Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I am such a newbie.  Only been making bears for a month or so.  Is it difficult to needle sculpt?  Do you know if there are old threads that may explain how to do it?  I love the look!

Angela

What an excellent nose and muzzle!  Is that nose polymer clay?  Would you mind sharing how you made the mouth?  Is it just thread pulled tightly?

Adorable bear!

Angela

And here's his face up close. 

Thinking of needle felting his nose.

Angela

Lets try the photo again.  Anybody wanna clue me in on how to get photos in a thread?

Angela

<imgsrc=http://www.garden-of-imagination.net/Matthewsbearjpg.jpg>

Hope this picture insertion works.  Here's Polka Bear.  Lime green with blue and purple polka dots.  Still needs nose and other finishing touches though.

Angela

Thank you so much for your advice!  I'll have to check Hancock fabrics for a leather needle and what a great tip about adding the muslin!  I'll certainly try that on the next bear.  And I know that ya'll are using mohair, but I went with a very inexpensive walmart fake hair to learn with. 

My Wal-Mart special sewing machine is just a basic machine that is perfect for most of my uses.  The special was the sale they had around Christmas time.  What an excellent idea to look at repair shops.

I've been looking for that kind of jointing bolt with the hex thing on the end... does each joint cost around $5.00?!  I can attach the limbs before stuffing to the body with a regular bolt, but the head still needs one of those things.  That's a lot of money for a joint.

Thanks for all the help!

And what's your name?

Angela

LOL.  Thanks Wendy.  I was going for cute in the bear, NOT between my ears.   :crackup:

Oh, to answer someones referrence to where I live... I live in San Antonio Texas.

I do have yet another question already.....  How in the world do you sew suede without it puncturing your own fingertips?!!!  Last night I thought for sure the needle was going to make my fingers bloody, and I'm not even needle felting!  Ouch.

My sewing machine is a Wal-Mart special from 9 years ago when we got married.  So it ain't great, but it normally works fine.  But it does not like to go through the suede.  I put a new needle in and adjusted the tension to no advail.  Then I resorted to stitiching by hand and using thimbles, but it's hard to grip the needle with thimbles.  So advice here would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Angela

Thank you Amelia for introducing me to this wonderful place.  Did you make that bear by your name? 

I've been working on my very first bear this morning and already realized I forgot the center part of the head after I already sewed it together! 

Angela

Having just been introduced to this wonderful place I've been reading every spare second I have.  I came across some joints that one of you ladies made but the hardware store didn't have the headless bolt.  Where do I get the parts to make this...

http://www.backroadbears.com/joints.htm

Thank you in advance.  It's very nice to see all the helpful hints among one another.

Angela