Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hey Dale,  Thanks whole bunches!

I went to the site and downloaded the info.  I feel a little more confident now.

Dilu

Hi Jane,

Do the eyes have a straight wire or are they just the glass eye with nothing of the back?

Also, Hello, Glad you're here.  I love that we have folks from England, Australia, and all over the states.  we seem to be growing by leaps and bounds....thank goodness it's the web site and not our hips!!!

Dilu

PS  I have been having to where a patch over one eye the last 2 days, and probably for the next week or so.  my spelling isn't known for being wonderful-so bear with me people....cuz everything is off kilter with the patch.

Cindy,
Winney and others said plain old white glue.  I used Arlene's quick drying white glue.  It worked really great.
I couldn't find the Elmer's.
Dilu

Eileen,

Great idea, and I remember now about Nancy's leather noses- I'll get the book out and check it out.

Thanks

Dilu

Hi Guys,

I experimented with the cardboard idea-(already use glass in the feet) and I did use some felt to cover up the ridge.  Then I tried using some batting(from the quilt corner of the sewing room)  The batting can be glued on to the cardboard without showing, and it gives a little better protection from the ridges.  Also, if you do any embroidery on the feet, the batting gives a more substantial base for the stitches.

Course now I have a bear with one batted foot and one felted foot.  Amelia is going to walk like she has bunions on one foot and Dr. Scholl's gels on the other.  Hey Amelia, are you gelling?

Nope, she's just vegying.

Anyway, there's one report from the have-to-try-everything-you-guys come-up-with-department.\

Dilu

Shelli,

Inquiring minds want to know....did you use watercolors, fabric pens, watercolor pencils,markers......to sign the cast?

I  can't say I had a brainstorm, because you guys  actually got me started thinking, but I need to draw my bear's name on the foot pad before I can embroider it.  On light fabrics I use the water-erase pens...but on medium to dark fabrics I would use white chalk pens or pencils.  Well the idea of using another color under the nose, to get a richer color, works for embroidery too.  I used the creatacolor pencils for Amelia's name this afternoon, and you  can't see the writing.  I am very pleased with the results. 

Thanks ladies

Dilu

Shelli-  I am still laughing and the cats think I've lost my mind and the husband stared at me like I grown an extra head.  I just told them, "you had to be there...."

I used to be really really heavy,  317,  things change.  So I understand the weight issue from both sides as well as from a medical perspective.

Know what?

Teddies are more interesting.

Go Teddy!

Thank you for  GOOD LAUGH!

Dilu

ooooh  Good question Eileen 

I am about to finish up a sable bear and wasn't sure what to do for a nose.  A thread one means too many needle holes through the very old leather-the coat was from 1928-9. 

Judi, your idea about painting brown under a black nose is so good- it makes since- like the way you apply color to a painting

So if it were a orange nose, then yellow paint underneath ?  That sort of idea.  Red- hmm  I guess a red nose could use violet for a cool mood bear or orange  for a hot tamale?  Is this kind of what you mean?

Thank you

Dilu

Shelli

I couldn't agree with you more, it confuses me.  They won't even use anything with lanolin in it. 

I had to assure him the quilt I made for his birthday was 100% cotton. 

Thanks Laura Lynn

I will try the web site now.

Dilu

Help!.  My adult son and his fiance belong to PETA and will not use or wear anything wool.  (And they want to live in Canada ?!?  ( I do keep my mouth shut-we are polar oposites on politics, but I love him.)

  He want me to make a Teddie for her and he wants it in lilacs and purples.  I have 3 synthetics and 1 rayon all white.  Are there any tricks?  I have a large supply of Cushing's dyes, and I also have an unbelievable stash of Koolade.  (Don't laugh- its cheap, permenant, easy, and enviornmentally safe.  Like for septic tanks and our water table is 35 feet.  So I have to be careful.)

Anyone out there have any experience with dying synthetics?  I think the rayon will be ok, as it plant based, but I'm not sure. 

I'm not the crazy about the synthetics, but maybe I haven't been fair to them.  I like the real stuff better.

I mean, which would you rather wear, Cashmere or acrylic?  Cashmere any time, even over "virgin" acrylic.

One of you must know some tips and tricks

Patiently awaiting your insight

Dilu

I am soo excited.  I got to go to the big city today, so I went wall mart, and now have in my arsenal

acrylic paints
Modpoge
more stuffing, but thats no big deal-thats a necessity of life.

But I am excited about practicing all these new techniques-

I am going to have to print up all the posts, with all the tips.  I can't remember everything everyone said.
Also found blender pens and reallty neat fabric pens in muted browns, greens, burgandys etc.  I had never seen fabric pens in muted tones before. 

I love learning new things....thanks for all the ideas.

