Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Has anyone ever tried those rubber brushes that get used for modelling clay and such...they are pliable but stiff at the same time and get right down to the fur base /root...they are all shapes but I use the pointy wedge shaped one. Great for spreading, blending and placing colour.

I tried them as they are so easy to clean but found them really useful for painting colour onto eyelids etc. I don't think they are designed for painting with...but I don't know many bear makers that use anything they way it's intended..that's half the fun!!

I have never tried oils on fur...I do use acrylics...but oils are much more pliable...

Jenny

I do use Copic markers....I start with the lightest shades  and build up the colour so it blends outward from the eye, with the darkest next to the eye itself. The only way I can describe it is, it's a bit like applying make-up to your own eyes (if you use it)..follow the eye contours. The only thing to watch with Copic ...I find anyway...is that some of the colours have a reddish or pink bias which can look very obvious when used on paler shades of fabric. I stick to the more drab colours which seem to dry the same colour ...I keep away from the warmer tones...unless the fabric colour I am applying it to can neutralise it a bit.

I think the oils idea sounds really interesting too.

Jenny

What a sweet-heart....didn't spook me one bit!!!

Jenny

Thanks Julia.....That's really kind of you...and no I don't knit.....I'm MUCH too slow....I have a very dear friend who will occasionally knit pieces for me. I am so envious of people who can knit quickly...I do make the bears sewn clothes though...I love playing around with those. But I'm no seamstress, I am the first to admit.

Jenny

Here's a little bear that I finished last night....he's my third attempt at eyelids...we're getting there!!

I am stocking up for my next fair in 6 weeks and beginning to panic as he is looking very lonely right now!!

Jenny

Judi...She's absolutely lovely...I love girlie bears!!

Jenny

I bagged mine up and put them on ebay....I got enough to buy a half metre of something I needed and the ladies were very pleased too...mind you these were my bigger scraps...I still have millions of small bits ....maybe the local play-group might use them for 'art'.....

Jenny

When I visited Japan many collectors commented that my bears look like me ( I did think that must mean I am short fat and very hairy) but truly I think that Kirsten is absolutely right when she says we are drawn to create bears that look like part of ourselves that we can relate to.

I choose to adopt pets that have a certain look ...and then work to create bears that reflect the image that I aspire to....

And ,interestingly, why a collector will choose to adopt a bear designed and made by one artist over that of  another

I think if I went to an analyst they would have great fun with me....!!!

Jenny

I suppose developing a look is a bit like a signature...it may be the same letters as someone else but they are written in a different way.

I think my bears have evolved without my really realising it ...when I look at pictures of my early bears they are so very different to the ones I make now...yet I still feel as if I am on a journey to make a bear which I feel represents the fuzzy feeling that I have inside when I think about all the lovely memories of my childhood...If that sounds soppy...well I expect it is...but that is what I strive for.

I take inspiration from loads of things but often it will be my dogs, though we have a new kitten now and baby animals are so pretty and lovely that I to try to depict the innocence in their faces.

What drives me on my journey to make the bear in my dreams is the knowledge that I'll probably never make it...because there will always be something else to try...

Jenny

Everyone makes such good points in this group!!!

I sell mainly from my website...that said however I am totally computer illiterate..I did go on a course last year which lasted 2 weeks because everyone dropped out except for me...is that them trying to tell me something!!

So I am still dependant on a third party to up-date it etc. He is very good and doesn't moan but I do find it all a bit of a bind...as I am clueless and can't just get on with it.

I find therefore that I send a mailshot out before I update to save him work...but that backfires sometimes as if all those bears get adopted I don't update the website so new customers get off-put but the lack of updates.

I couldn't exist without the website...it allows potential customers to see bears that they would never see otherwise.

I agree with Sue Ann...I think it definitely has an effect on attendees at shows. But then I think I sell some bears at shows because they saw them on the website and come looking for them.

Jenny

I love this bear....everything about him. Well done!!!

Jenny

Hi Daphne...I use the iron-on fine cotton inter-facing/lining...it's light-weight, stops the stretch and fraying  and has the added bonus of making marking up the pattern very easy and clear. I use diluted PVA as a fray check...but I found that if you dampen some of these synthetics it negatively affects the texture of the pile...so I would be careful how you apply it...

Jenny

I know this has been suggested before by Shelli ...but after struggling with bendy perm rollers from the hairdessing warehouse for ages I moved over to using what I think are called 'terminal clips' or fixings from the electricians suppliers...those fit nicely on to cotter pins...and some even  have 7mm+  holes so you could use with nut and bolt joints. I use a crimping tool to fit on to twisted copper wire...I'm trying to get a nice bendy covered one but haven't found one yet.

