Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thanks, BeauT. I used Google Translate to send my email, right after I looked at their website, or I definitely would have asked you for help!

Thanks so much for posting a picture, Fairybear!  He's gorgeous! I'm slowly inching my way closer to buying the pattern. Half a meter of fabric doesn't sound too bad.

Yes, that's the one! Thanks so much for all of the information! I'll have to try to translate the Dutch page, to see if I can have the pattern shipped to the U.S. I love the shape of the head and muzzle on this one, and I've been saving some gorgeous curly synthetic fur until I found just the right antique-style bear pattern. Now I have to go and measure, and keep my fingers crossed that I have enough!

It seems like a pretty expensive pattern...but it does look like a fabulous bear. Does it use a lot of fabric? Is it a two-piece or four-piece body pattern? Are the legs and arms well proportioned, or do they seem long?

Gaah! I actually have a Toasty bear! Only mine is one of the older ones, and I think he's stuffed with buckwheat. How horrific to think that they can become infested! I actually don't use mine anymore, since I noticed that when I heated him he became pretty damp and yucky. I guess they only last so long. 

I've recently found an old, battered mohair bear (supposedly from Berlin), and I'm considering "rehabilitating" him. All of his paw pads are either damaged or missing, as is most of the stuffing in his limbs. Since he's in such bad shape already, I'm planning to completely take him apart and (hopefully) wash the pieces before sewing him back together and re-stuffing him. I've washed alpaca fiber using dish soap, with a vinegar rinse afterward (which supposedly helps to clean and soften the fiber). Would dish soap be the recommended soap for old mohair fabric? Shampoo? Woolite? What would you use?

Oh, yes, a large bear is definitely preferable!

This one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl … true&rt=nc

Fat body, jointed limbs, humpback, and stitched claws. I absolutely adore him. I did make a bear for myself, years ago, from a commercial pattern, which seemed like the perfect bear (for me) at the time. He's really fat, too, and firmly stuffed with wool, but made from sheared raccoon fur so that he's super soft and snuggly. I had no idea, before I made him, that a raccoon's undercoat is so dense and soft! I made him button-jointed at first, because I was new to bear-making, and still intimidated by safety joints, but then his leg came off  (:whistle:).  So I put in "real" joints and since then there's been no problem.

Yes, that definitely sounds like the best way to go, since it sounds like it's not something that I should just go ahead and do. I'll email tonight and see what they say.

Your bears are gorgeous, Marilyn! I've never seen bears so deliciously fluffy, while still managing to keep their shape. I especially like the dark brown one.

Yes, that's right! some time ago, I bought my first "collectible" bear, a Carrousel bear named "Sir Edward," which I found on eBay. The seller included an email that he had received after contacting the bear's creators, which stated that this particular bear had been stuffed with shredded paper, in an attempt to recreate the feel of the old excelsior-stuffed bears. Sure enough, when I received the bear, he was pleasantly firm and slightly crunchy, just like my (only) excelsior-filled bear! Ever since then, I've been tempted to try this- luckily, I have relatives who own paper shredders!

Has anyone here ever done this? I know that nowadays excelsior is more readily available, but the paper idea still strikes me as wonderfully clever, not to mention economical.

Well, not completely replicate- just copy the body shape. And not to sell, just to add to the group. What do you think? Is this sort of thing frowned upon? I would just buy the artist's pattern, but the company doesn't sell one.

I'd definitely jump on this, if I had a car and didn't live in the South! Bummer.  You're sure that you don't want to ship?   

They're gorgeous! They make me want to go and snuggle with my own cat.

They have a website with a good number of bears for sale, and a custom-order page.

Ooh, lovely! Who is the big one in the back? I'll post a picture of my collection when my newest addition arrives.

We all know Winnie-the-Pooh, but are there any other famous teddy bears? I stumbled across "Polar, the Titanic bear" the other day:

http://www.polarthetitanicbear.com/Pola … About.html

and subsequently ordered the book from Paperbackswap.com.

Anybody know of any others?

Since I can't seem to get the "image" button to work, I'll post the ebay link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl … true&rt=nc

He was listed as a "Stearns bear," but apparently they're called "Stearnsy bears" and seem to be pretty well known. I'm so excited! He's just the kind of bear that I've been trying to make (for myself)- antique style, nice and big, with paws not too curved, a long-ish snout, and a big hump back! And he's so friendly-looking. I hope he's as big and fat as he looks in the pictures. Will you guys help me name him?

We've got a Teddy Ruxpin and Grubby living in a box in the attic, whom we're considering selling. Lots of outfits (except for the two that I "stole" for other bears and I think a few tapes.

No, but I want one, now that I've seen him! He's adorable!

Hi everybody,

I've been searching high and low for a good pattern for an antique-style, humpback bear, like the old German ones. Preferably a big bear, at least 20 inches or so, with a large hump. Does anyone know of one, reasonably priced? The only one I've been able to find almost fit the bill, but didn't have a humpback...and cost over $20!! Surely there's got to be something out there, right?