I feel like a kid on Christmas.

Dilu

Hi everybody!

     My teddies pout when they don't get Jelly-Bellys.  But then so do I.  My big downfall.

I have to work to keep weight on, now, and you know, it is as hard to put it on as used to be to take it off.

Maybe thats why my munchkin patterns have big tummies. 

Three cheers for all of us who have problems and take the challenge to learn and fight.  Now, no matter how bad my piddely problems are, Adam, my first bear who sits on the window sill and chides me; reminds me that some poor soul is in much worse condition.  And to stop whinning, get to work and don't forget those people in my prayers.

Good Advice Adam

Dilu

Winney,

You are so right.  The joy for me is making the bears, big and little, not having them or owning them.  So I tend to give them away alot. 

My husband says it would be nice to sell something once in a while, to supprt the habit. Hmmm he is probably right.

Dilu

OK Guys,

The nurse in me wants to know what looking diabetic is like, because there are 2 differnt types, and then there are the folks who strugle with HYPOglycemia.  (We sort of look like we are in the middle. not fat fat, not  skinny, but perhaps a little ditzier-( speaking for myself)

  Mary Tyler More looks (to me) like a beautiful woman who has had diabetes TYPE 1 under control her whole life.  I picked her because of her tireless fight for diabetic awareness and funding.   Those Type one folks have to have it under control their whole lives, or face the terminal consequenses.

  So our beautiful Judi does look like someone who knows her life depends on being in control of her blood sugars.  As a nurse, looking at Judi's picture, I think she looks terrific, because I know how hard it is for kids especially to learn to say no to the treats, and learn about the disease process.

TYPE 2 folks are usually a little pudgy, kind of like our munchkin bears.  And they are lucky in that it usually starts later in life (40s-50s) and their body has learned to adapt to an awful lot of excess sugar before they start to have problems .  The tend to be the ones who have the complications you hear about. 

The really sad thing now is that kids are getting type 2 diabetes because f the lack of exercise and junk food availability.  The disease of an affluent society I guess.

Kudos to both Judi and  Daphne for taking the disease seriously-it would be a real loss to everyone were either of you not here.

And look at what you contribute to the Teddy Community.  I admire the control you show, and the talant everyone gets to share because of you ladies.

OK...nuff said.

Dilu

Winney!

I'm not sure if this is what you were refering to, but I did mix up the glue water goop and painted on a nose and I love it!  It doesn't show and no one would know, unless they touched it. 

I sometimes use embroidery thread so that I can mix colors and the embroidery thread noses are fragile.  So, by using this, your method, I think this is what you meant, the noses aren't so fragile.

Thank you so much!
Dilu

I don't think I would ever have thought of it...this is what I mean about getting to learn from the experts-boy are we lucky!

Where's Winney;

She was talking about 50% water 50% white glue and using it on noses.  Is this the same as the bear varnish that was mentioned earlier? 

I like the idea, because it would protect the nose from pickers like my husband.  Hmmmm, that did not come out well....

The glue would sort of cement the nose so that you could see the color and threads but people looking at the bear wouldn't be able to move the threads around.?  What a great idea you guys. 
Thanks

Is this the basic idea?

Hmmm....even if it isn't the basic idea you all were trying to get across I think I'll try it to see if it works.  On a leprechaun bear I used three shades of regular embroidery floss....but I feel the nose is vulnerable.  But if this glue/water thing would strengthen it I'll try it.  Tonight.

Thanks you guys-

Dilu

I make teddy pins, just sent one to Donna-am trying to get the little guys a little smaller. 2.5" is the smallest I've been able to do and I really prefer 3".  Its easier.  I hope I get better.

Any one of you could make teddy pins- Just makeyour basic pattern smaller using your computer- and then decide if you want him backed with lace ( I used a doily on Donna's) or something like that. 
then sew on the jewlery finding pin clasp.  Be sure you sew it with the working part towards the bears head though....I learned the hard way that it is kinda difficult getting it on your blouse upside down.

I know you could do it-  I've only been doing bears for one year and you guys are experts....Lets see what you come up with.  With all the expertise on this site we should get some fabulous ideas.

Oh I back the bear with a doily or something like that because the first pin I made( for my mom-in-law) I felt there was too much stress on the bear  sewing the jewlely finding directly on his back.

Dilu

Winney

Just finished trying the cardboard and felt trick-love it.  I had been doing the glass beads to the ankle and then some in the tummy/butt.  I find that I need to counter balance sometimes, if I want a fat little munchkin then I need to make the munchkin's bottom a little bigger to counter balance. 

I am pleased with the cardboard/felt.  I feel like I should have used 2 layers of felt, and will next time.  She is standing on the kitchen counter.  She is 22" tall and she is the tallest I've had stand up.

