Pattern Description:
Warren the Charity Bear is a free, easy-to-make soft toy pattern ideal for donations, suitable for all skill levels, including kids.
It’s designed to be foolproof and huggable, offering mix-and-match parts for customization. It works well with polar fleece and various other fabrics, usable for charity or personal enjoyment.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
Materials:
- Fabric: Polar fleece (recommended). Alternatives: minky, cuddle fleece, quilting cotton, velvet, corduroy, denim, sweatshirt fleece, old wool/cashmere sweaters.
- Felt: For muzzles/belly patches (prefer wool felt).
- Stuffing: 4-6 oz. per bear. Options: polyester fiberfill (best), wool, bamboo, cotton balls. Avoid cotton wool. Rice for “BooBoo Bears.”
- Eyes: Safety eyes (6mm, 9mm, 12mm). For <3 yrs: embroidered eyes. Alternatives: Kam snaps, or safety eyes with felt backing.
- Thread: Black embroidery thread (6 strands) for mouth; all-purpose thread for sewing.
- Needles: Hand needle (embroidery), universal or stretch machine needle (for fleece).
- Other: Tape (pattern), pins/clips (fabric layers).
Measurements:
- Finished Bear: ~11″ tall.
- Pattern Size: ~10″ wide × 11.5″ tall.
- Fabric Needed: 1/3 yard minimum; 1/2 yard fleece = 2-3 bears.
- Seam Allowance: 1/4″.
- Reduced Size: Print at 80% for shoebox projects (e.g., Operation Christmas Child).
Instructions for Making the Warren The Charity Bear Pattern:
Prepare the Pattern
Download and print the pattern at 100% scaling. Layer the two pattern pieces together, ensuring the edges and little heart markings align, then tape them into one large pattern piece.
Cut out the combined pattern. Punch holes where the eyes are indicated to easily mark their placement later.
Cut Out the Body
Lay the pattern on your chosen fabric. Ensure the fabric’s stretch runs across the bear’s belly to allow for width, not height.
Cut two body pieces. Mark the eye placements on the front body piece using the holes punched in your pattern.
Applique Any Parts
If desired, cut out muzzles or belly pieces from felt. Applique these parts in place by stitching close to the edge with a basic straight stitch.
The pattern includes options for two different muzzle shapes (wide or tall) and various patches like a belly or heart patch, or no patch at all.
Embroider the Mouth
Thread a needle with a full six strands of black embroidery thread and knot the end. Embroider the mouth using three stitches: always bring the needle up at point A and go down at point B.
Positioning the A’s above the B creates a smiling bear, while positioning them below creates a frowning bear. Don’t worry about perfect symmetry, as “crooked smiles are sweet”.
Pop in Some Safety Eyes (Optional)
If using safety eyes, choose from 6mm (small), 9mm (medium), or 12mm (large) sizes. If using black eyes on black fabric, you may want to back them with a colored felt circle for visibility.
Remember that mismatched eyes can be fun, and imperfect placement often still looks cute. For children under three, embroider the eyes instead of using safety eyes. Kam snaps are also a viable option for eyes.
Sew Up Your Bear
Place the bear front and back pieces right sides together and secure the layers with pins or clips. Sew around the edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Leave a stuffing opening on the side of one leg.
If using a non-stretchy fabric (like quilting cotton or velvet), you will need to clip into all concave curves to allow them to turn smoothly.
Polar fleece, minky, and cuddle fleece typically don’t require this step due to their natural stretch.
Finish Your Bear
Turn the bear right side out. Stuff the bear, ensuring to get stuffing into the ears and arms before filling the main body. The recommended stuffing is Fairfield Brand Poly-fil Supreme Fiberfill.
Aim for the firmness of a marshmallow to maintain cuddliness. Close the stuffing opening using a ladder stitch, which is nearly invisible on fleece.
Your Warren the Charity Bear is now complete!
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