To assemble the neck joint, first open the
split pin and hang a metal washer into the
eye of the split pin. Next slip a metal washer over both legs of the
split pin, followed by a wooden disc. (if your joint set had two larger
discs, use one of these). Insert the completed joint into the neck
opening so that the shaft of the split pin is protruding from the
neck.
Pull the gathering stitches closed over the joint, knot securely and
sew away the ends of the threads. I always use my thread ends to
whipstitch over the neck disc, making very sure that the disc can’t
slip out and my bear be decapitated!

Find the split pin, open the ends so

that you can slip a metal washer into Insert the split pin joint into the neck
the head of the split pin. Close the opening and knot and sew away your
ends and slip another metal washer threads securely.
onto the split pin, followed by a
wooden disc.
 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

Attaching the Ears, Eyes and Embroidering the Nose

Pin the ears to the head so that the top corner of the ear is
just above the gusset seam. When viewed from the side,
the bear should have an equal amount of forehead and
side head showing on either side of the ear.
Attach the ears to the head using ladder stitch.
Use black headed pins to mark the eye position.
If you are not sure where to place the eyes,
measure the distance from the ear to the nose
along the gusset seam. The eyes are placed more
or less halfway between the nose and the ear, on
the gusset seam. This is my general rule for eyes,
and it works for most bears. Once you get confi-
dent, you can play around by placing the eyes
closer together, or further apart.
If you would like to do a bit of shading around
your bear’s eyes, now is a good time. I like to
use watercolour pencils. They are (relatively) inexpen-
sive, easy and clean to use, and if you buy artist’s water colours,
they will be colour fast.
With an awl make a small hole where each eye will be positioned.
Take the eye threads through the head and come out at the centre
back of the head as close to the base of the neck as possible. The
wire loop at the back of the eye should sink into the head. Repeat
for other eye. Knot the two eye threads together and lose the
thread ends through the head before snipping off.
The nose is a small rectangle and the mouth an
inverted V. Use pins to determine the nose
shape and embroider an outline with long
stitches. Snip off all the fur inside the nose
embroidery area to prevent fur sticking through
between embroidery stitches. Fill in the nose outline
with even satin stitches.
 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

Sewing the Body

Place two body halves together, furry side on the inside, and sew
all the way around, leaving an opening where indicated. Turn the
body right side out, smooth the seams with your hemostat, and
pick out any trapped fur with a needle.

Sewing the Legs

Place a pair of legs together, furry side on the inside, and sew
from A to B, then from C to D. Stitch the footpad into the bot-
tom of the foot. The footpad will be easier to sew into position if
you stay-stitch it at the heel and toe before sewing all the way
around.
Turn the leg right side out, smooth the seams with your hemostat,
and pick out any trapped fur with a needle.

D B
 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

Sewing the Arms

First sew a paw pad to each inner arm. Place one inner and one
outer arm together, furry side on the inside, and sew all the way
around, leaving an opening where indicated. Turn the arm right
side out, smooth the seams with your hemostat, and pick out any
trapped fur with a needle.

Jointing the Head

On the body, use an awl to make a hole on the joint marking for
the head.
Insert the shaft of the split pin protruding from the bear’s neck
through the hole, slip a disc over the pin on the inside of the body,
followed by a metal washer. Use needle nose pliers to turn the
ends of the split pin.
Inside head

Inside body
 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

Joint and Stuff the Arms and Legs

Use an awl to make holes for the joints in the arms, legs and body.
There are dots on each body part which indicate where the joint
screw must go through the fabric.
Slip a metal washer over a screw, followed by a wooden disc. Push
through the fabric of the arm or leg from the inside of the limb.
Now push the screw end through the body fabric from the outside
on the marking for the limb. Inside the body, slip a wooden disc
over the screw, followed by a metal washer and the locknut. Use a
locknut tool to tighten the limb. Repeat for all the arms and legs.

Inside the arm or leg

Inside the body

Once the joints are in position, stuff the arms, legs and body with
fiberfill. You may add plastic pellets and steel shot to the body
and feet to give the bear weight if you prefer. Close the openings
with ladder stitch.

Finishing Touches
Give your bear a good brush. Give special attention to any fur
that might be trapped in the seams. If there are hairs obscuring
the eyes, take small sharp scissors and cut them away.

Congratulations! The bear is finished.

 Instructions for
© Tin Soldiers 2009

The Flag
I used no 10 seed beads to make my flag. If you are making the
South African flag you will need a small quantity each of black,
yellow, green, white, red and blue beads. Use the diagram below
to make your flag. I used strong thread instead of beading wire,
and sewed the flag to the bear’s chest once completed.

Did you know that the South African flag is the only flag in the
world that doesn’t contain a coat of arms that has six colours?
It’s a great flag!

If you are living in another country, and would like to make your
own country’s flag for your bear, you can find your flag at
http://www.beadiecritters.com/patternpages/beadflags1.htm

Johnny was designed for you to make and enjoy. Make as many
bears from this pattern as you like, but not to sell.

Check out our other great patterns at

www.tinsoldiers.co.za
and
www.loubear.com

If you need assistance making Johnny, or have a question for the

designer, you can email Megan at
soldier@lantic.net
 Side Head
Cut 1 and
Reverse 1

Foot Pad
Cut 1 and
Reverse 1

Joint
Lea
ve

Joint
Ope

Body
n

Cut 1 and
Reverse 1
Leg
Cut 2 and
Reverse 2

Joint
 Ear
Cut 2 and
Reverse 2
Joint

Inner Arm
Cut 1 and

Leave Open
Reverse 1
Pawpad
Cut 1 and
Reverse 1

Outer Arm Gusset

Cut 1
Cut 1 and
Reverse 1
Materials needed to make Johnny Bear:
• 1/8 m mohair (we used Eric colour 3)
• 8mm black glass eyes
• Set of 25 mm joints
• Black nose thread
• Suede or leather for foot pads

To make the flag:

• Strong thread and a beading needle
• Seed beads yellow, green, white, red, blue,
black

Also have on hand:

Fibre fill stuffing
Small quantity of glass beads or lead shot for
weight (optional)
General sewing supplies

This pattern was designed for Tin Soldiers Studio by Megan Wallace
Make as many bears from this pattern as you like, but not to sell. Tin Soldiers patterns may
not be used to teach workshops without permission from the artist. Out of respect for all
the hard work that gets put into an original design, please do not copy or redistribute this
pattern in any form. You can order more patterns from

Tin Soldiers Studio

Cell: 083 305 5954
E-mail: soldier@lantic.net
Address: PO Box 61095 Pierre van Reyneveld 0045
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Visit our website: www.tinsoldiers.co.za