Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi everyone
I am making a very special bear; it's for my mum who really wants an antique looking bear with a musical box (it's taken me a long time to find the tune she wanted but have finally found one :-) claps).
So now I'm wondering how do I actually insert it into the bear?
How do I secure it into the bear? - I was wondering about sewing a pouch onto the inside of the body piece that it can slip into.
The hole for the key; how do I make sure where the hole is through the fabric does not fray and wear away too quickly to cause damage? - I was wondering about using the button hole function on my sewing machine.
Any help or advice would be much appreciated
Karen

Hi & welcome :-)
There are 3 main suppliers in the UK;
Bear Basics           https://www.bearbasics.co.uk/             Sue is very helpful and she holds the only official UK licence to buy Schulte fur fabrics from the mill in Germany (Schulte is very high quality & what Steiff uses). This is where I get all my supplies as the quality is amazing which always makes a difference to your finished bear. Sue is really good at giving advice on what furs are suitable for projects and what go well together etc.

Christie Bear is another UK supplier            https://www.christiebears.com/          I have never used them personally; they stock Helmbold furs which are also good quality (2nd best to Schulte).

Mohair Bear making supplies                      https://www.mohairbearmakingsupplies.co.uk/                I have used this supplier when I first started out for 1 or 2 things. His prices are generally lower but I personally don't think the quality is as good.

It all depends on what you want but I hope that helps.
Karen

Here's a link for the sea salt texturizing spray
https://www.boots.com/toni-and-guy-sea- … l-10192484

I'm not sure if this will work or be of help but my daughter has various hair products as she has a short wild messy hairstyle; in her stash she has 'sea salt water spray' it helps give her hair a less fluffy look but without weighting it down with hair product and it does tend to give her hair an almost retinee look so may be worth a try. She buys hers from her hairdresser

Have you finished this bear? I would love to see the finished piece.

Darn your outside of the UK; do you know what postage costs to the UK would be?

These are great!!

Do you sell them?

Thank you soo much this is a really useful link I have added to my favourites :-)

I've been trying for ages to find my own distinct paw pad style and have tried all sorts of things but each technique I try has either ended up looking awful or is such a faff and takes ages to do with no real stunning end result it takes the enjoyment of making away.
So I thought I'd try needle felting onto my paw pads to give some shape and contours to them; I have never needle felted in my life! I have done some research into basic needle felting principles etc but just wondered if any of you could give me some tips or advice. I have had a go at one but I'm not getting the smooth finish and 'plumpness' to the toes I had hoped for and keep adding more wool but it just keeps getting fatter rather than rounded and toe like. Look for ward to hearing from you all :-)

I agree with SueAnne; I made by first bear with a high quality kit which contained Schulte mohair. My second bear I was scared to buy very expensive mohair as I was worried it was a waste of money as I was not good enough to use it and decided to use cheaper mohair and found it a nightmare to work with. So my experience is that good quality mohair/alpaca and high quality woven backed faux furs are all I will use as the lesser quality ones more often prove to be more stress than it's worth.

Good luck
Karen

I entered my first competition last year (The Alfonso awards in the UK); they had a novice section for newbies which is why I went for that one. Maybe contact organisers of your local competitions and ask them if they have a novice/beginner section and maybe if they don't suggest they have one?
Karen

Love your little bear his great!
Here's a list of groups I'm with but new ones seem to pop up all the time so it is by no means an extensive list
Teddy Bear & Doll Making Supplies
How to......& tips for friends of the fur (teddy bear makers)
Vintage style bears and artists

Good luck x

Hi everyone; I am really struggling to find a paw pad style of my own. I know what I want it to look like in my head but when I attempt to create my idea it looks awful. I'm sure the look I want will primarily be based on a trapunto pad basis but when I sew the paw design onto the base fur it goes all wonky and looks naff. I've never seen any paws done like this in the fur so is it just a case of me needing to shade? My biggest problem at the moment is to get it to not look wonky. Any tips would be much appreciated.
Hugs

I like Becky was going to suggest alpaca. Are you in the UK? Sue at Bear Basics has really fabulous quality alpaca and she gets orders shipped out really fast and is always quick to reply to messages.
Karen

I've not quite decided if I am excited or just plan mad but I've booked myself to attend my first teddy bear fair this November 
I don't want to spend a fortune on decorating the stand as I feel until I manage to start recouping some money back from my love of the furry kind by selling some of my creations I should try to keep the purse firmly closed 
So my question is what advice are you more experienced bear sellers able to give me about layout/presentation of a stand at a fair keeping it simple and low budget but striking.
much hugs
Karen

Oh my goodness Becky your find is an amazing likeness to my little bear! I'm pretty sure he is mohair but then some of that assumption is on that faux fur from his era was pretty poor quality and you would be able to tell the difference. There is a tiny little hole in the back of his head and I'm tempted to stick a cotton bud in it to see if I can get a sample of his insides 
Thank you all for your thoughts; you have certainly given me some trails to start looking into for finding my little bears origin.

