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Dorothy Miss Dorothy's TeddyFolk
Alpine Ca.
Posts: 85

I am trying to make a little dress for one of my bears. Help! how do you make one that is lined so that it is finished right? How do you finish the neck and armholes if you don't line it? Do you use bias binding? Is there a tutorial anyone knows about this?
bear_wacko  Dorothy

Jane Perala Jane Perala Designs Ltd.
Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada
Posts: 819

I nearly always line the bodice of my bear's dresses.  If for some reason I don't, then I use my serger to sew around the armhole and the neckline, and then turn them (the armhole edge and neckline edge) over and use the regular sewing machine to sew down the serged edge.   Then quite often I will add some lace to hide the turned over edge.  Hope that makes sense!

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

I line the tops of dresses by cutting two the same and then sewing the two together and then turning it inside out..that way the neck and the arm holes are finished neatly..I cut the whole bodice in one piece ..no shoulder seams..if I add sleeves I do the same but I put the sleeves in first then add a simple lining ..the easier the better for me..I don't believe it has to be haute couture ...just neat.

chainofdaisies Palmerston North, NZ
Posts: 33

i saw a simple tutorial for a dress on someones blog once....let me see if i saved the link...

found it, this person makes such adorable stuff bear_original http://mollychicken.blogs.com/my_weblog … ed_up.html

TeddyTyke Posts: 65

I just made a dress for a bear and didn't like the finish, so hit on the idea of re-making the same pattern but cutting out a second one in organza, and sewing them together, turning inside out - voila! Very little more effort and you end up with a neat finish!  Of course, there's only certain styles of bear dress you could overlay with organza or net - but as this is a party-going bear, I thought I could get away with it!

Jare Hares & Bears Jare Hares & Bears
Polo, IL
Posts: 983

As Jenny & Penny have said... If the pattern doesn't have a lining or facing, just cut a second bodice and sew them together and turn them right side out.  My mum has encountered this problem with new patterns when making clothing for my niece.  Most patterns don't have linings anymore.  The say to use binding tape and turn it under, which I don't think makes for a nice finish (just my opinion).  I have found that when making clothing for bears it is best just to cut out a second bodice to use for the lining.  Because the pieces are so small it is just easier to handle.  Facing tend to be small on human clothing, they're even smaller on bear clothing and easier to lose.  That is the main reason that I use a second bodice to line clothing.

Lisa q.D.paToOtieS
Near Fredericksburg, VA
Posts: 1,349

I cheat and usually try to use fabrics that don't require finishing like wool felt!

On another note, hey Dorothy, where are you?  I've been checking your Blog and now it says the new one you started at Blogger is gone, your website is giving me a 404 and you haven't posted in almost a month?  What's up with that my friend?  I'm worried about you!!!

Big Hugs!!!

Swan Valley Bears Swan Valley Bears
Penn Valley, CA
Posts: 1,845

I make my bears' clothes like Jenny and Jared, with a second bodice piece for the lining.  It is a lot easier than bias binding or facings.

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