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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Marcia: I love to sew with real fur. Therese gave great tips. There is a book by Nancy Tillberg that is full of information on how to sew with real fur.
http://www.amazon.com/reader/0873418565 … eader-link
My tip is when you sew the bear line it with quality muslin. Do not glue it to the pieces. Baste it by hand. Glue will eventually damage the leather and it will break down leaving the seams weak.
Also, when you cut the bear pieces out, do not shake them. Rather take a hand held vacuum (hold the pieces tight) and vacuum each pieces.
My goodness, what a lucky little boy. It is amazing how our pets will protect us. Very selfless act in deed. I heard of a siamese cat attacking a burglar and using his claws and screaming to chase the burglar away. They know the cat attacked him for there was blood all over him. The blood was not the cats blood, it was the burglar! The owner awoke to the noise and saw the burglar running away with the cat chasing him!!!
Oh, this is so heartbreaking. What a sick, sick sociopath he is!! I signed too....
Sue Ann wrote: I find these little storage cabinets with multiple drawers invaluable to keep up with small items.
I love the little storage cabinet’s idea Sue Ann!! I have let my craft room get disorganized and I am at a loss as to what to do with stuff...I think your multiple drawer idea will be helpful.
As for needles I use, well for mini bears I use John James Sharps #12. They are very thin and do not leave a hole when sewing tiny bear parts.
Here in Minnesota, I got about 14 inches of snow. Interestingly enough thought some of the towns just east of us got less. We were in a narrow swath that garnered more snow!!! But here in Minnesota we are use to snow. The streets were fine most of the time plus the snow fell in batches making it easier for snow plows to keep things clear.
Congratulations Tami!!! Your little critter is as cute as can be. I can see what she won!
A friend of mine sent this to me and I loved it...I wanted to share it with all my Teddy Bear Friends:
She is adorable Laura Lynn!!! 
What a cute bear!!! As for making them out of mohair, you may look at Sasy's for mini bear fabric in mohair....
Wonderful pictures. I especially love the claw foot tub!!!
Debbie wrote: My furry friends like to play with thread
Debbie: thread is very dangerous. It can wrap around the intestine and part of the intestine dies off. It creates big, big problems. That is what my vet told me this past week. With all of us sewing out bears, it is so important to make sure our pets stay away from it....Also it never occurred to me that my cat would eat ribbon. I play with all my cats with ribbons (well...not anymore...).
Dear Teddy Bear Friends: This past week my cat got sick and was admitted twice to the emergency vets. They thought he ate a pill that was dropped on the floor. X-rays and barium did not show anything. $3000 later, they send him home still sick but not vomiting...later that night, we noticed a little poo hanging from his behind. Mike tried to remove it and he pulled, and pulled and pulled... out came a 15 inch craft ribbon!!!. My baby ate a ribbon that we use to play with the cats!! So this even a small cat can eat the most bizarre things. My called my vet and told her what happened. She said he was very luck and the barium must have pushed it through. She said if it was found, it would have been a $1600 operation!! So I wanted people to learn from my experience.
Question about the kindle...once you buy a book to read, can you keep it? I have heard of them before and am curious about them too...
Awww...that is so sweet!!
Hello Lenora: Pam Holton has a cute elephant. The picture shows it standing but the legs are jointed so I think it can sit too....
What a great tip...Thanks. I just order thier catalog....
I don't sew bears so I don't know any marketing tips to give you. But I can tell you of a bear artist I know that has a very lucrative bear business with teaching bear making. She found a quilt shop that let her teach classes in the back of the store. She has two prices: the first is the class fee (she splits with the quilt shop) and another fee she is for the bear kit which she keep 100% of the profit. She also sells supplies too which I know was easier for me just to buy from her on the spot. What she did was display her bears in the quilt shop and hold classes on her new creations. She always offered beginner bear and advanced bear classes. From there people signed up for the latest bear creation or take a class on a previous bears she had given. On a Wednesday, it is called "anything goes" class where people can let her know a head of time which bear they want to make (as seen in the quilt shop) and she has the kit for them on that day. She makes a very good living that way. Each bear incorporates a special technique people want to learn and thus she had repeat customers.
So that is one idea for you. The other is contact your local community center and see if you can hold bear making classes through adult education.
That is my two cents....
Such a cutie pie!! You are a kind person to take in the strays!!! The world needs more people like you in it!
Dear Ann-Marie: That is wonderful to have talking birds. I know some are so smart. Your pictures of all your babies are fantastic.
Oh he is beautiful...Will he talk?
My dad sent this to me. You have to move the basket with your curser to catch the apples. Hope you catch more apples than I did!
Well I love your bear!! Some people really don't understand what goes into hand made bears. But take hart, many do for they are your fellow artist and let's not forget the collectors. I find when I explain to my friends and coworkers (meaning educating about the craft), they have a new appreciation for what they are seeing. In fact some have learned how to make bears too....
I love patterns by Loris Hancok. She is in the UK.
I also have many bear making books. If you like whimisical bears, I suggest Neysa Phillippi. Her bears patterns are adorable:
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Thanks Jill!! I have that book too!!! Now I am a happy camper!!!! :dance: :dance:
