Be a Cut Above with 'Good' Scissors, Better Pins and Quality Hugs

HEY, THERE!

It’s week two of the Simple Bear Necessities series, where we’re digging into what it really takes to make an irresistible bear.

Last week we covered the 5 Must-Have needles you need in your pin cushion and why you should keep your tech simple. 

Missed it? You can catch up here.

Our tour of tools continues with the skinny on scissors and my favorite pins.

We’ve got a lot to cover and some hug science to share, so let’s get to it.

In this issue:

• The 5 Scissor Selects you need to cut your bear with ease

• The pull of the pearl-top pin 

• How bear people are swayed, not made 

• The science and health benefits of hug numbers

First time reading? Sign up here. 

YOU DON’T NEED ADVANCED SEWING SKILLS
TO MAKE A BEAR. 

Too often, people new to sewing want everything perfect. 

Perfectly cut.
Perfectly stitched
Perfectly assembled. 

Like what they’re making could walk down the runway.

But let me tell you, a lot of clothes on the runway aren’t ready. They just LOOK ready.

For the show. For the photos. For the press.

Backstage, the clothes are often pinned, taped and adjusted as needed to fit the models and give the best runway impression.

For the show. For the photos. For the press.

When it comes to making a teddy bear and building that love-at-first-sight connection, the process is going to feel less than perfect if you’re new to it. 

That doesn’t mean you can’t make a teddy bear that cuts a heart-felt figure. Or fills a void for someone in need. 

Even if the bear has . . . quirks. 

‘Cuz in this Fuzzy Compass world, quirks add character.

A CUT ABOVE

Don’t touch my good scissors! 

Momma said it all the time. Along with:  

Don’t use my good scissors to cut paper!

I never understood why until my kids used my good fabric scissors for a class project that called for cardboard, paper and plastic cutouts. 

I had better luck ripping the fabric with my bare hands afterwards. 

Fabric scissors are for fabric. 

Period. 

You need them sharp and, dare I say, comfortable.  

These 5 Scissor Selects will help you cut out your bears with ease. 

BENT-HANDLE FABRIC SCISSORS

8-10 inches.

And sharp. But not for the reason you think. 

When making a faux fur bear, you don’t cut the actual fur. 

You slide the scissors right up against the backing and cut that. So when you stitch your bear together, there’s plenty of fur to cover up those seams. 

Heavy duty is best for cutting a variety of materials including denim, silk, faux fur, leather and multiple layers of fabric. 

The bent-handle design keeps fabrics flat when cutting so you can be precise around curves.  

The long blades mean you can cut through the tip, which is handy for larger bears with longer parts. 

One thing to note: The bent handle has two holes, one for your thumb. The other for the rest of your fingers. 

When cutting thick fabric or multiple layers, even the ergonomic handles can be uncomfortable and dig into your thumb.

It matters if you’re making multiple bears and, thus, cutting stacks of parts. 

OPEN-HANDLED FABRIC SCISSORS

I prefer scissors with a single, rectangle opening for all your fingers.

They’re good for lefties and righties. 

And without the pressure on your thumb, you can cut longer without the pain. 

Again, heavy duty is best. 8-10 inches.

Whatever style you choose, invest in a quality brand.

Bad scissors that snag fabric or cause fraying can ruin a bear before you even get started.

Cost: Both pairs range from $17 to $45.

7-INCH PRECISION FABRIC SCISSORS

Small, but mighty.

They handle fabric, but come in a close second to the clippers for cutting thread. 

(I know. I know. I said fabric scissors are for fabric only. Butttttttt, thread can be the exception.)

These will be your best friend when trimming the fur around the eyes, nose and snout to shape the bear’s personality and character. 

Cost: $6.50 and up 

CLIPPERS OR THREAD NIPPERS

These 5-inch cuties made me feel most like a pro when I started out. 

PIN AND BEAR IT 

Metal pins are shorter and a little harder to grab if your nails are short. But, they do the job. 

They’re cheaper and you get more in a box. 

Cost: $2.99 and up 

DEEP DIVE
BEAR PEOPLE ARE SWAYED, NOT MADE

“Can I have this?” 

“The bear?” I asked, pointing to the tiny teddy on my sewing table and then looking at my mom.

“Yup.” 

Right then, I swore hell had frozen over. 

Solid.

See, the only thing my mom hates more than bears are cats. And she hates them with a Purple Passion.

Because they . . . do their business in her yard. 

