5 comments about Decorative Stuffed Toys for the Needleworker: Instructions and Full-Size Patterns for Embroidered Animals, Dolls and Ornaments.

1. I was delighted to find this reprint of Douglass' book, having moved away from the library whose battered copy I'd checked out too many times to count. "Decorative Stuffed Toys for the Needleworker" provides patterns for some charming stuffed animals, from a peacock to a poodle, plus a basic rag doll with an extensive wardrobe. But this book also provides a guide to many, many decorative embroidery stitches to embellish the dolls with. Either part, the patterns or the stitch instructions, would be well worth the cost of the book. But finding both in one volume makes this book a real treasure!



2. I had no idea when I ordered this book what a surprise I
   had coming! I had not seen the cover, so when it arrived my
   mouth dropped open when I first saw the cover and then started
   leafing through inside. Inside is
   black and white illustrations and some photos. But it has not
   only the patterns but illustrations for stitches as well. The
   patterns are fantastic and I guarantee this book will remain one
   of my favorites on my shelfs and get much use!! In my opinion
   you get way more for your money on this one!



3. There wasn't a picture of the cover and of course no way to see what was inside the book. I do not like this book at all. All the pictures are black and white and most seem to be drawn by hand. The stuffed toys are not your cute dog, cat or farm animal.The toys are weird. There is not one toy I would want to make.



4. However, having said that, it's okay. While I can understand the other reviewer's disappointment, to say that the designs are weird is unfair in my opinion. Apparently, that reviewer didn't "get it", so to speak. The toys in this book are very small and have an ethnic flair to them. Due to the elaborate needlework shown on the pictures, I would guess them to be from India, Asia, or Mexico if I were to see them in a shop. These toys are meant to be used as a decoration for your home, not as children's toys; hence, the title, "Decorative Stuffed Toys...etc. They have a folklore style which is very charming and allows for a tremendous amount of experimentation and diversity in how they are made and embellished. If you love doing hand embroidery and want to try your hand on 3-dimensional objects, then this is your book. The author encourages the use of different fabrics and embellishments and hopes you will think "outside of the box" when choosing your materials and embellishments. All in all, it is a very good book for the avid needleworker who would like to try something different.



5. I have a double major in art and home economics and have collected and used books on doll and bear making for many years. I have had this book for several years and want to make a few remarks for those who are interested. If you are looking for a cutsie book with patterns to copy and make this book is probably not for you. This book appears to have a Polish or German origin and is very ethnic. This is one book that I continue to go back to over and over again just for the wonderful patterns and resource that it is. Originally published in 1954, it does appear a bit dated. Good reference material is timeless, for instance, recently I needed patterns for balls and this book provided me with ball patterns in four, six, and eight sections. So I did not have to do the calculus to figure this out, if I could do calculus! Patterns that can be reworked, every embroidery stitch that one can imagine, how to do beading on fabric,paper mache and simple dolls. Patterns for many, many different types of doll clothing and so on. For the price of this book used, how could one go wrong.

No comments about Two-Hour Teddy Bears.

1 comments about The Encyclopedia of Teddy-Bear Making Techniques: A Comprehensive Visual Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Techniques.

1. This is the best technical book that I've found for teddy bear making instructions. All the photographs throughout the book are in color with several to a page. Every single step is clearly photographed along with a sidebar that gives the equipment that is used for that step.
   
   Tools and equipment are photographed together on a page to show the real life size differences. Stitches are diagrammed and photographed as they are being done. Materials are photographed side by side so that the reader can see the differences. Stuffing is discussed with photos and the pros and cons of each type such as polyester, plastic pellets, kapok, steel shot, and wood wool.
   
   Assembling and jointing techniques are taught and all varieties are photographed step by step. Teddy features such as eyes and nose placement are taught and photos of the different varieties are shown as well as tips for successful teddy bear faces.
   
   There is a section on making miniature bears and the differences between miniature bears and larger bears that need to be taken into account. Teddy bear clothes, hats and accessories are shown with patterns to use.
   
   At the end of the book is a 27 page inspirational gallery of work from some of the leading teddy bear artists today. There are also three bear patterns and a miniature bear pattern that can be copied on a machine and printed out to use.
   
   This book is a delight to use. The photos are great and the bears are charming. I highly recommend it!

1 comments about Teddy Bear Century.

1. Teddy Bear Century is a great general teddy bear resource with bear making basics. I make, and collect, collectible teddy bears and find myself referring back to this great book for different reasons time and again. I love the brief histories on the different teddy bear manufacturers that it contains along with the patterns from each era. It is a high quality book, as well, and will last for years as it has for me.

1 comments about Soft Toys to Stitch and Stuff: More Than 40 Furry Critters to Delight Children and Adults.

1. What a wonderful book! Most of the animals are in fake fur, which makes them look better than fabric. The animals are mostly farm animals, but the rooster, pig, and donkey will win your heart. There is a Scottie dog with long fur that looks absolutely real. The dolls are gorgeous and have details like a fake fur beard on grampa. There is a giant "TV horse" for children to sit on that is stunning, with beautiful colors and patterns for saddle and bridle. There is a squirrel that also looks real. I also love the furry bunny or puppy slippers and the long haired ape. Good instructions, wonderful things.

5 comments about Teddy Bear Art: How to Design & Make Great Teddy Bears.

