Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

You've kept your Ted, Boomy in very Excellent condition, Thea!

Can you tell me what your wreath is made out of? It looks very interesting... Thx

We forgot to use ours;   they're still sitting on the sideboard. This has been known to happen before...
They do get used on the 4th of July then.
Not the most appropriate holiday in the eyes of the Brits perhaps, but it's the next holiday when we're all together!

In creating a new Bookmark I must've touched something I shouldn't've (and never have in a dozen years before this) and now cannot figure out how to un-do what I did!

I no longer have a little window in the top of the browser screen showing the url of the websites I'm on.
It disappeared and none of the items in the fly-outs under File/Edit/View/History/Bookmarks/Window/or even Help give me a clue on how to restore it.

Help, please?
Pix are good!

TIA...

UH-OH. Any residue left from the adhesive backing on that canNOT be good!!
And trying to remove it with anything will only make the leather worse... (who would've placed duct tape on the inside of a mink coat??)
Duct tape sticks like the devil for about seventeen days and then dries up and falls off, leaving its sticky stuff - stuck in place and the tape on the floor.

Randy, youre truly a Renaissance Man - a lot of knowledge about just about everything!! I have yet to see you stumped by any subject. (please head on over to my latest Mac/tech question to see if you have an answer there too!)

Everyone has very valid nuggets of belief and truth here in their statements.
Thankfully, we're all on the side of Lyn, Sue and The BEARS!!!
So - - watching or not, their lives will go on.
I wish for them all an uneventful winter season!

I'm also torn both ways and feeling rather powerless....a very uncomfortable position.
Thx for weighing in and validating my feelings; I was feeling rather out-on-a-limb here....and decided to take the plunge and make them known.

I'm in total agreement w/you here.. I guess that's what I was trying to say, around the lump in my throat!

I missed the fact that Lily isn't expecting; when and how was that determined? Can you tell that I haven't been following their stories???

I did note that there's a DenCam in with - 'Honey & Lucky' (to be activated soon) so I guess that means Ted's on his own this winter... Honey has finally decided to be sociable after all????? LLLLL

I'm really of mixed emotions. Wishing to give them their space, and privacy...
Have we learned all we can about black bears?
When is enough - too much?
Just how angry were some of those northern hunters that the bears were receiving all of that attention, that some have been deciding to purposefully seek out the featured bears and eliminate them?
Though uncollared, Hope wasn't the first - and probably isn't the last...

The camera has been installed as of the weekend for Lily and Faith in a 7' deep rock den. I did lose a lot of 'heart' and enthusiasm in September and haven't gained it back yet; I stopped reading the Daily Updates after Hope's death (murder.)

I was one of the daily voters for their Park system in MN too, in the Reader's Digest contest this past year.
If Lily gives birth again in January I may decide to watch - but for now---- I don't know.

http://www.bear.org/livecams/lily-faith-cam.php
Click the yellow arrow, watch the advert.
They're usually most active around noon-ish Midwest time.

There is a book in our library system (also found it at Barnes & Noble a dozen years ago when there was a branch open nearby) which has patterns inside for soft-sculptured Steiff® dolls; from that can be seen some of the Steiff® philosophy on flat-pattern-drafting.
The templates for some of the more unusual felt-faced dolls were quite unusual and a real eye-opener.... I especially remember the center-seam 'Gendarme' costumed fellow. All of the concave and convex curves of his nose, mouth, cheeks etc.. of the central part of his small face had to be accommodated in that one seamline.

From there could be juxtaposed the patterns for bears and their design principles. As Steilff® is considered the first designer of artist bears, which went on to become a company of manufactured bears, we look to them to set certain standards. Studying their images, as Brenda suggests, is one of the best methods to see these originals and then compare everyone else's to them to see how the individual's variables have been incorporated to make each artist's work express their own style.

