Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

thanks so much!  reading what you wrote, now makes sense!  i will definately give it a shot.  and thanks for the tip about the neck too.  i guess i really was over thinking things!  LOL!!  i'm off to go and try it out!  thanks again!

jen

hi again!!!  i just wanted to make sure that i was talking about the right kind of bear.  it is like an old fashioned bear with a hump at the top of the back of the body.  maybe i'm thinking about it too much.  is it easy to do?  i keep trying to sketch a pattern for it, but it doesn't seem to look right.  ARGH!!!  i hope that someone can help.  it is really starting to drive me nuts. 

take care!!!

jen

hi guys!  it has been a long time since i've been here!  holy cow!  i had to have surgery on my arm due to a car accident last easter, and am just able to get my foot back into sewing my bears.  my hand is finally working good enough to do it.  yahoo!

i've been wanting to try a humpbacked bear, and can't seem to find anything on one.  how would you do the body for it?  that is the part i have the problem with.  i just wanted to see if i could do one.  i want to start with a small one, and then maybe go from there.  the few bears that i've done since being able to, have been around 5-6 inches tall.  any help would be greatly appreciated!

BTW...  been looking at all of the wonderful bears in the gallery!  beautiful!  good job guys!

thanks  in advance for any help!

jen

hi jodi!!
i think that artists choice would be good!  i've already got some neat ideas.  now, i just have to make a pattern out of them.  i hate that!  the ideas sound sooooooooo good, then, after drawing a pattern, it doesn't turn out like you had thought it would.  but i guess that is the fun thing about a challenge.

i'm going to get working on it right away.  i'll show some pics when i have made some progress.

take care! 

jen

went to the store today and found navy blue tapestry fabric with cream colored stars on it!!!  the beginning of a fourth of july tapestry bear.  yahoo!!  just have to look at my other items to see if i have something here to go with it.   

hey jodi!  just thought of something!  maybe we could do both.  we could do the fourth of july bear first, and then after that we could do a tapestry bear.  i tried to figure out how to tie the two together for a bear, but with the patterns of tapestry fabric i have, would be kind of hard.  but who knows what i could find.

talk to you all soon

jen

tapestry fabric is the stuff you cover furniture with.  it comes in beautiful patterns.  i've used it for the pads of my bears' feet, and they look beautiful.  i think that a bear would look wonderful made from it.  also, the patriotic bear sounds wonderful too!  that was a wonderful idea!  i have some ideas for that too!  You girls have such great ideas! 

ok, let's decide on which to do. 

i didn't get a chance to do the labrynth one.  i hadn't been on in a while do to being a little sore, so i missed out on that one.  but, i would love to see yours!  i read that challenge, and thought it was so cool!  i wish i didn't miss out on it.

take care everyone.  let me know which one we want to do!!

hi gladys!
that sounds like an awesome idea.   i have alot of tapestry fabric, and now that i look at it, i think that would be a great idea.  i've used it for the pads of the feet on my bears, but never thought of making a bear out of it.  i like it!

i think that we should try it.  i'm game if you are

let's see what we can get going.  what do you say?

take care!

jen

i've been looking at alot of the past challenges, and was wondering if there were any new ones coming.  i'm still fairly new here, and was just looking around, and stumbled on the challenges.  i would love to try one.  i have printed out the mouse to try, and would love to try other ideas.  these look like so much fun.

i hope that there are some new ones soon!   :dance:

take care everyone.  i know i've said that i would post some pics, but, got a new computer, and my camera won't work with it.  i'm hoping my husband gets a new camera soon.  i have so many new bears that i would like to show you, and get your opinions on. 

take care everyone!!!!!!!!

jen

i've used a place out of florida.  i live in rhode island, and there really isn't anywhere around here to get bear making supplies.  a friend gave me a web site that has them.  it's a general craft supply place, but does have the safety joints from 20mm and up.  i've gotten 20mm and as big as 65mm from them.  the web site its  www.sunshinecrafts.com 

i don't know how many you are looking for, but for what i needed them for, they were fine.  good luck on your search!  take care!

jen

BTW...  they also sell cute little accessories for you bears.  i've gotten rusty items and other things from them.

bye!