My husband bought the crimping tool from his suppliers...and it cost an arm and a leg...I'm sure there are cheaper ones around...

Jenny

Hi....

I am posting a picture on behalf of Michele of Bradley Bears as she's having a bit of trouble with her computer which doesn't seem to want to let her send pictures to the list....anyway..here's Micheles lovely bear 'Snowdrop'....

Jenny

PS...Here's Talli...another of Micheles bears

Hi Shantell...

I am addicted to faux-fur and have a huge stash...I started off hating it and said I'd never use it but it's so tactile and scissor sculpts so beautifully...

I get most of mine from Edinburgh Imports...they have some lovely realistic ones. 'Dear-bears' is a place that I feel sells it too..as I seem to recall....there is a seller called 'Fabulous Furs' in the USA that sells top notch knitted...all you'd need to do is use an iron on lining... also Prefurs.com too...

That's a start...

Jenny

Hi Shari....

I am relatively new to bear -making and have found that it does pay to go down every avenue to get your work into the public domain. I have had a couple of bears not do so well on Ebay...and afterwards ..when you analyse it...after you've realised that maybe it's just wrong bear...wrong time...and not jumping to the wrong conclusions..then you use that information to check out other ways of selling them.
I send pictures regularly to magazines for their editorials and often they get printed...and collectors then contact me..and so on.
I do advertise  ..well as much as I can afford...I put my biggest ad in the Hugglets Teddy Bear Guide..which comes out here in the UK..as it's a handbook that lasts the entire year..and most serious collectors here will have one....here at any rate I advertise in magazines...but never bother in the summer because I don't think collectors are that focused then.
I use Bear-pile..and have used the Teddy -Talk board. I just work as hard as I can on getting good clear pictures of my bears to send around...they aren't perfect but I'm trying.

Jenny

We are thinking about everyone there too...it must be terrifying...luckily we never get extremes of weather here in the UK..I remember a hard winter about 16 or so years ago brought the country to a stand-still and that was bad enough...but this must be a nightmare for everyone...

Jenny

Hi everyone..I just wanted to say that while reading all this I ate a Crunchie....which for anyone not in the UK is a nice big honeycomb bar covered in chocolate......I have just got in from 13 hours at work though...that's my excuse....!!

Jenny

Hi Nanc..

I do think Ebay is quieter lately ,I am going to give it a break for a while...I have fairs coming up too so that will cut my time down at any rate.

I think that it is generally quieter in every business at the moment...here in the UK at any rate...I have a hairdressing business which is quiet right now (all waiting for their pay-cheque I suppose) so I don't think it's anything to worry about, (after 32 years in that trade I have seen it happen many times). I do think generally though that the cause of the doldrums is that customers just shop around and change their preferences as we all do.

I'd say the key to solving it is to keep thinking outside the box and moving along with new designs and ideas...that way when bears go on Ebay etc people are interested.

So you're not  paddling alone...we are all in the same boat!!

Best wishes,

Jenny

Hi Rose....I machine all my bears, as someone once said, that no matter how slow I machine it'll always be quicker than sewing by hand...that said there are times when I do hand stitch and then I do 2 rows of smallish backstitch with extra strong (upholstery type) thread. I don't know if it's the right way but it seems to hold fine.

good luck,

Jenny

Yes, it must be to stop fraying  I think...though I've never tried it... I may be wrong but do people stitch them on after the head is stuffed?  I often shade mine too, Shelli...on my smaller bears...But mainly I hand stitch the eyepads in first to the head sides...sometimes I machine the big ones in if I'm feeling brave!!

Jenny

Hi Dilu...

Amazingly I just got some of that very fabric yesterday....I did notice it is knitted so I've lined it with iron-on cotton.....to stop the stretch...and yes I just pick up a piece of it from my cooker from where I cut it out so I reckon it will be everywhere by the finish...and in a house full of dogs and cats I don't need more fluff.

We'll see....watch this space............

Very clever bear by the way...

Jenny

Hi Heather...

On the subject of eye-patches I mostly cut out holes in the head sides and inset the patches before I sew up the head.... no doubt it is the wrong way but it works for me and it's stress free...well relatively anyway..and it prevents the eye area being too bulky. Hope that helps!!

Sorry about the huge picture on my intro...I am useless with computers...and always do it wrong...

Jenny