Banner Sponsors

elle Mar 3, 2007

More questions from a beginner bear maker?   

I have had trouble getting eyes seated deeply enough on my bears.  I usually start my threads from the bottom of the head after it is stuffed, but the eyes tend to loosen when I add a little more stuffing and close the head.  I wind up redoing the eyes and starting the thread slightly under the ears.

A bird I am making doesn't have a head joint or ears.  I'm afraid if I just start the thread in the stuffing, The eyes will loosen as I close up the bird.  If I start the thread from a seam, won't it make a dipple or a dent there? :doh:

Ellen

SunnieOne Mar 3, 2007

I always put my bears eyes in AFTER the head is completely stuffed and the seams closed for that very reason. If you push the eyes in with your thumbs at the same time as you are pulling the threads tight, they won't get a dimple. The head must be stuffed extra firm also to prevent the dimple.
Sonya

sarahjane Mar 3, 2007

I do my eyse first but I make sure the head is very firmly stuffed before I put the eyes in...I haven't had any trouble with the eyes coming loose yet but my head is completely stuffed then I just add the joint and close it.  I also sink the eyes in quite a long way before closing....seems to work for me...   I like the fact I don't have to try and hide knots and things at the back of the head....

Gail Mar 4, 2007

Hi Ellen
Be sure you are not having the eye threads come out at exactly the same spot on the head as there wll be nothing for the threads to grab hold of when you tie the knot. I insert my eyes by tying a doubled thread around the loop of the eye so that you now have two equal lengths of thread hanging from the eye wire. Insert one half of the thread through the eye placement area and pull it out near the disc on the back of the head Insert the other half through the exact same hole as you did for the first half of the thread but come out at the back of the head about 1/4 to 1/2 inch away from the first thread. Now you can pull as hard as you like to sink the eyes when you tie the knot. I use gloves or leather quilting finger thimbles when pulling on these threads so that the thread does not cut my fingers .The eye sockets can also be sculpted before inserting the eyes
Hugs
Gail

elle Mar 4, 2007

Thanks for the help! :)

I will try your techniques.    Sonya, do you sculpt the eye sockets before adding the eyes?  Maybe I can seat them in further using leather gloves, too.

The bird's head is in one piece with the body, so I can't hide knots under a head joint.  The bird has short pile mohair. also.

I will post a pic of the bird when she is finished (gonna be a mama, I think.)  She's going slowly, though.  I am resewing the tummy gusset as it came out crooked the first time.

Ellen

SunnieOne Mar 4, 2007

Elle
Yes, I sculpt heavily before setting the eyes. It helps so I don't have top worry about a dimple. I also make sure that my threads come out really close to the disk then before I pull them, I insert the needle back in the same hole and come out closer to the center of the disk, then do my pulling. It transfers the stress to INSIDE the head.
Sonya

matilda Mar 5, 2007

http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=7684

pop into here Ellen . There is a diagram showing how to set the eyes.
This is the method I use. I've not had a dented head since.
Wendy