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Thanks ladies...I found upholstery needles that were 8 inches long and nice and thick too...unbendable but not long enough....I had to go straight through the back of the head...though...the 12 inch needles would do it...I wonder if I could find those on line...Jo Anne's doesnt carru them...and we have no other resources in Tallassee.
At least I know they are out there. The eyes just don't set properly at this angle for me. You do need to pull them down...
Pat
Shiver-me-timbers! 
I'm in love with a rat!
How clever and adorable. What is not to like.
Pat
I thought I would put this question in this thread since it is probably where it belongs...
I am building a bear with a BIG head and my needles are not long enough to pull the eyes through the back of the head to set them. I've tried pulling them down through the jaw but still do not get the angle I want. Behind the ear is no better....this is a big head...apparently 
Help! On big bear noggins...what to do?
Pat
Brenda,
I've never sewn that angle shaped gusset before, however, just thinking about the mechanics of it, handling the material in hand, it seems easier to do it backwards from the way we are taught...that is not to sew the side pieces together first as is the norm...but instead to sew them to the gusset first and then stitch the center chin piece down from the center point last.
It looks from her corner slash marks in the pattern that that is the intent. Good question.
Pat
I don't think I can get enough of this little chocolate and mocha panda. She is just delicious. I keep coming back to view her again and again. Wonderful color coordination and the most adorable little face.
Pat
Isn't it ironic that a continent that has not real indigenous bears should have so many fabulous bear makers?
I hope someone takes some wonderful pictures to post for us.
Pat
Donna, so you are not sewing up all the gussets, side pieces AND inserting the mouth, turning and stuffing. Then sculpting the mouth.
I always praise the bear gods when my muzzle isn't wonky. I was sweating bullets on this one! 
Pat
Donna, is your method similar to this one: http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php … 90#p181190
I am struggling with trying to interpret it into my design...I think the secret is to design the side pieces and the neck gusset and sew those together and then extrapolate the mouth piece. Sew that in. Finally sew the head gusset in last. The order makes sense to me.
Am I correct, you extrapolate that mouth piece rather than try to predesign in?
Linda, I would be honored to accept pdf files that would add to my knowledge on this topic. The more I can learn, the better my chances of a positive outcome.
After all, a bear's smile is very important. 
Thank you gals for helping me. I had no idea when I started trying to build a "teddy bear" that they were so incredably complicated. That it would require so many different skill sets to master or so many different design problems to solve. I don't know how any of you ever did it before this forum existed.
Pat
Thanx, I will request that. Noticed she has an adorable free pattern too! You can download from her site. Love her work. Exudes charm. She is the queen of eyelashes!
Pat
Donna,
All mine so far have been add-ons. Primarily because I built bears and decided "hey, wouldn't they look great with mouths!" So I had to add them on.
I just thought it would hold its shape better if it had a substantial form in it. I thought of putting wire in it but wondered if there was a standard...why go reinventing the wheel...you know. With the add on mouth, I guess it is more of an issue. I am using a stiff stuffing (bamboo) and heavy felt for the interior of the mouth, but I am not satisfied with the stability of the jaw.
I am currently redesigning my prototype with an open mouth built into the head and I thought I would utilize the type with what I am calling a second gussett, i.e. one for the lower jaw, rather than the slash method and insert. Jane Perala's pattern introduced it here in the library (January 9, 2007) and I thought it was really elegant, although it looks like it could be a wee bit tricky to sew. I am hopeful that these type of jaws are more stable, then the add on, both in holding the curved shape of the mouth and in their side to side form.
Unfortunately, I have to report as of January 23rd, Monica's web site no longer has her tutorials available on line...she has exceeded her band width...we will miss them.
Pat
I know how exciting it is to finish a piece as complex as this and master the skills. Tisn't easy...I'm still struggling with hanging the bear's appendages on straight! 
You have every right to be pleased with yourself and I congratulate you. I started out with teddy bears and ended up leaning more realistic myself... . Mine haven't come out of the woods yet...so many details to master.
I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for your next post. :clap: :clap:
Pat
How do you get the mouth to hold its shape in the lower jaw? Especially if you are not using teeth implants.
I haven't found anything in the library addressing this subject. All the open mouthed bears I see have such perfectly shaped lower jaws, they must have something other then stuffing in such a thin space achieving that silhouette.
Thanks.
Pat
Luv the white chest and complementary muzzle. Hoodie/woodie----hmmmmmm 
How could you part with him?
Pat
Think Pink! :crackup:
I'm sitting on a couple of yards of pink coyote myself, so I was very amused by your little bear. He must be Valentines inspired no doubt. Makes you think of those little candies, you know, the pastel confections shaped like hearts with the two word inscriptions, "be mind", "luv you", "sweet Heart", etc.
I hope my pink fur produces as charming a bear as yours has.
Thanks for sharing,
Pat
Talk about great minds running in the same circles or is that ruts? 
I just found this site last night while doing research on bear hibernation for my upcoming bear blog that I'm writing (maybe never to be published--I'm shy :redface: ) At anyrate...a half hour later Lilly had not moved except for a few barely perceptable breathes and I was still spellbound. Finally I tore myself away making a mental note to come back in earnest in 2 1/2 weeks around birthing time with some sewing in hand to wait for cubs.
FYI I really had not appreciated bears for the wonderful miracles of nature they are until I discovered what metabolic feats they achieve during their winter snoozes.
