Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

As I see it, it all depends on what your are trying to do with your design?
Frequently, I am trying for a realistic design where the teddy bear or other animal has a chest, shoulders, belly, a waist and, excuse the reference, a butt.  I usually do a four piece body, but if it is a large guy, over 15", I use a 5 piece body. Not as hard as it sounds. You just add a shaped piece down the back where you would normally have a center back seam. In other words; two side pieces, two belly pieces with a curve for the belly, and a waisted back piece to create a very sculptural body.
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Yes,
Patterns are my thing. I work with about a dozen different patterns each month and I add features, like an open mouth (special added pieces in several patterns), and I'm always refining patterns. Because I have designed many different animals I have a collection of over 85 original patterns. Some, such as a 5 foot Tyrannosaurus Rex, I don't think I'll ever use again  :P
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Wow! Judi,
I just put this in my website. I guess many famous writers agree with you about the spirituality of cats. I know I do  ;)

"I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through."
Jules Verne

Krista,
I can already tell  :clap:  He's going to be amazing. Congrats!
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Tami,
Oh, boy the OLD skipping stiches. I have that happen a lot when appliqueing leather to fur. First I try spraying some pure silicone on the needle and I repeat that every few minutes to keep the needle moving cleanly through the thick layers. If it's really bad I actually spray the backside of the leather and let it dry (pure silicone should leave no smell or change in feel. It may very slightly darken ultrasuede or suede but that usually disappears after it dries.) I only use this sparingly for small pieces as you don't want to be breathing a lot of silicone. If it comes to throwing out a piece or using silicone, I use silicone. Once it drys it's fine. If that doesn't work you really have problems. Some people recommend adjusting the foot presser of you machine. Some times it's a bobbin problem. None of these adjustments worked for me but they're worth checking?
Karen

Krista,
So glad you are expanding your ideas ;-> Color is tricky, I'm not very good at unusual colors. I always try a test fur swatch before I appy color to my creation. But you seem to have a much better color sense that I  YES, we need to see more image progress reports!
Karen

OK,
It's just me but that nose cries out to be shaved! He is so wonderful and just a little bit of sculptural shaving and color shading would make him so realistic. I think that is what you are approaching with your new design. Why not follow it through?
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

OK, Shelli,
You got me, I'm in. I have a complex patterned fur that is incredibly soft. I'm going to try to arrange the pattern pieces in a way that it will make a realistic looking kitten. THIS will be a challenge 
Karen

I don't think I can enter since everything I do is synthetic lately. For me a challenge would be mohair! I haven't used it in a loooong time. But I'm here for any questions or problems? I've probably seen almost every kind of problem you can come up against with all kinds of synthetics   
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Shelli,
I know EVERYTHING about synthetic. I have been working with it for 20 years. If you come up against any problems with your experiment, please call me ;-)
Karen

Shelli,
Don't feel bad!! You've got the forum active again  :clap:
Karen

:hug:
Shelli,
No offense, I know you would never start a mohair/synthetic war. I just wanted to let everyone know that synthetic does not mean a piece is of a lower quality.
Karen

:doh:
Shelli,
This drives me crazy, synthetic can be VERY high quality! I use synthetic because it sculptures very well and it has the softness I require for my cats and kittens. Mohair just can't duplicate this softness, it's after all, goat hair! Mohair was the only material available when teddy bears were first invented. I imagine if designers had had other furs available to them they would have jumped at the chance?! Anyway, I use very high quality synthetic and it's easily as expensive as mohair and getting even more rare as the major high quality producer of Belgium Plush has closed it's factory
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Millie,
There's got to be a special place in Heaven for you! What a sad story. Cats are such intelligent, adventurous creatures. Those cages most have been sheer Hell for them! Be patient with Curly. Because they're so intelligent, cats can make amazing recoveries and changes in personality as they learn who they can trust. Maybe some gentle stretching exercises will help Curly's tail? It will give you an excuse to get closer to him and allow him to trust you?
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Hello! from Karen,
I'm just getting it all together for the Washington, D.C. Expo.  Is anyone here going? It's usually a good show for me, but I'm a little worried about the airport delays    I'm introducing a really new line of cats at this show. I've been holding off for 4 months just to show them at Washington D.C.  :pray:  I hope there's a good gate? I'm also up for two Golden Teds, but I think Judi has me on one of them!
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

