Crocheting Teddy Bears : 16 Designs for Toys (Dover Needlework Series)

Rating:
Summary: patterns call for obsolete material!
Review: I like several of the bears in this book but one really stands out. The design for the Shaggy Bear is fantastic. He is a 14 inch bear done in a loop stitch. In addition to looking great he is stitched using a size "P" crochet hook! Quick to make for a last minute Christmas gift or to make in bunches for your favorite charity. I also liked the Panda Bear. The Honey Bear, the Koala Bear, and the Polar Bear are crocheted using chenille yarns and are also very nice. There are also patterns for fabric clothing to put on the bears. The clown suit is really cute.

Rating:
Summary: One bear makes this a great book!
Review: I like several of the bears in this book but one really stands out. The design for the Shaggy Bear is fantastic. He is a 14 inch bear done in a loop stitch. In addition to looking great he is stitched using a size "P" crochet hook! Quick to make for a last minute Christmas gift or to make in bunches for your favorite charity. I also liked the Panda Bear. The Honey Bear, the Koala Bear, and the Polar Bear are crocheted using chenille yarns and are also very nice. There are also patterns for fabric clothing to put on the bears. The clown suit is really cute.

Rating:
Summary: patterns call for obsolete material!
Review: i really wanted to make the cute shaggy bear pictured on the front cover. when i got the pattern book, i found that i needed Unger's Gespa (fringe-like bulky yarn), two 3.5 ounce skeins. gauge 1 st = 1". Guess what? after searching the web for over two hours, i have decided that this type of yarn is no longer manufactured (this book was copyrighted 1984) and i can not find a substitute that will satisfy the gauge. The other bears just look like cheap crocheted toys. Nothing to write home about. Only one star because i can't give it zero stars, even though I can't even begin to make what i wanted to.