Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I put the wire on a piece of slightly heavy interfacing and zigzag stitch it into the center of the interfacing.  When I do this, I leave a secured loop of wire at the top and bottom to it won't punch into the ear fabric.  I then sew the front and back of the ears, right sides facing and the interfacing on top of one wrong side.  Onlly sew about 2/3 the way around the ear.  Then turn and finish closing the seam by hand with a ladder stitch.

Hi All,
I think there has been some discussion on bunnies before so forgive me if I am not reading all of the posts - too many bears ordered.  I have not made rabbits before but I feel that drawing the pattern will not be a problem.  What is a problem is how those of you who make rabbits make the ears stand up if that is wanted.  Could anyone help with some advice?  Many thanks and I know what a wonderful and creative group this is!

Hugs,
BethBear

I have been looking at the work on eBay.  I am interested in why collectors buy on eBay.  I am interested in the reasons for buying artist bears as I think the market is saturated and in a decline for the moment and I do hope that will change. 
Do you buy for an investment?  Do you buy only from "known" artists?  Are you planning on selling bears for your own gain in investment or do you just buy what you love and hope that your family will accept them as heirlooms or sell them for a profit at a later date.  I am an artist AND a collector and hope that some of you are as well.
Thanks!
Bethbear

I have laughed about this incident many times.  I guess we all have short nails, pin holes, caluses, even iron burns if you make clothes or use fusible on foot pads.  anyway, I was at a small show and a lady came up to my table.  She looked at all the bears and then she looked at me.  She asked, "Do you make these bears?".  I said yes and then she said that she would like to see my hands.  She looked my hands very carefully then smiled and said, "Yup, you make them alright!".

HANDSOME and just tooooooo sweet!  I can just smell that newborn smell which is the most wonderful perfume in the world.  I am so glad you daughter is doing well and that she has such a wonderful family to comfort her.
BethBear

I love the discussion of "Bear Injuries"!  I have actually suffered "tennis elbow" from all the tension on my left elbow while holding tighyly to things.  At the moment, I am suffering from pain in my left inside wrist joint.  Doc Hubby (yeah, MD) says this is a "repetitave stress injury" and I won't get better without Ibuprofin or Naprosin and NOT working on bears.  NOT AN OPTION!!!!!!!!!!!  I do find a wrist brace works or an ace bandage wrapped around the palm and wrist but they are hot and get smelly after a day or two of sweat.  Geez, should I have said that?????????????  Probably not.:P

Suffering also from too much honesty!
BethBear

Hi Guys,

Again, thank you for all your help yesterday.  I noticed a question concerning contacting spoof@ebay.com and how the return email said that the comments had not been received.

spoof@ebay.com responds to emails that appear to come from Ebay, with appropriate logos etc.  I have gotten spoof emails from Paypal asking me to confirm my bank account numbers and my credit card numbers, also gotten them from a bank I don't bank with but is a real bank with all their logos.  If you get this sort of thing from Paypal, use spoof@paypal.com

If you get a buyer, such as the one I had who wanted me to end my auction early, accept a check, let him/her arrange shipment and actually go to a Western Union office and send them "excess" money, heres what you should do.  Click on "Help" in the Ebay headings.  On the left side of the screen, look for "Contact Us".  Click on that.  You will see some boxes to help you tell Ebay about the problem.  You need the item #, a cut/past of the email header (I had to have hubby look in my email "file" for that - it just looks like a bunch of strange characters and numbers) so that the email could be traced and a cut/paste of the email in question.  There is also a box that you can explain the problem to Ebay.

Sorry to be long but I do hope this helps as these scums need to be stopped and reported.

Hugs,
BethBear

Ok, FYI,

The original email came to me through Ebay and was from "g_shoplakaya24" in supposedly Singapore.  The original question was as to whether I would accept a certified cashiers check or an international MO.  Actually that is not an unusual question if you post that you will ship internationally.  I replied and got the fradulent emails to my personal email address.  Thanks to Shari, who suggested I report to "spoof@ebay.com", I did just that with the last email.  Unfortunately my server is out and I cannot forward the first one.  You CANNOT be to vigilant in what you are willing to do.  No one wants to see their hard work and money go down a tube.
Again, thanks to all of you!
BethBear

Thanks so much for all your posts.  I would not discriminate against a buyer so have tried to work through this.  Ebay did send me a vague warning about this post and may well forward it to them.  If anyone would be willing to share the Ebay "name" that you from whom you received a similar post, please email me privately at:
bethbear@charter.net
I will say that the original post named the country of origin as Singapore
Believe me, the red flags went up!  I,too, have had numerous emails about getting money out of Nigeria or Kenya for someone but never about an item on Ebay.

Again, you guys are terrific and I appreciate you so much.
BethBear

Hi Guys,

Ireceived a question for seller who is registered with Ebay but only less than a month.  I responded to the seller and then got this email privately.

Thank you so much for your  understanding and honesty,i will like to let you know that you do not need to  worry about shipping of the item because i have on behalf of my client contacted a shipping company that will be coming for the pickup of the item ,Moreso i will want you to deduct $100 for the Buy it now prices .
This means the payment of the check that will be issue and send to you will include the (shipper's charges and my commission as an agent).
My client has said he will not be able to raise another check for my commission and the shippers charges, that is why he will be including both my commission as an agent and the shippers charges all you need to do as soon as you get the check is to cash  the check and decuct the price for the sales of your item and the left over will be wire transfer via Western Union Money transfer the sameday you receive the check.
for the home pick up from your house to my client  if you are ok with this,kindly send me the below information of yours to mail out the check asap

Have any of you sold in this way?  I, of course, will continue the sale on Ebay and will insist that the sale go through Ebay.

Thanks!
BethBear

Try Golf Club Covers.

Interesting to be sure.

I LOVE the patch lined with muslin idea.  Thanks!
BethBear

I guess everyone does it differently.  I stuff the head and sculpt the eye sockets.  I have a small pattern for the eye patches so I cut them out, making sure the nap on each piece runs down, if the fur on the side muzzles runs nap going down.  Using an almost satin applique stitch, sew around the pieces to prevent fraying (be careful to pushs the fur out of the way).  Decide where you want to position the patches.  Trim the fur off about in an area smaller than the size of the patch.  Put a small drop of glue, I use fabritac or magnitac, and glue the patch in place.  Using a curved needle, whip around the edge of the patch to further hold it in place.  Use a finger tip brush to smooth out the fur.  I like this method because i usually place the patch some what into the eye socket and often that area is in the location for the side muzzle and the center piece.  A bit of trouble but it helps in getting the face look that you might want.

Hugs,
BethBear

I use Edinburg's eye floss for sculpting.  It is really a huge spool of waxed thread, like dental floss, that can be split into several strands.  I pull and split out enough to have a double thread and tie a big knot in it ( I do not close the head until it is jointed, stuffed, nose embroidered, the area I leave open in on the head gussett) and go into the head opening to tighten the eye sockets and maybe sculpt the nose area.  I go back into the head opening and out.  If you stuff a closed and jointed head, just to into the neck area.  This stuff is really strong and if you get your initial knot to hold, you can pull and tug all you want and it won't break.  I also use it for inserting my eyes.  One spool has lasted me for five years.  It is a deal.  Also it is sort of transparent so your sculpting won't show a lot especially if you have fur around the nose or are using a fabric with a darker back.

Hugs,
BethBear

Good question.  I have done some of my best work with specific requests BUT the bears were commissioned to be dressed as someone ( Field hocky goalie, "Bear" Bryant, Clara Barton (for Red Cross auction). etc.  Sooo....the buyer did not necessarilly care about the face as long as it was a boy or a girl.  I had one commission from a buyer on Ebay, did not take a deposit as I usually do not, and she did not buy the bear.  It was no problem as I easily sold it anyway.
I think the thing that I need to stay away from is a specific face.  Although I do not advertise my bears as OAK  unless they truly are, I do not try to duplicate faces, which is a good thing because I am lousy at it.  I have one commission now that requires duplicating the face.  No luck.  My other one at the moment is a male bear, brown, dressed as a hiker, cost not important.  Those I like A LOT!  Of course I will charge only what I would for retail at the shop I sell to.

BethBear

Sorry Dilu!!!!  Ya never know when you work retail what even the most experienced sewers will come up with.  I agree completely in that I buy Schmetz needles most all the time.

BethBear

Dilu,

Geez, I wish I could luck into a deal like that.  Be sure that the needles are the correct ones for your machine.  Singer compatible needles do not fit Bernina, Viking or I think, Pfaff.  I don't know about Brother.

Hugs,
BethBear

You are all very welcome and thanks for the thanks!  Actually I read that tip somewhere but it has really helped because I like to change the foot pad shapes.

I do a lot of center seam bears.  Yes, it does duplicate the old Steiff look.  It is also fun if you use a mohair with a really straight nap.  Originallly these bears were designed to save fabric because the two parts of the head gusset were cut on the side rather than the long side of the nap.  I love to use center seam with a really straight nap mohair rather than the curly swirly.  Of course cut the head gusset in half, all a seam allowance.  Place on half of the pattern with the head curve down so that the nap will be going towards the head curve of the gussett.  Flip the pattern over and reverse it so that the mirror piece has the nap going toward the curve.  It gives a great look, especially if you trim the muzzle.  The bear looks as if he has an unruly center part in his fur.

I used to work for a Bernina dealer and have two computerized machines that I have been sewing bears (mohair) on for 15 yrs.  I have never had a problem with "fur" in the chips, etc.  Here are some general tips I learned from my boss:

Change the needles VERY frequently.  She advised every 5 hrs of sewing.  Needles are cheap compared to machine costs.  80/12 general sewing needles are large enough to handle bear sewing.

Never leave the machine by an open window.  Moisture can do damage to metal parts.

Always use canned air to blow out your machine.  Get one of the straw fixtures on the can so you can aim the dust out, not back inside the machine. 

Use a small soft brush (probably in the machine kit) to clean lint from under the feed dog (  the little thingie with teeth that carries the fabric through the machine).  Mohair caught under will almost felt.

I know Berninas have to be oiled.  To do it properly, you need to carefully remove the bobbin case and the hook (if you model has one).  Clean the hook race, add only a drop of oil.  Disperse oil onto race.  Ask your dealer to show you how to do this.

Best case:  Have your dealer clean, check bobbin tension each year.

I find that the easiest way to design foot pads of various sizes and shapes is to first draw the leg pattern.  Take some fine but firm wire (you can get small rolls of wire at the hardware, just make sure it is easily bent but will hold shapes) and cut a length of it equal to double the length of the foot pad + 1/2".  Fold the wire in half and join it, using quarter inch tails.  You should not be able to bend the wore oval into the shape you want.  This works well, especially for large pads that you may want narrow at the heel and very wide at the toe.  Trace around the shape on your pattern paper.  Take up the wire and adjust the edges.

I agree, it is much harder for me to "birth" girls.  When I first started, I did not care but now I work at girls.  I guess it is more ear placement.  On my bears, highly placed and larger ears look stronger, thus a boy look.  I used to think only artists noticed the gender but I have had several customers that, when choosing a bear, definitely noticed a difference even though I thought the frills would be girly.  I was shocked when one giggling customer asked if the bear was gay!  Mud on the face there.

On cashmere, you might try the powdered chalk markers made for fine fabric sewing.  I use them to trace around my patterns all the time but would thing the Pigma Microns or disappearing markers would be faster.  One caveat, I got a disappearing marker that disappers too fast!  Being very humid where I live, it was a bummer if you are interrupted while cutting.

Hi All,

'Cuse me if I am telling something y'all already know but it has helped me.  I use acrylic stuffing and plastic pellets in my bears.  For years I had used "Polyfil" but encountered someone at a show a couple of years ago and they were using "Mountain Mist".  I aked why and they said "because it stays where I put it".  I tried it and they were right.  Anyway, Walmart stopped carrying the above but have found that "Morning Glory" is made by the same company and seems exactly the same.  I find it it much easier to get a firmly, evenly stuffed nose and head with either Mountain Mist and hopefully Morning Glory.  As a wonderful artist pointed out years ago, a firmly stuffed nose is SO much easier to embroider. 

Hugs,
BethBear