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Kiprie BearsWow, Kim and Clare your bear is really small !!(@@ how amazing !
Sue-Ann, I want to see your new big creation !!!!!!
I like to make a 15inchs bear now because I can use up all 1/4yard mohair and
they are huggable size. Also I like the 3/4inchs long or 1inchs long pile but if I use them for small bear the bear will be some-thing else...hair monster ??
From my not-enough experience, I think small size(under 6inchs) and big bear
(over 14inchs) both are not EASY to make(or any size bear is not easy.....hmmm)
Small one need allot of patience and big one need allot of POWER for stuffing, eye placement etc....
But... I do like small ones too. they are just so cute with tiny body.
I shall try to size down my bear too and hope I can manage that .... :P
Good luck for everyone trying to down size / enlarge size !!
Hugs/Marie
Bears-a-Bruin!Hi Penny & everyone :)
I think the size of the bear adds to his or her distinct character! I've no idea which sells better overall, but sounds like it's different at shows than it is on eBay? I think we should all make what we feel most comfortable with! I love making the little ones (3") but they can be very fiddly at times so I tend to swap between those and the larger (6-7") ones. Plus, I like using mohair so the bigger ones give me that option.
The cashmere and velvet and the lovely smokey longpile make the turning much easier (it kind of slides against itself), but I still get the odd piece that is ruined in the process of turning. And then I just have to cut another limb out and start again!
Maybe another factor is whether or not we prefer to hand-sew? I made some larger bears a while back, and machine stitched them. But once I started hand-sewing I was hooked and it limits the size a bit! (Well, it does for me anyway!)
Huggles,
Helena
BEAR ME SHOOTKA
The smallest bear I've made is about 4 inch. It was my first minis and was made from viscose. Very thin, very easy to turn out, but (always this BUT) needed a fray check like hell. Turned out to be my daughter's favorite. Very tiny, heavy buddy.
Wild Thyme OriginalsHey girls!!!! There are three fabulous books on making minis, all of which have great patterns, and great tips...
1. How to Make Enchanting Miniature Teddy Bears by Debbie Kesling
2. Making and Dressing Miniature Teddy Bears by Julie K. Owen
3. Creating Miniature Teddy Bears by Linda Mullins
Though for many of you experienced pattern drafters out there... a mini pattern really isn't much different than a full sized bear pattern.
Emily Farmer has some great kits that include just about everything you need if you wish to try your hand at one without investing in books, materials, etc....
Her eBay store can be found at :
Emily Farmer's eBay Store
I can't personally vouch for the quality of her patterns & kits, having never bough one before, but I have purchased fabrics from her in the past and I have been VERY pleased with the quality and with her "customer service."
Size is definitely a personal thing.... for both artist and buyer. I do hear from a lot of folks who are running out of room for their collections and now prefer minis, though there are certainly also folks who wouldn't even consider buying a bear that they couldn't hug.... That's one of the reasons why I do both. Even with bigger bears though... I feel much more at ease in the 10 inch range than I do at 15 or 16 inches.
Anyone who is interested in trying a mini... feel free to ask me any questions you might have..... I'm always happy to help!:) I think the tiniest one I ever made fit into a walnut shell..... I don't have the pics available this computer... they are on a CD somewhere in one of the boxes that are yet to be unpacked! If you click on the below link, it may take you to a picture of Walden... my little nut shell guy... I say 'may' because I am still figuring out this whole BBCode thing!
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Actually, I just checked that link for Walden and it goes to the right album of my gallery, but not directly to his picture..... but after you click, just scroll down on the pics that are on the left side, then click on Walden to see a bit bigger pic of him.....
Kim-Bee BearsKim - I have a question for you... how do you get sooo much detail in your tiny ones??? I think when I make slightly bigger bears (about 3-5") I can go into more detail and can needle sculpt....
Wild Thyme OriginalsKim - I have a question for you... how do you get sooo much detail in your tiny ones??? I think when I make slightly bigger bears (about 3-5") I can go into more detail and can needle sculpt....
Oh, definitely, the bigger you go, the more "canvas" you have for needlesculpting, shading etc..... For about the past year or so I've been needle sculpting even the tiny wee ones.... I do it the same as in my larger mohair teds.... "the push, pull, squeeze, dent it in, take a tiny stitch, figure to where to anchor it" method! I just use a much smaller needle and take much smaller stitches! Making full sized bears, and experimenting with adding detail to them has really improved my ability to be able to do it on the tiny side.
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Kim-Bee BearsThank you... I am so affraid to hurt the little guys 
I will have to do some test heads this weekend
Matilda Huggington-beareI'm dying to see this rooster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cool:
From my experience both sell well. I have a friend who make teeny tiny bears - between 1and 3 inches and her bears sell like hotcakes at shows and get very good prices online. However, there is also a woman I know who makes very big bears and her bears sell incredibly well both here and overses. Sometimes I think the extremes do okay it's everything in the middle ground that is fighting most to compete
I tend to collect miniatures, though I have some big wonderful huggly big bears in my collection too. The miniatures I collect tend towards the "works of art" bears more than the miniature cute teddy types.
I make small bears - I originally started out with big bears - between 10 and 20 inches, then went the other extrememe to minis, which I sold more of. I have finally settled on bears between 3-6 inches with most being around 4 inches. I sew mine entirely by hand. I enjoy making this size the most and while I think the market for this size is a bit saturated, it's the size I'm happiest with so I won't change.
As I have to import ALL my bear making materials and we have a relatively low exchange rate so mohair becomes even more expensive, it is also most economical to me to make small bears.
I did make my first true mini for a couple of years, recently. I designed a new pattern and didn't quite realise it was as small as it was. He's a 1 and 3/4 inch bunny and is fully cotter pin jointed - I surprised myself!! However, now that I know how small the pattern is I've pscyhed myself out of starting another one!
NSW AustraliaHi,
I used to mainly sell mini's up till a couple of years ago on Ebay.
The little mohair one's were 3 inches tall , standing. The uv bears ranged from 1 inch to 2 1/2 inches.
They are certainly a lot less expensive to make material wise, but they still took as long as my 7 inch mohair bears to make. ( sometimes longer, because they're fiddly)
One thing I do like about them is, they take up such a small amount of space. I have mine in a display cabinet, along with a bunch of ornaments to display them.
When we go on holidays, I pop them all into a little carry case ( about 50 or so) and take them with me. I can't do that with my larger ones ( haaha)
Posts: 3,177I would love to have a go at the wee bears, although at the moment i am downsizing one of my designs from 16" to 10" and will try that out first. The thought of working on bears as small as 1 1/2" is scary!
I don't know how you do it girls!
Penny 
