Teddy Blog

Everyone loves to get teddy bears for newborns, but safety is a must! You have to find a bear that is something the newborn can cuddle. Some have musical devices inside them. A soft plush teddy bear is the best since they have no hard objects inside them which makes them a safer choice. There won’t be any choking hazards with these bears.

There are also teddy bear security blankets so cute and cuddly. A square blanket with a teddy bear in the center, these are easy for a baby to hold. These are made of the softest fleece material with the teddy bears being just as soft. For babies who seem to have a hard time falling asleep there’s a Heartbeat bear. This bear has the sound of a human heartbeat inside it.

Giving a newborn a teddy bear will be a keepsake they will always have. There are many bears suitable for a newborn. Look for the softest and check to make sure the eyes won’t be able to be pulled out. Even though a newborn can’t pull out the eyes, you want to make sure the bear is safe enough for him or her.

You can use clothing you no longer want or need, old sweaters you’ve outgrown, or fur coats found at yard sales or thrift store. Wash what can be washed first, then cut out your pattern. One fur jacket can make a couple of teddy bears. Recycling material can be fun and keep your costs of making teddy bears minimal.

There are some teddy bear makers who will use the material you send to create a one of  kind bear for you. But these can be costly and you won’t have the pleasure of making the bear yourself. You can even dress your bear in an outfit from a thrift shop or yard sale, depending on the size of the bear you are planning to make. Keep in mind that you can always create a pattern for clothing to fit the bear you are creating. It’s not really hard to do. But you need some imagination to picture the bear you want to make and dress. When making your own recycled bear if you plan to use old baby outfits from your children or  grandchildren, you will have stories to tell them about the outfits, who gave the outfit to them when they were born, and how much you loved seeing them in that outfit. These recycled teddy bears will make heirloom gifts for your children or grandchildren.

For the first bear I made I used a simple plastic eye assembly. Purchased at the nearest craft store in a package of two, these were very simple to put into the bear’s head. I made sure they were “safety” eyes since the bear was for a child. These eyes are locked into place by a lock washer. I tried to pull one out after I put it in place and I couldn’t do it.

The other type of eyes you can purchase are glass eyes. For a bear for an adult, these eyes may work just fine, but they can present some problems. First of all, no two can be exactly alike. Glass eyes can shatter, leaving tiny shards of glass imbedded in the bear’s fur. Not a very safe thing to happen!

Make sure you have the right sized eye for the size of the bear you are making. Most patterns will give you dimensions for the eyes. Dark brown or black might work best for most bears. Some packages will just be marked “animal eyes”. These are generally round with a black pupil surrounded by a colored iris. “Black” eyes are solid, shiny black. Either eyes will work for your bear.