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Marilyn:Just having a little laugh here!!! Oh Paula, I wish I could make a bear in 10 hours!!! I am usually just about starting to stuff a bear at that stage and I usually reckon on taking between 25 to 30 hours of actual working!!!! I know I take my time, but what am I doing wrong!!!!!
After suggesting a time of approximately ten hours, as a guide to working out pricing for a standard teddy bear design, I nearly gave poor Marilyn apoplexy! So, it set me wondering, how long should it take to make a fairly typical, undressed ted and what would be a fair number of hours to charge for in terms of labour.
As a little exercise, next time you make a typical bear design (ie., something fairly standard without too much in the way of artistic embellishment and assuming you've already created a pattern with it cut from cardboard or whatever your preference is), with a clock, a pen and a piece of paper to hand, please share how roughly how many hours it has taken you to:
1. draw out your pattern
2. cut out your pattern
3. trim your fabric edges
4. pin your fabric
5. machine your pieces
6. OR: handsew your pieces
7. stuff the head
8. trim the head (scissor sculpt)
9. insert eyes
10. embroider nose
11. attach ears
12. stuff limbs and insert joints
13. attach limbs and head to body, closing seams.
14. stuff body and close final seam.
15. finishing details such as sewn claws, eye shading, trims etc.
If you could mention what size bear you are working on, that would be a great help too! On a practical note, I am hoping this might help the newcomers among us begin to gauge what is a fair price to ask for in terms of labour costs, which is always such a difficult thing to work out when you are just starting to price handcrafted work.
Can I play Paula??? Just off hand I work for a week straight, between 6 and 8 hours a day on most of my dogs start to finish...but would love to actually take part in this to calculate just how much time is actually spent....
Hugs,
Krista
I get asked how long it takes me quite often.. and I really have no idea! lol. This might be an interesting thread!
Bear Hugs!
Melanie
Dolls N DreamsSure I will do that on the next one! 
Ruby Mountain BearsYou have to include the time to Photograph, and Post to auction too!! That can be time consuming photographing the bear!!! at least for me!!
Pandy Potter BearsYears ago when I had a bear shop I was able to make 1 a day easily, no distractions. The thing was the customers did'nt like it unless they thought it took me days! Now I have'nt a clue as I work a couple of hours here and there. It would be good to time it though.
Everyone is welcome to take part in this little equation! The more the merrier. If you are making anything other than a bear, just let us know when you post your timings ... that way, new artists wondering how to price their bears for sale will be able to see who is making what and how long it takes. If nothing else, it will be a good way of working out how much of our time we actually spend creating our work! 
Pandy Potter BearsIf nothing else, it will be a good way of working out how much of our time we actually spend creating our work!
Hee, hee 
as opposed to 'researching' on here. I dare'nt add that on it would make each bear take a week to make! 
Swan Valley BearsYes, EVERYONE asks me how long it takes. It will be good to know. I'll time my next one.
FenBeary FolkPaula, you are a star :hug: great idea
Posts: 8,574What a good exercise Paula, and a great idea.
I am seeing it from a business plan view point, it will help me be more realistic in what to expect and what to aspire to.
From stirring the porcelain to pouring the mold, firing, cleaning, firing, first paint, fire, second paint, fire, third paint, fire, hmmmmm..............
It can take a week just to finish one doll, and then she needs stringing, dressing, hair, shoes, but while one is in the kiln another is on the sewing table complaining about not having knickers, or lace on her slip or whatever......
And then I have to analyze my mistakes, of which there are many, and also analyze how the slip behaved and how the pieces came out and what could have been better, what I can make better
does anyone miss the old 9 to 5 jobs? Not me, I am living my dream, one I never thought had a chance of happening
Thanks Paula for a reminder that the process needs to be accounted for and analyzed as well.
dilu
Bears by EdieThis should be interesting, Paula. Might I suggest that along with posting the results of how long each step took people also post a photo of the particular bear they have done the survey on - so that we can see if it is a more complicated or simpler design. (plus pictures are just more fun! )
Drea's BearsWhat a great idea! I did this once a few years ago I don't remember the exact minutes but I do remember calculating it took me approx. 8 hours to finish and 8" bear and close to 34 hours for my 24" bears.......I sew by hand. I wonder if I'm faster now or slower? I'll have to find out! Maybe this will help me get off my butt and finally buy myself a decent sewing machine 
Cool idea!