LOL!!  my son likes to try to snuggle it!  he is a big fan of stuffed animals, but they have to be made of the softest material.   he'll spend an hour at the store, snuggling all of them until he finds the right one.

i am almost done my first bear.  i used the extra long pile cashmere.  so far so good.  as with all first times, there are a few things that i've noticed that i need to work on, but, it is alot better than i thought.  my husband thought i was crazy when he saw  the arm, and realized how small they are.  so, he went out and bought me one of those lamps with the magnifying glass attached.  he was afraid that i'd go blind.  he's too funny.  but i have to admit that it does make life easier.  well, i'm off to finish my first one, and start a new one.  i can definately see why they are so addicting to make.  i love to do it.  and i am so amazed at the detail that can be achieved with the tiny ones.

thank you everyone for your tips and encouragement.  it means alot.

jen

jodi he is so cute!  i love him!!!!! thanks for the info about how many bears guys.  good to know for when i am reordering.  well, i'm off to go start a bear.  hubby took me to the store, so now i am all set!

jen

thanks!  i sure will.  i had sketched out some pattern ideas before it came.  after i had received it, i went back and redid them.

i have a quick question for you all...how many bears do you get from one piece of the fabric?  i got the 9x9 inch ones.  my bears will be about 3 inches tall. (a rough estimate)

have to go to the store and get a few things for the bears now.  i want to look for the right ribbon and other little bits.  i want this to be so perfect!  my husband is laughing at me.  he thinks that i've flipped!  LOL!!  and just what he loves... another trip to the craft and fabric stores.  i feel so bad.  but, am very greatful that he takes me and believes in me.  LOL!!!  it gets quite fun around here. 

well... off to the store.  then, on to my bear!  YAHOO!!!

jen

hi everyone!  i got my first order of sassy fabrics in the mail!  i was so excited that i was doing a dance around the living room!  LOL!!  my husband thought i had lost my mind.  i can't believe how soft it is.  it is incredible.  i am going to get working on a bear today.  i'm so excited.  i want to thank all of you for recommending sassy bears.  i can definately see why all of you love it.  i love the colors.  i got a bunch of the different poly pluish as well as the extra long pile cashmere.  i got a small order to start, just to see if i liked it, and my husband took a look at it, and told me to go back on and order more.  he loved the colors.   

i ordered alot of the different shades of brown.  i also ordered the butter color and marmalade.  do any of you have a color preferrence?  lately, with my big bears, i have been doing alot of the browns and creams.  i have done crazy colors in the past, but am now doing alot of the other.  i can't explain why.  i love the crazy colors, but have just been drawn to the browns.

i also ordered monair from intercal, as well as the cotterpins and discs.  my husband was surprised when he saw how little it had cost.  when he hears mohair, he thinks very expensive.  that order should be here monday.  i can't wait!!! 

thank you all for the advice on fur and where to get it.  it has been a great help.  now, i'm off to start work on my first real mini teddy.  i hope i can do it!  i'll let you know how it comes out, and hopefully be able to put a pick up.  (my husband is kind of busy today, and he is the one who takes the pics)  thanks again!  sorry for the babbling on!

take care everyone!

jen

ok...  here's the deal with that mohair that i'm trying.  it comes out cute, but definately needs the fray check.  i like the look it gives.  very old looking.  but, at the opening where you would stuff, it does fray a little bit.  enough to be a hassle.  but, it sews pretty well.  i was surprised.  so, now... off to the store to get a few things, and will try it with the fray check.  hopefully, that is all it will take. 

also, should have my sassy fabrics by saturday.  i've also ordered from intercal too.  i've ordered some joints as well as some mohair.  i looked in the off cuts to see what they had.  i figured that i hadn't worked with it before, so i may as well start small.  hope to have a pic of one of these guys up by the end of the weekend.  thanks for all of your help.  it has definately saved me alot of frustration. 

bye!!

jen

it cut pretty well.  not to bad.  i did notice what you said about the weave being somewhat loose.  so far, it has sewn ok,  but only did the body.  haven't turned it yet.  eyes are going cuckoo from working on them.  i had been working on a different one prior to that, so eyes don't want to work.  i'm going to work on it in the morning.  i'l be sure to let you know if i still like after i turn it.  i just thought it was neat and looked like i could make a distressed look with it.  i figured that i wouldn't know until i tried.  i plan on getting some of the sassy fabrics that i've heard alot about here, but haven't had the chance to do it yet.  i may try to order a little bit tomorrow.  any recommendations on which ones you like to work with?  there are so many to choose from. 

hopefully i'll get my new tiny cotter pin joints and cotter key by the end of the week.  i'm ordering the debbie kesling book to try the head pin joints as well.  it just stinks to have wrists that hurt like mine do.  makes things so much harder.  but, i'm hoping with these new cotter pins and the cotter key, it will make things nice and easy.  :)

talk to you all soon.  i'll let you know in the morning how that mohair is working.  keep your fingers crossed.

take care.

