Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

He is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!! So much character in his face. Attitude! Well done!!!

They are gorgeous!!!! Yes, this wonderful mohair makes the larger size bears so worthwhile!

ravelry.com is my favourite go-to site for knitting!

Thanks! It's not that I think there is a "right or wrong" way but I would want to know if something terrible is going to occur if I do it in this fashion. ;)

This is it EXACTLY!!!!! 

The more bears I craft the more I'm beginning to find my own technique and my own "way" into this wonderful craft!

Here's something I realized last night and I'm wondering if the more experienced bear artisans know of serious problems which could be encountered by this approach. 

I'm thinking of finishing the critters completely and then working on the face/eyes/nose/ears. I was trying to set eyes and ears and embroider noses when at the "just a head" stage....but was finding it really disconcerting and discouraging. Inevitably, once the head was fastened to the body I found myself still tweaking the face. So, last night I put the entire bear together and I just fell in love with his blankness and began working on his face and ears with a much more upbeat feeling.

Is this a "legitimate" approach to bear-making?  Or am I going to find myself with a worktable filled with faceless mohair creatures????

I'm in, Becky!

As I'm new to bears - I am going to challenge myself to create my own pattern! I'm getting a "feel" for what I like - the size I enjoy crafting, the look/shape of the head, the look of the face, the length of the limbs....and the materials chosen!

Okay....so you are working going in the LEFT direction. When you "start at A" do you mean that you push the needle through towards you, from behind, and then go down at B then push through and towards again coming up at C????

Both sound strong and fun, Becky!

I don't think I'm ready in my....uh, two bear experience to take on a real-world inspiration but I would certainly cheer on those who want to rise to that challenge.

Colors being Cranked Up sounds like a fantastically reachable challenge to me!

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your work is AMAZING!!!!! She is beyond wonderful - wowowowowowow!!!!!

The two-toned face is wonderfully done! He's adorable!

I'm in~!

Thanks! Up forward or up backward?

*squeeee* Oh how adorable is he?!?!? Fantastic!

Thank you Sue Ann~! And thanks again for sharing this pattern.

This head is stuffed so hard....that I split a seam. I really thought that would help round it out, but it didn't. My muzzle is still thinner and more pointy. But yep, I'm going to keep working on bears! I think this will be the last Goldie I make, though...because of that head.

THANK YOU!

It would be fantastic to see - pictorially - some of these differences in such a similar design with just small tweaking of the pattern pieces.

Thanks Becky~! 

I'm surprised that you're seeing this as similar - but you are SO right that different mohair affects a different look. And I've only got photos, not the actual bears, but some of them seem so much more rounded to me. I'm going to keep hammering away at my design, and working up other head patterns - see if I can find that particular look I'm really drawn to! I know I've also got to experiment with ear sizes and eye sizes and muzzle shaving! *overwhelmed* It's pricey and time-consuming to gather all the materials needed!!! 

I will take a look at the other thread!

I haven't found that section of the site yet, Sue Ann - I will take a look! Thank you!

I have no plans to sell any bears - my goal is to keep my hands busy and maybe make some really nice gifts. My concern/question here is really about this strict adherence to the "idea" of originality. Yes, I'm focussed mainly on the vintage, traditional looking bears and I have not found any difference of note in any of the patterns I've got for that style. And again, these are patterns which all claim copyright to originality. I do agree that tweaks are made and at that point, imo, the results seem to be completely dependent upon the materials chosen and the skill of the bear artist not the originality of a pattern piece.

I have ordered from intercal (LOVE!!) and am nearly finished with my first mohair bear!!!    I do like the "Goldie" pattern but am seeing that the gusset is not working for me in regards to the overall shape of the muzzle and the top of the head. I keep staring at pictures of other Goldies and I'm really perplexed as to why I'm getting such a long snout and a strangely shaped square head. Any thoughts? Are folks sewing the nose to neck piece all the way up to the top? If so, then how is the nose tip of the gusset inserted? That's all I can think that I might be doing differently. I have already begun working on a head of my own designing to try to get a more rounded shape with a shorter muzzle....I'm getting ready to work it up in felt first.

Now that I've become completely "hooked" with this AMAZING handicraft - I, too, have been scratching my head over the pattern/originality/copyright issues. I've bought several patterns, several kits and downloaded several patterns - so that's more than a decent handful and yep, they are all pretty much interchangeable. I certainly understand the desire to protect originality (I need to do this in my field, too, so I'm not ignorant of that.) but there comes a point wherein there is just a limited way to craft a bear/bunny/cat/etc., leaving originality to the actual interpretation of the pattern pieces. Material and skill become the place wherein the artist best expresses her/himself in this craft.

I guess at the end of the day it's a bit frustrating and somewhat insulting to feel that one is playing some sort of moral dodge-ball with patterns and the end product.

Perhaps there are some wholly "original" patterns out there that I just haven't found yet? But right now I'm not seeing anything "original" in over ten patterns I have here yet they are all copyrighted and boldly stated that creations from such are not to be sold. *ponders*

Wonderful!!! What a fantastic face - I like the needle-felted nose! 

So so classic!!! And distinguished is the perfect word!!! Fantabulous job, B!

Where do you get the growlers?

Reset the ears, removed some arm stuffing and used buttons as faux joints.

Got my intercal order today - now to try "Goldie" in mohair!

She is WONDERFUL!!!! The eyebrows are perfect!

Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I've been working away at "polishing" these smaller details and have grown happier with him overall. I think using the wool really helped me see the bear in its    nude     form and that's been really helpful!

That site is difficult for me to navigate - I'll take a closer look at the class you've suggested!

Aw, thank you. I'm still working on getting them "just right". My "Goldie" measures just about 14" tall.