Make Duo: Two-Tone Paw Pads & Clay Noses
Two‑Tone Paw Pads • Clay Noses • Slow Stitching
Explore colour, shape and the small details that give a bear its character.
A contrasting paw pad. Softly raised toes. A nose shaped to suit the face looking back at you.
These small choices offer lovely opportunities to make a bear your own.
Duo, Module Four of Beauty in Bear Making, combines a bear pattern and construction instructions with two photographed tutorials: layered suede paw pads and polymer-clay noses.
Created by Helen Gleeson of Bare Cub Designs, the guide shares techniques developed through years of making award-winning artist bears.
Two techniques, many possibilities
Duo gives you a project through which to explore both methods.
Once you understand the construction, you can experiment with different pad shapes, colour combinations and nose proportions on other suitable patterns.
Choose a subtle contrast or something more playful. Let the details complement the bear you are creating.
What you’ll explore
Layering two-tone paw pads
Learn how three layers of suede work together to create two visible colours.
The upper layer frames the pad shapes, the middle layer supplies their contrasting colour, and a concealed backing layer creates space for stuffing.
The photographs show how to prepare, arrange and stitch the layers.
Creating softly raised pads
Follow the process of inserting the completed foot pad into the leg, then filling the individual pad sections through an opening in the backing.
Explore how a little stuffing adds dimension before the opening is neatly closed.
Shaping a polymer-clay nose
Learn to form and refine a nose, comparing its size and shape with your bear’s face as you work.
Explore colour choices and make adjustments before curing the clay according to its manufacturer’s instructions.
Preparing and attaching the nose
Follow the photographed method for adding a wire attachment loop, securing it after curing and attaching the finished nose with strong thread or sinew.
The guide explains how the attachment can be secured at the back of the head or through the neck opening before closing.
A small lesson in choosing contrast
Before cutting your paw pads, place your chosen suede colours beside the bear’s fur.
Try swapping which colour forms the outer pad and which appears within it. Step back and notice the difference.
A close colour pairing can create a gentle, understated finish. A stronger contrast makes the pad shapes more prominent.
Ask yourself: Which combination feels right for this bear?
You can try a simple paper arrangement first, giving yourself room to explore before cutting your materials.
Skills to carry into future bears
The paw-pad method offers a starting point for experimenting with your own shapes and arrangements.
The clay-nose technique gives you another way to explore proportion and expression. A wider, narrower or more rounded nose can change how a face feels.
Adapt each detail to the size, construction and materials of your next bear. Keep your first attempts as references—you may enjoy seeing how your choices develop with practice.
What’s included with Duo?
A 21-page digital guide.
The matching Duo bear pattern.
Tools and materials guidance.
Written bear construction and assembly instructions.
Step-by-step photographs of layered, two-tone paw pads.
Guidance on stuffing the raised pad sections.
A photographed clay-nose shaping and attachment tutorial.
Additional instructions for optional suede eyelids.
Finishing and grooming suggestions.
The featured materials include an alpaca/mohair blend and suede in three colours, with the third colour used as a concealed backing.
Materials and tools are gathered separately. Stuffing comparisons and the alternative button-eye method are covered in other modules within the Studio collection.
Give yourself room to experiment
These details reward a little time spent looking and trying.
Arrange the colours before stitching. Compare the nose with the face before curing. Pause to appreciate how a small change affects the whole bear.
You can explore one technique at a time, returning to the other when you feel ready.
Find Duo inside Beauty in Bear Making
Duo is one of twelve step-by-step photo guides with matching patterns included in the Beauty in Bear Making Studio.
The collection also includes nine additional patterns, three digital magazines, six mindful making companions and a four-hour mink bear-making video masterclass.
The Studio is available for a one-time price of AU$89, with lifetime access.
If you would enjoy exploring thoughtful details and developing your own expressive bears, you’re warmly invited to look inside.
Bare Cub Designs by Helen Gleeson