27.7.11

Teddy Bear's Picnic

 If you go down in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down in the woods today you'd better go in disguise;
For ev'ry bear that ever there was will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic.
-- Jimmy Kennedy

 After all the fun we've been having with the mouse puppet I made last week, I thought I'd tackle another puppet/book related project so, I created a friend to accompany our sing-alongs with the book Teddy Bear's Picnic. We've been enjoying this board book version illustrated by Michael Hague, however, I am looking forward to graduating to our larger paper version.  The illustrations by Mr. Hague are gloriously detailed and slightly spooky (some of the trees and toadstools have eerie faces) but there are also the funniest wee fairies hidden among the tree roots...

 I got started by tracing 'round the hand of my favorite 8 year old to create a pattern...

 Here we have front and back patterns (the front has no ears.)

I like my bears chocolate-y so I created our bear out of brown wool felt with a lighter cafe-au-lait  contrasting circle for the face, however, I could also imagine a rainbow of bears (lavender, blue, green, etc...) if you wanted to get creative!

First I sewed the face to the (earless) front of the puppet...

 Added eyes, nose and some buttons (a round, contrasting fabric tummy might also add a charming touch...)

 Then stitched the front of the puppet to the back...

 And viola!  We are ready to play!

7 comments:

  1. HeeHee! Love it :-)

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  2. Oh my goodness! I just died of cute. You are too amazing for words.

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  3. Oh, Melissa, please do not "die of cute..." Sing along instead!

    xo

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  4. Ah, you make me smile; with 'stinkin' cute bears, little singalongs and a pincushion that is used as it was intended x

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  5. I grew up with my dad singing this song...usually when we were in the woods (such as they are in Philadelphia, though there is a nice park that runs through the city) hiking. I found the book later as a nanny with a record of the song, LOVED it...and sing it for my son sometime though I've long lost the book with the record (and who has record players anymore anyway?) that is a great puppet. going to try to make it one. though right now I need to make a dress for his princess tiger lily doll we got at hobby lobby the other day - I'm just going to use felt for that too...luckily indian - native american - what IS the appropriate term? - is pretty easy imo.

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  6. Oh, I just love this song!! Your puppet is wonderful!!

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  7. That was a childhood book for me too, though we have the version by Jimmy Kennedy and Alexandra Day, and I love those illustrations. I didn't know there was more than one version out there!

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