Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hello, bringing this topic back to life! I'm wondering how the Promarkers have stood the test of time? I emailed the manufacturers and they said that they didn't think the ink would last as it wasn't lightfast.

Thanks for replying! I have acrylic paints but not an airbrush. I tried both diluting it with water and painting it on that way, and dry brushing. Irritatingly the piece of fabric I used has disappeared! I suspect the sofa has eaten it. Does acrylic paint require heat setting? If so, what is a good way to do this? I read you can use a hairdrier for about 5 minutes or so.

Hello everyone, apologies for bringing back such and old thread (16 years old! Almost old enough to vote!), but I am trying experiements with makeup now. Have any of you tried anything in the years between this post and the others in this thread? I've just put a 2nd coat of eyeshadow on a bunny and have tried to set it with a hairdrier. I love the effect it gives but I do think that it brushes off quite quickly.

Hello all, I'm trying some experiments with shading my creations (yes I have read the relevant library section!) but I'm hoping someone could give me some step by step instructions for using chalk pastels? So far I've used a cheap eyeshadow pallette, and I really like the way it looks and applies. But I am a bit concerned about how long it'll last, hence buying the pastels. I understand you need to 'set' the colour? I read about using babywipes to wipe off any excess, and using a hairdrier to dry it on. What do I need to use for pastels, and potentially makeup? I want the colour to largely be on the fur, but also on felt and the weave of the fabric. I also have some Prismacolour watercolour pencils, but I'm not sure how to use them. Surely you're not supposed to just draw on the fur? I was thinking of rubbing them on some paper and then using a wet paintbrush to pick up the colour and apply it to the bear, and then setting it using a hairdrier. Have I got the right idea here? Any advice would be helpful.

Here are pictures of my first bunny experiments, shaded with makeup.

I forgot to mention the seam allowance! I cut out the pieces allowing for the seam, then I sew along the line where I traced the pattern.

I'm doing some experiments in pattern design still. (Thanks for your advice last time!) And I've decided to try and make some more traditional teddy bears like Steiff and Bing, ie long noses, humped back etc. After studying some pictures in books, I modelled a bear in plasticine and used that to create a pattern, a method I've used before with success. However this time the bear I'm making has turned out very different to the model and I'm confused! As you can see in the picture, the bear I've made has ended up with quite a stubby nose, and though he's cute he's not what I was aiming for! I've also uploaded pictures of the pattern pieces. Where have I gone wrong? The fabric isn't particularly stretchy (it's viscose I got at the last Hugglets fair in London).

Thank-you! I sometimes see a polar bear and sometimes a lion. I'll try that pattern again with different fabric at some point, but right now 'Lionel Bear' has a mane and tail, so his bearing days are over. Regarding securing locline, would securely stuffed paws be enough to keep that in position?

Wire. It's loose at the paw end.

I've been experimenting with armatures, and I made a lion (was supposed to be a polar bear, but turned into a lion!) with armatured limbs and tail. I secured the top of the armature to his joints, but on one limb in particular, the paw end moves around a fair bit. How do I stop this from happening?

Bear for reference/fluff.

This is what I've been doing. I found two good tutorials here:
https://demiveemon.deviantart.com/art/B … -357817379
https://nataliavulpes.deviantart.com/ar … -179305255

Thanks all! I tried that method Becky, but I can't have felted them in for long enough as they weren't very secure. I shall try again.

Rooting hair. I'd like to be able to integrate a felted face into the fur in a more gentle way, ie with a gradient of fur going into the felting, and my experiments in inserting mohair so far have been unsuccessful.

Apologies for bringing this thread back to life, but is there anywhere else where I can find this info? I haven't had much luck!

Honestly I can't remember. When I did it I ended up with the fabric bunching and puckering in all sorts of odd places. I'll try again at some point! For now I'm relying on scissor sculpting and needle felting. Made another head from the same fabric as Mr Snuggles and tried to order more earlier cos I'm not completely out of it, only to be told it's been discontinued! Getting some 17mm in the same colour instead of the 22mm which I've used so far. Hoping Baby Snuggles won't look like he has too big a head!

Unfortunately one of the things I discovered making him is that I suck at that! XD

Thank-you! I double checked my felt head, but there's no stretch in it at all. It must be due to the fluff on his body I think!

Needle felting is a great way of doing toes in my humble opinion! One thing I have learned is that you will stab yourself. There's no getting round that! If you keep stabbing away with your needle in one place that area will be denser and lower than other areas that have been worked less. Make sure you're using the right needles - coarser ones for the initial work, and finer ones for getting that nice finish. Keep practicing! It's quite a forgiving, if painful, medium. This page has some helpful tutorials:
https://www.sarafinafiberart.com/articles.asp?id=262

Thank-you! He's 15 inches long and 10 inches high. He's bigger than my dog!

Thank-you for your replies! Bear is now finished! I learned an awful lot, including what you two have mentioned! He has a bit too much batting, and he needed a longer armature for his head/neck. However, even though he's not perfect I am quite pleased with him. I used alpaca fabric for his skin, which has worked beautifully. One thing I've been slightly thrown by is the fact that his test head (made of felt) appeared to be exactly the right size, but when I made the head and covered the body with the fabric, the head appears a bit to small! I think the next bear I make will have traditional joints as well as an armature. I took a lot of pictures of my progress, thanks to curious friends!

This is his test head pattern (mark 2 as it turned out):

Test head attached:

Needle felted basic feet:

Final head with pins showing areas to be trimmed:

Head trimmed:

First eyelid:

Eyelids before attaching (these killed my thumbs!):

Front foot:

Back foot (I'll probably accentuate his toes with embroidery floss):

Finished bear!

I'm tempted to make him a saddle so my other bears can ride him!
I'd love to see more work in progress shots of your dragons, they are cute! I discovered that I'm terrible at needle sculpting while practicing for this bear... The fabric bunches up where it shouldn't.

Hi all! I've been making jointed bears for a number of years, but recently I decided to have a bit of an experiment with more realistic bears and armatures. I've read as much as I can find on the subject (dear God I love this forum!) but there's one question I have that I'm not quite sure of the answer of. I have made an armature for a bear, and thoroughly wrapped it in batting, secured with cotton thread. I was wondering if I should secure it further, either with more thread/yarn, or with strips of cotton (or similar) fabric like a skin. I even wondered if fabric backed plasters would do! Would this be a good idea, or should I just leave it and leave him with one layer of skin when he gets his fur? Thank-you for any replies!

Hello! I remember meeting you and your bear at Hugglets in Kensington some years ago. I'm so sorry to hear he was stolen, you clearly loved him so much. I hope you have success in making a new one like him. <3