Fur Fabric Distressing

Create a new teddy bear or use an old one. If you want to give a new teddy bear an old look then you have to distress the fur fabric first. You can give it a bit of an antique look to it.

Steps:

1. To distress fur fabric, dip in boiling water and stir for a minute or two to saturate the fur. Pour out boiling water and rinse under cool water until cool enough to handle. Wring out and hang to dry. Fur fabrics with a higher percent of acrylic distress best.
    
2. You can also steam with a steam iron on high setting. Caution: This may melt the fur fabric, so be sure you protect the sole of your iron. For a softer look, wash in hot water and dry in dryer after steaming.
    
3. You can also thin black acrylic paint with water and paint areas to make the fur on your bear look dirty. Experiment on scraps to get the look you want before painting on a finished bear.