Nanook Speaks

 I am Nanook. We have spoken before. I have been waiting for you. I was hoping you could convince the humans of the world to stop destroying my home, my natural habitat in the Arctic. But the ice flows we need to hunt and survive are diminishing faster and faster. We do not have much time left. We are hungry and getting sick. Many of my brothers and sisters have died; the struggle to survive was too hard for them. We do not have the power to slow global warming. You do. We need you to speak out. We cannot speak for ourselves. We thank you for caring about us.

How to Make a Stuffed Polar Bear

Assemble the Materials to Make a Miniature Stuffed Polar Bear

Pattern Pieces for the Miniature Polar Bear

Photo ©2007 Lesley Shepherd, Licensed to About.com Inc.

To make the bear you will need.

• A five to six inch piece of white felt. For this project you need sewing quality rather than the thinner craft quality felt. Many fabric or quilting suppliers carry this or a scap of lightweight imitation suede.
• Small amount of quilt stuffing, cotton batting, or wool roving for stuffing.
• Sharp fabric scissors
•  Fine blunt ended tweezers to turn the bear parts right side out.
• Two small black beads these are used for eyes.
• White sewing thread  
• Black embroidery thread for the bear's nose.
• Fine sewing needle size ten or twelve
• Long quilting, darning, or upholstery needle to add thread joints to the bear's arms and legs
• White quilting thread or another strong thread to joint the bear's arms and legs.

Suggestion: If you find the dimensions of the bear too small for you to work with then double them.

Sew the Parts Together

The pattern contains an 1/8 inch seam allowance so you should cut carefully along the pattern lines.
Fold the arm and leg sections in half and stitch the seams close to the edge of the fabric using the back stitch. Stitch from A to B leaving the top of the legs and arms open.
Now stitch the main body together. Stitch the two fronts together down the front edges only. Stitch the back piece to the open edges of the joined front pieces.

Photo ©2007 Lesley Shepherd, Licensed to About.com Inc.

Turn the Bear Parts Right Side Out

Use  tweezers to turn the small parts right side out, making sure not to stretch or poke holes in the felt. For this step (turning is the most difficult part of making little bears) take your time and use the tweezers to turn over tiny bits of the fabric at the top of the tube a tiny bit at a time. Slow but steady works best!

Stuff Your Miniature Polar Bear

When you have the parts turned right side out, gather a small amount of stuffing material in between the tips of your tweezers, and start stuffing the nose section of your bear. Stuff it firmly, but not rock hard. Continue to add small amounts of stuffing, completing the head and working down the body. When you have completely stuffed the body, sew the opening closed using the ladder stitch.
Stuff the arms and legs in the same way, and close the openings using the ladder stitch.

How to Make Thread Joints for the Arms and Legs of Your Miniature Polar Bear

 Now you are ready to joint your miniature polar bear so that the arms and legs will move. Thread a 2 inch long needle with strong thread and knot the end securely. Push the needle through from one side at the position where the leg will be. On the opposite side of the body from the knot, run the needle through the top of the leg (make sure you have the toes pointing forward!). Turn the needle and go back through the leg and the body to get back to the knot on the other side of the body, pulling the thread fairly tightly.

Now thread the second leg (toes forward!) onto the needle and match it to the position of the other leg. Push the needle back through this second leg until it comes out through the top of the first leg again. You may need to use a thimble to protect your finger from the end of the needle while you push it through.
Go back and forth between the two legs a few times until you are happy with how firmly the legs are attached to the body.
When you are happy with the legs, take the needle and thread diagonally up through and across the body to get to the arm position on the opposite side and thread on an (paw forward). Sew on the arms through the body the same way you did the legs.
Finish by bringing the thread out at the back of the bears neck and making a few stitches the pull the needle through the bears body and pull it tightly, while you cut the thread close to the body. When you release the thread it should pop back inside the body where you won't see it.

Finishing your Miniature Polar Bear's Head

To complete your miniature polar bear, position his ears along the seam between the back and the two front body sections. Sewing from the front of the ears, attach the base of the ears onto the head, curving the ears a little as you sew. Run a second line of stitches at the base of the ear from the back.
Use a piece of black embroidery thread (two strands) to sew a bead in place for an eye on one side of his nose. Or make large French knots instead of using beads. Pull the thread tightly to the other side of his nose to attach a second bead. Pulling the thread tightly will set the beads slightly back into the head.
To make a nose for your bear, use an embroidery satin stitch to make a small rectangular bar, heart shape, or upside down triangle at the end of his nose. Take a short straight stitch down from the end of his nose and sew an upside down V for his mouth on either side of the straight stitch. (see the sample in the finished photo).

Give someone a polar bear with Nanook's message
 NANOOK thanks you very much.