Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I prefer the Gutermann thread.  I have also used the Mastex but do not like it as well.  For the eyes I am using waxed linen thread or artificial sinew.

Welcome Sandra.  Since you dealt with Helen in Cincinnati, does this mean that you are from the Cincinnati area?  Just wondering if there is another bear maker here from Ohio.

What beautiful bears!

This makes me wish that I could knit.  I taught myself to crochet when I was pregnant with my daughter and ordered off my feet for 5 months, but I never could quite get the knitting.  Maybe I will have to have another go at it.

I would love to see something from this Peruvian Angora.

I received an email inviting me to join a yahoo ebay group.  You can post your auctions and open folders w/your pictures and it is a free group.  It allows collectors to see your auctions easier?  I am not familiar with anything like this so was wondering if anyone here has had experience with such a group.  If so, I would appreciate any info you can give.

I kind of stumbled on this teddy bear thing.  I was looking at a book of McCall's patterns and seen the one for the bear.  I began to question whether I could do this so I bought some inexpensive plush and gave it a try.  At the time I did not like that bear.  I have a sweater that was my dad's when he was a baby and it fit the bear.  I put it on and WOW what a difference.  He looks so old.  So I decided to try another.  It was much better and I was hooked.  My inspiration to continue came from friends of mine from church.  They all just carried on about my bears and began to order from me.  I have sold several bears to the same man.  He came to me secretly wanting a kangaroo for his wife last Christmas and a day or so later she came secretly wanting something for him for Christmas.  She wanted a Chewbacca from Star Wars for him.  I made them both and kept the secret.  They were both so surprised on Christmas morning.  That was a lot of fun.

Hello Jane,

First let me tell you that I will keep you in my prayers.  I have a cousin and a friend who both had this surgery and were out and about in just a couple of days.  It is nothing like it used to be when they kept you in the hospital for several days.  The surgery is usually a less invasive type.  I know you will do just fine.

Sue Ann,

I like both styles.  Your work is beautiful in both.  The thing about Briscoe (I love that name) is that he looks like a baby bear.  He's got those fat little toes and what a face.  You just want to pick him up and hug him.  I think you'll find that they will both go well.  Different people have different tastes.  I personally haven't met a bear of yours that I didn't like.

The first fur that I bought was a mink jacket off of ebay a few years ago when I wanted to try a fur bear.  I got it for $10.00 and it was already taken apart and ready to use.  I recently bought a full length mink coat at a yard sale for $20.00.  It has a rip under the arm but other than that it is in very good shape.  I also have two fur coats that were given to me.  Now my problem is that I really prefer to use mohair more than anything else.  But there is a market for the fur bears also.  I couldn't pass up a $20 coat that I can make several bears out of and what do you do when someone just sends two coats home from work with your daughter?

Hello Margaret,

Cute bear.  When you are ready to sell, you may want to look at what some of the Steiffs go for on ebay.  It seems to me that some of them bring a really nice price.  Good luck with that cat.

Hello Kelly,

I do not think shipping in the summer will damage the fur.   I have shipped a few and have had no complaints.  However, I have found that for international shipping, Global Priority through the Post Office is the best.  It is faster and cheaper.  So far I have had no problems with it.  I shipped a bear from Ohio on a Monday going to England and she had it by Saturday.    I think there is a weight limit on the package but a bear most likely will not exceed it.

I have made several fur bears and I agree that you need Nancy's book.  It will have all of the info you need in it.  I would be interested to know how you like working with fur.  I personally prefer mohair to anything else I've used.  The fur makes a beautiful bear but there are some differences.  I made a bear with coyote fur (all from a recycled coat) and I vowed never to do that again.  I itched and sneezed the whole time.  I will tell you that mink seems to be a favorite to buyers and it is beautiful.  It is probably one of the easiest to work with.

I might as well jump in on this.  I have a single daughter (soon to be 22) at home.  I don't really mind her staying here though.  She has never given us any trouble.  She has had only one boyfriend and she quickly discovered what a loser he was.  She is very particular about guys, and I think that is good.  I heard someone say "I would rather live single the rest of my life than to live the rest of my life wishing I was." 

Marie,

I don't mind walking.  I'll meet you half way.

When they questioned my bear, I wasn't upset too much.  I took it as a compliment that it was so good they couldn't believe it was hand made.  I didn't lose any sleep over it.  As far as our children go, if parents don't protect them who will?