This will really affect the San Diego Show this weekend! A lot of European and Asian artists usually are there. Judi, allow at least two hours to check in! I'm flying to the Washington D.C. Teddy Bear Expo next weekend, I can imagine the security on that flight  TBAI is also next weekend. Everybody take care and remember, no liquids or gels allowed in carry-ons. In Europe I don't think they're even allowing carry-ons at all?
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Whoa! I didn't expect such heartfelt replies  :hug:
Roxanne! Your bears are wonderful!  Here's where we have a problem. Let's face it eBay is a business. Many of the people that contact you will not be "true" collectors or even bear lovers. Some are sizing us up and deciding their purchase on recognition and past sales. They are thinking about future sales or even just deciding how to create a monetarily advantageous collection. It's cold hard business to them. We've got to live with this and adjust our goals to the collectors that really will appreciate our work. Dapne, I followed ABC's poll but we didn't get any feedback? I was wondering if anyone has put together the poll and if there are any thoughts on how to use the information and comments?
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

I know we've been over the show issue, but I find the internet versus shows an interesting turn of discussion? (Ok, the reason I'm up and thinking at 5:00am is because it's so hot. I fall asleep early to escape the heat and end up in the wee hours finding something to do before daylight  ) I have tried to balance how I sell. It used to be almost equal between my sales through shows, through the internet, and with collector orders/shops. I have firmly believed that we have to support teddy bear shows, teddy bear magazines and shops. But talking amongst ourselves in this forum and through my own crazy life I do believe things are changing. And the changes are happening fast! Despite my careful plans I find I am now doing almost 60 percent of my sales through the internet! When I mention this to some teddy people I get a dirty look   And I have to admit it makes me feel a little guilty like I'm betraying the cause. But then (in the crazy morning hours, again!) I though about it and; we can't hold back change, this WILL happen. How can we integrate our old way of doing business with the changes? Maybe somehow combine shows with the internet in a more productive way instead of pitting them against eachother? Intercal has done an amazing job with this forum. I wonder if it has helped their show sales? I find I have started to get customers who have only ordered through the internet, come to a show to meet me and see the new cats. But I wonder if that's enough.......
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

There is so much debate lately on how to "fix" shows. Apparently, we're not alone. The Fine Craft show sites that I belong to are also debating this point. Here is a quote from a buyer about what would bring him to a show- "As for attracting buyers, I don't think the admission cost for buyers is bad at all, so I don't think that's a deterrent. But the marketing pitch to buyers should be that the artisans exhibiting are phenomenal, their work is absolutely to die for, and we all have to come and clamor over one another to be the first to acquire these pieces." Of course, this is only one opinion. Some people feel that shows must have more less expensive pieces and be less expensive shows to attract buyers? I favor the high road but that's me, what do I know....what have you heard? Is there a middle ground? What do we need to do to bring more buyers to shows?
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

I'm listening right now :dance:  I have just been working on my website. I always listen to ITunes/Radio/Old Time mystery radio shows. Most are from the 1930's and 1940's. They're so much Fun when I have to do dry website code. I only listen when I'm doing this work, it's my reward and lures me back to my web work  :crackup:
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Kimberly,
OK, everyone I know I'm right-on the forum today. I have hand trouble and my doctor wants me to take some down-time with sewing, typing seems to be OK. I think this is the best way for me to relax
Kimberly, don't feel bad about sewing. I'm not one of those "by the book" sewers, even though I have learned some fine sewing techniques over the years. I find it's best to think of the sewing machine as JUST a tool for soft sculpture. You don't have to be a couture sewer. In fact, it's properly better that you design your own path for sewing your bears. The problem of knots and under-side tangles is not you! Something is not right with you bobbin! Have it checked out!
Karen

Hmmm,
I have never pinned. OK, I pinned back in 7th grade but I freaked out when the sewing machine needle hit the pin and broke! I love the tactile feel of matching seams and feeding them through the foot without pins in the way. I'm also able to push the fur in as I sew so that I have very little brush-out when my seam is finished. I guess I compensate for pins with many mark points that I can line up as I sew? I use a big old industrial Singer machine that I got from a factory in NYC. It has a motor the size of a Volkswagon! But it's quiet and soooo strong! 1/2" thick leather is nothing for this machine. I think it was built back in the 1940's! Came with a great table. I use it only for the basic sewing, I also do a lot of needle sculpture and fine hand stitching. But the faster and easier the basic stitching, the more time I can devote to the hand work 
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Heather!
What a wonderful cat! He looks like an "Old Soul". What a love!
Karen

Hello! from Karen and the cats,
I don't know if this will come through? But it's really funny, one of my collectors sent it to me. If this doesn't work you can use the name address 
http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/anima … ssagesDog/
Actually, it's a site called Stupid Videos and the video is Cat Massages Dog. That's all you need to get to it.
Karen
KJ Lyons Design

Roxanne!
Thank you soo much. Cats are my thing    Your post made my day!
Karen
KJ Lyons Design