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Teddy bear bookends

Terry Nokes shows how to carve some fun-to-make bookends

Wooden bear bookends on a shelf

The wood selected for this tutorial project is basswood (Tilia Americana), which is very similar to our lime (Tilia x Europaea), and once the bulk is roughed out it’s soft enough to work without a mallet. This wood is available in the UK in small lengths of 50 x 75mm from large craft outlets. The reason for the flat back is to maximise to overall size on these small bookends. The carving tools used for this project are all Swiss-made Pfeil tools so the sizes mentioned are the Swiss sizes and types which are a little different from the Sheffield list.

Remember you don’t need to follow these instructions or tools exactly – make changes to slightly alter its design and use the tool you have. Think about how you could adjust things, such as: would the legs look better if closer together, or if I raise one arm? I also spent some time drawing in different eye positions – this can dramatically change its appearance so you make it your own. Perhaps use paint instead of burning and use the tools you have to make the cuts accordingly. 

Many thanks to Janet Robinson, who supplied the original teddy bear template. 

Table of Contents

Things you will need

Tools:
• Personal and respiratory equipment (PPE & RPE) 
• Bandsaw
• Electric/pillar drill, 2 and 4mm drill bit and countersink
• No.1, 14mm fishtail double-bevel chisel
• No.3, 12mm fishtail
• No.5, 14mm fishtail
• No.8, 18mm straight
• Carving/whittling knife
• Rotary carving unit
• 4mm or small diamond rotary ball-ended burr 
• Pyrography machine
• Router with small round-over and ogee bits
• Carpenter’s square/rule/pointed bradawl

Materials:
• 2x basswood sections of timber 50 x 75 x 80mm
• Hardwood board 15 x 100 x 800mm
• Glue stick/template/pencil
• Plywood 18mm
• Sanding block
• Abrasives down to 320 grit
• Black glass eyes (on wire)
• Adhesive
• Black nail polish
• Danish oil
• Brush
• Screwdriver and No.6 screws, 32mm

Drawings

Teddy bear diagrams from different angles with measurements.
Teddy bear fabric pattern with measurements

Preparation of blanks

Teddy bear wood block carving templates.
1. Glue the paper templates to stock so the grain runs vertically and bandsaw two carving blanks, then pencil in the centreline all round. Cut out two plywood squares 90 x 90mm and drill two 4mm holes, taking note of the red screw positions in the drawing
Wood carving outline beside teddy bear template.
2a. Next, draw the side elevations on all sides…
Hand carving teddy bear from wood block template.
2b. …as the carving is roughly symmetrical
Wooden teddy bear cutouts on wooden bases.
3a. On the very bottom elevation, draw in the legs and belly
Hand holding wooden block with blueprint design.
3b. Fold template to transfer dimensions of where the belly meets the base, highlighted in blue.
Wood carving block and chisels on table.
4. Highlighted in red is all waste material as seen from the sides. Now secure the carving blanks to the plywood bases with No.6 screws 1 ¼in so the bears will be on their backs. This will enable you to safely grip the project in a workbench vice

Top tip:

If you don’t have a vice simply screw the carving blanks on to a larger board of ply and G clamp to your work surface. Placing anti-slip matting in between will also assist. 

Woodworking tools and bear patterns on workbench
5. With all waste identified we’re now ready to carve, two up in a 225mm vice

