Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thank you Gail, Ginger and Sue Ann;

It is so hard I am afraid to try it on a made nose, so I think I will experiment- You might have a point about melting, there would be a lot of waste, even using a shot glass or something else small.  I will start a web search and if I find other sites i'll let you know.

Dilu

Hi Shelli

Because of where I live I use the internet for everything except groceries.  In other words I got them on line- that makes it difficult if you wanted to talk to someone about them,  The ones I got came in different sizes.  But since I was a 64 crayola kid, I decided when I ordered these, that more is better.  Isn't it?

Dilu

Actually I wish I could do groceries on line too, but the stores that do it are tooooo far away.

Donna

You are kidding!!!  Gollys are what got me started.  I played the Gollywog's Cakewalk on the piano for a friend here and she lent me some of her teddy bear magazines.  I was in love at first sight.  After seeing a golly I sat down and figured out a basic pattern and went to work.  Then my friend invited me to join her loose affilation of bear ladies, and I ordered some super cheap, coat type, mohair to start out with.  I think I paid $12.00/yd.  Then she said to try Edinburgh.  But she doesn't use the computer.  Well,  while looking for Edinburgh I found Intercal.  So Intercal got my first order. 

The ladies around here seem to be Schulte Snobs.  I tease them about that anyway, because they wont use anything but.  But when I bring in some of the Hembold they can't tell the differance.  I haven't the heart to tell them that they mistook the Hembold for Schulte.  And they keep asking how I get the fur to look like the Norton.  I keep telling them " get on line" but they wont...

Any way long story not too much longer that's how I got started.  Once I discovered bears and Gollys I quit quilting; I use the left over fat quarters for Golly clothing now.  I will try to scan some of my Golly pics to e-mail you. 

Bears are like almost instant gratification.  As apposed to quilts.

We are just barely over the boarder; but it is still Oregon, and still a ton of trees.  We get 65" of rain a year.  Big change from Oakhurst.

I'll get your address off your website tomarrow and see if I can send you some pics.  By the way I did see you in Teddy Bear and Friends winning a Toby ? award of some kind?  Congrats.

Dilu

Winney,

Yep, that's the one.  It will be my first teddy bear show ever.  I can hardly wait.  I am imagining a show along the lines of a quilt show.  Is that right?  I am crossing my fingers I can make it.  ( It sort of depends on my honey.)

I guess we could all wear "TEDDY TALK!" name tags and find each other that way.

Dilu

Donna,

If you send me your address I'll send you one of my teddy bear pins.

When I lived on Indian Springs I wasn't into Teds, but now I wish I had been.  I just started about a year ago, and have been going full tilt since then.  The learning curve was fast, probably because of all the other types of sewing.

And they are soooo addicting. I now design my own, along with Gollys.  I haven't gotten into the elaborate face sculpting that our other friends on this site do....wow!

I really wish I had taken advantage of living next door to you.  I am sure I would have learned so very much.  I could just kick myself.

Every thing is fine up here-we found a little monolithic dome home, that looks like an igloo, in the middle of the forest up here and have setteled down for good. I'm sure you remember how reclusive Rick is...well he's finally happy now. 

I'm glad you are doing well.  I hope to get to go to the Lincoln show; will you be there?  If so, I look forward to seeing you again.

Di

PS Let me guess, the news is saying; "It's the worst fire season ever!"

A friend brought me some wax from the Lincoln City show.  They are small triangles of wax, one yellowish one brown.  The label says ezy-wax.  I called the vendor she bought it from but wasn't able to get much in the way of info.  These triangles are much much harder than beeswax.  The lady said they were from Austrailia. 

How does one use them?  And does anyone know where else this wax can be obtained, in larger quantities?

Thanks

Dilu

Sue Ann

I told my husband that you had challenged me to a collection duel.  He laughed at me.  Sooooo I guess, for now,
you win.  But, I think I shall enjoy trying to catch up.

Now.....where did I put the Visa card?

Dilu

Donna,  is that really you?

I wish I had taken advantage of living next door to you to see all the things you do.  When you told me you were doing bears I didn't get it.

I get it now. 

Boy, do I ever.

Thank you for sharing your story.  It is really good to hear from you on this board.

Diane  (Dilu) 

PS Hope you are doing well up there.

Well, Of course we need all the supplies possible that we could ever really use, because you just never know.....the eyes might need to be larger, or smaller, if you don't have them you wont be able to experiment....

I'm lucky, my honey does understand....he says it's cheaper that therapy, barely, and keeps me out of trouble.

My dad was an artist, painting, and he always had tons of stuff on hand.  Maybe I come by this honestly.

Dilu

I do have confidence in the pencils, I've washed the quilts I used them on.  I don't plan on washing the teddies.  I didn't mean permeability (oops,) I meant permability. 

I'd like to get into the airbrushing, and suppose I will eventually.  In the mean time I have the poor cousin option. 

Isn't this fun?  New stuff to work with and try.  Life is really fuzzy great!

Dilu

Don't laugh...but....because I live in the middle of a forest about a gazillion miles from any REAL store, my favorite part is when UPS comes with an order from Intercal and Edinburgh.  It's like Chistmas and Birthdays rolled together.  Looking at the new fabrics, feeling them, smelling them, looking at the nose threads or the upholstery threads....checking out the eyes.  I even get excited about the different size discs.  That first opening of the box gets my mind going on ideas, what the bear looks like that I see in the fabric.  My honey thinks I crazy because now all the fabric I order is white-cuz I get a kick out of dyeing my own shades of color.  He should be used to this, I did it with quilting too.  Opening the box is the first step to the creating of a new wonderful critter. 

Thank you for such a wonderful web site.....one stop fun....shoping and talking.......

Dilu

PS I bet you all see a bear in your fabric too-Michelangelo saw his creations in the marble before he ever started working at chipping away.

Hi.  For quilting I used "watercolor" pencils, that gave good clean lines, and when I wanted to smoosh the colors I used an almost dry, or bearly wet brush.  Then I ironed the fabric for permeability.  I think it is something I should experiment  in with this medium.  The ones I used are "Creatacolor by B.F.Hirm of Austria.  Also in quilting we have very small "irons"- the head of the iron is about  1.5" long on a handle that is easy to manipulate.  I don't see why it couldn't be used for bearing too.  I'm not proud, I'll steal techniques from any medium I have dealt in.  Hope this idea helps you. 

Dilu

P.S. The pencils are pricey-BUT- they last a long long time and look at what we spend on this obsession anyway!

I read about stapeling for basting.  I've tried it, its pretty good on the best quality mohair.  When I use mink I use Giant paperclips. ( oops....sorry Intercal- but you know I'm always back for more mohair.)  Giant paperclips keep the fur under control without stressing the leather with extra punture holes it doesn't need.  Old leather can be brittle.

Everyone should make at least one fur fur bear.  I use old coats or sleeves or stoles, fabric that just isn't useable anymore.

Dilu