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This is my Chapter 4 bear - the one where we're supposed to exaggerate and manipulate. I put darts in the head, which rounded it out. Also small curved darts in the elbows to curve the arms in a bit. And I made chunky arms and legs, balanced by fairly large feet.
I was reluctant to experiment on my expensive tipped alpaca mohair, so I made him up out of the remains of an old sheared beaver jacket. I'd already made another bear out of the best bits, so this one's made from the scraps. (Perhaps his name should be "Scrappy" 
?) I had to make the legs with the nap running up instead of down because of the way the materials fell out.
At any rate, I'm enjoying learning new ways to predictably shape a bear and would not think of going back to purchased patterns!
Sue
Oh, the mischief of kittens! 
Laurie - I think you'll find that Maine Coons mature very slowly, so get ready to savor a looooong kittenhood!
Sue
Laurie -
You're in for quite a ride with those two! Maine Coons are wonderful. This is our Wadsworth, who always keeps things stirred up around our house! (And Wadsworth with Ranger, one of our Bouvier des Flandres. They're best buddies!)
Sue
Gracie is wonderful! You're so lucky to have her. She is truly full of grace.
Laurie - Gracie-the-kitten's terrific, too! (Maine Coon? Our Wadsworth is the most fantastic cat we've ever had. Love those lynx tips!)
Sue
I am taking the EBearZ U Designing Teddy class and having lots of fun with it! Here's my first bear from scratch (i.e.: a sheet of newsprint, ruler and compass). I wanted a basic, classic Teddy in a huggable size (this one was designed to be 20", turned out to be 19 1/2"). I've gone through over 7 yards of muslin so far and the course is FAR from over!
Hugs to all! Sue
Fabulous job, Lynnette! You know, your Yorkie would make a magnificent trophy for a Yorkshire Terrier Specialty dog show ... but I know how hard it must be to part with a special creation like this one.
I'm in the middle of my first course at EZB University and can't say enough about how wonderful it is.
Sue
It's interesting that he had enough material to get a whole book out of it - and found a publisher.
Now the general appeal of his art can be measured by his sales ....
Sue
Yes, the guard hairs are fairly thick, but shiny and soft. I'm going to send a swatch of the fur to Nancy Tillberg for her opinion.
Thanks for the kind words about BB. He's one of my favorites so far.
BTW - I'm taking Nancy's "Designing Teddy" online course this month. It's exactly what I hoped for!
Sue
Thanks, Shane and Becky! Whatever the original critter, it's making a nice bear. (Not as wild and wooly as the raccoon one I made a few weeks ago, although that one's been refined since then.)
Here's Beaver Bear (working name) with a little trim and an attempt at some needle sculpting:
And a bow from the jacket lining.
Again, thanks for your input. I can use all I can get!
Sue
Please forgive the BIP (Bear-In-Progress) pics, but I really want to know what the experts here think I'm working with.
I'm a brand new bear maker, but I really like working with real fur. This one is from a coat that was listed simply as "Vintage Fur" on eBay. There was a label in the jacket that said "Made in Argentina", so perhaps it's nutria? but it doesn't have the long, coarse guard hairs I've seen on other nutria coats. These guard hairs are short, uniform and sort of waxy-feeling. Any and all guesses are welcome!
I think it gives a very realistic bear look, so I made it up in Nancy Tillburg's "Antique Bear" pattern from her 101 book, although enlarged 25%. (And yes, I adjusted the seam allowances accordingly.) Lots of fine-tuning and adjusting yet to do, but I think he's a very personable fella.
Sue
I second the recommendation of Nancy's book. It's been my most precious resource these last few weeks!
Sue
Katy, he's wonderful! As you say, it's all a learning experience, but in the process you've created something special - AND therapeutic for your friend. He's unique and full of character and another forward step in your journey.
Sue
This is Beezer.
He's my 5th bear and my 4th from real fur. He's from a long-haired beaver coat and a pattern from Linda Mullins' Heirloom Bears book (Mitchom). He has paw pads from a pigskin jacket I bought at the Salvation Army store for $5.00, which are far easier to work with than the rather thick leather I used for my other fur bears. He's got excelsior in his nose and a mixture of fiberfill and glass beads in his body and limbs. AND he has a growler, even though it's not "of the period". The undercoat is so thick that scissoring his face seems to be a work of excavation! I'm not sure when I'll actually declare it complete. How do y'all decide when you're finished??????
Hugs to all who welcomed me so warmly!
Sue
