Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thanks so much, Helen! I just love making bunnies, so I will be sure to have some new ones coming up in the future...

LOL! Thanks Becky! 

Many thanks, Birgitte! 

Hi eveyone,
Please meet my new rabbit, Nova. She is a slightly new design for me.

Have a great weekend!

Thanks Becky and Michelle! 

Many thanks! 

Hi everyone!
Please meet my new fox, Sorrel. Hope you like him!

Claire. 

He is really beautiful, Denise! You just want to give him a hug!
Claire.

Hiya,
Is this the guy?

I found him on Etsy. Here is the link to the listing:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/175553805/ … pe=gallery
Best of luck with your search!
Claire. 

Hi,
He is really similar in style and shape to a Wendy Boston bear. I am not sure that he is one, but a google search of this make of bear might be a good starting point.
Best of luck!
Claire.

Lovely little face! 
Claire.

Hi Michelle,
Have you tried adding the pastels using a paint brush? It is quite time consuming but I have found that the pastel bonds really well, especially on felted areas. I use pastel pencils and scribble on a scrap of paper to create loose pastel dust; I then pick this dust up with a paint brush and apply it to the bear - it's a little like applying make-up.  Use the best quality pastels you can get, just to be sure that they are colour-true and will bond well - Derwent are good and have an extensive range of colours.
I'm glad that the tip on Loc-Line was handy - it took me an age to find a good UK supplier! Having said that, I haven't managed to find any that stock smaller than the 1/4" size, unfortunately...
Claire.

Thanks so much, Michelle! 

Hi Crysty,
The first clue I look for with bears is the fur, as this gives a good indication of age. After WWII bear companies started experimenting with a lot of synthetic furs like nylon plush; earlier bears are usually made of mohair, with short, bristly mohair in times of scarcity. Your large blue bears looks to me like a post-war bear because it has a plastic safety nose, which seemed to come into vogue around the 60s-70s. Take a closer look at its muzzle - if it's made of synthetic fur the pile will be very dense; with mohair it will be sparser. Judging by the inclusion of a music box, I would guess that this bear - as well as the brown boy bear - are factory made. The face of the brown boy bear looks similar to English bears of the post-war period.
The little girl bear looks like she might be home-made, judging by the fabric and the detail in her clothes - almost like she was a doll for a child to play with. Pull gently at her seam and you should be able to tell if she was hand-stitched - if the stitches are quite large and very even they are made by machine (either in a factory or on a home sewing machine).
I am certainly no expert on bear collecting, but I had a friend who used to sell them and the prices they fetched for post-war bears were about £20-50 GBP, depending on condition. (Those prices are for a fairly poor example, to be honest!)
To get an assessment from an expert you might like to try sending your photo to 'Teddy Bear and Friends' magazine - I think they have a section for identifying reader's bears. 'The Teddy Bear Encyclopaedia' is also a good resource. A collector's fair might also be useful, if you can get hold of someone who knows their bears. 
hope this helps a little. Best of luck with your investigation!
Claire.

Thanks Denise! 

Hiya,
I can vouch for Dylon dye; I have used it to dye mohair, viscose and cotton, all with good results. I have used the same dip-dying technique each time, just following the instructions on the dye pack. Having said that, I haven't mixed Dylon dye to make a new shade, so if you are pursuing this I imagine a little trial and error is on the cards...
I use cotter pins with loc-line armature and it works fine; just make sure you have the cotter pin nice and tight. I drill a hole at the end of the loc-line segment and pass the cotter pin through, adding the disc etc as normal. May I suggest the following UK supplier of loc-line? http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/copy … _Hose.html
It is not the branded stuff but is equally good, and the cheapest I've found to date.
Best of luck with your dog - the sketch is lovely!
Claire.

Many thanks! 

Another wee bunny...

Thanks for looking!
Claire.

Thanks so much, Michelle!  I have recently started using pastel to shade my bears and buds - I love how soft the colours are. I used pastel for the shading on this little guy... 

Thanks, Sarah! I hand painted the eyes on this one.

A little bunny for spring...

Hope you like him!
Claire. 

They've made my day! I love the little pants! 
Claire.

Hi,
If you are yet to restuff him you can darn the holes on the reverse side of the fabric (i.e., the non-fluffy side). This should make the fabric secure without adding extra bulk. If the holes are particularly large you can tack a piece of net or fine fabric around the hole first and darn over the top; this will give extra support to the darning. I have included a diagram that shows how to darn on knitted fabric.
I hope that this helps. Best of luck!
Claire. 

What a beautiful face on this panda, so alive! He looks like he is about to say something! 

Hi all,
Please meet Eustace, a new design for me. He is available now on my website, Etsy and Bear Pile.