Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I think I read about doing that in the Ted Menten Book....it's a good plan..I do that now...just loosely sewing and pulling it up almost like a shoe lace and you can keep stuffing  through the stitches. The other way to avoid messy seam closures is to cut a tab that you fold under as you sew .....it just gives you more leeway when closing the opening. ...sometimes the seam allowance is very small and can fray...so adding a bit of extra width just on the openings helps to strengthen..and neaten the closure.

Thank you Mikki....I love to try to capture character.....it's what gives me the biggest thrill!

Thanks so much !

Very sweet....

This is my new bunny design.....really pleased with how he turned out

So beautiful. Your works always astounds me!!

I think a walking foot is good for things that need to be fed under the foot more efficiently. Quilting maybe..I think people use them for velvet piles where it moves as you sew.
I used to pin but now I tack ..I just find it's better for me as in the long run it saves me time...because the pile stays where I put it and then there is less picking it out of the seams afterwards.

Thanks so much ..I loved the experience of making Smokey

This is Smokey the Kitten who I listed on eBay.
Here is the link if you would like a look.

Lovely work

Trim the seams and tack the pieces together

This is Alfie...he's my new bear. He is listed on eBay
This is Intercal alpaca ...it's fab to work with!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Artist-bear-by- … 27e396e569

Thanks guys...I hope he sells...not used eBay for ages so it's a nail biter!

This is Theo. He is on eBay for 5 days..his auction finishes on Sunday.

Here is the link to his auction!

Aw thanks so much....really appreciate your kind comments.

Thanks so much . I thoroughly enjoyed making this bear and I hope to develop this design further!

This is Bruno...he's a twist on a real bear cub and teddy bear... I love this look! This is fabulous faux fur from Intercal by the way

It's a toughie because if you are doing fairs intending on selling your work then it isn't a hobby. That is not me saying that, that's the law saying that. No matter how few you sell ...if you sell them in the UK you are bound by business regulations if you attend fairs and sell your work. I think other countries may be different. But in the UK there is no half way ...no point where you can say ' I sell what I make but I am not a business'
So I do see your dilemma. There are ways to get discount on insurance and that is to join a trade association such as the Market Traders association and they offer insurance for small businesses at a discount...but joining will cost too...so what you gain on the swings you lose on the roundabouts. Also banks offer it too as a discount if you have a business account.

Super work

Well my sister who is an orthopaedic nurse once gave me a tip which has nothing to do with teddy bear making. When I once had that problem with floppy bear joints many years ago ..after the bear was complete...I wondered how I could tighten the joint without taking the whole bear apart. She told me that in traction applied  in hospital where a joint was wobbly....( the traction...not the actual joint) they would wind tape or string around the connection and this would hold the joint more firmly. So on those old wobbly teddy joints I tried winding whipping twine around the joint ...between the leg and the body...and it works. It's not a substitute for making joints nice and tight when making bears from scratch but works very well for fixing floppy teddies. That said I like floppy teddies just as they are....

Thank you Mikki!

Superb!

I had a quick look and couldn't find anything....most of the eyes with workable lids fit inside the head and close when you tip the doll upside down. I would try to make your own.

Mikki have you tried the Ball Joint Doll websites? Of the top of my head that's where I would start searching.....otherwise you'd have to make a lid out of leather or some other fabric...I find knitted doll fabrics quite good as they stretch nicely.

Such a great design!