Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Yeah!!! We could have a fund raiser so Danni and I can come too!!! We'll call it something really clever..like, The Danni and Hayley Texas Partaaayyyy Trust Fund.:cool:

My brother an his wife have three adopted children...all from Ethiopia. They are SO adorable!!!
Kirsten and Daphne...I'll say a prayer for you both too. Sometimes it's hard to understand why things happen that seem unfair, but you just have to trust that God knows what he's doing and He knows how you feel..... have faith, and it will all work itself out. He knows your hurts.;)
Hugs and prayers for you both,
Hayley

Hi marie,
It's pretty simple but the pay's lousy...all you need to do is visit my site...ohhhh...ten or 15 times a day...each time signing my guestbook with a different alias, and each time commenting on what a wonderful artist I am blah, blah, blah.
Just kidding of course.:P Really though...you have given my ego a much needed boost..you're a treasure.;)

Rita...LOVE your new avatar!! Did you do it or was it 'Shell.....ed' out for you??:P
VERY pretty!

Dilu,
I have 10 bears that I bought off ebay for $200AUD..they are handmade from mock mohair and are all identical. I bought them with view to dressing them and onselling.....but am now quite excited at the prospect of practising my airbrusing on them as well. At least I can try different things on each bear!

Hmmm...Laure, it is a browning agent so if you look in the section of your supermarket near the vanilla essence etc, you're sure to find it or something similar. The brand name we get here is Queens.

Oh Marie...you are such a darling...but I am far from a great artist. However, I have decided to  promote you to the position of official "Just Us Bears personal promotional manageress":cool::cool::cool:
Big hugs to you!

Re using tea and coffee for ageing......this is NOT my personal experience so don't crucify me here:(...BUT..I have heard that the natural tannins in both of these eventually break down and the colour will fade. I prefer to use a product you can find in the baking items section of the supermarket called 'Parisienne Essence'. It is used to make fruit cakes darker in colour. It works wonderfully for aging fabrics, and a little bit goes a long way, so the stronger the solution, the darker the brown. You need to dilute it with water...and it doesn't smell that great so you need to rinse the fabric well after dyeing with it. I have used it heaps...even just in a spray bottle to spray on areas of the bear that you wish to shade darker (the smell does fade eventually) or to spray on calico(muslin) for a blotchy effect. I have used both tea and coffe to age fabrics and haven't had it fade much, but if definately fades a little. The Parisienne colour stays true.:cool:

I am signed up for Judi's airbrushing class which starts on the 30th,anyone else from the list doing that one?? Dilu...has yours finished yet? We want to see pics of what you've airbrushed!

Winney,
I've always been a bit confused about where "Winney" came from...so you used to be Loretta Winney then??Or am I still confused??:/

Shelli,
I posted about the tummy rolls on the 'other' board back when we were talking about it...but my post was the last on the topic and you may have missed it so I went and 'dug it up' and have pasted below. I have since tried this and it worked a treat..and this way the tummy doesn't need to be so softly stuffed because the needle sculpting gives the rolly impression.I just left the back open so I could put just the right amount of stuffing in when I was done.

Shelli,
There is a bear in a magazine I have which has belly rolls..it certainly gives it a very cute look..although the bear is made from shorter kind of matted mohair so you can see the rolls really well. She has just made the rolls by doing a ladder stitch across the tummy where she wanted the rolls. You could do a line of ladder stitching across the area just below the chest and the stuff the tummy out further..or ideally I guess..make your pattern plumper in the tummy area and stuff it softer.I have heard of a reverse ladder stitch too where you sew through the mohair from side to side so the excess fabric comes forward rather than back(rather like a dragon's tummy)...that way you could make fat rolls sticking out instead of lines across the tummy...depends what kind of look you want. I always wondered why potbellybears..when I can't see any poddy tummies!
_________________
So Shelli...why 'Potbelly bears"??:P