Thank you.

Dilu

I think the shock on my face spoke volumes, but I am certainly not adverse to a well placed whack next time!

Does it everyone forever to do a nose?  I can spend 2 hours.

Dilu

Winney,

50/50 water and glue to harden your nose?  Is this before or after you sew the nose?  I'm confused, help...Is this how some folks get those noses that look so solid but you can tell they started out as thread?
Tell...tell....please.

I have this funny little Iron that I had for quilting and I keep it right by me, to iron the threads, embroidery as well as the needlepoint threads that I now call nose threads.  It gives me more control in making the threads lie smoothly next to each other,

Unless, of course, you have a husband like mine, who comes in and says, "Hey great nose."  And he is poking at the threads with his fingernail!

Dilu

Wow Winney!

The same thing in a quilt shop would cost you a couple of bucks!  That's one of the things quilters use to mark dark fabrics, we also have chalk pencils in white and blue and pink.  Then we have a super cool water soluable blue marker.  I use this whenever I can on the mohair.  Because I can mark my sewing line, sew, turn, stuff.  I get a cleaner nose area.  Then after the little guy is stuffed and before I do his nose I spray him lightly with water  and voila!  My cheater lines disappear.  I love these water soluable pens.

Di

Ok Everyone....

I took the water color pencils and experimented on some white wool felt.
I used a small brush to add water on some of it.  It seems like it would be better if the felt were pre-washed prior to using this method.  The color doesn't take as evenly in the areas where there is sizing or something likie that.  However when the water was added the color was much brighter and more vibrant.

The watercolor pencils without water were really nice, soft muted almost feathery.  The way well applied eye shadow looks.  Delicate.

I know the watercolor pencils need to be heat set, so I ironed  it and then held it under running water....no bleeding occured.  On the sample with water or the sample without. 

I guess it is time to do some shadowing

I always rinse my felt in hot water anyway prior to dying it so this step isn't a problem for me. 

I am looking forward to seeing/hearing the results the rest of you have with the different methods.

I got out the fabric pens, and they work really well as well, but the colors are starker and stronger. 

I think it must depend on the effect we are striving for as to which medium we use.

By the way It is a real honor to be able to read the posts of some of the foremost bear makers around. 

You guys remember master classes in college?  For me it was music.  You would go to a master class and the true artist would critique your playing and show, play, describe how to do it better.

This is like a master class for teddies.

It is inspiringt but also humbling.

Thanks

Dilu

Winny

You might try separating the embroidery floss.  Run each separate thead through sewers beeswax.  Put them together and then drag them under a warm iron. they wont separate.  hmmmmmm  the wax might impede color take up in the threads though.  Ok.  Forget that idea.  When I do embroidery I always go down to the single thread get them all straight and ironed and then place the threads back together.  You probably already know this, but always keep the threads going the same way- because if one thread is backwards to the other thread they can rub together and create a fuzzy look over time and use.....di that make any sense at all?

Dilu

Oh you guys have totaly inspired me.  Sue Ann putting the sample on the site was so thoughtful.

My dad was an artist too-he kept a roof over over heads  and food on the table and spoiled me rotton -  BUT I can attest to the permance of acrylics.....he would wipe his hands on his bottom when he was out in the field doing on-site work, and it would soak through to his boxers.....He had the most colorful boxers!  You could always tell what he was into by the colors in the laundry.  It was really pretty funny. Drove my mom nuts but I just thought thats what dads did.   Blues greens?  Hes been to the beach....browns golds....hmmmm back in Mariposa again.

And once those colors dried mom and I could never get them out of his clothes. 

I think I will spend the day trying all the techniques you ladies have described.  It makes you excited to get up in the morning.  Always something new.

Am I being naive?  I worried alot about colorfastness in quilting, because quilts get washed.  No one would wash an artist bear...Would they?  Are we worried about spills.....should this really be a major concern, or am I being careless and you are all being smarter by being cautious.

When I dye any mohair I throw it in the washer's last rinse cycle to be sure it is rinsed out.

I even throw it in the dryer- get some pretty neat effects that way- especially with the ultra sparses.

Dilu

Thanks guys,

Great ideas, I like the idea of melting in a dedicated pan and having a dedicated paint brush.  I don't trust myself with the stove, Sue Ann, when I am 'bearing' I get caught up in other stuff way to easy.  The Toaster sounds like something I can handle.  Self limiting danger, there.

I tried just rubbing it on last night- got some courage from all of you- and I was surprised.  As hard as the wax seems-I couldn't push a thumb nail in it- It rubbed on easily.  I think I need practice though, because I am not yet happy with results. 

Thank you all, I will continue learning

Dilu