"Warren" Revisited (And Tips for Sewing With Minky)

I make a second "Warren"...

Almost five years to the day after my original post about Warren the Charity Bear appeared on this blog, I was finishing off another one for a new baby in the extended family.

For some reason, I had a fat quarter of my Luminescent Ocean Dreams fabric in minky in my stash. Since it worked so well the first time, it was an easy decision to go with it again. (It was an odd circumstance that I had this, as I've always purchased Spoonflower fabric with a purpose in mind. They run enough sales events for me to wait for a discounted price, whenever I've needed something for a specific project. I don't know what this fat quarter was originally bought for, but now it's a moot point.)

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As a bit of background for those who are unaware, Warren the Charity Bear is a free pattern that has been around for over a decade, created by Wendi at Shiny Happy World. Crafters have likely made hundreds of thousands of different Warrens over that time, gifting them to many, many appreciative kids (and perhaps kids at heart).

Full size Warren template, as well as some smaller versions...

Designed as a simple pattern for an "easy sew" (more about how easy it may actually be later), Warren appeals to gifters and recipients alike, since he will almost always be unique (unless you are the sort to make the exact same model – deliberately – each time) and because he's so eminently huggable and squishable. The pattern comes with basic elements in various shapes that allow you to differentiate your creations, so part of the fun is in deciding how you want your particular bear to turn out.

What makes this project so ultimately accessible to everyone is that you can use old clothing to make it. There's no need to go out and buy fabric if you have old sweats, t-shirts, or fleece blankets lying around that are no longer in their best shape. As for the sewing, I still have more to say later, but people have been known to hand sew their Warren bears, so a sewing machine or the skills to use one are not required. (If you choose to hand sew, perhaps you can attempt a bear family by also printing out the pattern in reduced sizes and making a couple of smaller ones.)

This Warren has white ear tips...

Even though I used the same fabric as my first Warren, there are some differences between the two. First, when cutting the pattern, I made effective use of Spoonflower's traditional white border to give this Warren some white ear tips.

Second, I could not find any red felt in my boxes of "sewing stuff" (even though I am convinced that I must still have at least enough to serve my intended purpose here), so this bear doesn't have a heart patch. 😞

Third, I refrained from adding a tail to his backside. 😏

Finally, instead of hand sewing, I machined stitched the eyes, nose and muzzle to the minky. (Use matching thread, a short stitch and go slowly.)

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Which brings us to the second topic of this post: how to make sewing with minky less stressful. This furry fabric was not widely available when I started sewing way back when, even though I've heard its history goes back further than we'd guess. In the past couple of decades, however, it's become a favourite with crafters to make plushie toys and blankets. (Apart from Warren, I've actually used it to make a pair of mitts, a headband, and some fingerless gloves.)

But it's a slippery, stretchy, and fluffy – i.e., it will shed all over the place – material that can annoy you to no end when you cut and sew your first project with it. If, like me, your first projects are relatively small things (Warren is still relatively small), you may be able to make do just fine by going slowly and taking your time. But if your project plans involve even a small sized blanket, for instance, you may want to take note of these upcoming tips.

Gifting the bear with a note of "explanation"...

Minky Tip #1: Change to a Ballpoint Needle

I know that most of us don't chuck our needles after "each" project – because a project means different things in different circumstances – so you likely have a used ballpoint needle in your supplies. But if it's high time to break out a new one, so much the better when you're sewing with minky. (If you need to be convinced about this one, take a scrap of minky and try sewing on it with your regular needle. If you're lucky, the fabric won't end up being pushed into the sewing machine feed dogs!) A ballpoint needle will perform so much better and allow you to focus on all the other ways that your minky might end up challenging you.

Minky Tip #2: Stabilize it to Prevent Stretching

This tip is a game changer if you do it from the start; i.e., before you cut. Even if you have a great pair of scissors, cutting minky isn't fun due to its slipperiness and stretchiness. (And of course, the frustration is greater the smaller the piece is.) The secret ingredient for success in this case is something that you might have in your kitchen: Glad Press N Seal. Press this onto the fabric edges, pin the template on top, and say goodbye to the shifting and shedding when you cut!

image courtesy of YouTube (Robyn's Love of Sewing)...

The use of Press N Seal is especially helpful when sewing large pieces, due of the nature of the product (its firm but removable adherence to virtually anything). If you're making a blanket, a strip on both sides along the edges ensures that top and bottom pieces remain joined together – without pins – while you sew right on top of the Press N Seal.

Of course, if you have some lightweight fusible interfacing, you can use that to stabilize minky as well. That would, however, become a permanent part of the back of the fabric (unless you succeed at peeling it off), which will change how it feels, whereas the Press N Seal can be easily removed after sewing.

Minky Tip #3: Use a Walking Foot

I don't have a walking foot for my sewing machine and have not needed one enough times for me to change that, but if you have one, by all means use it for minky. A walking foot's main characteristic is that it has its own set of feed dogs that clamp onto whatever you're sewing – from the top, to mimic the same action that your sewing machine's feed dogs are performing from the bottom – so that it moves along precisely, without shifting or sticking or stretching.

That said, follow tips #1 and 2 and I guarantee you'll have an easier time with your minky project, even if you don't have a walking foot.

And now, back to the topic of actually sewing up a Warren Charity Bear. The curviness of the body, combined with the pronounced protrusions of the ears, arms and legs make this less of an "easy sew" when sewn by machine. I believe those who are beginner sewers will find it easier to sew this bear by hand, because the seam allowance can be better managed if you do it one careful stitch at a time... which, on a sewing machine, would require one to go very slowly.

My advice then, is to learn how to do a backstitch by hand and your Warren will turn out magnificently. If there is a next time, I may give it a try. (Yep, the me who hates hand sewing! 😜)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