Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

It's now the 22nd, still no mag.

Lovely bears, lucky you.

Yes, Wubbiebear give it a go, it works and I find it sooooo much easier.

This is the style of bear I just love.
He is beautiful, and you made his outfit where did you get the pattern for that? It is just precious.

I am in the middle of my first mini ( 4 inch) bear and I am realizing these are a whole new ball game.

I got some 1.6mm split pins from the hardware shop and some 10mm round jewelry findings that look like little washers ( don't know what they are really for) from the craft shop, so that's my joints sorted.

I also worked out that the sewing has to be smaller and tighter with minis, aren't sewing footpad on a mini a real #%^^*+.

Fray stop is your best friend.

I don't like sewing on ears at the best of times but Mini ones, I have worked out that if your sewing is a little dodgy you can attach bits through the head a bit like putting in the eyes. Yay!!

And as for those tiny eyes, OMG if you drop one of those down the side of the sofa that ain't coming out, ever, and don't get me started on turning the finished bits, how do you do it?? Although I have figured out that when your turning a piece a little bit of stuffing makes it easier to push the seams out do you don't poke a hole through the fur.

Oh and don't throw out any scraps of fur, if you stuff something up the tiniest bit of scrap fur could be your savior.

Well that's my little rant for now but I'm sure there will be more before I'm finished. Oh and is it me or does a mini bear usually take longer than a regular bear?????

I do my head gussets the same way Beth, I agree much easier.

Hi All,
        I was wondering if anyone has used a button joint on a mini bear before?
I found a website: mygurumi.blogspot.com
It's like a thread joint only using a button as if it was a washer, using the buttons on the inside of the limbs. also they mention using safety eyes as joints.
If anyone has used these methods before were they successful? and what would be the largest bear size it would be suitable for??

Very cute.

Aawwwww, she is beautiful, love her.

He is perfect, I love him as I love all your bears.

Hi All,

So here he is my first mohair bear, my problem child, Eliott.

He was a real challenge as I am sure you will remember in my previous posts and many questions I had about mohair,
He is 8 inches tall, scissor and needle sculpted and also has shading around his eyes and nose. His black embroidered nose is also waxed.

I am happy with the end result and I think all the tears and swearing was worth it in the end, as I now can't wait to do my next mohair bear and I have a lot of fake fur that is just going to be stored away.

O.K, I know I was warned, I am now a convert.

Hi All,

Finally I would like to introduce you all to Paris, she is a kit by Bears By Annie that I got as a birthday present last November. My first ever bear Gaby was a "test" bear I did in December of this pattern.

She is a 12inch hangbear and as the name says she can hang from doorknobs and stuff at the moment she is perched on the back of my bed.
As her name is Paris and a very sophisticated lady I have given her a beauty spot just above her nose.
I hope you like her.

He is cute, love his face, he looks a little bit shocked.

Hi All,
I have just been sitting here for the last few hours sewing the body and head of my next bear when it just occurred to me...I HATE sewing, oh not this kind but I will put off forever sewing on a button or shortening a pair of jeans but I will rush through my housework and gladly spend hours creating a bear or doing embroidery, I suppose it's because when you have something beautiful to look at or the cutest little face looking at you when you have finished you get a thrill and a sense of accomplishment, I can't say I have ever got a thrill from sewing on a button.

He is lovely, how could you not fall for that face.

Thank you both,
The fabric has a VERY open weave and when I was stuffing the head the seam didn't hold, should I do a double row of stitches or just use smaller, tighter ones also I was thinking should I back the fur fabric with something?
Because it is such a small bear ( for me) should I maybe put fray stop over the whole of the backing, it is a pliable fray stop??

Hi All,
        I hate putting in the head gusset as I never know where it should begin on the nose. So my (silly) question is can I start putting the gusset in at the neck edge of the head pieces and the straight part of the gusset work my way up on both sides at the same time with a needle and thread on each side then when I get to the top work my way down the nose to the front neck??????

I just checked my emails on the computer and I owe Australian Bear Creations an apology, I did get a reply from them but my stupid iPod doesn't receive all my emails for some reason?????
20th May it is then

Hi All,
        A few months ago I bought 1/8 metre of mohair to make a 8 inch bear, when I cut out the pattern I THOUGHT I would have enough fabric to make two bears until I stuffed up the head TWICE.
The bear eventually came out lovely but I looked at the left over fabric and nearly cried, there was no way I was going to get another 8 inch bear out of this, so I just hid the left over fabric away.
Yesterday I was looking at my bear magazine and found a lovely pattern for a 4 inch bear and that got me wondering...... So I cut out the pattern, and..... OMG I even have enough left if I stuff up the head AGAIN!!!!

I have just fray stopped all the pieces before I attempt to cut it out, the glue is drying as I write this.

I am a bit worried about turning the pieces inside out, so if there is any advice you can give me on making mini bears ( is 4 inches classed as a mini? ) I would appreciate it greatly.

But most of all please wish me GOOD LUCK!!!

Oh! It just dawned on me.. Do I need a special kind of fur to make a mini???

Thanks

He is so precious.

He is a beauty, so cute.

She is really pretty, I love her.

Hi Michelle,
               Great topic, can't wait to hear other peoples favorites, don't ya just love sharing????

I love Edinburg Imports website as they have lots of tips and techniques.
Fav magazine is Australian Bear Creations.
Fav online shopping would be Teddy's bits and Gerry's, Gerry also has some great fact sheets.
Fav forum, let me think...........

He is gorgeous.

Thanks Leanne,
                     I checked the newsagents today because it is 4 weeks since it was due out so I was thinking if they are going to do it every 12 weeks instead of every 8 weeks it would be due out now, but it is over 3 months since the last issue.

I did send them an email but didn't receive a reply.

Oh well I suppose I will have to wait until the 20th, thanks again.

I did pick up a old issue from a thrift shop today so that has sorta took the edge off.