1. I found this book to be somewhat helpful, but less so than I had hoped. I was quite surprised to find the book poorly edited, (to say the least!) with several typos, the body pieces for one of the patterns mislabeled, and general inconsistencies in the way the diagrams are labeled. Still, the book did give a basic outline of the steps involved in designing a bear--although there are blaring gaps, such as giving SOME proportions, but not all: the body in general should be twice as high as the head, yet no mention of how wide the body should be (about 2/3 the height, by the way) . So I would say this is a book which will get you started, but may leave you with a few unanswered questions. And, as I said, the book is quite poorly written and edited-maybe a second edition will be forthcoming which will be improved.



2. This is NOT a review. Please correct the title of the book as it appears on your website. The last word SHOULD BE: BEARS

   This word is meant to be plural, or more than one. It is not meant to be a possessive. OUCH!

   HOW TO DESIGN & MAKE GREAT TEDDY BEARS




3. This book covers absolutely everything, from designing your own bear to putting it together and dressing it. It has patterns for a few bears and its the book you must have if you want to become a bearmaker without spending a lot of money on workshops



4. Jennifer's book is packed with a lot of useful information for beginners and experienced bear makers. This book contains information to help those who want to design their own bear patterns, as well as plenty of information for people learning how to make their first bear. A must for all bear artists.



5. As a professional teddy bear artist who has sold internationally, I must say I owe a lot of my education to this book. While I have read just about every teddy bear making book out there (once you get started, it's addictive), I never found another quite as good as Teddy Bear Art. In this guide, Jenniger Laing addresses the true spirit of making artist teddy bears -- designing your own patterns. You can never be a complete artist until you can do this, and Laing will give you a good push in the right direction. She discusses each aspect of each pattern piece individually, shows you how to make changes in your finished product by altering the pattern, and finally tells you how to put all the pieces you've created together to make sure they'll fit -- before cutting your valuable mohair. She also addresses series of bears and ideas of names, collections of materials, and more. Again, this is the best book I have read on creating your own patterns from scratch and truly becoming a teddy bear artist.

   However, if you are simply seeking already made patterns for bears to make, this is not the book for you. There are only three patterns in this book and they are not the primary goal of this book.

   For those who want to learn how a teddy bear is really created, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

1 comments about Making Traditional Teddy Bears: Featuring 12 Collectible Designs.

1. One of the best book I've seen on the subject. Interesting for novices and experts. Great pictures and drawings. A bit expensive, but worth the money.

1 comments about Easy-To-Make Teddy Bears & All the Trimmings (Easy-To-Make).

1. I never in my life thought I could learn ro make teddy bears and I certainly couldn't afford the "popular" artist bears. This book teaches you how to make bears, step-by-step.The patterns are true to size, so no enlarging is necessary. Lots of good tips about which type of fabric to choose and even how to make clothes for your bears. A "must have" for anyone thinking bearmaking is only for the "pros."

4 comments about Crocheting Teddy Bears: 16 Designs for Toys (Dover Needlework Series).

1. I like several of the bears in this book but one really stands out. The design for the Shaggy Bear is fantastic. He is a 14 inch bear done in a loop stitch. In addition to looking great he is stitched using a size "P" crochet hook! Quick to make for a last minute Christmas gift or to make in bunches for your favorite charity. I also liked the Panda Bear. The Honey Bear, the Koala Bear, and the Polar Bear are crocheted using chenille yarns and are also very nice. There are also patterns for fabric clothing to put on the bears. The clown suit is really cute.



2. i really wanted to make the cute shaggy bear pictured on the front cover. when i got the pattern book, i found that i needed Unger's Gespa (fringe-like bulky yarn), two 3.5 ounce skeins. gauge 1 st = 1". Guess what? after searching the web for over two hours, i have decided that this type of yarn is no longer manufactured (this book was copyrighted 1984) and i can not find a substitute that will satisfy the gauge. The other bears just look like cheap crocheted toys. Nothing to write home about. Only one star because i can't give it zero stars, even though I can't even begin to make what i wanted to.



3. This was exactly what I was hoping for. Great crochet patterns for teddy bears, some look like crochet and others look like fantastic sewn ones. Complete instructions and a bonus was instructions for sewing clothes for the bears.



4. Have you ever wandered into an estate sale or a thrift shop to pick up a handmade toy, crude yet obviously made with love? These bears remind me of those types of toys.
   
   On the plus side, the crochet instructions for the loop stitch, the hook conversion chart, and the patterns for bear clothing are helpful. The shaggy bear is quite cute. I did get some ideas for my own projects from looking at how these were put together.
   
   On the minus side, most of the bears are somewhat homely looking, and the construction techniques are outdated (book published 1984). Most of these patterns call for crocheting pieces which are stitched together like fabric, evidence of linear thinking which has been made obsolete by modern patterns which usually call for crocheting in spiral rounds (much easier for beginners and much less work). When I opened the book to begin the first pattern and read the instructions, I said "to heck with that" and made my first custom bear without any pattern whatsoever.
   
   If you're a beginner looking for easy patterns to start making toys, I recommend searching on the Internet instead and not purchasing this book. If you're looking for "vintage" crochet bear patterns, this will give you a place to start. Otherwise I couldn't recommend this particular book.

No comments about Knitted Toys.