“Trimming the muzzle"

1. To trim the muzzle of your bear, you'll simply need a good pair of sharp embroidery scissors and a mohair brush (Fur Reactivator Brush).

2. Before you start sewing your bear's head together, simplify your task ahead by trimming all the fur from the front part of the head gusset, right up to where the eyes will be placed on either side of the head gusset.

Like this.

3. Then you can proceed to pin and sew the head gusset to the head sides.

You'll find that this step will make it easier for you to sew the pieces together.

Finish sewing the head, turn right side out and stuff nice and firm. This is how your bear's head should look so far.

4. Following the 2 photos below, trim fur from the chin area in a straight line, just like an upside down 'crew cut'.

This is what it looks like from underneath. See how close the cut is around the seam line, but not so short towards either side.

5. Next, trim all fur around the area where the nose will be embroidered (having a wool felt template of the nose will help you see how much to trim off. Also trim a very narrow area around the seam line at the front, where the septum and mouth will be embroidered as well.

6. Next (if the bear you're making has dense fur), trim a very narrow line from the neck area towards where the eyes will be placed. this will define the cheeks area much more. Omit this step if you're making your bear out of sparse mohair.

This is what it looks from one side

... and the other

7. And last, trim the fur around the eye areas

Like this.

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