This is an interesting thread—as I received a question just today about one of my best-selling patterns - and I stopped selling both fabric bears and this kit line over 15 years ago. It never occurred to me to charge more than the original price of $12 (as a reprint from my original master pattern, as a one-off, personal copy) because no one will be likely to reproduce a copy of the bear like I was able to design it.
I will print it out only as a personal copy, not to be reproduced.
It could have stayed a lucrative income-producer to me over the years as newcomers appear on the scene, but I too think it's unconscionable to run the price up so high—for whatever reason.
We are all brilliant designers in our own right....but owning and sewing to anyone's design specifications doesn't guarantee having any bear end up looking anything like the original design!

Very clever way to needle & detail scales - I like it!
Definitely a Baby-look ~~~

Yes, I thought that "sapphire' (?) in the winding stem was a nice touch!!
Diamond - good idea....
Perhaps the expression is supposed to be like that - after all, grizzlies are a rather more aggressive species than black bears!

Well, you HAVE been missed - too many of our old friends are not posting... but 2012 is right around the corner and my wish for you is for more peaceful times for you & your brother!
Healing thoughts sent your way!
Bobbie

Sadly, I'm afraid that this will fall in the category of If-you-have-to-ask-you-cannot-afford-it, but I would LV to flash this on my wrist!!!

http://inlay-arts.com/2011/11/cartier-a … -bear.html

His artistry is supreme! The selection of wood grain. The shadings! (though I wish the eyes weren't quite so fierce-looking....)

My woodworking DH sent me the link; some of the 'puzzle' pieces are about a whisker's size and I think I'd lose them in one good sneeze.

But I thought you'd all enjoy seeing/reading about his approach to his work and his techniques.

Enjoy! (and I'll send my Chimney address, in case anyone's feeling especially flush [bounteous - for our non-Yank friends] this Christmas Eve!! LOL)

I LV your porcelain-faced dolls/Christmas characters! I'm sorry that some of them broke, but you should know how HARD that is to do!!
4 years ago I began to use some of my collection of miniature porcelain dolls on a new line of designs and I wanted to saw off their bodies, to use only the heads.
I tried everything to separate them and finally used the electric tile cutter which cuts tiles while pouring water over them and the saw blade to keep both of them cooled down. Otherwise the porcelain heats up to a fiery orange color and is too hot to hold on to! It also leaves burn marks along the neck and that's not attractive...  so I KNOW how hard it is to actually break these!!

Yours are very pretty with their bits of lace and other trims; my second line will be needle felted, so - a little different!

Well, you've found what works for you by process of elimination: the needles must be Triangles, then, which have slightly larger notches (carrying places) within the barbs than Stars do.
Stay with what works, though I'd be slightly more comfortable with knowing exactly what size and style needle you have!!

Shelli, you don't LOOK a day over 30 - Honest!
How do you do it...? certainly not by eating pies like this! - Oh, right... Evil Plan #1, Serving it to all of your friends instead!!!

Jane, did you all walk around inside the Cathedral while you were there? I am a 'War Baby' (1942) and the 40s are my favorite era. Nothing brought this time period home to me like my first exposure to the real war (we've since been in Dresden and other European cities that are still right out of WW2).
It's breath-taking to a Yank who does not have sights like this in our country....

This is one of the huge slate tiles over the doors inside the bombed-out portions of the old building, the second Cathedral on this site. I was fascinated with them all but especially this one; I used it as a dedication in two other books and it will be in the next book on needle felting.

Generally, Joanne, the barbs of the Star needles in the same size as the Tri needles are smaller in the 'cut-out' portion or below the 'kick-out', as some manufacturers call the vacancy in area below barb, so they accomodate less fibers as they push through the mass that you're thrusting through.

When you say that you use a 'fine' needle, I'm not sure what size that is... and is it a Triangle then?

Yes, coarser fiber will matt together faster than finer fiber due to the shape and size of the scales on the outer, cuticle layer of the fibers. But it's more difficult to 'capture' in the smaller barbs of fine star needle.

There is no hard & fast rule about when a Tri or a Star needle will work at any particular stage; it's all by feel and experience. It's a combination of the stage of needling you're at plus the fiber breed you're using and the size of the needle (36, 38, 40 & 42.) Star needles are available in all of these sizes, just as tri-s are.

