The ladder stitch is an important stitch in bearmaking and also the most difficult to learn and master. I suggest that you practice on scraps of fabric before you try it on your bear. This is your basic closing stitch and it is used to close the tops of the arms and legs as well as the back of the body.Begin by taking a long piece of carpet or upholstery thread and making a large knot at the end. Poke the needle through from the wrong side to the right (fur) side at the corner of one side of the opening you want to close. Now, working from side to side, keep thinking in-out, cross over, in-out, cross over. (see illustration) Your stitches should be about 1/8 inch long with the same amount of space between the stitches. You can tighten your stitches as you sew along the opening. You are actually sewing in the fold of the fabric. It helps if you cut away the fur from the seam allowance before you start sewing. Make sure the seam allowance folds under and disappears inside behind the closing. When you have finished the stitches you can pull the thread tight and create a locking stitch at the end of the sewn line. Finally, bury the tail of your thread inside the stuffed part of your bear.
Look at the numbered illustration and begin with your knotted thread inside the stuffed piece and follow the numbers from 1 to 10. Keep in mind the little working thought: in-out, cross over, in-out, cross over...
