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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Cincinnati, OhioJust wanted to share a tip I learned from the Teddy Bear Scene magazine - November 2005 issue which featured a Gregory Gyllenship bear pattern. He mentions cutting out the leg pieces so that the bias edge is along the bottom where the foot pad will be sewn in. This allows stretch for sewing in that difficult pad piece. I have purchased a lot of patterns and his is the first that shows not only fur direction arrows, but also a weave grid. He says "It has to sometimes be a compromise between stretch and ideal pile direction............... Fit the paw pad using the markers at the toe and heel as reference and easing in the rest of the pad - this is easier if you make sure that the bias of the cloth is chosen so that it stretches along the bottom." This was something I had never taken into consideration before, but it sure makes sewing in the foot pad much easier with that little bit of stretch to help!
Gregory Gyllenship also does absolutely perfect noses and he mentions in the article that he always makes sure the weave is square across the end of the snout on the head gusset to help sew a straight nose.
Hope this information helps some of you out there!!!!! :dance:
Baird'sBears
What great tips, Connie. Thanks!
I'm going to Goggle GG. 
Since most mohair nap is redirectable, I've been wondering about the use of bias for spots where a bear needs some flexible bulge.
Eileen
Flying Fur StudiosYeah, that is a great tip. I also don't worry about the nap of the fur anymore either. Like Eileen says, it can be re-trained to go where you want it anyway.
Interesting tip, thanks a bunch, and WELCOME by the way!
Those are great tips; thanks for sharing them!
I love GG's bears. They're just these big ol' lugs and they have THE sweetest faces and incredible noses. I'd love to see one up close and personal someday.
Posts: 8,574Ive been doing this all along for my gollies...then I stretch a wee bit more and add glass beads....it makes for a slightly larger foot pad that enable the little dickens to stand on their own....no way I'm carrying all those critters.
Of course the trade off is they're getting into stuff...
Now does it work with Ultra suede or wool felt? Wool felt can be stretched any way, but ultra suede....have you tried it yet?
dilu
Cincinnati, OhioGregory does the most amazing noses on his bears. I would love to know how he gets that shading on his noses. I've exchanged a couple emails with him recently and he seems very nice but I felt funny asking him about his techniques. I thought he might want to keep it a secret. Does anyone out there know how he does it?
Baird'sBears WOW. That is a beautiful nose.
It looks as if it's been stitched in brown, shaded with darker brown or black, then waxed and polished and waxed and polished several times. Or maybe he uses two colors of thread?
Anybody?
Eileen