jen

thank you so much guys.  i'm going to be getting that book.  you guys have all been so helpful so far, so if you say that is the one to get, then that's what i'll get.  haha!  i went out for a bit today with hubby, and found some interesting mohair at the fabric store.  it doesn't look like the ones for teddy bears that i've seen.  i'm sure it is probably for some sort of clothing.  but i loved how soft it was, and i thought it would make a very nice distressed looking bear.  it has a pile to it, but it is a strange type, almost felted, but not.  i'm sorry.  i wish i could describe it better.  i started with it, and so far, it is working wonderful.  but, like you all know...  i really can't tell until the whole bear is done.

take care and thanks for the help!!  i'll be picking up the book!!!   take care everyone!!!!!

jen

does anyone have a step by step on how to use the headpins for the joints?  i've been looking around, and haven't been able to find any instructions.  or, if someone could point me to a book that may have it?  i figured that could be another one for me to try.

who would've thought that i could get so confused over teddy joints.  LOL!!!  but like i've said, i'm pretty new to the mini bears.  i'm used to alot bigger.  but, i find the little ones so addicting.  i love my big guys, but these little ones are going to be hard to give up.  i think that i'll stick with them for a bit.  they use so little fabric, that it helps make it last.  i'm just trying to perfect the details.  they are so much harder to do on the little guys.  but, i'm getting there.

thanks to all that have helped out with information.  i greatly appreciate it.

jen

thank you so much for the warning.  i will definately stay way from them.  i'm going to try a few others.   thanks for the help!!   

jen

i've used the liquid poly clay for wings, and it has worked great.  i've never used it for bears, but for clay projects.  i like it because you can get the transluscent look, but they are strong.  it is fun to work with.  especially if you add pigment powders and swirl them around with a toothpick.  you can create so many different designs.  it's all in how you manipulate the wire.  you really have to watch it while it is baking though.  especially if they are a light color.  if baked for two long, the liquid clay can get a yellowish color to it, and you don't want that.  if you add color to it, depending on what color you add, you don't notice if the yellowing happens. 

you cand get the liquid poly clay at any craft store.  i'd say give it a shot.  experiment with it.  it's fun, and you can get some very cool and unusual looks.

jen

i love you guys!!  LOL!!  that is what happens when you get too excited about an idea.  the melting never crossed my mind!  LOL!!  maybe it's because i'm allergic to chocolate, and have never eaten it.  i wll definately think of something else.  thanks!!!!!

jen

thanks chrissi and shane!  that helps out alot.  seeing as my dad is a welder by trade, i'm sure the ones he gave me are industrial.  LOL!!  but, he was only trying to help.  i found some places on line to get some of the ones that you all speak of.  i'm definately going to try them.  i also ordered a cotter key.  that looks like it would make my world a whole lot easier.  i never knew that they existed.  LOL!!   i guess that shows that i still have alot to learn.  thanks for all of the help.  it is much appreciated.  i'll be sure to let you know how they work out. 

thanks again guys!

take care!!

jen

thanks for the info.  i was just a little concerned with the plastic issue.  i didn't even think of the rain issue!! DUH!!! LOL!!!  i will definately use it.  soggy bears are not happy ones.  thanks again!!!!!

i love the ideas!!!   and the little wooden box is so great!  awesome way to show the customer how much pride you take in your bears, as well as thinking of them.  definately something to keep in mind.  my little logo is a honey bee, so, i was thinking of honey bee chocolates.  we have a fantastic candy store in town, and they said they could give me a "sweet deal".  i was thinking of placing them into cute little paper beehive bags that i have.  i have also designed the cute little thank you cards as well.

my one question is this... is putting the bear into plastic before placing in the box a good idea?  i was thinking with humidity and such, that it would be a bad thing.  any advice?

take care!!!!

jen

hello!  i've just started to make the minis, and i've gotten alot of info from reading posts.  i decided to try them after having alot of left over bits and pieces.  it drives my husband nuts because i save the smallest pieces.  i have a box full of them!  LOL!!

through reading the posts, i've seen quite a few different ideas on jointing.  i've heard of most of them.  but there was one that caught my attention, and i couldn't for the life of me, picture what it was.  someone said that they used brass fasteners.  what are they?

i would love to try cotter pins but i have problems with my hands, so can't turn them.  my dad gave me boxes of them to try from his work shop, and they hurt to use.  i've done the sequen and beads for the head, then thread jointed the arms and legs.  but i would really like to joint the arms and legs.  some of my thread joints seem too tight, and the arms and legs don't want to move.  but i'm so afraid of doing them too loose. 

i really like making the little ones.  they seem to be alot more work, but i love how they come out.  i'm used to making bears that are 10 to 36 inches tall, so these are definately a change.  i think the smallest one that i've done so far is 2 inches. 

if anyone can help, i would greatly appreciate it.  i have already gotten alot of ideas to improve my bears from reading posts, and am hoping someone can help.

thank you in advance!  take care everyone!!!!!
jen