Many hugs 

I was recently given this little bear as a gift and am keen to find more about him. His 23cm tall (so quite small) he has glass eyes which are orange/dark yellow with black centre, his definitely mohair which is quite thick all be it grubby. His paw pads look to be a thick cotton or canvas (look to be original; if they have been replaced it was done a long time ago as they are equally as grubby and aged). He has 3 sewn claws on each paw and is cotter pin jointed (2 have ceased up). I'm not sure what his stuffed with but its definitely not straw, his arms have no holes and yet they seem almost empty so not sure if the stuffing, what ever it is, has disintegrated?
Any info or suggestions on how to get more info would be much appreciated

Front

Back

Paw pad

Hi Valli
I've not sold any yet through my facebook page but I'm getting more likes from people I don't know more than I expected. I have booked myself to go to my first bear fair in Sheffield in November and am hoping this will help get my name out there a little bit more and I'm trying to find out about what competitions are around to see if I could enter some too as I think this will give me a bit of a confidence boost too. I've seen your bears too on the tips page on FB (they are really rather sweet); I think you live down on the south coast near where I come from originally and where my mum still lives so you should get yourself to the Great Brighton bear fair; I've not been but would love to go.
Hugs

Hi all; I have a pattern question that I hope you may be able to help me with.
I want to make a replica early 1900's steiff bear as I have always wanted one but cant afford to buy one 
Can anyone recommend a good pattern that is similar that I can adjust and adapt or give me some tips for key points if I do my own pattern (like if they used 2 or 4 part body etc). Any suggestions would be much appreciated  :)
heres a link of the sort of thing I'm hoping to do
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/imag … WXZTIQNKKQ

Penelope is available for adoption over on my facebook page www.facebook.com/montonbears
Please take a look and like and share my page xx :love:
If you would like pictures emailing to you please just ask; I have resized the photos to upload them onto the website which seems to have given them an odd look and don't do her justice

Hi Ladies
I've been through the library and read lots of threads about selling but lots of them are several years old or not UK related so I thought I'd ask again (sorry).
I've decided to start selling my creations to continue to fund my love of making them; ideally I hope that in time I can make a small business out of it but I appreciate that really does depend on if people like my bears. Here's what I've done so far but would really appreciate any advice you lovely people have to get my bears seen more.......

I have created a facebook page which obviously I can only get friends and family to share with their friends and family (limited audience I know) and I have also joined several facebook groups that are artist teddy bear related to post my bears on (I've had lots of likes which has been nice).

I now have 5 bears I feel are worthy of selling so think this month I may buy a months subscription to bear pile to see if I can sell them on there - what's the sale rate like on a site like bear pile if your an 'unknown' bear maker?

I would love to do some bear fairs but my problem is I live in a very rural area so they are all a long way away and with 2 kids in toe (as fairs are always on a weekend) its not really practical. I intend to do fairs in the future (sooner rather than later hopefully) but affording it is also an issue at present.

Any suggestions as to how I can 'get my bears' out there would be much appreciated; especially advice from fellow UK makers.
Hugs Karen

This is Honey; she stands approx. 34cm/13" tall and has a small hump; she is made of a wool fur which is similar to alpaca but not quite as soft. Her paw pads are made with quality German wool felt; she has English glass eyes and a dark brown embroidered nose and mouth. She is 5 way cotter pin jointed and has been stuffed with fibrefill and weighted with plastic pellets. She is wearing a 2 tone suede necklace which has a silver key and feather attached. Could the key be to you heart? Honey is available for adoption for £130 +p&p.
Please have a look at my Facebook page and give it a like and share www.facebook.com/montonbears

This is Maisy; she is approx. 32cm/12" tall and will stand on her own. She is made from Schulte ratinee mohair. She has black English glass eyes and an embroidered nose. 5 way cotter pin jointed, she is firmly stuffed and has been weighted slightly with plastic pellets. She is waiting for adoption over on my Facebook page facebook.com/montonbears. Please like and share my facebook page as I will be placing all my future creations on there for adoption.

This is Maisy; she is approx. 32cm/12" tall and will stand on her own. She is made from Schulte ratinee mohair. She has black English glass eyes and an embroidered nose. 5 way cotter pin jointed and firmly stuffed and has been weighted slightly with plastic pellets. She is available for adoption on my Facebook page facebook.com/montonbears

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I think I shall have a go at selling them :-)
I've seen in the library there is a section on selling so am going for a read now.