Orange Bear

Still At The Pansies

Note to Self Avoid the Craft Store

 I don't like taking Gil to the craft store with me. I used to go while he was at school. These are a couple things he picked up. Can you guess what he'd like meee to make?

He said he'd like this pattern in stripes. I hate changing colors!!! I personally grab the striping yarns and multi colors.

If you are having trouble guessing what I've been asked to make see the post below:

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2010/12/crochet-in-round.html

I'll show you what I came up with when I get around to doing it.

Embroidered Nose

This is the one that gave me trouble. The first couple bears I made I'd start out embroidering the nose and end up sewing a felt nose. I finally got the hang of it, though I'm never surprised if I have to pull one out and start again.


I just realized I should have 2 round headed pins on either side to show the width of my nose. I always eyeball it (maybe that's why my noses are crooked). Just like the felt nose we'll leave the end of our thread out. The next stitch should be just outside where we first went in.


I tend to feel my way through a nose. Sometimes they're triangle shaped, sometimes rectangles. If you'd like a specific nose you will want to make a template out of felt in the shape you want. Often when using a template you would stitch the perimeter with your embroidery floss and then fill the inside. I personally don't like the look of stitching around first. Probably another reason for my mess ups!


OK, I have a good shape going here.


Make sure your nose is completely filled in. Your last stitch will finish at the bottom of your mouth.


Same as yesterday, lift the stitches a bit at the bottom of your nose for your center line and out to the side.


Then out to the other side.

Your last stitch completing the mouth goes back up. Try to come up under the stitches there by your first stitch. We want to hide that knot under those top stitches.


Gently double knot. This knot should tuck under the stitches at that top corner where you started and ended.

Thread your needle again. Sewing under the top stitches, take one thread at a time, through the face.

Holding the tension, cut the thread close to the fabric. The thread disappears.


Another cute nose!

Felt Nose

There are two ways that I put noses on bears. Actually I'd say I did the one and then graduated to the other. My noses always go on crooked though, it doesn't matter how I do them. I tell myself it adds character. What I found to be easier and didn't have to practice at a lot was cutting a nose shape out of the felt that I used for the foot pad. For me this was easy. If you embroider then wait until tomorrow and I'll show you my embroidered nose. Both noses are very cute!

Here's my nose shape for this demonstration. A simple rounded triangle shape is also good.


After lots of trial and error I've learned to leave my end thread out, you'll see it there until the end. I'll show you why later. Go behind the felt to start your first stitch.


Stitch around, big or small stitches, close or far stitches. The only thing I'd say is be consistent once you choose a style. I suppose if you wanted the stitches more invisible you could use same color thread and add the mouth later with embroidery floss. Oh, sorry that's what I'm using here.


Once you get back to the place you started and you are making your last stitch, send your needle down to the place you'd like your mouth to end.


Next stitch lift the felt a tiny bit to hide the end of the top line of your mouth. Come out where you'd like the side of your mouth to end. Up for a smile, down for a frown and straight across for that cute blank look.


I always get this part wrong. I come up on the other side either too short or too long. The fabric does not make this easy. I do try to get both sides the same length even if my nose is crooked!

To finish your mouth stitch through the middle, then take it up and under the felt where you left that end thread. I told you we get back to that.

Make a double knot that should tuck under the felt. You remember what happens next, you take those two end threads, thread them through a long needle. Right at the knot, under the felt take those threads, one at a time, through the head. Hold the thread with tension and cut close to the fabric.

What a a simple nose!