Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

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Mo Bear Designs
Redcliff, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1,536
Website

Mo Beary Feb 14, 2009

Would anyone of you be willing to share how to design a double jointed neck. I'm really not that sure where to start but would like to make a bear that can be posed differently.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Benson Bears
Tasmania
Posts: 562

Hi Jane , It's pretty simple, all it is, is a wedge so when you turn it different ways it tilts the head. You need to work out how big the joints will be and then make your wedge wide enough to accommodate them. Some people make it in one piece but I like to use two triangular pieces sewn together. Usually the top of the wedge ( the head joint ) is a bit smaller than the bottom ( the body joint ). Sew in two circles in the top and bottom and there you have it, a double neck joint. The next consideration is placement of the arm joints. I don't like my bears to get a "goose" necked look so I place the arms quite high up and then use a smaller joint disc in the body, than what is inside the arm, this allows the top of the arm to ride over the neck/body joint and also gives the bear a nice pair of shoulders! In designing your initial wedge, if you add in some tabs along the long edge then you will have extra fabric to sew closed against to give a neater finish, also you'll need to make sure that the opening will be large enough to get your joint discs through! It might sound like a really obvious thing to tell you but I HAVE made that mistake! If you take a look at my polar bear in the Bears and other Friends gallery, he's got a double neck joint, I use them all the time! Oh, and you might consider redesigning the top of the bear's body so that you can sew in another circle there too. There's also a bit in the library on double neck joints.