It's also important to choose needles with the barbs located in the 'zones' for the type of work that you're doing.
In the beginning, I use needles with the barbs spread out across the whole working shaft. I also like the first barb to be located at 3.2 mm from the tip (the other choice is 6.4 mm) so the action begins as soon as possible. But in the finer needles, I'm only working the surface areas because I've already made the core and subsequent layers solid as I applied them, so I choose a needle with all of the barbs located near the tip so that all of them are in work without needing to plunge in very far to tighten the surface and bond/smooth the final layers.

Here is a cross-cut section of a star and a tri in the same size, it is the same for all sizes: you can see that the outside dimensions reach the same WIDTH but there are 3 edges on a Tri and 4 to the Star. And that the inner, working shaft is the same size diameter for both (this is a quick hand-drawing so you'll excuse the crude sketch!) but the accuracy should not be reflected by my drawings.

You'll also see here how the brand I use (Foster) creates their barbs with all beveled edges and some other brands cut their barbs into the edges, leaving sharp edges which cut through the stretched fibers while needling them. These edges will wear down over time with use and no be as effective. Only examination under a magnifying glass will identify which type of barb is on which brand: there are less than half a dozen major manufacturers in the world.

1 - the Star slips into the firmer needled fiber, even though it's the same Number, because of the convex shape to the sides of the shaft between the barbs, giving a leaner, slimmer, less blunt profile meeting the wall of fibers. Hold a coin (like a dime) over the centers of the two drawings of the needles and you'll see that the needle shafts are the same inner width, while the outer 'wings' flare out as straight sides on the Tri and curved/convex sized on the Star.

2 - the Barbs are proportionately smaller on the same sized needles of a Star (with its thinner winged edges) than on the thicker, straight-sided Triangle needle.

And Yes, definitely, the breed makes a difference. While I do have Navajo/Churro samples here for the manuscript I'm working on, I've never personally used it in my needling, as it takes too long to get it 'working' (bringing the fibers together and getting them to matt together.) It's like Merino in that respect but that's at the opposite end of the spectrum, Merino being so fine in texture.

I've always been amazed that you get N/C to work for you Joanne. It's too coarse for me, even in the final stages and even the undercoat. But it's also the proportion of the size of our work that comes into play. You work with full sized teddies while I'm a miniaturist and I've always said that the Project comes first, then the fiber/breed of sheep/animal fiber is chosen that best matches your project - for its inherent qualities - and finally the needles are chosen that best work that fiber.
My pieces are usually around 4 inches tall/long at the most. It would be silly for me to attempt to work in fibers that were much longer than 4 - 5" long.
A 3 - 4" long fiber is ideal for a 4" tall/long project and the N/C fibers are longer than that. If I were to be needling a 12" tall project, I'd also avoid breed fibers that are only 3 - 4" long when I was working on a 12" tall project. Am I explaining this principle well enough?
A short fiber, once it's been further shortened by needling it into its neighbors just isn't long enough to cover the areas stretching over a 12" tall project. The shorter fibers tend to be softer fibers as well and aren't as self-supporting, so this would be the place for a longer, stronger fiber like N/C, Lincoln, Columbia, etc.

Well, you asked about needles and I hope I answered something them...
One thing that has always been my personal pet peeve has been retailers who sell needles by "Coarse/Medium/Fine" or by colors, which they've created by dipping the crook end into paint or lacquer. (This also wears off as the needles arrive coated in machine oil to protect against rusting so the 'paint' hasn't made a good bond with the metal.)

Many individual purchasers I've written to have also agreed that the company who sells by color family seems to have redundant descriptions and it's more of a marketing ploy to sell more needles, because the sizes/styles seem to be the same for many of the sizes and styles and that 16 - 18 different needles aren't needed or all that different from each other.
But - all needles ARE identified by size and style (and barb placements) on the boxes which the wholesalers receive from the manufacturers and they can ID the needles with this info at the time of the sale.

