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Posts: 2Hi I'm new here. I have a quick question I'm making a donkey from a pattern that was free in a Teddy Bear Magazine years ago. The instructions says the seam allowence is 1/4 inch and I know on most patterns it is included. But I'm looking at the pieces and it's hard to imagine there is a 1/4 seam allowence included on the pattern piece. I'm thinking of adding that to all the pieces. Has anyone done that? It seems to me it would just make the donkey abit bigger which I'm ok with. Could I do this? I am making the donkey out of mohair so I don't want to mess him up. I hope I'm making myself clear. Thank you for any help.
Hello, 
Firstly welcome to dear old Teddy Talk!
I was just reading your post about the donkey you are hoping to make and I got the impression that you think maybe your pattern pieces are too small to already include a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Well, the first thing that struck me was that sometimes on magazine patterns, you may find a little note (maybe actually on the pattern pieces) saying that you had to enlarge the pattern by say 20 percent or something, so I would check your pattern wording first of all just to make sure, it might just say something about that.
As far as adding on the seam allowance, yes, that is fine provided you put it onto all edges. I can remember seeing somewhere a diagram of pattern pieces drawn around with two pencils side by side, one would mark the sewing line while the other (approx 1/4" apart) was drawing out the cutting line. By adding the seam allowance all the around, it is no different from just enlarging your pattern pieces by a photocopier or whatever. I hope I am making sense!
I am sure lots of lovely folk here will have other ideas too, but it was just the checking of the pattern size to see if it needs enlarging that I would check first.
Don't forget to show us your donkey when it's finished, we all like piccies here!! 
Good luck!
Hugs
Marilyn
Donna's Duin BruinsA trick I learned from another bear artist to add a seam allowance is to draw each pattern piece onto a piece of paper. Put the paper pattern on your sewing machine and sew around the pattern. You will have a perfect seam allowance using your presser foot.
