Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Timmy has rotated arms.  I didn't know that anyone beside me did it that way.   

Dear Judi, I am very, very sorry!  I have always been very attached to my kitties and know how heartbreaking it is to lose a dear pet. 

I was about ten when one day my beloved Martha never came home.  I think a wild animal attacked her because we found a little bit of her skin and fur near our house.  I missed her terribly! 
Shortly after I lost her we brought home a litter of four orphaned kittens, about six weeks old.  Having them to care for was very comforting!  We kept two of them, Sugar (my kittie) and Biz (Mom's kittie); and gave the other two to friends.  If you are able to, I think getting a new kitten would be wonderful for your kids.  Sugar did not replace Martha, but did help me get through a very hard time.

Cute bears Terrie!  I really love Wiley - such a cheerful looking little thing!

I dipped one of my projects into hot (I can't remember if it was boiling; I think maybe it was) water hoping to tighten it up.  It was pretty tightly felted to start with, and the water didn't seem to change the shape at all.  If I had waited for it to dry I am sure it would have been fine; but, impatient as I am, I continued to needle the wet wool.  It was a disaster!  The wet fibers were much softer than they had been when they were dry and I destroyed the shape. 

Anyway the moral of my little story is after you wet your wool don't try to needle it again until it is completely dry.

Jane, I can't believe I totaly missed this thread until now!  If I am invited to the Valentine's party I think I will bring MacGyver!

What a great discussion!  I am very impressed with you ladies who can just sketch out a pattern, gussets and all!  My designing involves a lot of trial and error.

When I have a new idea, I draw out my pieces on card stock, cut out, and sew it up using an old sheet.  Then when I have all the parts stuffed and pinned together I can easily see what needs to be adjusted.  I just keep tweeking, and making new pattern pieces, then making new old-sheet body parts, and throwing away the old ones, until I get it just right.

Spot is adorable!  I love the photo where he is looking up at the camera.  What a cute little face!   

I have started felting two different cats but still haven't finished either of them.  You have inspired me, Ann; I am going to go work on one of them right now.

Here is my first non-fur bear.  I just cut the patches out of the same denim and glued them on with fabric glue.

Wonderful bears!  I especially like the ones with the muzzle a different color from the rest of the face.  Sue Ann, your brown and white bear on the very bottom of the post really speaks to me!  You ladies have given me lots of ideas, now I just need to get my scraps out.

Sue Ann, I love your "laugh" bear!  What a great face, and great toes!

I have not been buying mohair for very long, so I really don't know enough yet to have a favorite company.

I do love several of the Helmbold and Norton mohairs that I have gotten from Intercal.   I love Intercal's selection of small pieces.   For a very reasonable price I can get a piece that I can make one or two smallish bears out of and see if I like it before ordering a larger cut.  Also, all the pictures really do help; to be able to see what you are buying.

I find Edinburg's online catalog very confusing, compared to Intercal's which is a joy to use.   The few pieces of Shulte mohair I have bought have been at a show where I could see and feel the mohair before buying.  I must say that for unique specialty mohair I have never seen anthing like Shulte's.  One of my favorites that I have ever used was Shulte, about 2" pile, pink, curly, string mohair.   I only bought enough for one bear, and now I want more of it, and have not been able to find it on Edinburgs website.

I am totally with daphne on matted mohair.  I never brush it out!  The ultra sparse matted qualities are just so cool and unique looking, I wouldn't want to change it.

I do it pretty much like you do, Kim.  I use bonded nylon thread, which seems to be very strong but I have broken it a couple times. 

I made a bear out of denim once and I was very unhappy with my closings.  My stitches showed quite badly on that material, and they don't on mohair.

I so sorry about your Gracie.   :hug:  What a precious dog she is in the picture!

Hey Kim,
Give it a go!  I am entering two entries in the Golden Teddies this year.  I have only been making bears for about two years.  I know there is a huge number of great bears entered in the competitions, and I may not have a chance at a nomination.  But why not give it a try!

I've never made a bird, but I really want to sometime.  I can't wait to see your dove!

Wow!  He is very cool and unique.  What did you make his hat out of?

Good for you Marie!
Josie has a precious, sweet expression;  She is really darling!  But your lovely avatar bear, "Rose Marie," is still my very favorite!

How firmly/ with what material do you stuff the muzzle before doing the needle sculpture?  I usually stuff my muzzles as firmly as I can with excelsior, but I want to try doing a sculpted mouth.   Should I leave it a little softer?

Thanks for all the congrats! You all are wonderfully supportive!

The bear show/ signing event was wonderful!  I am trying to post a picture of me with my bears; I hope it works! 

It was at the "Rocking Horse Gallery."  There were nine artists besides me (the only newbie): Sharon Anderson, Martha Burch, Dorothea Butts, Brian Hughes, Marcy McPike, Diana Lee Palomba, Wendy Robinson, Candi Taylor and Beverly White. They were all great fun to talk with and very gracious, freely sharing tips and ideas with me and each other.  Not to mention wonderful artists;  what a treat to see all of their incredible teddy bears!  I left encouraged and inspired.  The owner of the gallery is a very kind lady  and I feel very blessed and privileged to have been given this opportunity. 

I sold one bear.  The collector who bought her asked me to sign the paw, which I did.

Thanks all.  I am very excited about the event!

You have given me some good things to think about.  I always thought that everyone signed their bears.  Maybe I will just leave it up to the individual person whether they would like the bear signed or the hangtag.

I have been invited to be part of a Teddy Bear signing event at a bear shop.  It will be my first time at something like that.

Up to this point I have always used a permanent marker to sign my logo on one of the paws of my bears.  Now I am thinking that I would like to sign my name and possibly number each bear consecutively.

What kind of pen do you all use?  And what do you write? 
Also, some of my bears don't have an area on the paw where they can be signed.  Can I sew a bit of fabric over the paw and sign that?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!