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Flying Fur StudiosHey guys, working on my 1st panda bear here. Quite the learning experience I have to say.
So, I finally have the head sewn and now I'm thinking about the eye patches. I will be sewing them on, as opposed to painting them.
Do you guys have any tips or tricks on this?? I'm not sure how to go about it. Do I just sew the patches on the same way I would do the ears?? How much of the mohair do I need to trim, under the eye patch.
I'm soo scared to mess up this face any help that you have would be SUPER!!!
Thanks
Heather
BEAR ME SHOOTKAHeather, I have no experience in sewing panda ber but I do keep in mind to do it someday. So I would love to hear some advice also.
Julia.
Hi Heather...
On the subject of eye-patches I mostly cut out holes in the head sides and inset the patches before I sew up the head.... no doubt it is the wrong way but it works for me and it's stress free...well relatively anyway..and it prevents the eye area being too bulky. Hope that helps!!
Sorry about the huge picture on my intro...I am useless with computers...and always do it wrong...
Jenny
Kim-Bee BearsThis is a good question! i had this dilemma - I just finished my first Panda. I opted not to have eye patches at all... I just inserted the eyes and shaded a little around them. To tell you the truth, I can't imagine this little gal with they eye patches.... I would like some suggestions on this though, since I plan on making more pandas in the future! 
Heather,
In Nancy's book, Teddy Bears With A Past, she tells how to put in an eye patch on. She cuts out the eye patch first then places it on the head to where she would like it then trims the fur from the head to where it will be placed. Take a little glue and apply it to the back of the eye patch and place it on the head to where you want it. Now she states that she goes back and forth from one eye patch to the other taking small stitches to sew it down into place. Hope this helps.
There are thoses that will cut out the shape of the eye patch from the head and the sew in the eye patch that way. I guess what ever may work for you. I think that Nancy's book may go out of print. It is a good book.
Lynn
Posts: 27I guess everyone does it differently. I stuff the head and sculpt the eye sockets. I have a small pattern for the eye patches so I cut them out, making sure the nap on each piece runs down, if the fur on the side muzzles runs nap going down. Using an almost satin applique stitch, sew around the pieces to prevent fraying (be careful to pushs the fur out of the way). Decide where you want to position the patches. Trim the fur off about in an area smaller than the size of the patch. Put a small drop of glue, I use fabritac or magnitac, and glue the patch in place. Using a curved needle, whip around the edge of the patch to further hold it in place. Use a finger tip brush to smooth out the fur. I like this method because i usually place the patch some what into the eye socket and often that area is in the location for the side muzzle and the center piece. A bit of trouble but it helps in getting the face look that you might want.
Hugs,
BethBear
Kim-Bee BearsYou can get nancy's book still - i got mine at Borders.com - I ordered and they delivered it to my local borders and I went and picked it up or you can get it from amazon, i am sure or she has them on her website.
Winneybears and FriendsJenny..Your avatar bear is just darling ...I visited your web site and those puppies are way too cute just like your bears !....
Lynn...LOve that avatar bear...what a cutie with his blankie, so precious.
That's a good way to make an eye patch...another way I read is to ..
Working with the eye patch only... trim off the fur 1/8" around the edge.
Cut a piece of muslin the same size as the patch.
With right sides facing , sew 1/8" seam around the patch completely.
Then slit the muslin ( the eye backing now ) and turn the eye patch thru the hole.
ladder stitch the patch to the face... Winney
Posts: 27I LOVE the patch lined with muslin idea. Thanks!
BethBear
I feel really daft, and admit I shade my panda eye patches, and haven't inserted or appliqued or flocked -- another method sometimes used -- any yet. So the whole idea of applied-fur patches is unfamiliar to me on an experiential level.
But I don't understand why you would want to line the eye patch with anything, muslin or otherwise, if you're just going to stitch it directly on to the mohair side head piece, anyway. Am I missing something here? Can somebody explain this to me? Is it just a way to keep the patches from fraying at the edges?
Thanks!
Yes, it must be to stop fraying I think...though I've never tried it... I may be wrong but do people stitch them on after the head is stuffed? I often shade mine too, Shelli...on my smaller bears...But mainly I hand stitch the eyepads in first to the head sides...sometimes I machine the big ones in if I'm feeling brave!!
Jenny
Bine-TeddiesShelli, using a backing fabric on an applique piece will turn the raw edge under. This is sometimes done in applique quilts. Didn't occur to me to use this on a bear. Great idea! Thanks. I'm working on a panda also and will give this a try.