AndreaM 
Jane Perala Designs Ltd.For some reason, it is taking me longer, and longer to make each bear. I am seriously thinking of stopping the airbrushing on my bears - it just takes so long to get everything set up and then to clean up again. I'm also very easily distracted these days!
I used to be able to make three, dressed 15" bears in one week - not I am lucky if I can get one done in 3 weeks!
Well Paula... I just worked out I make about 10c an hour..... :crackup: :crackup:
Sorry Denise!!! :crackup:
Edie, love the picture idea, so yes, when our pieces are completed, let's all share pictures with our timing break down.
Dilu, I'm chuckling here at the thought of working out how you can account for your doll having no knickers to wear! :crackup:
Bears by EdieI've started on a little bear and am keeping track of the time but have run into a little snag. What do we do about the time to sew in paw pads - or does that just get added into the time for sewing pieces together - if we machine sew the bear and hand sew the paw pads then list the time so much time under machine and so much under hand???
And I'm not sure where to put the time for turning the pieces once they are sewn - should we have a separate slot for that or include the time for turning each in with the stuffing - i.e. 7. stuff head - would be turn and stuff head??? (turning time can be a bigger factor in mini bears I think!)
Maybe I'll pm you Paula.
Posts: 8,574:crackup: She will have lace and Batiste with heirloom sewing pintucks and all by the time she's done! I keep telling her when that happens she will have to be a lady.
Bayside BearsI don't have a typical amount of time since all my bears are different. But, Flocke, the little replica life sized cub I just sold on Ebay took me about 15 to 20 hours. I take into consideration the time spent researching the pictures of the real bear online, sketching out ideas, designing a pattern, cutting it out. sewing it togther, turning it right side out and stuffing loosly to see what it will look like, adjusting any seams....taking it in or ripping anything out and redoing it to get it just the way I want......I also have to include the time it takes to photograph, edit photos and build the Ebay page, which is a good 4 or 5 hours for me. So, maybe it IS more than 20 hours. I've never kept a record.
But, FLocke sold on Ebay for the crazy price of $2750.00 so I certainly got a good hourly rate for that one!
Here she is:
Mary Lou
Hi Edie,
I've just completed my 'timed' bear ... will post details later ... to answer your questions, I included all my sewing time, hand sewing and machining, together ... just added them together at the end. I also included turning time but worked that into my stuffing limbs etc times.
Hope that helps!
Mary Lou, Flock is a beauty! Congratulations on such a successful auction! :clap:
As you say, there are many other essential time elements to work into pricing, so this exercise is a purely a starting point for us to calculate the basic manufacturing time necessary to create our work. I was quite surprised when I arrived at my final calculation, as the bear actually took a bit less time to complete than I had anticipated. By the time I've worked out the other elements, design, research, computer work etc etc., I think the pricing structure I've used for years will probably work out to be reasonable accurate for my work. Will take pics and post full details later!
Krista has a similar problem?! as I. So MANY details! A lot of my time is spent dyeing, hand coloring, needle sculpting, and each cat/bear has at least 21 fur pieces to sew. I'm counting just the actual making of a cat. Adding in the photography and computer time would be too depressing 
Straight through, the actual construction would take me about 20 hours. I have cut down on that time by working with 3 or 4 characters at a time . That way I can be dyeing while doing other stages and I can have everything out for 3-4 cats instead of putting things away and taking them out for each creation. Takes a lot of mental juggling, especially, when I'm doing portrait or special commission cats. I keep long lists of all the details for each creation as it goes along and I keep referring back to try to keep it all straight With this new method I think I have it down to 17 hours/each.
Karen
KJ Lyons Design
Bears-a-Bruin!Just seen this thread (I've been away from the computer lately!) and coincidentally timed my bear making a while ago.... so I know it takes me between 6-7 hours to make a 3" bear, undressed. That's from drawing out the pattern to tying the bow around the bear's neck, but not including all the work that goes into an eBay listing too. My little ones have wired arms and I spend a lot of time on the faces.
I tend to do an hour here and there tho', so it might take me a week to complete one in reality 
It's an interesting exercise. I've just finished my standard 13" teddy bear (I chose to work on a straightforward design as a starting point for keeping things straightforward for new maker-sellers in particular) and I was quite surprised by the results. I've just started a 'results' thread, so if anyone here would like to share their detailed timing breakdown, please do so on the new thread ... all results are welcome, however complicated or simple, fast or slow, your process!
