Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I've liked!!
mine is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gresswell … 8149360237

Don't forget you can also add peoples pages to your pages favourites as well as personally 'liking' them.
Theree is a little text link on the left hand side of the page under the page's fans that says "Add to My Page's Favorites"

Here is the link to the previous discussion.

http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=892

I also wonder if this person sells on bearpile, or promotes her work through any industry magazines etc. I'm sure these organisations would be interested to know she was not creating from her own pattern.

Sorry if I'm coming off bitter on this topic, I just had the case where someone stole my work rubbed in my face again. It's possible this is colouring my response.

Most patterns will specifically say do not reproduce this pattern for distribution or sell items made from this pattern or words to that effect.

If they don't then the author of the pattern didn't think things through.

I'd argue that the original designers should still be told so they can close this loophole in the future.

Depending on where you live the laws are different but the moral implications stay the same.

What she is doing hurts others, artists will be less willing to share, sell or teach if people are going to rip them off for personal gain.

I agree with the majority. It's the perogative of the artist what they make. Making like for like or cost of materials should not be a factor when I am designing a bear for someone.

Pm'd you karon!

If you know the artists who's patterns she is ripping off then I'd let them know.
I do almost fall on the side of name & shame but I have been the person who was ripped off in the past so i may be a bit hard on this issue.

You've had some great responses so far.
Some of the best steam punk costumes I have seen involve the augmentation of the form ie wings, strengthening defective limbs etc.  You could add a framework around one of the limbs or even have a bunch of different magnifcation lenses that are attached to some kind of backpack contraption.
I do think the definitive steampunk accessories are goggles & aviator caps.

Here is a sculpture I made with steampunk wings

Chloe-final9 by jen_fripperee, on Flickr

Chloe-final5 by jen_fripperee, on Flickr

Thank you so much for taking & editing all these photos!!!!

Count me in too!

I've never tried it on fur but Rit make a colour remover? maybe you could try that? Do a google, there are a lot of discussions about lightening jeans.

what a gorgeous bunny!

Oh they are so adorable! Dainty Dinah is my favourite.

I think a multi pronged approach is good. I have a blog, facebook & twitter & I will probably try out bearpile as opposed to ebay.
I'd also rather be friends with bear people on facebook than any of the people I went to school with!

here is my personal page http://www.facebook.com/janice.hook

and my bears - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gresswell … 8149360237

Happy Valentines to you too!

What a charmer!

such lovely details!!

She's so full of character - great work!

so deliciously fluffy!

Hi All!
I'll copy/paste some important facebook info below but here is my blatant plug.
Here is my brand new facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gresswell … 8149360237

It'd be great if you were to like my page! I'll be holding giveaways on facebook page in the coming weeks.

I nearly ignored this because well it just looks like another strange facebook event but then I realised what is was and how important it is to all business page owners!

Here is the link to the event so you can invite your facebook friends and spread the word.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=194392487256900

PLEASE READ - THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE WHO USES FACEBOOK FOR BUSINESS OR PERSONAL REASONS!!

Have you noticed that you are only seeing updates in your newsfeed from the same people lately? Have you also noticed that when you post things like status messages, photos and links, the same circle of people are commenting and everyone else seems to be ignoring you?

Don't worry, everyone still loves you and nobody has intentionally blocked you. The problem is that a large chunk of your friend/fan list can't see anything you post and here's why:

The "New Facebook" has a newsfeed setting that by default is automatically set to show ONLY posts from people who you've recently interacted with or interacted the most with (which would be limited to the couple of weeks just before people started switching to the new profile). So in other words, for both business and personal pages, unless your friends/fans commented on one of your posts within those few weeks or vice versa - you are now invisible to them and they are invisible to you!!

HERE'S THE FIX: On the homepage click the "Most Recent" title on the right of the Newsfeed, then click on the drop down arrow beside it and select "Edit Options", click on "Show Posts From" and change the setting to "All Of Your Friends and Pages" (you can also access the "Edit Options" link at the very bottom of the facebook homepage on the right)
Note: Business pages do not have a newsfeed however page owners should adjust the settings on their personal accounts.

The good news is: now you can now view all of your friends and fans again. The bad news is: YOU ARE STILL INVISIBLE to a large portion of your list. You must get the word out to ALL of your friends and fans by inviting them to this event or creating one of your own so they can read the post and adjust their settings. To invite your friends: Click on "Attending" at the top and then you will see an option to invite your friends under the smiley face. It’s public so everyone who logs onto facebook can view it and even the friends who can’t see your posts WILL see the event invitation. You can also tweet about it, create a blog post or send out an email to your subscribers in hopes of reaching them all.

NOTE: THERE WILL STILL BE SOME BUSINESS PAGE UPDATES THAT WON'T SHOW UP IN YOUR NEWSFEED. FOR PERSONAL ACCOUNTS TO VIEW THE MISSING POSTS YOU MUST CLICK ON THE "MESSAGES" MENU LINK ON THE TOP LEFT OF THE HOMEPAGE, THEN CLICK THE "UPDATES" LINK THAT MAGICALLY APPEARS BELOW IT. BUSINESS PAGES SHOULD BE AWARE THAT YOUR STATUS UPDATES ARE NOT SHOWING THE MESSAGE NOTIFICATION FLAGS TO YOUR FANS.

Thanks for getting this started Becky!
I have a list of techniques I want to try out so I will be producing a bear with a lot of new things tried out on him! Or maybe lots if bears with a new technique on each!

Here is my list.
Open mouth
Claws (I want to sculpt my own)
Waxed nose
Eyelashes & eyelids
Trapunto paw pads. (soft & leather)

Sounds great Becky! Go for it!

You all crack me up!!!

I'm not sure I have time to organise a challenge but i'll happily brainstorm some ideas!

I like both your ideas Becky!

Zagzagzael I don't know if I could make a realistic bear either - but what about a normal teddy bear playing dress up?

I don't know if you've already done any of these but here's a few ideas.

Anime Bears
Baby bears
Every new technique I always wanted to try challenge (try everything, try it on one bear)
Winged bears
Design a new pattern challenge (share everything with the group from your initial sketches to prototypes, etc)

JM

Hi Bobbie.
It's terrible being in the future sometimes! mondays always come while you guys are still having sundays!

Aside from the style of dart (one side gather into the other my pattern piece looks no similar to the original than any other bear body looks like another. My top is narrower, the bum is wider etc.
My motivation is simply that this is a clever way to achieve a plump belly. I haven't actually made up the original pattern but I have seen photos and I'm quite sure my design body looks nothing like the original.

It's good to have some feedback on this, I love designing patterns and new shapes so much it can totally distract me from actually finishing bears!

Jen

Hi All!
When is the next challenge starting?
Inquiring minds want to know.

JM

I find these topics fascinating.

As a toymaker I have had someone take a pattern I was giving away free on my website and "adjust it" and then have it published! To be honest I was appalled! She claimed that becasue she knitted the body instead of sewing it it was different enough to be hers, even though the "look" was a spitting image of my design.

It put me off sharing patterns again for a long time.

However.

Sharing is a wonderful part of any hobby. It's how people learn and turn into creators themselves.

My question for the group is;

Is using a technique from a pattern infringing on copyright?

I have a specific instance I'd like your input on.

There is a pattern with a gathered tummy in one of the recent bear creations mags. I though this was really clever so I have included a gathered tummy one of my patterns I am designing at the moment. My bear will look nothing like the bear in the mag, and my pattern pieces only resemblance is the fact it has the mechanics of a gathered tummy.

Am I doing something wrong?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks Susie, PM'ing you my page