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Bumpkin BearsHi everyone, I have tried doing trapunto toes out of wool felt and really liked the look. I'd love to try it so that the foot pads are made of mohair and then the foot pads and toes are raised out of it if that makes any sense!
I have been trying to work out how to do this, I was not wanting to do it with needle felting. THe only way I can see to do it is by having to sew from the front of the paw but I want it to look really neat... anyone got any hints on how to try this??
THANKS
Hugs
Catherine
xx
BrisbaneHow good are you at ladder stitch Catherine??? 
Bumpkin BearsI'm ok with this stich, I was actually just thinking that maybe this is the only way to go to achieve this look?
WienCatherine, I have made some trapunto toes and they look nice, but actually I am not 100% agreeing with myself, if it is worth the energy and time I put into it.
I don´t know needle scultping, so I tried out something different: if you make a sketch of how your toesies should look like ( or rather your teddy´s toesies) cut them out from mohair adding about half a centimeter around it and then sew them onto your foot pad loosely ( meaning, that you can still stuff fibre under it).
Of course you do that before you have sewn the foot pad onto the leg.
Just before The whole toe is sewn on I put a bit of fibre filling into the slit, usually with the help of tweesers and then finish sewing it together.
I´ll post a foto or 2 when I get back home, or rather tomorrow.
Good luck with it!
Gaby 
Catherine, this is just a guess, but what if you:
-- Make a two-layer footpad, with the outer layer being felt and the under layer being your mohair; baste together at edges by hand.
-- Stitch the shapes you want (four oval toes, a footpad shape) for the "puffy parts" using your machine, or by hand.
-- Cut slits in the mohair (underneath)layer where the toes and footpad have been sewn; then stuff them, using tweezers or hemostate, from the back (mohair) side of the double-layer pad, so they get as puffy as you want them to be.
-- Close the slits with hand stitching.
-- Turn the two-layer footpad to the front (felt) side. Trim away the part of the felt layer that's NOT puffy and discard. This would, I'd imagine, leave you with a tiny seam allowance of felt, just past the stitching line, but the mohair which now "appears" from the back (under) layer of the footpad should brush up to disguise that.
-- Attach finished footpad to leg bottom opening like usual; pin; stitch; turn.
???
Haven't tried this myself, but now that I'm writing about it, I might!
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsI draw the pad shapes and the toes onto my ultrasued ( you could use felt) and cut them out using a 1/8" or less seam allowance. Then, I pin them into place on the fur side and stitch around them in the line with the tiniest sewing machine stitch. Shelli's way might be easier to get the pieces placed straight, since that's always a challenge. Next, sew your foot onto the bottom of the leg as usual. Then, cut slits in the backing of the mohair for each paw and toe shape and stuff from behind (like regular trapunto). Don't forget to sew the stuffing holes closed afterward. I think of this method as a combination of trapunto and applique'.
Little Bear GuyWhat we have done in the past and I think is the easiest is very much like Shelli suggested and makes it nice and neat. If you want the foot pad to have the toes with the hair still around it (I think that's the look your after). Firstly I cut out the paw pad from mohair and then a second paw pad out of felt or whatever will be on the underside of the foot. Then with the moahair side I would plus or cut away the area where you want the toes and pad to have the puffiness. Once that is done , then pin the two foot pad pieces together, by hand or machine then stich around the area's you want to stuff. Once that is done, from the backside you will be able to see where the stiching is, make a small slit through the under fabric and stuff firmly using tweezers or hemostats. Then whip stitch the slits closed. Once that is done then you an sew the foot pads on as you normally would.
I hope this makes sense, it's pretty fast and easy to do it this way , and not very tedious at all.
bear hugs
Shane
WienShelli & Shane ,
oopsie, sorry, me is a wee bit slow :redface: and I am trying to figure that out.
My questionis: at the end, does one see the stitching on the ultra suede from outside?
Gaby
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy Bearsit's pretty fast and easy to do it this way , and not very tedious at all.
?????? 
My paw pads are one of the most time consuming things I do on my bears. ?????
Guess you just have faster fingers than I do!
WienTami, I know now, why you need so long for it!
Because you make FIVE toes and the foot pad :crackup:
Gaby
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsYes you can see it if you look closely. I disguise it with air brush shading! All of the steps take me a long time when you add it up! I took a painting class from a wildlife artist and she told me bears have five toes. Ever since then I've done five toes if I do them. Some of my paws are even two separate pieces. Of course I don't mind the extra work if I get the result I want!
