The Irresistible Wobble.
How can anyone resist a bear that just flops into your arms;
who, like an infant, is totally dependant on you for support and loving?
Most any basic bear pattern can be turned into a floppy bear.
A few minor adjustments will remove all traces of muscle control!
Forget everything Išve told you about how wonderful and strong nuts and screws are and get out your cotter pins. For the floppy effect, we will use the regular cotter pins, not the T-shaped ones.
For each limb (and for the head) we will need: 2 hardboard discs (1 disc the proper size for the limb and 1 disc significantly smaller), 2 metal washers and 2 regular cotter pins.
A proper size disc is used inside the limb to keep its shape. (On the pattern piece, the disc should fit about 1/8 inch inside the seam line for discs with 1/8 inch thickness.) If the disc in the limb is too small, your limbs will be rounded at the shoulders and hips, making them look un-naturally detached. The smaller disc will be used on the inside of the body. If you use 2 discs the same size, the body disc will not allow the limb to turn in. The smaller disc in the body will allow the limb to move more freely.
Prepare each of the five joints as follows:
Hook the two cotter pins together so the loops are joined together.
Push the end of one of the cotter pins through a metal washer and then through the larger joint disc.
Using a cotter key or a needle nose pliers, roll down each leg of the cotter pin. The legs should be rolled tightly, but loose enough so that the other cotter pin dangles. If the second cotter pin does not hang freely, from the loop of the tightened cotter pin, loosen it up a bit.
Stuff the head as usual and make a running stitch around the neck opening.
Insert one of the prepared joints into the neck opening, leaving the dangling cotter pin sticking out of the opening. Pull up the running stitches to gather the neck edge closed. Remember to keep your gathering neat since you are more likely to see up under the head with a wobble joint.
Push the end of the dangling cotter pin down into the body at the hole for the neck joint. From inside the body, place the smaller hardboard disc and a metal washer onto the end of the cotter pin and roll down the legs with a cotter key or a needle nose pliers. Check the tightness of your joint, and tighten or loosen, depending on the degree of wobble you want.
Make sure the opening for turning and stuffing the arms and legs is on the back seam.
Using an awl, make a small opening in the arms, legs and body at all joint placement points.
Insert a prepared joint into one of the limbs and, from the inside of the limb, push the end of the dangling cotter pin out the joint hole. Continue by pushing it into the appropriate joint hole on the outside of the body. Reach inside the body and place a joint disc and a metal washer onto the end of the cotter pin. Roll down the legs with a cotter key or a needle nose pliers. Check the tightness of your joint and tighten or loosen, depending on the degree of wobble you want. Repeat with all limbs.
Stuffing
In general, if your bear is wobbling around and muscle-less, chances are he will not be rock-hard, but, again, it is all a matter of preference.
I made a wobbly bear for my mom on her birthday. I softly stuffed his body and limbs (so that he would sufficiently squish when she hugged him) and added some pellets for extra floppiness and weight. Pellets strategically added to the rear end, paws and feet will give your bear a more realistic weight and allow him to hang.