I want to start out by saying I'm not one of those teddy bear aficionados. In fact, though a few were given to me in childhood, I never had a particular affection for them over any other stuffed toy. So dressing up bears in clothing is not something I usually do. But Ivan is different.
This is Ivan R.R. Bear, and he is a good friend of mine. He's taking time out from wearing his usual red Nordic sweater and blue hoody to show off the tunic, Rus-style pants and leather ringbelt I made for him today. Later tonight there will be a hooded cloak, but I was so charmed by the way this looked, I couldn't wait to show you.
As usual, it is handsewn. The tunic is brown linen and the pants are a herringbone wool in brown and cream. The neckline is faced with the same linen as the tunic, and it and the pants are both seamed and hemmed with the same details I'd use on a full-size garment.
I cut a strip of leather from a scrap of hide I had in my stash. The ring was left over from another project and just the right size.
The pants have a drawstring waist that ties on the inside, and the cuffs are also drawstring, though I tied the knots and then sewed them into the seam, as I don't anticipate Ivan spending a lot of time taking them on and off and it's just tidier not to have the laces hanging out all over.
His terrifically cute boots were a thrifting find -- only $2.99.
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