If there's going to be a partaaayyy...I'm IN!:cool::cool::cool:......but no alcoholic beverages for MOI...one sip and I'm under the table! Wine, beer, cider....dunna matter, just one sip is all it takes.:P As for Earl Grey tea Shelli, I am sipping one as we speak...ma favourite!ahhhhh;)

Nance,
I'm no ebay expert, but I would imagine that if you were to change your id, you would lose all your feedback rating too and have to start from scratch. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks so much Marie...your compliment made my day! My website is sadly in need of more bears so it doesn't look so empty..... all I need is more time! Someone needs to invent 26 hour days and 8 day weeks!
I have used Kris's method to armature bears too...works a treat!:D

Congratulations to both Shelli and Sue Ann for your nominations! You are both such talented artists and should be very proud of your achievements.You are both winners already in my eyes!:lol:
I can see that I'm going to have to subscribe to Teddy Bear Review....I do get TB&F but this one doesn't have what you're all talking about and I wanna see!!! We used to get both the American mags in our newsagents..albeit a few months late...but now they don't bother. Guess it must have become obvious that Phillip Island only has one true bear nut...and that equates to one mag. I have decided to unsub from Australian Bear Creations for much the same reasons as Danni mentioned....the mag is full of patterns and only one profile..the rest is ads, so it's not really of interest to those who are beyond commercial patterns. I'm only interested in the profiles. The American mags (and lets be fair...also the U.K's Teddy Bear Scene) have so much info.....much of it just tidbits...but I love just seeing a snippet of what everyone else in the world is doing. AND I love the pleasure they give to those of us unknowns, when they publish our bears in the snippets sections. I can't yet speak from experience...I always miss the deadlines too...but am aiming to get something submitted before the years end!

Hi Marie,
I haven't used loc-line before...but I wanted to tell you how cute your avatar is! The diamonds are a really special touch and your bears is so cute!:cool:

Laure,
I'm sure as time goes on..you'll get motivated abough to meet thise deadlines,and when you do..watch out world! Being competitive is not something to be ashamed to admit...if the truth's only known, we are all competitive. How many times have I heard someone at a comp say "I'm not expecting to win anything, I'm just doing it for the experience"..when we all know that if we don't do well, we are extremely disappointed! I know I am! I enter my best work, hoping against all hope, that it's good enough to win, and having to cope with disappointment if the judges don't think my bear is as wonderful as I do. I'm not meaning to sound conceited...but don't we all think our handmade treasures are just the bees knees???:D

Millie,
Here is the link to that alpaca to compare it with what you have http://www.intercaltg.com/colors/finishALP12V.html
and it's worth a visit just to see Sue Ann's wonderful Cat!

Oh Sue..you treasure you!:lol: I/2 yard would be wonderful but are you sure you can spare it?? I'm, not to good with my conversions but I THINK 1/2 yard is roughly 45cm...which depending on it's width, would probably get me two koalas!
Email me privately with how much you want for it...and I can either pay you cash or possible swap it for some of my own stash?
Oooh..I'm excited again now!:D:lol:

Ooooh...quick...we wanna see him/her!:lol:

Laura,
I have only ever tried dyeing Alpaca with a ntural vegetable dye (actually it was a lovely red plum juice left over from boiling plums!;)) I used vinegar as a fixative and it came out so brilliantly coloured...but then I rinsed it and it faded a little. Still nice...but I stored it away and when I got it out a few months later, it had faded to a murky pink and looked horrible!
Guess I'll have to try proper dyes.
I don't quite know what type of dye to use...I guess I'll have to take pot luck with the colours whilst experimenting.
Millie, you mentioned you used RIT dyes for your panda...has it faded at all? I found this info on a needle felting group I'm on...but because I haven't any experience at all with dyeing, I didn't know what to make of it. See pasted email below...

Not many subjects can bring me out of  deep lurk but this is one of them.