Sabine
Ahhhhhhhhhhh. It all becomes clear. That is a great idea, and one I would never have thought of since my sewing and embroidery skills, outside of what I've learned in bearmaking, are basically non-existant. Thanks, Winney; you rock! Literally, as in Loretta ROCK! :P:D
Flying Fur StudiosAll you guys rock!! Now I just have to find the way that'll work best for me. I would love to shade the eyes, but I just don't have anything to match the mohair. I guess it's good to learn anyway.
I'll show a pic when I'm done, you too Sabine!!!!!
I really like the glue idea though. That way I know they will both be even.
Jenny, you are sooo brave to sew the eye patches on 1st. I can't even decide where to put the eyes untill after I've stuffed the head and stared at it for hours. LOL
Thanks again guys,
Heather
Winneybears and FriendsHe, he...isn't there a bunch of ways to try and solve something?..In doing so ,you may even invent another way.. I havn't tried any patches yet...I'd like to try the painted one...Winney
Winneybears and FriendsOOPs...or oppps or whatever...I think turning the edges under at least cuts the problem in half...Trying to turn under 1/8" with all that fur in the way ( from the patch and the face ) would be frustrating...not that any of us lack impatience... making bears ya gotta have that or you'd get a crazy bonkers faced bears...which reminds me, I suppose one should make a Anime bear once in awhile or something else for fun so you CAN go wild with the ideas and techniques...Whatever mistake, leave it there....Winney
Bine-TeddiesHeather, how is your panda coming along? Mine is finished. I tried to sew on eye patches with backing fabric, but my panda is only about 5 in sitting and the eye patches proved too small for that method. Also, the fur on the upper edge pointed upwards on my test piece and I didn't like that. I did Nancy's method of cutting the white fur where the patch is going and glueing the patch on. Worked nicely.
Sabine
Bears-a-Bruin!Oh, what a gorgeous panda! I've only shaded the eyes so far, but will definitely try this method sometime (sticking the patches on). Especially if it means such a beautiful result - well done Sabine!
Bine-TeddiesThank so much you Helena. I forgot to mention that this is rabbit fur. Real fur hides the glued on pieces really well and the leather back was very thin in this case.
It is a prototype to test my new pattern before I cut my hard-won black and white mink furs. Arms and legs are bent, but I think I will change the arms somewhat. they are supposed to hold a bamboo stick, but don't really reach across the belly :D
Sabine
UKthanks for all the tips too on sewing on eye patches everyone !! 
LuxembearsI'm a bit late here, but I draw up a head pattern then draw the eye patch in. I cut out the eye patch and add a seam allowance both on the head peices where the eye patch was cut out and on the eye patch. I sew the eye patch in the head side piece then proceed to sew as usual. It is very easy and this way the patc :dance:h is part of the head.
Just Us Bears
Judi..I do it that way too..as does Jenny. I have made three Pandas now..and each time, I have had to wangle that patch bit. If you cut the section out, and then add a seam allowance to the cut out piece and the other piece...you then end up with a concave piece and a convex piece. I always find the piece I cut out is way too big then.(cos by doing this, you are making the insert bigger and the cut out section smaller..right?)
So the last time I did it, I only added a seam allwance to the piece I cut out. It did work...but I still can't get my head around the right way to do it like this. If anyone is completely lost with what I'm talking about here...take a piece of paper and cut a half oval shape out of the edge. Now imagine if you add a seam allowance to each piece...or even do that and cut the pieces again. They don't look like they have a hope of fitting.
Sabine..I love your Panda...he's just so scrummy. (That's an Aussie term meaning good enough to eat ;))
Here's my last Panda..Mei Ling.
Anyone else have a Panda to share?
I would like to try a Panda with different colours..like Brown/Cream or pastels even.
I think I kind of make the hole in the head side smaller...and the patch bigger so that when I stitch the on seam line they both come out the same....
Anyway....whatever way I cobble it together..it works. Don't ask me how because my brain is not logical enough to explain it to me this time in the morning.....but it does work. I always snip the seam when I am done sewing the patch in too..then it lies flatter...
I need a cup of tea....
Jenny
Flying Fur StudiosSabine, I'm just about done my panda. Just have to atttach the limbs and stuff the body.
I'll post a pic when I'm done, I'm really happy with the way the eye patches turned out.
A day or two, and I'll post. But I love to see your guys panda bears. Soo nice!! And Sabine, I can't imagine working with such long mohair.
Heather
Winneybears and FriendsBeautiful pandas ! Say,, when Nancy Tilburg glues the eye patch on ...is she working with real fur or mohair fabric?
Great to hear about different techniques to try.
I love the way you do it Judi, get the problem out of the way first and it is accurate ..LOL... Winney
