Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thank You, Becky and Sue Ann!

I'm working on "The Bear" for my mum. I'll emboider his/her (not sure which gender the teddy is going to turn into) belly after sewing and stuffing, I'll share my experience when I'm done.

Zsuzsi

Well, he is not a bear, yet he's embroidered.
I wanted to try my embroidering skills on a teddy before I create the "one" for my mum. So here he is: a hare, embroidered before sewing the belly parts together. He's cca. 16" tall. There was no damage to the satin ribbons on turning him inside-out.

Zsuzsi

I don't think that aluminum would melt in the oven when you bake the clay. (It's melting point must be a lot higher than 266 'F. That's the approx. baking heat for oven bake clays, if I remember correctly.)
Pay attention that you incorporate some part of the aluminum backing into the "body" of the clay part, as should it be put under strain it could pop off from the aluminum part. (I talk from experience. :-) )

Zsuzsi

I've used copper wire(for jewelry) and aluminum wire(from the harware store) with oven bake clay before. I made a loop and sunked it into the clay to hang up the doll I created, after baking none of them turned brittle. You could make a loop with it just like the ones on the glass eyes.
Hope this helps.
Zsuzsi

I was wondering if You could help me with this question:
I have some medium quality faux fur that I saved for teddy making, but I find if I want to delve into the world of bear making for adults/ collectors other materials (mohair, high quality faux fur, viscose, vintage furs, etc.…) are more sought.
But I still think that if I wanted to create a new design, and I was unsure of my pattern, I could still test my pattern with this fur- saving me from worries and headache. If this bear would turn out to be a well-crafted, huggable bear that is worth some money, do you think it would sell? Or where should I try to list it (Etsy maybe?)?
I’ve read in an earlier discussion that some of you have found that the fur of which the bear is crafted determines if the bear sells or not and it plays a heavy role when it comes to pricing your bear. Is that so? Do collectors avoid buying medium quality faux fur creations (reasonably priced of course)?
Of course if I wanted to pay a bigger price for a bear I would want it ensured that for my money I get something that will last . Thats perfectl understandable.
I’m curious what your experience is, and what collectors think about this topic?

Zsuzsi

Though I'm not a collector(yet), I'd definitely say that they avre loveable ad sellable. No.1+ 3 won my heart! Congrats on Your great work!
Zsuzsi

Thanks, Becky, for your advice.
I contacted an artist, as You suggested, and whom I really admire, and She told me, she had done it both ways.
So I think I'll figure it out for myself, and see how it goes.
Once I'm finished I'll share both my experience and some pics as well. But first I'll have to take a quick course in object photo shooting, as taking decent pictures is always a challenge for me!

Joanne, I'd like to join in: If You decided to record Your presentation and share, I'd be happy to attend.

"When i'm talking to an artist about their bears and their eyes light up with passion and joy for their trade as they tell me their story, it does influence me on whether to purchase their bear. " -by EJ

EJ, this is completely off topic, but that is the kind of joy I sought in the faces of children and adults when I presented my craft to them, It's the most rewarding and precious part. I've never thought, that could work in the other way as well! :-)

Joanne, as a novice  I'd be mostly interested in pattern design with realistic proportions, limbs-, ear- and eye placement. Of course, I'd be interrested in every other detail of your knowledge, that You decide to share.
I've read the blog posts You've shared on Your site concerning Your technique, and I'm really thankful for Your attitude towards teaching!!! Sooo much to learn! Thank You!
:-)

Zsuzsi

I’m planning to design and craft an embroidered a bear for my mum. I’m planning to embroider his belly. What do You recommend? Should I embroider the fur prior sewing the parts together, or after I turned and stuffed him? Both ways are sensible to me, as I might damage the embrioidery on turning him, and It would be a lot harder to embroider after stuffing the bear. Or maybe half stuff him and then embroider?
Does anybody have experience with embroidering bears?

Thanks for Your help!

Zsuzsi

I went crazy in the ECO friendly world, so I wanted to add a further ECO friendly solution.
Please let me know what you think!

When I sew my first jointed teddy bear 2 years ago I didn't wanted to invest mutch at first, so I used for jointing whatever I had at home in my stash: buttons-I broke out the middle of some four-hole buttons, locknuts, bolts etc, and leftover from a purple wool coat as fabric. The project turned into a recognizeable bear, so I carried on, but I almost lost an eye, when I broke out the middle of a button, as the broken pieces were flying like projectiles everywhere...
Than I moved PP flasks (laundry detergents are sold in these flasks in my country, but I think in US milk jugs are similar), of which I cut out circles, and bored a hole in the middle They worked fine for smaller bears, which needed 1-2cm discs in diameter. So I happened to have a bigger stash of these discs, and I didn't use them as I thought they are not suitable for bigger bears, as with 3-4cm diameter they bend.
Last week I returned to a bear where I experimented with safety discs, so I could offer jointed teddy bears for children above three (I mean presents for children of friends and family).  I found that the joints turned floppy after a while, so the bear stayed with me. Last week I took pity on him and he got disassembled, fortunately the fabric wasn't broken, so I rejointed him with cotter pin joints.
BUT I ran out of proper discs, thus experimenting began anew: I took 4 of those PP disks per joint(2 on each side) I made 2 years ago in 3 and 3,5 cm diameter, and I found, that this way they hold their shape against the tension of the fabric, and the bear didn't turn out floppy at all.
So I think this could also be an ECO friendly alternative in need...(As they take a lot of time to make...:-))

Zsuzsi

I forgot to post this:
Becky, it is a wonderful idea to add some of the original fabric of the bear in the belly. I'm always concerned if my creation will survive even me or not (drastic idea, but really what is the point of creating anything), thus enabling the caring future owner to have it repaired properly!
Thanks for the tip.

