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Posts: 12Hello, I'm working on my first bear I decided to do one of the patterns from 101 bears by Nancy Tillberg. I'm using the antique head cut for a double joint with the realistic body (book said this was required pg 52). I have sewed the head gusset on, but it is longer than the head, if that makes since? do I cut it off?? Did I do something wrong? it's not enough left to cover the whole bottom of the head.. Also I'm not sure about sewing up the bottom of the head.. Do I just sew it up? or do I attach the neck first? I'm confused.. 
The realistic body pattern (pg 214) didn't say which was the front side or the back side.. so when I sewed on the gusset I just assumed that the front was the left side (when looking at the pattern the left side) with the back side being left open for stuffing/etc.. Was that right?? I think I must have picked a hard first pattern.. I just wanted to be able to tilt the head that is why I picked this one first..
Oh, I broke my sewing machine 
The fur I'm using is really thick and has a suede backing (fake fur) I did something to my bobbin thingy.. Now I'm having to hand sew and I'm very slow at hand sewing I hope my machine can be fixed. I will use thinner fur next time.. Thank for your help.. I wanted to include a picture BUT I seem to be having a bad day with things braking because my camera (Fuji S3) is not working has a err message on it when I turn it on.. Man. what a day I'm having..
On The Brite SideI used the same pattern for my first bear. I sew from the nose tip to under chin and end at neck. this I do by machine then I sew the gusset in by hand starting at the nose, you take the gusset rounded end is the nose part, fold it in half and mark center of gusset then start sewing up one side first, starting at nose and center of the gusset sew all the way over nose over top of head and to the neck. You adjust as you go to make sure the gusset fits then go to the other side of the gusset and do the same thing. the flat edge at the one end is the bottom of the neck part. I dont know about the extra piece for the neck, I didnt do this part, I wanted to understand the pattern as it was for my first one. I'm new to this myself so if my inst. are hard to understand maybe someone else could help you out.
good luck and dont give up, once you7 get the hang of it you will be addicted.
Sheri
Donna's Duin BruinsI think you chose something out of the book that is a little confusing for a beginner, but you can do it.
First your head, you did fine. The pattern for the head gusset should have had a mark across it like the side head did to cut it off. You have cut length off your side heads but not the gusset so it will not fit correctly. Just cut off the gusset now that you have the head sewn.
Second your body, it sounds like you did it correctly. The left side of the body back pattern is sewn to the front tummy gusset. You will have two of those seams. Then you will have one back seam that you leave the opening in for stuffing and jointing. Then you sew that dart in the bottom of the body. Then you add the circle to the neck of the body.
Third your neck wedge, you will cut 2, reversing one of whichever body back you chose (polar, grizzly or black bear) and you will need to cut four of the circles on page 213. Two of these circles will go in the ends of the neck wedge. Then one circle will go in the top of the body and one circle will go in the bottom of the head.
The bottom of your head: The realistic bear pattern head has you leave a portion of the chin seam open, if you have not done that you can just sew the circle into the bottom of the sewn head leaving an opening large enough to get the disc through. If you use this method you will need to use a cotter pin or set screw jointing system. You can then stuff your head and joint it and then just use a ladder stitch to close up the rest of the circle to the bottom of the head. (That is how I do all of my double jointed bears.) If you did leave an opening in the chin seam then you will sew the circle completely to the bottom of the head.
Good Luck and give a holler if you need more help. Just stay calm and take one step at a time. I had to go back a couple of times and read it through so that I knew what was being done and I have been making bears for 11 years so don't feel bad that you were confused.
Donna
Posts: 12Thanks, Donna that helped alot.. I'm pretty sure I messed up the neck BUT for my first bear it's not looking to bad.
Thanks again!
Angie
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsHi, Sheri and Donna have advised you well, Angie. I don't have that book so I don't know the pattern you are refering to, but it does sound like youv'e picked a challenging one fro your first bear. I DO know from experience that you have chosen a challenging fabric! But when you have finished this guy your next one will be easier as you have tackled the difficult stuff first!
Donna's Duin BruinsAngie,
How do you think you messed up the neck? You sew the two triangle pieces together to make kind of a diamond shape. Then you sew the two small ends of the diamond shape together to make kind of a circle. Then you sew the two end circles into the diamond circle. Is that what you did? It will look strange!
It sounds like you are handling this very well. Your next bear will be a cakewalk.
Donna
Posts: 751Hi Angie
I had to laugh when reading your message
I christened one of my first bear "Odd Bod" - he looked great in the magazine photo.
Unfortunately there was no arm or leg positions marked and the front of the four part body looked the the same as the back!! He had a nose like a fox and arms like a gorilla. When made up we thought he looked a BIT odd. I turned out he had an arm on his hump and the other on his upper side body and one leg on his bum and the other on his belly.
Needless to say we roared with laughter.
To cap it all the old chenille we made him out of had got rotten and kept going into holes so he had loads of repairs as well.
Poor thing.
Does any one else have any "early ted stories that are similar"
Love
Karon
i do karon - i made a koala from a pattern in a book for a friend who collected teddies
and i accidentally sewed the dead on sideways, it was a 4 part head with a centre seam and, well i just keot going
put the ears on and squashed him into shape a bit and handed him over
my friend said he was cute ....
oops !
he had big ears and big character nose so its sort of helped the cover up
gosh i woulndt do that now he would have to be unpicked !!!!
oooops !
cat xxxx
Matilda Huggington-beare
I hate using pins and find that tacking at each important point on my patterns enable me to get it right without tears. It doesnt show in the pic but I also put a tacking stitch each side of the neck. I ease the pattern pieces into place between the stitches.
If you have a gusset that doesnt fit. (As long as it isnt designed by you that is). Then it means that you have done something wrong.
Unstitch and try it my way.
I sew up the chin pieces and any darts first then I tack at these points then I ladder stitch and then back stitch.
I hope the picture makes things easier to understand.
You have cut length off your side heads but not the gusset so it will not fit correctly. Just cut off the gusset now that you have the head sewn.
I just thought of this and was rereading the post and just saw that It was picked up early. hehehe
It is actually something I would do.
BUT being me... I would put in darts on the gusset rather than cut. Because if I didnt like it then I could redo it and cut. BUT If I cut and didnt like it then I cant UNCUT. BUT THAT IS JUST ME :redface: :doh:
I have learned to be careful 
Wendy
phew, matild-wemdy didnt notice whay i did to one of her native speacies !!!
