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Jare Hares & Bears Sep 3, 2006

The one thing that annoys me is when a bear's or bunny's paws turn out and face away from the body.

To fix this when I cut the pattern for the inner arm and paw pad I just retrace the outer arm.
I then mark where I want my paw pad to end and cut. I don't make a seam allowance for it.
Then when I sew the arm pieces together the outer arm is bigger than the inner arm. I simply ease the inner arm and outer arm pieces together. This way I avoid the turned out wrist syndrome. Then the paws face each other.

I know that some people will put a small dart on the wrist to help keep their bears' arms straight, I have never tried that, but it seams to work.

Chowlea Bears Sep 3, 2006

Super tip  - Many Thanks :dance:

matilda Sep 4, 2006

Good tip!  The arms can get tricky at times when making large bears.  I have had a turned arm or two in my time :redface:
Wendy

bearlysane Sep 4, 2006

Of course...a simple answer to an honest mistake...that's if it is done by mistake.

If I was making a traditional or classic bear, I would most certainly make sure the arms were perfectly straight.

However, sometimes a designer wants the look of open arms for a reason! Contemporary bears don't abide by any of the traditional rules...long necks, huge noses, weird faces, lidded and sleepy eyes etc. etc.

How do you distinguish between the two looks on a contemporary bear, when you don't have the ability to read the mind of the designer?

Hugs,
Sandi

Jare Hares & Bears Sep 4, 2006

Sandi -
You are right...
But never the less I still hate it when my arms turn out like that.
I think that on my pieces it looks weird.

bearlysane Sep 4, 2006

Oh Jared,
I agree that on a bunny or hare they would look particularly funny not to be straight out in front. Possibly because when you do see one sitting upright on it's bottom, the front paws seem to be right angles with its body. I don't think I have ever seen one with its arm outstretched! :crackup:

But I have seen  :photo: bears in the wild with arms going in all directions...anyone would think they were waving hello!

Certainly not knocking the tip...it's a great one and one I have used time to time when designing traditional bears, but I have also worked on the way I stuff because this often can cause the 'deformity' too!

Hugs,

Eileen Sep 4, 2006

Great tip, Jared!

This method also helps when the inner and outer arm/leg are different colors, as I learned the hard way

When cut a bit smaller, the inner color stays inner, where it belongs.

Jare Hares & Bears Sep 4, 2006

Yes we would like to keep our inner arms where they belong...

Tracy Sep 10, 2006

Oooh......thanks Jared! :hug:   I've been having this problem lately, and it's been making me crazy trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.  Didn't have the problem before.......must be this particular arm design I'm using.  Anyway.....thanks so much!  I can stop pulling my hair out now!    

&  :hug:
Tracy

Judi Sep 19, 2006

Great tip Jared.       I hate it when that happens!  Ted Menton calls it  the Egyptian Virus.

Jare Hares & Bears Sep 19, 2006

The other thing that you can do that will help...
Sew your arms together on side A
Then go back and sew on side B
This also helps to keep them from turn.
You will end up with a double stitched arm.
But you only need to go over the paw pads and wrists for this technique.

Judi Sep 19, 2006

Jared , you should write a book   

Eileen Sep 19, 2006

Great idea, Jared---Author, author!!

Jare Hares & Bears Sep 20, 2006

Yeah that will have to go on the to do list.
Truth be told I have thought about writting one for that last couple of years.
But then I think that it might be re-inventing the wheel. There are already so many bear making books out there.
We'll see.
Thanks for the support ladies. :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug: