Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Dear Laura,  I personally use wool and a needle and felt in the fat cheeks eyelids and nose.  If you go up to the library and look under muzzles, you will find a post called puffy cheeks, Most of the puffy cheeks are done with scissor sculpting and there is info on how to do it there.
Joanne

Thank you Robert, I m going to try this,  I like the idea of wool felt giving me a smoother lid,  I love the look of felting, but around the eyes and nose, I do like it to be smoother
Joanne

Whwn you say prominent Susiray, what exactly do you mean?  Long muzzle, fat cheeks?  If you will be more specific with the look you are after that would be great
Joanne

It has to be with chemicals, because if it was with heat it would not be permanent,  I have wet straight and curly mohair, and they pretty much stay the way they were before they were wet.  If it were heat, it would go back to the original texture after being wet.  I was a hairdresser for many years, and mohair acts very similar to human hair.

Hi Eileen,  You can iron mohair,  You can iron mohair with a flat curling iron, or you can use a regular iron.  I just took a scrap of wavy mohair, misted it with water and used my clothes iron on high to iron it perfectly straight, it did not frizz and was soft and beautiful.  I agree with Sue, I would go to the store and buy a hair product for heat styling, remember that like human hair mohair that is in humidity will probably go back to being wavy, so get something that will help with this.
Joanne

Congratulations Rachel on your big day. The calf is beautiful, but the bear, the bear is just so sweet and well done.  The face, with the felted muzzle and those beautiful blue eyes, on that fur, it just works very well together.  The overalls are just the perfect outfit for a 4H outing.  I can really see why you have done so well with him.
Joanne

Congrats to you Melissa,  You obviously have worked very hard to get where you are, and you deserve to reap the benefits.  Blu deserves the spotlight, he is a beautiful dog, and dogs seem to be very popular lately don't they
Joanne

You certainly deserve to be a very proud Mom,  It's moments like these that make it all worth it.  Congrats to Rachel,  I would love for you to post pictures so we can all give her a pat on the back
Joanne

This bear absolutely looks like a biker,  his new owner is goona love him
Joanne

I use polyfill to stuff the head,  I have never had a problem with the felting not grabbing on.  I just start with a small blob of wool that I stick on the nose area,  I felt it and it gets smaller and I add more.  When I first started I felted a shape on a foam block first and then moved it to the head, but I now prefer to felt, add, and felt some more.  When I am done I wax the nose, but that is a whole nother can of worms.  Any other questions I will help the best I can.

The needle felting and shading are the very last things I do when the bear is finished in every other way
Joanne

Dear Barbara,  You have come to the right place.  Go to the top of this post and you will see on the left side the library.  Scroll through and you will find patterns, I just looked and there seem to be quite a few postings on how to design your own patterns, start there and you may find what you need
welcome to TT
Joanne

Dear Bonnie,  I can tll you how this happens.  I sell a lot on ebay, because I am a frequent seller, my feedback as a seller is excellent, and I think the biggy is that I am very careful about what I charge for postage.  I only charge the actual shipping fee, no markups there.  So when I am a couple of days awa from the end of the auction, I am usually near the top of best match.  so yes they are rewarding their good sellers
Joanne

Dear Anne,  I buy all my needles "buy it now" on ebay from Winderwood Farm, they have a good selection of needles and wool, and they ship fast.  They are on my favorite sellers list
http://stores.ebay.com/WINDERWOOD-FARM_ … esstQQtZkm

Joanne

I went to your websight and looked at your horses, they are really nice, and would make a wonderful keychain.  Maybe you could consider stitching a chain of some sort into the top of his back, then to the chain you could attach a round keyring.  It would be very sturdy,  My daughter likes to buy designer coin purses, small one,  they usually have a chain stitched to the side and a key ring attached, they are pretty and sturdy.
Joanne

the cutest thing ever

Dear Michelle Helen,  After I felt before I paint, I use Delta all purpose sealer, it is like a clear gesso, which prepares porous material for painting.  I am not careful and often get it on the eye, it leaves a film, but then when dried it can be easily scraped off.  I also use a floating medium when I paint the eyelid, so I can easily layer on thin coats of color, and this prepares the surface for this.  One more thing after all painting is done, I go back with just a smidge of white wool and tuck it around the corners and bottom with the needle to add whites.  If I was not going to paint I would not seal, because this does leave a shiny appearance which you can see.
Joanne

Hi Krista, I live out here in Chihuahua Central,  I have a chihuahua, minpin mix, but he is the color of dog I see everywhere.  He is a rusty color tan, I also see a lot of tan and white but mostly this rust color
Joanne

Dear Michelle Helen,  I needle felt the eyelids on my bears.  I start by needle felting a strip, then I cut the size I want from it and attach around the eyes, which are already in place.  I attach it with my felting needle.  As I go I sometimes add more fiber to the eyelid, I use the needle oh so gently around the glass eye, so I don't break the needle.  I also hold the eye with my finger steady in place as I felt around it.  I always shade the eyelids with paint, so I also add a sealer to the eyelids, it makes them harder, and makes the shading with the paint go much smoother
Joanne

The pigs are cute, BUT I LOVE THE BOSTON,  I am a boston mom, we have had three.  The best dogs in the world
Joanne

So glad you had a nice time in the US.  For next year think about the wild west, the Grand Canyon, Sedona,  some of the most beautiful places in the world are out here in AZ.  Can you tell I love it here?  Please post some pics of the Everglades,  I would love to see them.
Joanne

Oh my what a sweet bear,  I love all of his little goodies and the way you have him dressed.  Just wonderful
Joanne

Congratulations Melissa,  What a wonderful award, and what a wonderful job you have done capturing this dog in fabric, even his expression. great job.
Joanne

Dear Anita,  It sounds to me like you have handled this properly and professionally.  It seems like the woman has gotten what she wanted. Keep positive thoughts about the feedback.  If she does leave negative feedback, you, I hope will have the opportunity to dispute it.  If you have done what you can to make her happy there is not anymore to do.  She may surprise you, 
Keep good thoughts
Joanne

I am going to Sally's I love the idea of the rollers,  I have the same problem,  These last few bears I have used flexialimbs, but I would rather do it myself

Joanne

Dear Kelly,  I am a parrot owner and avid bird watcher, have been for many years.  You have gotten this exactly right.  The chest so puffed out, the tilt of his head, the eyes, the way he is posed. right on the money
Joanne