Pat
Is it possible to describe a bear as 'delicious'? The color makes my mouth water. The ruff is wonderful. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Pat
I just had to see more poses of this big girl so I checked her out at the website. The double neck joint and those long arms really do the trick! I see she still has your signature gnocchi ears underneathe all that fur. I just love them!
A do love a bear that hugs you back.
Pat
Becky, I don't and I should have taken one before gutting it, but then, I had no intention of gutting it. It just sort of happened 
However, I will take a picture of what is left (not much) and document the progress of the build. My boss just emailed me when he learned what I had done (he does own the piece after all and I did have to fess up that I'd just demolished it). He said he is including a paragraph with the vaccination reminder posts for our clients to bring in magnifying glasses to better examine my "masterpiece" when they bring their pets in! :crackup:
Pat
Hi All and Happy New Year!
Since I am being put through the agony of making the above 'masterpiece' for our clinic, it occurred to me that it might make an interesting challenge for our very talented bear craftsman and I might add, multi-dimensionally talented artists.
Twelve years ago when I first joined the veterinary clinic where I work, we were redecorating and I was in charge of painting, drapes, artwork, etc. I had selected a clever striped fabric for the windows featuring kitties in clever poses and the owner's wife wanted something in the waiting room which gave dogs equal weight. My daughter, who is an artist, and I came up with the idea of doing a fabric wall hanging. She did the design (a family of dogs out for a romp under a large gnarled tree by a pond with a hilly background, set in a quilted frame, over which tree branches and roots spilled...all executed in fabric coordinated with the draperies. For the puppy dogs I used a puppy dog pattern I purchased and just built the front half of the dogs and attached them to the landscape we had sewn over a quilted background. The entire piece measured about 4 1/2 by 6 feet and was suspended on a decorative wooden curtain rod. It was surprisingly successful. Took a ridiculous 300 hours to make and got rave reviews (which it probably didn't deserve) at the time. It hung in the clinic for the last 10 years or so until now.
I guess you could call it my first 'teddy bear'.
Now we are redecorating the clinic which has been drastically renovated. The piece no longer matches anything (I'm making new draperies). But the doctor insists we keep the wall hanging....he loves it and so do the clients. I agraee to rework the fabric framing and matting so that it matches the new color scheme. And I brought it home.
All through the holiday it sat in the back room. Finally, motivated by fabric shopping, I started ripping off the old fabric framing to replace it with the new colors.
If only I'd stopped there. But the more I removed, the worse it looked. I decided to take off just the foreground foliage. Then the background foliage looked tired. Then the tree really should have some new leaves. Then I ripped off the puppy dogs--for heaven sakes--with all I've learned about bear craft how could I possibly let those things represent my work! The only thing left now is the background and the tree trunk and I am sewing new piping to embellish that! 
All I have to do this weekend is come up with a design for a family of schnauzers and cocker spaniels (I have the fabric) to replace the eleven I removed..which fit on a semi-flat surface...and no one will ever know the difference 
You think?
AND THATS WHEN IT HIT ME!
What a neat idea for a challenge. Soft sculpture you hang on the wall rather then the usual three dimensional form. Granted, my wall hangings size is a little 'over the top' but all the know how from bear craft is there to do 'pictures' in soft sculpture. I'm going to add some needle felting this time round and some shading with dyes...something I didn't do the first time. The landscape is layered fabrics. The tree is felt covered pipping in different sizes twined into a knarly shape. You can let your imagination run wild for flowers and this time I have the perfect fur for my pussy willows
You could think of it as a challenge or maybe its just misery loving company.
Pat
I've never done so much hand sewing in my life...always machine work. And I did wonder if the issue was solely due to increased hand sewing and not specifically the faux fur. I think that handling lots of unwashed new fabric could produce irritation too.
The vet tech in me is going to reach for Udder Balm and see if that helps...I just can't sew with surgical gloves. You would have to wear them for such an extended period of time...
And eat lots of jello!
Pat
I like the rotation theory. May I quote you? As an authority of course.
I do plan to acquire these but it is not like they are going to be 'inconspicuous'...usually men do not notice things of a 'decorative' nature. But when one sits down to a bowl of soup and discovers having consumed it, the vision of a bear involved in downhill skiing at the bottom of the bowl...well, let's just say...I'll have some 'splain' to do.
Pat
I have been following this thread with interest. I have avoided mohair while learning the craft out of expense and because I have a tactile allergy to wool and assumed it would be rough to work with.
However after months of working with faux fur I experienced distinct drying of the skin on my fingers and cracking and brittleness of my nails...they fractured and started cracking and broke down to the point that it looked like I bit them...my nails seemed more effected then the skin...but I had never had this problem before.
I did wonder if it was associated with all the hand sewing...handling unwashed fabric...I wondered if there might be formalins in the backing of fabric that were causing the brittleness I was experiencing in my nails...after all it is the backing we work with most and that is where I am focusing my suspicions.
I have put away my sewing for the last six weeks to prepare for xmas and guests, taken pectin supplements and my hands and nails have returned to normal.
My plan is to investigate the formalin theory. I know that its use in setting dyes in fabrics is what gives me headaches from the fumes in fabric stores.
Maybe washing the fur in cold water and a cold air fluff dry will relieve our symptoms...some of the faux furs are ammenable to such treatment. I know I have fluffed some up in the dryer to good effect to remove creasing from storage.
What do you think?
Pat
