Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Me too! I spent months with a broken wrist that wouldnt heal!

I think hes very handsome!

thanks!

Beth i so LOVE your bears! You have such talent at making them look super cute, I'm rather envious!

Hi guys, been a while i know!
I hurt my wrist a while back and have not been able to crochet, awww...
Lol, this week i made a new bear, called him 'lavendar' because i couldnt think of anything better. Hes 2 3/4 inches standing, thread jointed, made from 3ply soft baby yarn. I also ordered a bunch of thread this week so hopefully when it gets here ill be able to make LOTS of tiny bears!

ok, posting pix on my phone isnt working... will have to jump on the laptop, pix incoming in 5 mins lol...

Hahaha! After i finish buying the supplies to make my own bears I wont have enough left over to buys a cup of coffee! Also, my daughter would steal him in a heartbeat, and shes very 'rough' on her teddies...

He is absolutly adorable!! If i could have him i would! 

So many adorable bears! Your bears are what inspired me to try them in the first place Berta. While im still learning, seeing all the unique ways you make them is such a boost for me to try new things and create my own style!

Love your work,
Crystal

OK, take two of the crochet bears. This time with smaller thread and smaller hook. I got some 2ply crochet cotton and a 1.5mm hook.

Hes about 2 2/8 inches sitting and only 3 2/8 inches standing. Unfortunatly my camera isnt very good and it likes to corrupt half the pix i take so I only have a few shots of him.

I was happier with the way this one turned out. Though my thread joining on the arms is a bit sad. Feet are MUCH better too ;)

On to the next one now i suppose!

Oh, I also crocheted him 'outside in', since ive been crocheting backwards my entire life!

Can I be the unconventional one and say when I need a specific size tool I send the kids out the back to find me a stick? I have a small stash of smooth sticks that i snap the ends off so they are jagged which grabs the stuffing. I usually use Gum tree twigs cos they have smooth bark which doesnt snag the stuffing. Chop sticks are good some times, or the wrong end of a crochet hook. A pen can be useful too. OK, so i just use what ever is closest that fits in the hole!

Wow, what a little cutie!

Oh and after searching high and low for prisma pens/pencils/markers or anything similar I gave up and used make up. Thankfully I have TONS of mske up in boxes ive never used... They will come in handy now!

Why thank you Berta. I have acctually spent the afternoon in the files of threadanimals and found some wonderful tips.

It seems I have always crocheted from the inside out... so i guess everything ive ever made was 'inside out'?? lol

Should I try going from the outside in? I think i might just to see how different it is. Ive just been on a hunt for supplies and found my craft shop has restocked their crochet thread and i was able to get some 'beary' colours... and i very small 1mm hook, which is too small for the thread i got but i got it anyway because there are smaller threads ;)

So with new hooks and smaller threads and some more practice expect a new bear coming soon!

Little Bear is all done and hes up in the showcase for anyone who wants to take a look... Im warning you though, hes not exactly pretty...

Hi guys,
Here he is, the lopsided, wobbly headed, oversized bear made with bamboo yarn and cotton yarn. He's about 4 inches standing and i hate his feet... tried a lot of new things with this bear and not happy with my first go at most of them... but I wont be giving up any time soon... he was too fun to make!

The eyes havent come in the mail yet so i chose to do a sleepy bear. Over all its cute, but hes no where near what id like him to be so i'll just make another one!

Please, tell me where and on what i can improve! Oh, and yes, im aware i actually put his head on UPSIDE DOWN! I cant believe i did that, but it was late and I was not paying attention...

Cheers
Crystal

Thanks Berta, Hopefully ill get Little Bear armed today and can take some preliminary pix before hes all decorated for everyone to pick apart!

Yes, the second one is what i have been doing. I always assumed that the one you say above was 'wrong' and didnt use it. lol! I can see in my head how that will make the stitch smaller and therefore the holes smaller!