WienTami,
counting toes on bear feet made me end up with the conclusion: 5 is the correct number; you´re right!
I have to say, that apart from being pretty, your bears have some of the cutes, sexiest toes I´ve seen; your avatar bear shows that perfectly well!
Gaby
Flying Fur StudiosYeah, totally Tami, you do the best toes by far that I've EVER seen.
You are very generous to share your technique.
Little Bear Guy??????
Guess you just have faster fingers than I do!
Hmmmmmm I didn't mean for it sound like there was no work involved in trapunto toes, there is a lot of work but I don't find them tedious. I find sewing a mini bear tedious 
, but not trapunto toes. I guess we each may have something different from the other that we find tedious. I find trapunto toes to be relaxing , but everyone has their own techniques as well. If your cutting each toe and doing it as an applique and then stuffing them yep that would be time consuming and tedious, each technique is different and some will be more tedious, I only meant that the way we do trapunto is not tedious for me.
Hope I was able to clear that up, I don't want to make it sound like it's a walk in the park which it's not. (Shane now attempting to pull both of his feet out his mouth )
hugs
Shane
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsNo big deal Shane! :hug: But I will want to see your fast and easy method the next time I see you at a show !
Stuffing the toes is relaxing, because you can do it while watching tv.
Little Bear GuyNo big deal Shane! :hug: But I will want to see your fast and easy method the next time I see you at a show
Stuffing the toes is relaxing, because you can do it while watching tv.
Not a problem, it's hard to desribe it , easier to show it that's for sure. Your bears have fantastic toes Tami and I know you put a lot of work into them. I wouldn't say by any means that my way is the right way, it's just the way that I do them .
Are you doing any of the Schaumburg shows this yr Tami? We are doing the April show plus we are teaching a half day class.
hugs
Shane
Back Road BearsI have been studying Tami's toes (well... her bear's toes) up close and personal ever since I adopted one of her bears late last year. I'm totally convinced I don't have the patience for doing such a thing. I did try once but got half a foot done and threw it in the trash! I actually lay in bed at night trying to figure out an easy way to do toes. I'm so bored with plain old foot pads on my bears... especially where I'm focusing on bigger bears (bigger feet!) right now. I have no luck with pulled toes either... I've very TOE-CHALLENGED!!!! :crackup:
HOWEVER.... Shel's idea sounds like a possibility. It was trying to place and pin and keep in place the cut out piece of ultrasuede for the toes.... that was such a bugger! Whip-stitching two layers together, sewing, then trimming around the seam after sounds MUCH easier!!! In theory anyway! Time will tell! 
ToadBriarWhat are pulled toes? it sounds a bit painful...!
I did toepads in leather on my first few bears & that cured me of wanting to do them anymore. 
I keep seeing these gorgeous feets on so many bears though.....might try it again someday!
Melbourne, AustraliaTake a look at these....
....these are pulled toes. Hope this helps! If you want to see a larger picture go to my website.
Bumpkin BearsThanks everyone, well I started last night and after sewing one toe in I was going cross eyed 
Still, determined to get it done so I know what I'll be doing today! I'll show you all when finished, not sure how long that will be though!! Tammi you are definitely the Queen of cute toes 
Hugs
Catherine
x
ToadBriarAh that's what those are called! I've seen some antique bears with a similar thread pattern but not
pulled tight for the pouffy effect. I like the look!
Back Road BearsSHELLI:
I followed your instructions for trapunto and guess what!?!?! It worked beautifully! I went with something simple for pads for the first try but am so pleased with the results!
:dance:
Thank you for sharing a technique you haven't even tried yet! (Really, you must!)
Woah, I am cross eyed just reading about this...I love the five toes, and yes, bears have five toes...BUT, I can never seem to fit five toes on the paw pad. I fell in love with the heart shaped pad and think I will try that on my next bear.
Here ya go...
Benson BearsHere's a set of cute feet which are made from appliqued and sculpted leather. I do this after the rest of the bear is complete and spread it out over a day or two. It's quite hard on the hands, but if you get the right sort of really soft garment leather and use a tiny glover's needle then it works really well. Use tiny stitches around the edge of your piece of leather, leaving a gap for stuffing. Then stuff it to your desired puffiness, bearing in mind that you will need some give to pull up the sculpting. Once the pads are stuffed and sculpted the stitches disappear into the fur and you don't see them unless you part the fur and look REALLY closely.