Marie,
If you were my neighbor, we would probably get fat from sitting around eating and making bears.  We would have to take time out to go for a long walk.

Marie,

The contest that I referred to has nothing to do with bears or critters.  Besides bears, I also do a lot of cooking.  I have worked in the past at summer camps as head cook.  Try cooking for 350 teenagers, 3 meals a day.  WOW!  The boys would converge on the cafeteria like a plague of locusts.  After meals I had to count the pans, plates and even fingers to see if any were missing.  I also have cooked for weddings and parties.  So the contest was a baking contest.  Now I did enter a bear in the fair and he took a blue ribbon.  I also put a bear in the fair last year and he did not win because they did not believe that I had made him.

Well it is comforting to know that I'm not the only one with mohair all over the place.  I do have  a whole room to work in.  After my son married, I took his room.  The problem is that I don't stay in one place.  In the evening we will sit down to watch a movie in the family room and I work on bears then (multi-tasking).  One thing that I have found to be super useful to me is a craft table that I bought at Lowes.  This table is height adjustable.  Because I am tall, bending over the dining table was a killer on my back.  I said we could either put pegs under the table to raise it a few inches or I needed to get something else to work at.  I got the craft table.  It was under $40.00 so that wasn't too bad.  It sure has saved my back.

The next time you visit, stop in and say HI! 

That sounds like a really fun program.

Judi,

Along life's path we all encounter stumbling blocks.  They may cause us to trip, but they are never meant to keep us down.  Dust yourself off and keep on going.

Marie,

You say you hope to be a teddy bear artist someday, I say you already are.  You are creating teddy bears, you are an artist.

Thanks everyone.  I love making these old looking bears.  My imagination goes into high gear when I look at the mohair Intercal has available.

Just thought I'd show you a picture of Arthur.  He is made with the same mohair as is on special just a different color.  This was a piece in the bargain list with some nap reversal.  As you hopefully can see, I have done some distressing on him.  I even found some old fabric in my grandmother's things that I made a patch with.  He also has antique shoe button eyes.

Hello Rita,

Your bears are beautiful.  And welcome to the US (eight years late).  Germany is one of the countries that I hope to visit someday.  My dad's family is German.  My maiden name is Gleckler.  Maybe that trip is in my future.

My family tried to get me to enter last years contests but I declined.  I guess I didn't think I was ready for that.  Competition is not my thing.  I have had some bad experiences in the past.  I realize that this is different and I can't judge by the past, but I entered a contest (not teddy bear) and I took first place.  I had friends who would not even speak to me afterwards.  Well, maybe they weren't friends.  But I am thinking of entering this year.  I have ideas rolling around in my head.  Now to get them out of my head and into some mohair.

Welcome Suzanne,

One thing that I have found to be helpful in turning fabric is a pencil with a good eraser.  Use the eraser end to push the fabric.  The eraser gives you some traction and it won't go through anything.  You wouldn't believe how many pencils without erasers I have here.  It does wear them down over time.  I hope this helps.

I have two mini rex rabbits.  They are known as the original velveteen rabbit.  They do not shed and they have a very short soft hair.  Here's a picture of Gracie.  Maybe you can see how short her hair is.  She is only 4 months old and she is precious.  I have 6 other rabbits besides the two rex.  When I hold and pet the others, my nose itches from the hair.  Not so with the rex.  One of my other rabbits is a Jersey Wooly.  She has super long hair and has to be groomed regularly.  I love her, but the hair would definitely be a problem for someone with allergies.

I bought a yard of this mohair and love it.  However, I make a lot of the old looking bears and this will be perfect.  I also will probably do an old rabbit.

Well I guess I really am old fashioned.  I do not watch TV, but I usually am watching a video while I'm  sewing.  Here's the old fashioned part.  I watch The Waltons, Andy Griffith, Roy Rogers ...... get the picture?  Now I know why my bears tend to have that "old" look.  That's just my nostalgia coming out in them.

Kirsten and Daphne,

My prayers are with you both.

Daphne, a little story for you.  I have some friends who had been trying to have children for 8 years.  They finally decided to adopt this pretty little 2 yr. old girl.  Shortly after the adoption process began, they found out that they were going to have their own baby.  In February the adoption was finalized and a few weeks later their baby girl was born.  They now have two pretty little girls and are as happy as can be.