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MadebyAnnaI have been a miniature artist for about 4 years and am taking the plunge!!! 
I am working on a bear about 11-12". I made the leg last night and my whole family couldn't believe how big it was!!! It is STRANGELY large! I am hand sewing as I am not too good with the sewing machine! Can my stitches be larger? I am making tiny stitches..not too sure how big to make them... Any words of wisdom would be appreciated..Has anyone started tiny and gone big? Little nervous about jointing and his nose to come 
thanks
Anna
Country BearsHello Anna,
Oh I am looking forward to seeing your bear, I'm sure it will be wonderful. I love your little ones so much!! Yes it must look strange as you're used to the little ones, you'll find stuffing takes forever!! Have fun with him/her!! :hug:
Im currently working on a 28" bear...yikes! I cant imagine hand sewing him *smiles* I dont normally make many bears of this size, but I just felt the need to do something a little different...sounds like you did too!
Im sorry, I cant offer any advice about the size of stitches, but Im sure someone will be able to help you out there.
Good luck on your BIG bear...cant wait to see it!
Bear hugs,
Kim
MadebyAnnaOH I love your bears..especially the sailor. yes..my mind works overtime and I constantly want to try something new.(.I just worry sometimes that my mind might lead me in the wrong direction! 
) I love a challenge ! My next challenge should be trying to figure out the sewing machine!!! Thanks for your well wishes !
Matilda Huggington-beareHi, Anna. There was a discussion earlier on in the year about stitch sizes.Look back in the archives.
when I started sewing I worked on a few minis inorder to get my stitches smaller.
So smaller stitches are the best.
Cant wait to see the finished bear :dance:
Wendy 
Im currently working on a 28" bear...yikes!
The base pattern I like to work off of gives me a very plump 29" bear (Kwiksew pattern 3246), since I started by sewing clothes for myself and moved into bears. The 12" bears are just too tiny for me to work with.
I'm currently working on a 54" bear, and my hope someday is to make a 9 foot bear. Needless to say, I'm not stitching by hand.
To get back to the question that started this topic, stitch size shouldn't affect the proportions of your bear. Assuming you are working off a pattern, then the relevant question is seam allowance. Are your stitches even? For a 12" bear, I'm guessing you should have a seam allowance of about 1/4"
Body proportions are ultimately a question of personal taste. If it doesn't look right, I'd stop what you're doing, and try working on it from scratch using duck cloth, or some other cheap fabric - remnants can be used to good effect, and might give you a bear you'll end up keeping. The point is, try the pattern using a fabric without nap or pile, and see how it comes out.
My Teddy TalesI love hand sewing my bears. I mostly like making small bears, but I just finished making my first 12"- 13" bear, and not only was it my first large bear but my first open mouth with a tongue and teeth bear!!!! I did hand sew the whole entire bear. I just find it relaxing and I just feel like I'm more in control. I guess that may sound a bit silly, it is relaxing though. But as soon as my daughter gets her camara going I can post some pics of bears that I have made in the past few months. It has been awhile since my last bear pic.
