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WildThyme Oct 25, 2005

Heather.... the pattern draping thing is not as difficult as it sounds in my description.  I am terribly bad at putting it into words though... If you were to come over for a cup of coffee.... I'm sure I'd have you set doing it in no time!  Feel free to eMail me if you have any questions once you give it a try.... If you can do it on paper, by all means.... DO THAT!  You mightl ike it though since you are originally a poly clay person like me!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

melissa Oct 25, 2005

Hey Kim

You inspired me enough to actually start another mini last night.  One of my bears has been sitting waiting for a mini companion for over a month and I've been to chicken to start one, but last night I half sewed the head of a 1.5 inch bunny.  I am a bit dubious as to whether it work so it might only ever be a head!!

Terrie Oct 25, 2005

Catherine, it sure isn't her fault.....she is just as cute as she can be! I think that nearly everyone in the  world just has things on their mind other than buying bears right now.......like hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods.

Kim, your sculpting idea is wonderful! It makes me think.....now why didn't I think of that! I can't seem to think in 2D either, so I have a lot of bear pieces that hit the garbage.

Melissa,  please be sure to post your bunny when he is done.

WildThyme Oct 25, 2005

Terrie..
  I didn't really think of that idea all on my own.... It's sort of a compliation of stuff learned over the years from various places... cloth doll making boards mostly..... and watching my mother fit the bodices of dresses directly on the wearer... etc....  It's not really MINE.  It is pretty cool though!

Beray truly ours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

rikkisbears Oct 26, 2005

Hi,
I'm going thru a bunny phase at the moment. Finished my first one recently , now I've started making him a little mate.

Jellybelly Bears Oct 26, 2005

I am loving this section    Wish I had the time earlier to join in!

Kim your little bear is adorable and you are right, it is fun here 

Helena and Shantell, love your new avatars  :rose:

What I'm realizing is that many of the bears I see on avatars are tiny!!  I never knew those of you who make minis, make minis...Its amazing!

Hugs Sarah

Jellybelly Bears Oct 26, 2005

Amanda--- I think that the magazines consider 'miniature' to be 5" and under, but really, I think it's more the scale than the size that makes something miniature.  I've seen a lot of 6 inch bears that I would really consider to be mini rather than small full sized bears!
Beary truly yours,
KIm Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Not meaning to butt in...but...I never considered my 5 inchers to be mini, until I entered one in a show and realised it was in the smallest category!  They are still big in the mini world, but I get frustrated with anything smaller at this point in time...I have made smaller, but they are once in a few month bears when I get the urge :rolleyes:
What is interesting, is that I make my arms and legs long...now one of my small bears may measure 5 inches but the legs make up a lot of that height...does anyone else do the same with their bears...

Hugs Sarah

Jellybelly Bears Oct 26, 2005

Terrie..
and watching my mother fit the bodices of dresses directly on the wearer... etc.... Beray truly ours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Ouch!!!  you brought back some painful pinning memories...ohhh mothers who like to sew for their kids lol
Hugs Sarah

kathytaylor Oct 26, 2005

Hi guys,
I was just lurking by, I really love your bears Kim. Terrie that sunshine is just adorable.
I am working on a under three inch out of smokey long pile in pink. but she seems to be a bit slow on taking shape. I have her head done and sculpted nose and mouth stiched ready for eyes but I just can't seem to get focused on sewing.  :rolleyes:
I too don't always think of five inches as a standard for mini's. I saw some bears at a show that were about 8" and thought they were lovely and could be categorizes as mini too.
Kathy

rikkisbears Oct 27, 2005

Hi Sarah,
actually it is hard to tell from the avatars how big the bears actually are. I tend to think moreso with mohair bears. They could be anywhere from 3 inches to 3 feet tall.

I'm wrapped that Intercal added this mini section. Great to find so many mini enthusiasts.

Actually be interesting to know the size of some of the avatar teds.

My little girl, Misty, is 3 inch mohair with a uv muzzle.

I am loving this section    Wish I had the time earlier to join in!

