Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Well done everyone!!!

Just after I came back from Japan in 2005 I started working 4 days - Monday to Thursday.  I just couldn't manage teaching and working!  Also Gerry's have moved to the Gold Coast!  Too far for me!

I have added you to my blog and i have no idea on how to do add you on my website.

Thanks Dilu -   

Karen I think you have just answered it for me!
I do have a fortnightly night with 2 friends that has been going for over 12 years!!!  And we are as bad as each other. 

I also use to teach weekly class (from 1995-2006) until 18 months ago and I think the lack of contact with bear people has a lot to do with my slump.  I have been working 4 days per week at  a University College for just over 2 years and last year I hardly traded at any bear shows as well. 
As well as teaching I organised a bear show and had a lot of contact with the Australian bear industry.
Thank you again!

Patsy
Is that in April???        AND it is only 8 weeks away!!!!  At about 3 weeks I will panic and you will hear me then!!!    

Are you trading?

Thank you all so much for your suggestions.  Over the last 6 months I have been renovating my house, mainly my kitchen and my hubby installed some of the 'old' cupboards in my sewing room.  I really didn't do any sewing for about 4 of those months using the disorganization as an excuse and now that it is organised again I still lack motivation.  I tried looking at old bear magazines and came across an article about Paula Carter (late 1990's) and a few others. 
I usually have to be under pressure to work ie have a deadline looming but there are no deadlines.

Now I will just have to go with the flow or I might try rearranging again!

How do you procrastinate?

I think that I must be the queen of procrastination!

I cannot get motivated to sew!   I start for about 5 minutes and then go and do something else like putting the washing on.  This is a very sad way to be.  I need some inspiration. Any ideas?

Me too!!   Good luck everyone!!!!!
hugs Lisa

Well done everyone!

Good luck everyone!!!

I love the old sewing machine!

Hi Theresa

Just to let you know that parisian essence will fade over time and it will wash out.  In doll making it is combined with modge podge or something similar that is painted onto the fabric.   Tea is a permanent dye
Can I suggest Tan Rit dye for fabric?  I use it a lot with fabric dying (quilts) and when I make up a solution I often 'chuck' in a bit of mohair and the results are great.  But experiment on a little piece first.  If it is very bright pink you may have to remove some of the dye first but there are products in the supermarket that you can buy to remove dye.  It maybe enough just to use one of these to tone down the pink.

They are adorable.  Thanks for showing them.  You never really get to see such great pictures of young bears.  They are inspiring!

Blog looks great! Love the colour- pink - my favourite colour!

and I would also like to swap links with you!

Jane

I have just copied the following from my class notes
“The fabric backing can have lots of sizing and when it is on a roll the grain lines are sometimes not square on the fabric.  The backing is often 'hard'.   When you lay the pattern out on the piece of mohair it looks ok with the grain but the more the fabric is "played with" the more the sizing (or stiffness) in the fabric disappears.  Before I trace out any bear I always stretch the piece of fur across each diagonal and then check the grain lines are square by folding it in half and half again to make sure all the corners match.”

When you make larger bears that are stuff firmly they can distort or turn if they are not cut on the straight grain of the fur.
I tend to worry about the fur direction on the head pieces only.  For the rest of the body I like the fur direction to go down the pieces but I make sure the straight grain is the same on the opposite pattern pieces.   I always make sure the back of my leg pieces go with the straight grain.   I hope this makes sense as it is easily shown but not easily explained.

Jane,
What type of mohair was it?  This problem does happen with some mohair especially the ones that have gone thru more processing than others to get the finish required.

Great info - I will check mine too!

Jenny it sounds like it is all up to your customer now!

Jenny another thought for you!  It could also be held up in quarantine.  My bears were just returned from Mindy and they were opened and inspected by Aussie quarantine.    Our quarantine regulations are some of the strictest in the world.

Me too!!!!  I just worked out how to do it the other day!!

mine is http://megelles.typepad.com/

Certainly did!  Way too many prawns and oysters - it is kind of warm here in Australia for Christmas and we usually have a cold lunch of seafood and salad.

Now the person below me likes PINK as their favourite colour!!!

Interesting topic - tonight I was just planning what shows and workshops I should do for this year.  Last year due to work and renovations I cut down totally on shows and teaching.  I did teach at the Sydney Bear Fair and trade at the show.  I also traded at the biggest craft show here in Brisbane- my home city but that was it.  From the late nineties until 2006  I taught weekly and attended about 6-8 shows annually.  I really felt totally left out of the what was happening here in Australia.   

I do like the idea of blogs. A few of my friends who design patchwork quilts etc have weblogs and they use them very successfully to keep in contact with their client base.   They use them as very good marketing tools by letting people know what they are making and giving previews of new patterns and designs they are working on.

I have just realised how easy it is to update my blog as I have just updated to word 2007.  It is very simple. I will take on Aleta's advice about leaving comments on other blogs and to  work on my blog for 2008!

Good luck with you decision Karen and I agree I like the Lynette's psychic.

Another suggestion if you like a smooth muzzle area  Try using a disposable razor on the area that you would like  smooth before you sew.  I usually trim most of the fur off first with my scissors and then 'shave' the remaining fur off in the selected area.

Have fun.

Thank Karen!

That is so appropriate!  I just love George and about 5 minutes ago I finished watching Oceans 13.

I have not been on TT for ages and started sifting thru pages of posts a few days ago trying to catch up on the bear world happenings.  It is nice having a little bit of time just to play on my computer.