I would recommend that everyone ask, no - demand this info from their suppliers at the time of your purchase because you'll all find needles which work best for you with the fibers you like to work with: a Medium from one supplier might be a #38 and from another company it's a #36 and another it's a #40.
You see the confusion?
The only way to get what you wish every time - and avoid the styles you don't like! - is to purchase needles by the Number Size and Style, which also means barb placement, reflected in the lettering, also available on the box (RB, RBA, CB, CBA, HDBA...) I could go on.. but this hasn't been very organized in layout and I'd be writing my book!

Fabulous.. Congrats Mom - how much longer to the wedding? Spring is it?

Hi Frances,
I marked this thread on the 13th to reply to but I'm sure that everyone else was also busy getting ready for the holiday; I'm glad that others have also jumped in now.

As I look at your sweet teddy's face (was this a Barbara Allen book instruction?), I can see areas especially across its forehead (you did ask for us to express what we'd do in your circumstance!) that don't look needled enough yet. Those are the ones that I'd first go after.
Every single bit of surface must be needled evenly across the entire 'skin' surface from your very beginning core layers or you won't be building a very sound foundation for the rest of your structure.

Perhaps I should back up and ask this first: has this bear been formed by rolling lengths of fiber (log-style) into the different body parts? This helps me in understanding how you'll be able to add more fiber to say - the wrists, as was suggested previously.
Whether you form your individual parts that way, or through the method of building the parts from a fluffy mass of needled-down, carded fiber and adding more bits to build up the design in selected areas, you still need to needle the inside core/base firmly first.

I've found that many of the students I've taught have gotten to certain stages of their needling and discovered that (I'll use the forehead as a example here, if I may!) that the profile line is exactly what they were hoping to achieve and don't want to thrust the needle in one more time!
But they didn't understand that the fibers inside the forehead weren't yet bound together (with each other) and are likely to shift over time with handling.

It's only through thorough needling the fibers to bond with each other, and adding more fiber on top, until they've built that area back up to that 'perfect profile' outline again that one will achieve mastery over the fiber and design work.
If one is afraid to change something then you'll never be able to achieve any look on purpose but only by accident - a very chancy thing! So needling with the largest diameter needles very thoroughly first is most important, through the fiber mass, enough so that the needle goes past the center and through the other side, to be positive that the fibers from both sides (front and back) are being mixed together and bonded.
When the needle begins to meet with too much resistance as it's thrust in (not sliding in as easily) it's time to move down one size, or change from the Tri to a Star in the same size if that's all you have.

Work your way down through the needle sizes this way (most ppl start with 36 depending on the fiber breed they are working with) ending with the smallest—40 or 42—because the narrowness of the needle shaft in those working ends leave almost no discernible hole in most breeds of fiber.

I always recommend choosing your project first, then choose a fiber breed that will best match the project for its inherent qualities, i.e., strength, length, crimp or curl, sheen, possibly natural color...and the last step is choosing the needles that best needle that fiber and at different stages according to the 'feel' of it as you work.

When you describe your bear as

I've always gone by this proportion: use a large rounded area like the tummy or head to test for Firmness.
Squeeze it VERY firmly between your thumb and fingers:
If it squeezes in and loses more than 40 -50% of its volume/thickness, it's very softly needled.
If it squeezes in and loses about 25 -30% of its volume/thickness, it's on the verge of becoming firm.
If it squeezes in and loses less than 5 - 10% of its volume/thickness, it's almost Firmly Needed.

The breed of sheep will sometimes make some creations appear to feel firm while inside they really aren't bonded to each other yet. Squeezing and bending the pieces is the only way to tell.
Another test is to touch the tip of your thumb to each finger tip (like the butcher who gives directions for Rare, Med Rare, etc to Well Done cooked meats) - and lightly press on the fleshy triangle part where thumb and hand meet. (There are the Downs breeds - dual-purpose breeds - which will never become firm/rock solid so I'm not including them here.. a whole different type & set of rules apply!)
Thumb to forefinger is very softly needled, thumb to middle finger - on the way to firm but still rather soft, thumb to pinkie finger, rather firm but still could use a bit more needling to become perfectly firm, again - depending on your breed of sheep fiber.

