Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Of course!    You can find it at Mohair Bear Making Supplies, under the section of alpacas. Here is the link: https://www.mohairbearmakingsupplies.co … -10mm-pile
In case the link doesn't work, it is called 'Herb Green Alpaca 10mm pile'.
It is sooo lovely, really dense and a joy to work with. The colour is subtly variegated and it scissor sculpts a treat! 

Isn't it gorgeous?! I fell absolutely in love with it and bought rather too much... There will have to be a few more green bears in the future! 

Thanks so much!   

Thanks LitWit! The paws are just ultra suede, put on in a trapunto style and then needle sculpted and shaded.

Many thanks!   

I'd like to introduce my new autumnal bear, Gideon...

Hope you like him!
Claire. 

What a beautiful kitty! I love his paws! 
Claire.

Hi Rin,
Have you tried Copic markers? They are colourfast when dry and can be blended with the Copic blender pen to achieve more subtle effects. I can also recommend pastels - surprisingly, they don't rub off easily (I think the pastel adheres to the fibres of the fabric, much as it would adhere to paper) and you can build up colour gradually. I use pastel pencils, scribbling on paper to create pigment and then using a paintbrush to apply the pigment to the bear. I also use acrylic paint, very slightly diluted with Winsor and Newton Flow Improver.
Oil paint will take quite a while to become touch dry - around 2-12 days, depending on the thickness of the paint and the pigment used. I would tend to avoid oil paint blended with Linseed oil, as this oil can damage the fabric over time.
My personal recommendations would be Copi markers for shading and creating definition, pastels for adding colour and refining any shading done with the markers, and acrylic paint used sparingly for highlights.
I hope this helps. Best of luck!
Claire.

I think your bear is really appealing and you would have a good chance of selling, especially somewhere like Etsy. You pay a fairly low fee to list and then a percentage when the item sells, so it is one of the more affordable sites to start out on. Best of luck! 
Claire.

So sweet! 

That's wonderful! I used to watch Basil Brush, he was ace.  I always love yellow bears with brown ears as they take me back to my childhood, watching 'Sooty'. 

Many thanks!   

I work with pastel pencils for shading quite a lot - I simply grind some pastel powder by scribbling on a piece of paper, then apply this powder to the bear using a paint brush. This works well on both needle felting and fur pile. The fibres in the fabric retain the pastel really well - in fact, I find I have to work slowly when shading this way as once the pastel is on the fabric it is hard to remove. I have never needed to use a sealant. I also work with acrylic paints quite a bit, diluted with either a small amount of water or Winsor and Newton Flow Improver. I would be inclined to avoid any oil paints/pastels blended with linseed oil, as it can have a caustic effect on the fabric over time.

Definitely have a go on a piece of scrap fur, as Francesca suggests, just to see how it looks and if you like the effect. I use a small pair of scissors to sculpt (after the head is stuffed) and go very, very slowly. Faux fur can be great to sculpt with as it is quite dense - just don't take too much off too soon as the result can look 'choppy'; to aim for a smooth effect take off just a small amount of the pile length and keep working until you get the shape you want.

The first mohair creation I made was a monkey. I needle felted his face. Since then I have been doing more scissor sculpted faces, with needle felted features. Both are great techniques to have up your sleeve. 

It's a great name!
Glad you like Freddy! 

I have been working on a new design this week...meet Frederick Dainty, a fox cub. Hope you like him!

Claire.

So beautiful! 

Cheers, Lisa!   

Many thanks, Pink! 

Thanks so much, Michelle, that is great to know! Bunnies are so sweet, I love to make them.

Thanks so much! They are indeed my own pattern, which I've been tweaking for a while. I have two little pet bunnies who help me with my designing by posing for me. 

I've been making some more bunnies...meet Hercule (left) and Artemisia (right). Hope you like them!

Claire.

Stunning work! I love what you've done with the face!

Thanks so much, Michelle! I'm pleased you think the claws worked well - I tried a new way of setting them this time. 

Many thanks, Zorka!