“Benny”

32 cm - 12 1/2 inches

Materials

• 33 cm x 75 cm of sparse mohair

• 15cm x 15cm mini fur for paws

• 9 mm black plastic eyes

• 2 x 25 mm wooden discs (neck)

• 4 x 30 mm wooden discs (arms)

• 4 x 45 mm wooden discs (legs)

• 10 small metal washers

• 1 split pin, 4 bolts & 4 lock nuts

• No. 5 black pearl cotton

• Small piece of black felt for nose

• Sewing thread to match fur fabric

• Upholstery thread

• Synthetic sinew

• Plastic beads (for weight)

• Polyester stuffing

• Copic© marker #49

Tools

• Sewing needles

• Scissors

• Stuffing Tool

• Long nose pliers

• Felt tip pen

• Tweezers or awl

• 7mm ring spanner

• 7mm reversible ratchet

SEWING INSTRUCTIONS 

Before you start

Read instructions carefully

This pattern uses only ½ cm seam allowance

Cutting out the pattern

Glue pattern sheet onto a piece of cardboard.  Cut out the pattern pieces and place them on the wrong side of the fabric, making sure that the arrows follow the nap of the fur. Trace around them with the marking pen. Using the tip of a pair of scissors cut the backing fabric and slowly snip around each pattern piece. Cut paws from mini fur.

Head

Sew the headpieces together from the nose to the front of the neck edge.  Pin and sew front to back head gusset pieces; the pin and sew to the head from the nose to the back of the neck edge.  Sew the other side starting from the nose and making your way to the back edge of the head.  Turn RSO. Stuff the head firmly.  Run a gathering stitch, using upholstery thread around the edge of the neck.  Place a split pin through a metal washer and a small wooden disc.  Place set inside the neck, leaving the pin protruding.  Draw the gathering stitch together and close with a couple of knots.

Ears

With the fur sides together, stitch around the curved edges of the ears. Leave the bottom edges open. Turn right side out but do not stuff. Baste the straight edges close. Clip fur quite short. Place on the head with the help of a few pins, and sew them firmly with a ladder stitch.

Eyes

Make two small holes in the head for eye placement.  Using the Copic marker, paint the area where the eye will be placed (a little larger than the size of the eye). Cut a long piece of synthetic sinew and split in half lengthways. Pick one of the lengths, and thread both ends through a long doll needle, leaving a loop at he end. Pull one of the ears backwards, and insert the needle inside that ear, coming out through the hole of the opposite eye socket (Important: leave thread loop hanging out of ear – DO NOT PULL ALL THE WAY THROUGH). Thread needle through wire loop of the eye and insert needle back in the same hole. Come out almost next to where you started (inside the ear). Wrap needle three times through the loop you’ve left behind and pull hard. Cut close to head. This will ensure the sculpting and sewing of the eye at the same time. No need to do any knots. The sinew will hold in place. Repeat for the other eye. 

Nose

Ensure that the fur on the muzzle is clipped very short; clip a little bit of fur at a time.  Trim the fur from the nose as far back as the eyes and around the front and bottom part of the muzzle, but leave a little fur on the sides.  Glue the nose template that has been cut out of black felt, onto the muzzle.  Using No.5 black pearl cotton and a satin stitch, embroider the nose and mouth.

 Body

First sew darts together; then, with fur sides together, sew the body pieces, leaving the back open for stuffing and the top for the split pin of the head to be attached to the body. Make holes on the dots in the fabric where the arms and legs will be attached.  Turn body right side out.  Place the split pin of the head through the opening at the top of the body.  Place a wooden disc and a washer on the split pin through the back opening.  Using the long nosed pliers, separate the pin and turn each end over onto the disc to hold the head on firmly.

 Arms & Legs

Pin and sew paw pad to inner arm. With right sides’ together tack and sew inner arm to outer arm leaving open where marked. Make a hole on the dot in the inner arm where the bolt will pass through.  Turn right side out. Tack and sew legs together. Pin footpad to the leg then sew them together. Make a hole on the dot, as for the arms, and turn right side out.

 Attaching Arms & Legs to Body

Attach the arms by inserting a bolt through a washer and wooden disc and push from the inside of the inner arm, at the joint mark, to the outside.  Push the bolt through the body where marked.  Place a wooden disc, washer and lock nut from the inside of the body and tighten until secure.  Attach the other arm and legs in the same manner.  Check to ensure the tension is the same on all limbs.

 Stuffing

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