Kim your little bear is adorable and you are right, it is fun here 

Helena and Shantell, love your new avatars  :rose:

What I'm realizing is that many of the bears I see on avatars are tiny!!  I never knew those of you who make minis, make minis...Its amazing!

Hugs Sarah

matilda Oct 27, 2005

OOOOHHHHH you are all so clever. Even though I have made minis, I find them so painful on the finger joints that I dont no whether I'll make another again or not.
I'm quite envious of Your wonderful wee creations.
GO MINI MAKERS :clap: :clap: :clap:

Bumpkin Bears Oct 27, 2005

Well I've just finished another mini - rather wild and wacky compared to my usual style but I thought I'd have a bit of fun with  halloween on the way!  Hufflepuff was inspired by Harry Potter (being one of the names of the houses), he's a mini old wizard bear with beard, long eyebrows and hand painted eyes!  He's made of long tipped Schulte mohair and I needle felted his hat and made his felt cloak.  Not sure what you think of him but I know that I've got cramps in my hands making such a diddy chap out of mohair 

WildThyme Oct 27, 2005

What a fanciful little chap!
That felted hat is so whimsical!!!! I just love all those colorful fibers!!!!!

Beray truly yours,
KIm Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

kathytaylor Oct 28, 2005

:)Okay I finished her. here is Lil' Violet. she is actually made from Pink smokey long pile, but it give her a lilac color.  :love:She has hand painted foot pads and fully five way disc and pin jointed.  She stands on her own and is a huge 3" tall.
Love, kathy

kathytaylor Oct 28, 2005

OOps might want to post the picture huh??? Sorry :redface:

Amanda Oct 28, 2005

What a lovely bear. I adore the foor pads, they look very fiddly. Is that smokey fabric easy to sew, I have nearly finished a bear and it was very hard to sew because of the backing. The back of the needle kept going in my thumb, I had to put a plaster on in the end. ( sticky plaster, they could be called something else in the States)

WildThyme Oct 28, 2005

Kathy, that sweet little mouth!!!!!!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

WildThyme Oct 28, 2005

Amanda.... all the smokey long pile that comes from Sassy Bears has the white grid backing.... If it comes from somewhere else, it might have a different backing....
I find it really easy to work with.

Beary truly yours,
Kim basta
Wild tHyme Originals

Terrie Oct 28, 2005

She is adorable, I love her little feet!

kathytaylor Oct 28, 2005

Thanks guys for the lovely compliments. she is actually brighter colored than shows here but I was in a hurry taking the picture last night. My good friend Lisa Madsen of Madsens miniatures taught me how to paint the foot pads in real life they look 3-d, and are very brightly colored, can't see it well in the photo though.

yes Amanda the smokey long pile is really easy to sew. It has a great backing and sews up just great. you have to pay attention to which way the pile lays when you cut though. I get all mine from Sassy bears and fabric.
here is the link

sassybearsandfabrics.com

Love, kathy

Amanda Oct 30, 2005

I have ordered some fabric from Sassy's thanks. This is Pepsi I am putting him on ebay tonight. He is 3" tall. The fabric was not nice to sew as the backing was really weird, like a suede effect. The fabric looks lovely though. I got it in a mixed ebay auction. I must say I enjoyed doing a miniature as the last one this small was ten years ago.
By the way I did end up just using cotterpins in the end, they were fine.

WildThyme Oct 30, 2005

Amanda... Pepsi is just precious!  What a sweetie!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Terrie Oct 30, 2005

He is adorable Amanda, I hope that his auction does really well. The fabric does look really nice, it's too bad that it was hard to work with.

Jellybelly Bears Oct 30, 2005

Hufflepuff and Lil Violet are so lovely Cathy and Katherine
Amanda, Pepsi is adorable   Is that fur by any chance a plush called moccasin?  It is so soft but oh so slippery!!  It produces lovely results tho.
Well done ladies
Hugs Sarah

Amanda Oct 30, 2005

Sarah it was exactly like moccasin on the fur side but nothing like it on the backing. I have some moccasin and this was very odd. When you look at the backing it looks like false ultra suede. Its as if the backing had been bonded on. Would make great paw pads. By the way I'm as bad as you, I must get a tripod!