I really cant wait to finishmy bear, though he is terrible looking I did hurt my self quit bad doing the gardens the other day in our beautiful Sydney weather. I have some issues with my hands (psoratic arthritis) and i have nerve damage in my sholder extending to my finger tips which causes my fingers to go numb but still burn and ache at the same time (odd combination hey). All the garden work has aggravated the nerves and its made it really difficult to crochet the tiny stitches as my hands keep going numb. I try to avoid hurting myself so that i can keep doing what i love, but the garden really needed doing hahahah! One day, when the kids are a bit older and more able to fend for themselves i'll have the operation on my sholder and fix the damage, but for now i have to put up with it as i cant afford to have only one arm for 6-8 weeks!

Wow, hes super cute! looks like hes going to tickle someone with his cheeky face!

Wow... I know nothing it seems... lol

thanks for the reply, i havent checked the other thread yet butill get to that in a minute!

The yahoo group im onto already, i went to check it out the other day but had to sign up and it was too much for one day so i gave up to come back another day, but i will get over there eventually.

The holes are mostly in the decrease sections of the head, which i try to hide, but just wondering if there is a better way to decrease that leaves smaller holes than sc two together?

I understand what you mean about a 'stable joint' for the head DD1 1/2 has already yanked the head off poor little bear... He will be a sad bear by the time im done with him.

Monica's site will be my next stop as i did no real needle sculpting in this bear, so my next one ill try that out on I have a few spare heads lying around that i can practice on first.

Thanks so much for all the info Berta, I really appreciate it all!

Crystal

Im assuming there arent any suppliers here so i will put in an order from debi and hope for the best... And wait patiently by the mailbox for the next 4 weeks ;)

So, i have another question!

I havent done much needle sculpting... Im assuming the practice is similar for fur bears and crochet bears? Id love some pointers on the how to's of this so i can get some practice in. Is there a tutorial or video anyone knows of that might help me get started. I just dont want to start off in my own way and find out later that there was a better way all along!

I know this post hasnt been visited in a while but i thought id share my way of designing patterns, as it seems rather different to everyone elses here!

Typically, i get pictures of the parts im looking for, even though i crochet, the theory works for sewn bears. If im looking for an arm ill look at as many pictures of arms as i can then get the picture in my head of the shape and legnth in relation to the rest of the picture in my head. Perhaps i have that talent for going from 2D to 3D and back again that others here have.

Once its pictured in my head with all the parts accounted for ill often sketch out the picture to scale. Then as you would when sewing bears i look at the shapes im trying to achieve and mentally measure (or count stitches in my case) the seperate parts. Darts for me are decreases and increases and different shapes require some thought since i like to work in single crochet as much as possible... I use a cheaper fiber to test out a new shape then just plow into making the parts. Most often they work how i pictured them, if they dont i bin it. I like to learn as i go and learn from my mistakes. If a critter doesnt look right when im finished it goes to the kids, if it comes out how my brain says it should it goes on the shelf.

So im a visual kinda person, and i tend to plow into the design... Then have to go back and count and measure the part once its made so that i can do it again for the other side I do make paper patterns for clothing i make though. And again, i use the same process of visualising the piece, shetching, then ill measure and sketch onto baking paper, which is see through and doesnt tear as easily The other option is to use cheap interfacing to make the pattern pieces, the bonus with that is that is tends to cling to the fabric rather than sliding all over the place like paper or plastic. As i make mini things most, i actually laminate the pieces of interfacing without the seam allowance added, then cut around them where the seam allowance goes, instant, long lasting pattern pieces! If i need to mark places under the laminated pieces i just use a craft knife and poke holes where the marks go then poke my pencil through...

So im an odd one, but more than once has a child stolen a paper piece while i wasnt looking and turned it to confetti... Or some one has thrown one in the bin thinking it was a crafting table off-cut!

Hi guys,
Im new here and new to little crochet TEDDY'S made from crocheting threads, not new to crocheting though. Ive mainly done small amigurumi and now that summer is approaching and my hands less painful ive discovered tiny little bears!

I do have a problem though! Ive noticed a few australians around here and wondered if they can help me. Im looking high and low for threads and other supplies but am coming up empty. I dont know where else to start looking off line! Even my online searches are all coming back to debi's site, which is a brilliant site btw, but im interested in finding a supplier here that i can go to to see the colours and yarns and other pretty little teddy bits. Does such a place exist?

Any help appreciated and thanks so much,
Crystal