How to Make a Jumper for a Teddy Bear

Dress Teddy up for the first day of school - or for a holiday - with this supersimple jumper.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dressmaker's Measuring Tapes
• Ribbons Or Yarn
• Fabric Glue
• Fabrics
• Irons
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Needles
• Threads
• Worktables
• Scissors
• Scissors
• Paper And Pencils
• Sewing Chalk

Making the Jumper

1. Fold your fabric in half.

2. Lay Teddy down with her head extending over the fold (so that the fold is right above her shoulders).

3. Make a mark on the fabric at each side of her neck (this is where you'll cut the neck hole).

4. Make a mark above the point where her shoulders would end if she had them (that is, directly above where her arms join her body), a mark under her arms so you'll know where to end the side seams, and a mark for length (about 3/4 of the way down her body).

5. Lift Teddy up and set her aside.

6. Make a second mark 5/8 inch outside the shoulder mark for hem allowance and a second mark under the arms at least an inch outside the first on either side, depending on how fat Teddy is (you'll need a seam allowance to sew the sides together, and Teddy is probably a little chunky).

7. Draw straight lines from the second (outside) shoulder marks to the second (outside) underarm marks.

8. Draw straight lines from the second (outside) underarm marks down and out at an angle (think of a triangle) to the bottom corners. Draw a straight line across the bottom (you should have a shape that looks roughly like a rectangle on top of a triangle).

9. Start at the outside shoulder marks (not the neck marks!) on the fold and cut straight down to the outside underarm marks, then turn and cut at an angle following your chalk lines, then cut across the bottom of the jumper.

10. Cut carefully along the fold between the neck marks to make a head hole. Unfold the jumper to cut a V-, square or scoop neck in front.

11. Make a vertical cut straight down the back from the neck hole (so that the back becomes two pieces).

12. Fold the jumper right sides together and sew side seams to your underarm mark.

13. Narrow hem all edges, or finish with fabric glue.

14. Attach ribbon or yarn to both sides of the back seam so the jumper will stay on.

Narrow Hemming

15. Turn over 1/4 inch and press (you'll need to make tiny slits along curved edges so that they'll lie flat).

16. Machine stitch.

[mscharming]

on 4/16/2009 this will be a good project for my child's build a bear animals

[WeeSandy]

on 8/25/2007 I have had a little bit of trouble picturing some of these steps...Would you be able to add some photos? Thanks!