Fabric or Fur.....

this little pattern can use it all. It just depends on what you have, what speaks to you, and how much determination and patience you possess. Seated, he measures 6". He fiber content is pillow ticking...which was my "turn on". And since he's made TOTALLY by hand, not one of my smarter moves...LOL. But still easier than fur would have been. I generally leave "fur" for the commercial products. "Sam Ticker" is one of my creations. The pattern is from an older book,
called "Making Bears" by Nancy Southerland-Holmes. The copyright is 1983. It'a an easy pattern since he is basically a flat bear. You can see in this second picture, he's button jointed. I didn't get the button perfectly straight or aligned, so when he sits, he leans a bit to his right..LOL. I have another bear, of this size, in progress, and will show you his "parts" tomorrow. The quilt looking things I photographed him on is a utility table runner. A retreat project that uses 3 fabrics plus about a half yard for the backing. It's a quick and easy one, looks good done up in "guy" fabrics if you are doing it for a son or father or uncle, and is just one of instuctions. The fabric needs are minimal, using less than a 12" of fabric unless you want one of them for a 2 ended border or binding(which is what I did. This one is made from scraps left from my Christmas table cloth quilt. The big quilt goes on the couch and this runner on the coffee table with a pillar candle on it. If anyone is interested, I'll type up the directions and email them to you from my Yahoo account. Just drop me an email. I've done this one up in Southwest for one friend, and in fish and tackle for another. It's NOT a raving beauty, but a sturdy little pony type that just keeps going and going. This one is already 12 years old and going strong.
And I wanted to thank all you lovely gals who left me a comment yesterday about christmas past. The memories I shared seem melancholy or "blue" upon reading them, and at times they seem that way in my head also. I don't feel the holiday season is a "downer", it's what you learn from the past (A Christmas Carol) and what you connect to(The Christmas Story) and what kind of outcome and/or ending you take forward with you.
Even if there aren't outstanding "happiest" memories from my youth, on Dec. 21st, 1967 I received what will never be topped just in time for Christmas. A 3 month old baby girl was placed in my unworthy arms, and my new life as a mother began. It truly was the best Christmas ever, and it had nothing to do with trees, or family from home(WI) and everything to do with an ultimate gift of love. She was and still is, my Christmas Angel...*VBS*