Joanne, I haven't tried to stuff my bears soft yet, but in the future I'll definitely will and I will use Your tip! Thanks for sharing.

Thank You for sharing your views! I'm definitely encouraged to go along this line, and saving scaps for filling.
I also would like to share a tip, wich might be helpful for some beginners like me: Earlier when I created a bear with dark fur, the white filling I used pulled through the fabric when stiching the nose (driving me crazy...). So I ended up using the same coloured fur scarps stuffing the nose, and even if a few strands get pulled through, their color is identical to the colour of the bear. (I'm pretty pretty sure this would hardly work with sturdy, woven backed mohair fur, as it would be very bulky, but soft and fluffy fur is fine to be used this way. )

Natalie, You have a wonderful site, and those bears are fabulous! Good luck, starting Your business!

Zsuzsi

I'd like to ask your opinion about this.
I'm a big fan of recycling and repurposing, and I always felt so bad throwing out those fabulous fur scraps, odds and ends, so I ended up saving them up, with leftover wadding, polar fleece, Minky fabric and such, They are brand new fabric pieces, and are also soft and can be squashed to stuff a bear sturdy and hard, and the bear doesn't appear bulky or misshapen at all. The bear is a bit heavy, I should think, but then again in Hungary it is really hard to come by artist bears to check how others do it and how heavy others bears are. Anyway I like them heavy and sturdy...
So there is less need to use and buy stuffing thus sparing our Earth...

Does anybody use leftover fabric scraps? Do collectors care about what the bear is stuffed with?
If I sold these bears I could still list them as being stuffed with all new poliester or cotton-polyester filling (sometimes I use cotton wadding).
Thanks, if You share your opinion with me.

Zsuzsi

I'll do that! Thanks!

Thanks Jenny!

Your answer lead me to some other questions:

I've found a hungarian woodwool suplier, but I understand that they sell woodwool for eco friendly packaging and product cushioning. I'm not sure if it is treated with anything against contamination.
Is the woodwool that teddy makers use treated,preared differently, or is it any way more special compared to the woodwool sold for packagig?

I'm thinking of selling my bears for a while now, as we won't really fit into our apartement if I keep creating them. And I'm quite sure I will.....

Dear Teddy Talk members,

I was wondering if anybody had ever used wood shavings for suffing teddies. I know that woodwool is commonly used by teddy makers, but I'm talking about wood shavings that are created by using a common wood plane.
I have quite a big stash of wood shavings, and I was thinking of using it. My concern is that as it dries out it may crumble inside of the teddy and in the end it will turn into sawdust...I already searched the net and this forum, and I didn't find anything about that type of probable stuffing.
Or maybe I should mix it with something else, mabe somehing like rubberfoam.
Does anybody have any experience with wood shavings, should I use them?

Thanks
Zsuzsi

Dear Sue Ann and Michelle,

Thank You for your kind and detailed answers. I think I'm going to be creating three types of softies/teddies. For the littlest, for children above three year of age and for adults. (I dont really dare to write for collectors, beacause I think I have yet to find out how to give my bears personality.)
I was unsure of the teddies sewn for children above 3, because chewing on libs in that age is less likely, but accidents happen. But I think prewashing the fabric would be advised than. And I really want to give the opportunity for mums to wash at least by hand the teddies, so I would use safety joints and eyes.
As for collectors bears I guess it's about experimenting and being creative, and getting to know yourself, your abilities and your material, and doing it with the highest standard you are capable of...
I'm itching though to try my hands at the supplies I bought and create a bear for adults.

This is a great forum. In the last few days I managed to dig in on some of the posts, so Thank You all for sharing and answering. It's an honour to learn from you all!

Dear Teddy Talk Members,

I was wondering if You could help me with a question which I'm pondering on for some time now.
I'm farly new to bear making (I sew my first teddy one year ago), but I'm not new to sewing. I sew my first teddies from faux fur with knitted backing, but recently I began craving (yep, that's the word... ) some fur with woven backing, so I managed to buy some mohair and a polyester fur with woven cotton backing. The latter I bought in a local fabric store where they sell for sewing clothing, and the store manager warned me that the fabric might shring, so it's well advised to wash it once before cutting.
I'm planning on creating teddies for smaller children, and accidents occur, so occasional washing is inevitable, than shrinking might be a problem.
My question is do You prewash Your mohair or other fur that might shrink?

I have an other issue as well:
I find that zig-zag stitching around the cut edges of softies prolongs their lifetime, and makes them endure more heavy playtime. (I don't zig-zag stitch fleece fabric or any fabric where the chance of fraying is zero.)
I refrain from using fray-check, as I have some gross memories of discoloured softies from my childhood, and that's why I try to avoid using glues, or adhereing interlining.
So my other question is: do You zig-zag stitch Your cut edges?

Thanks for Your time and answers!