Using a medium grade of fiber, like Romney/Rambouillet/Perendale/Corriedale or that type of fiber I'd say to start with a #36 Triangle RBA needle (the A in any needle description means that the first barb is placed almost at the tip—3.2 MM instead on the normal 6.4 MM of the standard needle barbs) so you don't need to penetrate very deeply for the bonding action to begin. Anything larger, like the #32 needles, might tear the cotton backing...especially in the beginning when one isn't as cautious about re-needling in the same place too often, where it might break the fibers.

The needles aren't as fragile as they look as long as you keep in mind something you've probably already heard: Rule #1! - Always pull the needle back out in the same direction that you thrust it in!
If you pull it out at even a slightly different angle than it went in, it will likely snap at the reduction point where the needle tapers in for the barb placements near the bottom third of each needle.

If you find it difficult to bond the sheep's fiber to the muzzle I would recommend 2 things to try:
- pluck or shave the nap off the muzzle in the area that you will be needle felting over. The mohair fiber here creates a natural lofty space which holds the needling fiber away from the surface of the mohair (cotton) backing and it'll be a little more difficult to get those fibers to bond into the inner fibers, through the muzzle backing, unless they're in full contact. Until you gain more experience, it might be better to remove them completely.

- stuff the inside of the muzzle very very firmly with the same fiber you'll be needling onto the outside of the muzzle. This will give the fibers you're driving in with the needle barbs, places to instantly grab onto and bond permanently onto: like-fiber-to-like-fiber, and real wool as opposed to polyester has a natural structure which lends itself to locking into each other when rubbed together in the action of needling.

In traditional Wet Felting, Felt is formed through the mechanical action of friction/pressure, moisture & alternating heat/cold.
Dry or Needle Felting has only friction - the action of the needle barbs pushing the fibers past each other. We have to give it as ultimate conditions as we can to speed up our hours of labor!

VERY well said Deb, from the other side of this equation.
Thx for your input!
We really are spitting-in-the-wind, for all it will get operations like this shut down, but as fair-minded ppl like we all expect others to be as well, we also cannot just sit by and let any injustice go unchallenged.
hggzz
Bobbie

Here's my favorite Steampunk designer - Dawn Schiller-
She teaches online classes, too.
http://oddfae.com/
I have several of her Hermits and a Siedh.
And see that wonderful fellow in the watchcase, quizzically peering out?!!
I've got him in a slightly larger, coin silver watch case I sent her to be filled after I saw this one on eBay!!!

I think it got you into it for a start and you're finding your own feet, which is always a better way!

Just follow what your head & heart & fingers guide you to, the best part about needling is that it's completely changeable (and FIX-able). Now that bothers some folks as they need the directions to tell them exactly where to cut and what to sew together.
But if you're at all willing to be a bit free-spirited and just continue to needle, Needle Felting can be much more rewarding.
You can't lose either way because you can keep on adding more bits until you get the shape you wanted - - or (pull) slice off the spots that have too much fiber and begin again.
This is the PERFECT sculpting medium!
(and you're to be congratulated on taking on so many aspects at once!!)

Yep, you've got the knack! Fun, isn't it??!! Great work - how long have you been needling and how long did his face take you?
'She' looks entirely different once she's dressed...the face is much sweeter and has much more definition against the dress than against the body fabric.

No one can 'copyright' an idea. It must be put into a tangible format or expression, whether it is a dance danced, or music played or a drawing drawn.
You can however own a © /Copyright to the original drawing of your rendition of your pattern, which means that no one else could take the pattern/line drawing of yours, once it's been put into this tangible format,  and use it as a pattern template and reproduce bears or other sewn items from it, in any size or other mediums, for any purpose, w/o your permission or licensing.

That's the short explanation of Copyrights. Here're a few other explanations:

and in layman's terms I've always liked these sites -
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copyright.html
http://www.craftdesigns4you.com/copyrights.htm
http://ipwatchdog.com/2011/09/03/intern … /id=18966/