Rit dye - old or "new" - is a union ("all purpose") dye. It is a mixture of acid and direct dyes. The acid dye portion colors protein fibers like wool, mohair, silk. The direct dye portion colors cellulose fibers like cotton or linen.

What's the problem with that??? Well......

1. Unless you are dyeing a blend of protein and cellulose fibers only a portion of the dye will be used. The rest will go down the drain. Not very cost effective or environmentally responsible.

2. Direct dyes are incredibly inferior in terms of color, lightfastness and washfastness. It will definitely fade in the wash and in the light. The colors are generally very dull compared to fiber reactive dyes which are far superior for dyeing cellulose fiber.

3. The acid dye portion is not quite as bad in terms of wash and lightfastness. But fastness is still only moderately acceptable compared with other acid dyes. This is of particular concern if you are expect your work to hold up over time and it's critical if you are doing any wet felting. Much, much better choices would be Washfast Acid dyes or Lanaset dyes. If careful calculations are made, all of the dye you use will be taken up by your wool. None will go down the drain! Furthermore, the color will last much, much better.

Apparently, a lot of people think Rit is safer to use because you can but it in the grocery store. Please pardon me - but - that's pure hogwash! I won't bore you with details so if you want them email me privately. Suffice it to say that Rit dyes are (that bad word!) "chemical" dyes just like the other dyes I mentioned above. And just for the record, all dyeing (even natural dyeing) uses "chemicals".

This all probably doesn't matter all that much if you are doing "fun crafts" with the kids but if you are selling your work, I believe you have an obligation to your customers to use the best materials and methods you possibly can. Using Rit dye - new or old - does not fall into that category.

I have been a studio dyer for over 25 years and have also worked extensively with commercial dye houses so I have more than just a little experience.  I can't tell you how many sad stories I've heard about things people have purchased that were dyed with Rit. In addition to soft sculpture, I make wool clothing. A frequent question I get goes something like..."Will the colors run if I get caught in the rain?". I can answer "no" with complete confidence! Sure couldn't say that if the wool had been dyed with Rit.

Sue Ann...ditto what I said to Millie. I would just LOVE to have some of it, but I don't want to take it from anyone who has it because they want it. On the other hand, if you don't want all of it, I'd just love some of it. Even if dyeing works, I won't be able to get that wonderful variegated look this fur has.
Really, I'd like to get hold of as much as I can because I intend to make a whole series of koalas..if I can only get the good materials.
I have to tell you Sue Ann, your bears are just superb...and they all have that quality 'Past Time Bears' look..in fact I can pick one of your bears now without looking at the credits. Too cute!

Hi Millie,
I am MORE than interested!!! BUT having said that..if you have it, you have it because you loved it too, and I would hate to 'steal' it from you. On the other hand, if you can live without it, I would love to by it from you!:lol:
You can email me privately at hayley@justusbears.com and I'll find the link again so we can see if it is the same alpaca. Intercal does have another grey, but it's more stringy looking and I need dense. (Sue Ann had made the sample bear for that too). Edinburgh has a grey called 'Smoke' that is a good colour, but it's only a bit over half an inch long. Maybe dyeing will give a reasonable result...but the thing I loved so much about 'that' alpaca is that it's variegated...which is more like real koala fur.
Hugs to you Millie!

Does anyone have any experience with dyeing Alpaca? I have been searching for the perfect grey to make a realistic koala from but greys are almost impossible to find..and certainly are in Australia. I did a search on Intercal and found the absolute most perfectest alpaca...in a variegated grey...just exactly what I needed. And I was ready to by two metres of the stuff and then I see the little post scribe "This fabric is no longer available" WAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! Sue Ann...you will be very familiar with this Alpaca..there was an adorable picture of a cat called Pixie made by you from this stuff. Oh I am so upset...just when I find the perfect fur...I can't have it! SOOOO....can I dye white Alpaca?? Anyone??:(

My hubby did a search on Paypal today, and wasn't comforted at all to come across a whole website called PaypalSucks.com!!!!