What a recycled bear looks like

  By recycled I don't just mean that the coat was old and reused to make a bear, I also mean that this guy ended up in the trash can. Making this real fur bear has definetly been a challange, and a learning experience for me. The fur itself and the leather backing has not really posed a problem, although I did have to take extra time to line it, circle the weak areas with black marker, and open the window up with a fan blowing just so that I don't inhale to many furs; the real issue has been with my careless errors. I'm not really sure why but I have been making a lot of beginner mistakes lately (granted this is only my 9th bear, and my first mink one at that) I have been doing silly things like sewing up the entire body of the bear and not leaving an opening to stuff. Poking to many holes in the leather is not good... so I have had to restart a couple times. It was definetly time to take a break from my little disaster and give my mom a lesson in bear making! It was fun to have some mother daughter bonding time, and in the process of creating her bear with her I gained the inspiration to continue to finish what I had started on my own. It has been so helpful for me to just step back for once and learn the basics, I never made a bear with someone elses pattern, and even though I figured out all the stitches on my own I am finally learning their names. Although this bear will be far from perfect I am going to stick with it and finish it. Enjoy!
 -Heidi

Let the transformation begin ;)

I added a thin layer of suede and a bit of leather cording (the ends cut at angles)

to make an eyelid. I then shaded them both to blend them together.

                               

                                                          Baby bear and Momma bear

He has a very happy expression I think.

The body (number 2 ) cut and pinned

Hungry for stuffing

I added a bow although I'm not sure I like it... the fabric of the

bow was made out of the linning of the coat. What do you think?