Momma has jumped out of her car like Tony Stark transforming into Iron Man to chase a cat being all business-like in her magazine-worthy garden.

She never chased my teddy bears. 

Nope.

She’d simply snatch them when I wasn’t looking and toss them down the stairs. 

She said they wanted to fly. 

I was furious. 

At my mom? Not really.

More so because I was never sure if she was telling the truth. 

Maybe my bears DID want to fly like Hobbes in that Calvin and Hobbes comic.

If they did, then why didn’t they tell ME?!

Did my mom have some secret teddy bear affinity that she hid like a Marvel superpower?

That would be ironic. I mean, she’s the reason I started making teddy bears at 13.

Because she told me No.

No. 👏🏾 More. 👏🏾 Teddy. 👏🏾 Bears. 👏🏾

She wound up giving the illness AND the cure since I needed her sewing machines to reach my goal.

The one where I learned how to make bears so I could have as many as I wanted, whenever I wanted. 

More than 40 years later, standing in my sewing room with my teddy bear-averse mom, I wondered what her deal was.

EVERYONE IS NOT OK

“Why?” 

I snorted, with all the attitude of my sassy, 13 year-old-self.

“Why do you want it?”

“Because it speaks to me,” Momma said.

That, my friend, is called connection. 

And I have cracked the code at the heart of this teddy-bear-to-human-connection. 

The fact that this connection resonated with my mom, who has been both my sewing idol AND my nemesis is un-bear-lievable. 

But the RIGHT bear, one with connection, DOES hold that kind sway.

Today, Momma’s bear sits at the base of her desk lamp. 

It’s jointed with buttons so she can pose it in different positions. Similar how you’d play with a fidget toy if it had arms and legs.

My mom’s a regional director for a state agency that oversees the licensing of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

When COVID hit, the elderly were at greater risk. Especially those living in long term care.

According to an article in the Health System & Reform journal . . .

THE CRUSHING REALITY TOOK ITS TOLL.

CHECK ON YOUR PEOPLE

What about the people in your life who may be struggling in silence? 

The Helpers

The Givers

The Drop-Everything-When-You-Call-People

The ones whose spirits always seem to be hovering on a high note while underneath, is haunting. 

What you present to the world doesn’t always match WHO you really are or HOW you’re feeling. 

In fact, you might be surprised by WHO needs the extra comfort and security wrapped up in a fur-ever friend. 

One that’s made with intention and heart so it has a heart. 

“It’s like having you here,” Momma said about her tiny teddy. “That sounds weird doesn’t it?”

No, Momma. No it does not. 

Not these days.

Catastrophic floods. Layoffs. Monkeypox. The Great Resignation, followed by the Great Regret in the midst of a recession. 

The upcoming U.S. election.

The list has left people feeling:

• Down

• Out

• Overwhelmed

• Undervalued

And . . .

QUESTIONING THEIR SANITY & PURPOSE

HUG NUMBERS AND HEALTH BENEFITS

With all this, who doesn’t need a hug right now?

A real, solid: I SEE you kind of hug.

One that doesn’t come from someone distracted by their own trials and tribulations. 

‘Cuz that. That can lead to something hug-adjacent. You’ve got: 

The Robot. When you go in and the person stands there rigid. Arms stiff at their sides, neck pulled back to reduce the contact points. 

(Think of trying to hug your cat.)

The Fan. Where you feel the breeze from someone hugging the air around you.

Hugging, I tell you, is hard out here in these stressful streets.

So timing is everything. 

Hugs need to be at least 10 seconds to trigger real health benefits. Check it out:

10 second hugs: Oxytocin, a feel-good hormone increases while cortisol, a stress hormone, drops. This helps lower blood pressure and your heart rate. 

20 seconds or more: These hugs bump up the oxytocin levels even more. So you’re less stressed and in a better mood. 

Other benefits of regular hugs include:

Better bonding: You feel closer to those you hug, fostering empathy and compassion. Trust and understanding increase, too.

A boosted immune system: Cortisol (that stress hormone) is reduced thanks to oxytocin, which also gives antibodies and white blood cells a kick. 

Oh, and those cells that help fight infection? Multiplied.

(You’re welcome.)  

According to a hugs and mood study, published in Psychology Today, people hugged and average of 6.29 times a day BEFORE the pandemic.

After? The number dropped to 2.64 times a day. 

To end the arguments and timing issues at our house, we started the Daily Hug Number during quarantine.

The kids would tell me how many they needed each morning and I would spread out their hugs throughout the day.

It’s not a new concept.