The carving process

Hand-carving wooden piece with precision tool.
6. Using the No.8, 18mm or other deep gouge, start to remove waste from the head and work backwards down the belly and in between the two legs. It’s good practice to keep the gouge sides (wings) of the cutting edge visible at all times. This is known as roughing out and probably the only time to use a mallet on this project 
Wood carving block with shavings and gouge tool.
7. Remove the waste wood between the legs
Hand carving wood with a chisel tool.
8. Smooth out any high ridges with the No.3, 12mm fishtail. This tool is the one I most frequent tend to use, and it’s highly recommended for any carving tool collection
Woodcarving process with hand tool and shavings nearby.
9. Look at the side profile and draw a pencil line where the bridge of the nose will be. Make a vertical stop cut with the No.1, 14mm then align the side of the tool with this stop cut and remove waste to create a step
Wooden bear bookends on a shelf
10. Turn the No.3 gouge upside down to round off the forehead as shown in Pic.11  There is a possible risk of chipping off the sides, so carve from each side towards the centre line
Carving wooden figures with a sharp chisel tool.
11a. Draw in the lower face outline and make another vertical stop cut with the fishtail gouges, then remove waste under the chin – depth is shown on the side outline.
Wood carving in progress with carving tool.
11b. Again, align the side of the gouge with the stop cut and work across the grain
Person sketching wooden teddy bear with red pencil
12. Draw in the front elevation and pencil-mark the centre of the belly. This is our template outline so it will remain until the very end
Wooden teddy bear carving in progress.
13a. Now vertically stop cut round the belly with the fishtail gouges and round over the belly
Wooden carving in a vice, work in progress.
13b. Make sure you create a nice rounded and bulbous belly
Hand carving wooden teddy bear sculpture art
14. Next, remove the highlighted area in red to round over the upper arms. The shoulder height is a personal preference – I ended up going slighter higher than the template
Two wooden bear carvings on a table
15. Progress so far
Chisel carving intricate wood joinery details.
16. Reposition the ply base in the vice for better access and taper legs back towards the base
Wood carving vise holding a carved wooden piece.
17a. Carve the arms, again a combined fishtail stop cut, and remove waste with the inverted tool
Wood carving of a partially sculpted bear.
17b. Identify the waste in front of the ears
Wooden teddy bear carvings on a workbench
18a. Round off the lower face and remove the waste in front of ears. I moved the ears further towards the front, so it’s now in the centre of the head
Wooden carved bear figures on a workbench
18b. Round off the legs and draw in the muzzle area
Wooden carved teddy bears on a table.
19. Round off muzzle areas

Top tip:

Holding work effectively and in the right position while carving is essential. There are may devices and clamping systems available to help with this. Likewise, as with this project, a scrap of plywood and a woodworker’s bench vice is ideal. Whatever your project, work out what is the best way to suit your needs and your budget.

Two carved wooden bears on a workbench.
20a. Remove the carving from the ply base and remount from the bottom
Person drilling into wooden piece in workshop.
20b. Drill a screw pilot hole in the bear’s lower base section and remount it vertically on the ply base. This will allow you to carve around the back

Top tip:

Rubbing candle wax on screw threads acts like a lubricant.

Hand-carved wooden bear figure on a base
21. Round off the back of the head and extend the neckline. Finish the backs of arms, shoulders and leg joint. The deep area in between the arm and leg was made with a carving knife. Make this deep, ensuring the belly sides lines up with the belly front
Wood carving of a bear in progress
22. Round off the head between the ears, head back and shoulders and create a hollow within the ears. Rotate the ply base in the vice if need be

Finishing touches

Wooden teddy bear carvings on a table.
23. Finally round off the back of the ears. Inspect the carving all over and make any final adjustments before the finishing
Hand holding carved wooden teddy bear figurine.
24. Sand all over with abrasives down to 320 grit. Locate with a bradawl your desired eye position. Drill a 2mm hole for the glass eye-wire then, with a rotary carving unit and a 4mm diamond ball-ended burr, create an eye socket to suit the glass eye
Hand holding carved wooden bear figurine
25. Start the pyrography in any order, but it is best to lightly pencil in the fur directions first. The fur was burnt with a spear-shaped nib resembling the shape of a scalpel blade. Instead of straight burnt fur lines consider introducing a more pleasing effect by creating slightly wavy lines. Carve the muzzle area with a carving knife then continue to pyrograph the other areas. The shadowy areas around joints were given extra burning in the form of shading with a spoon shading bit to achieve more visual depth. Next, paint the nose with black nail varnish
Wooden teddy bear bookends on a shelf.
26. Now you need to apply a finish of your choice. Some finishes are possible fire hazards or have usage requirements. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s notes and usage instructions. The bookend brackets have been made from a 15 x 100mm board mid-toned hardwood measuring 800mm in length and assembled with basic screwed butt-joinery without any glue. The edges have been rounded off with a small roundover bit in a router, except where the base meets the upright (note cutting diagram/template), and the curved back panel has an ogee profile

Top tip:

Follow all the router manufacturer’s instructions carefully, secure your workpiece, wear safety glasses/goggles and a dusk mask. w

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