The other day I met a bear (up in the woods a way up there)

I admit that I was quite the geek my first two years in college and most my Friday nights were spent attending the anime club nothing.  So of course my Halloween costume would be something fitting.  In 2005 I went as a character from a show who wears a bear suit for pajamas.  So  I could style my hair and only the anime club would know I was a character, to everyone else I would be a bear.  Clever, no?  

I pulled out my handy craft sewing machine (only good for going forward and straight) and essentially stitched up a body suit with a hood and attached felt eyes and nose. It closed at the shoulders with velcro. Here’s a terrible photo…

However, after Halloween I just wore it at home when I was cold. My younger sister wanted one, so for Christmas I made her a sleeveless bear suit (I ran out of fabric) that zipped up the front, and paw gloves.  I made this one at home so I got to use my mom's sewing machine. I had put the zipper in first by myself, then my mom saw it and she had me take it out and then taught me the wonders of the modern sewing machine and the zipper attachment. 

Here's a much cuter picture...

This is what a lot of my beginning work was like, an experiment in techniques (or lack thereof) and unbound seams.  Note however, this fabric was something like felt and thus didn't unravel.