Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Woo Bears... that depending on which seam you're working on, and whether you're right-handed or left-handed, that your fabric seams may not end up equal?
Its weird: I start off with exact fabric pieces based on the pattern - I'm very particular about it. I am left-handed, so when I sew a backstitch by hand, the top edge of the 2 pieces of fabric is at the top of my hand, and I am stitching towards the right.
Don't know why, but after completion, the left seam of the gusset and side piece ends up about 0.25" longer than the right sewn gusset seam! I even tried forcing myself to sew the right hand gusset seam as if it were the left (so the edge of the 2 pieces of fabric together was at the bottom, not at the top, in my hand) and it was still the same.
What the..... ?
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
Is there a handy trick to correcting this? Is it caused by stitch tension? Or MY tension (trying to sew a perfect seam - I should try it after a martini or two and see if it still happens!)
I know how to change the tension of my knitting by changing needles, and on my sewing machine, but don't know how to do this!
OK, newbies probably ask the weirdest questions.
THANK YOU and Bless you, Teddy Bear People, One and All :)
teddyretirementhome
Do you use lots of pins? If I don't the same thing happens to me!
Tickled Pink Bears:dance: I think the pins suggestion is a good one. I check my work every 5-10 stitches to make sure I will end up with even ends. I don't use a lot of pins but think I will start doing that. I like that idea.... 
Faux Paw BearsYes! Yes! Yes!
Oh misery does love company...someone else out there has this problem too! I"m not alone! 
I've been going bonkers for the last year trying to get my gussets in straight because of this issue. I've practically stood on my head to sew them in every which way possible and every combination of ways possible to overcome this. I have come to the conclusion that probably for many people it is a non issue but for some of us (me) it really is.
I've taken to sewing the two sides incrementally and matching along the way and going from the eyepoint forward to the nose center (most critical). Otherwise I can gain alot more mismatch over a long stretch than 1/2".
My natural tendency towards inaccuracy is probably exacerbated by the fact that I am often working with knit back fabrics which are still stretchy along the edges even after stabilizers. However, it is still a challenge.
I agree, LOTS of pins, and sewing in small increments, parallel portions. Oh and keep the seam ripper handy. 
Pat
BrisbaneHere is how I do it. I match the centre nose part of the gusset to the seam on the side pieces. I usually do a few back stitches either side of the seam here to hold it in place so it won't shift. Then I pin both sides toward the eye spot - making sure its even. Then I pin the rest of it - making sure its even again. Then I stitch from one side of the neck all the way around. You can also try over sewing you gusset before you back stitch. That way it won't shift as much.
The main thing is pin it first and check thats it even! If you don't do this you might end up with an uneven gusset.
---
Therese
Woo BearsPhew! I'm so glad that I'm the only one that has this problem!
I do use lots of pins, and as I'm sewing, I frequently check to make sure that the fabric isn't bing pushed forward so that it "bubbles" under the first pin.
For one pattern, I had the gusset come up short on BOTH sides by about 0.24" - and this was on a small bear, only about 6" high! I checked with the artist who had designed the pattern, and she double checked that the gusset sides were in fact the correct measurements, and of course they were fine. She asked if I had cut the gusset on the bias, but I hadn't. I created another head from the same pattern, but adding an extra 0.25" - 0.50" to the tail end of the gusset, and everything was fine!
The funniest thing about it is that head has stuffed perfectly, no twisty or less supple seams causing an imbalanced head, when stuffed, and the 0.25" issue for the gusset running too short is the same amout on a big bear head as it is on a little one! That really puzzles me...
Oh well! Perhaps I need my sewing box exorcised?! ;)
Cheers and good night - oh, er, good morning to everyone!
Brenda
Some bought patterns do not exactly fit the gusset to the side head pieces. You are expected to 'best' fit the gusset to the rest of the head. I usually oversew a few stitches at the centre of the nose, where the nose widens out by the eyes and at the very ends of the gusset (at the back of the head). I then use pins to do a 'best fit'. If the fabric is difficult to work with, I will oversew the whole gusset to ensure the gusset is straight and hasn't twisted prior to machine sewing or back stitching. Even if the gusset is an exact fit, it is difficult to maintain the same tension for both sides of the head. Pinning and/or oversewing should reduce this effect.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Sue
EJ's CraftsAfter years of working with all kinds of faux furs, I have found that I sew the gusset from the eye area to the nose first on both sides, then pin and sew from the back of the head to the eye area that it keeps the gusset even.
Emo BearsI'm lazy.
I put some small guide stitches in. I sew the center of the nose either side to the middle - looks like a V shaped stitch. I then put a couple of stitches over the ends of the gusset to fix it to the neck on either side. Then i put a couple of stitches in the gusset where it widens by where the eyes would be - that way the key points match up and I tend to just fudge the rest.
I sew from nose to neck, then do the same on the other side.
Works for me - most of the time 
The Littlest ThistleI start at the tip of the nose and sew each side for the gusset. This means that effectively one side looks upside down compared to the other. I start both sides with a double stitch through the tip of the gusset and the nose to neck seam, then backstitch from there. It means that on the right hand side, the small stitches are on the top on the gusset, and on the left hand side the small stitches are on the side of the head (hope that makes sense!) It all seems to come out even that way, more so than the way I originally did it starting at one end of the gusset and working round. I don't use pins much though I have to admit, I got fed up with them spiking me, so there are only about 2 per side of a head!
I'm glad to see you're getting a lot of great suggestions! 
I do things a little differently now... I used to have the same problem depending on the fabric I was using. Now I have darts in my gusset and head piece which makes matching up easier (and also helps create a nice rounded head). Sometimes I use a stitch to hold the gusset darts in place to the matching dart on the headpiece - this works well with real fur to avoid putting in extra holes with pins. 
LALand BearsRelax.....breathe deep......put on some nice music......have a purring kitten near by.....
Those were the things that helped reduce MY tension while hand sewing :crackup:
Also - remember you are creating a three dimensional shape from flat pieces of fabric so there is a little "fudging needed" as you sew around the curved areas.
Sounds like TTrs have all provided great suggestions..
Take care everyone
Best Regards
Lee Ann
Little Bear GuyJulia I do exactly as you do, I could never use pins when I am hand sewing as they get in the way. I sew the two head side pieces together first from the nose to the neck. Then I take the gusset and I centre it and tack it in place with a couple of stitches. Then I do a tack where the gusset meets the head (almost where the eyes would go) and then a tack at the back of the neck, takes a few minutes and I have never in my life run into a problem works like a charm.. I do find pins get in my way and I get the thread wrapped around them
big hugs
Shane
Dances With Teddy BearsI never use pins, the fur slips too much. I use alligator clips in various sizes. They really hold the fur in place. Then I do a quick baste, then backstitch one side of gusset to eye position then the other side. Then backstitch the rest. I don't tack, I find there's still some fur movement. For me basting is the best. And I couldn't live without alligator clips!
Alligator clips! What a great idea
karen
Sarian Miniature BearsI use alligator clips with my minis and have never had a problem. I also push the fur back in with my needle as I sew along (hand sewing, that is), which helps to flatten the two pieces together. I've found that with quite a deep pile the two 'fur side' pieces rubbing together can cause the two pieces to move out of line, even when you have trimmed the seam allowance, so alligator clips work a treat.
Crumbs, I hope all of what I've written makes sense! 
