Cutting out the pieces for the teddy bears seems like a quick, simple step that doesn’t deserve it’s own post but it is a vital step that requires a lot of consideration.
Once the fabric has been woven I wash and iron it. This softens the fabric and if it is a woollen fabric then it helps to tighten the weave.
The pattern of the fabric really determines where I place the teddy bear pattern pieces. If the fabric is all one colour or the pattern is more of a texture then I would probably just place them all on the in the same direction on the fabric with the selvedges vertical. However, if there are stripes or a larg pattern then where I place the pattern pieces really makes a huge difference to the final look of the teddy bear. The things I consider are:
- The direction I want the stripes on the teddy bear, this may be horizontal, vertical or diagonal
- Whether the teddy bear is going to be symmetrical
- How I want the pattern to cross the seams of the bear
The images below show three different ways I might place the pieces on a stripy fabric. The first shows how the pieces would be placed for vertical stripes, the second horizontal and the third diagonal. All three would also be symmetrical teddy bears.
Once I have decided how I want the teddy bear to look and therefore how I am going to place the pieces they can then be cut out as shown below.
The teddy bear is then ready to be sewn together and will start to take shape.
Have a look at my next post to find out about stitching the pieces together.