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Bramblewoodbears Mar 31, 2006

I am looking for a way to do some shading on my crochet bears (especially around the eyes).  Does anyone have any ideas on what to use to do some soft shading on mini croched bears?
Thanks so much!
Tomi
Willow Creek Bears

Acipenser Mar 31, 2006

I use colour pencils on crochet bears. You can use copic markers, but I find them too strong on crochet.

Bramblewoodbears Mar 31, 2006

great idea, thanks so much.  Your bears are very cute!
Tomi

WildThyme Mar 31, 2006

Hi Tomi... welcome to Teddy Talk!  My very first bears were crocheted!  One think that I used to do when working with 100% cotton thread was to shade with a little paint brush dipped in VERY strong coffee, or a colored herbal-type tea.. there is one whoes name escapes me at the moment... it's Wild Berry flavored... and it produces the most lovely pale pinkish/purple effect.  I bet you coould also try watered down acrylic paint, faric markers...... lots of wonderful ways to shade!

Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Bramblewoodbears Mar 31, 2006

Kim,
Thanks so much for the great ideas!  I think I might try a combination of the strong coffee, colored pencils and acrilic paint.  I admire your bears...they are adorable...if you are still here, how do you hide the knots when you are embroidering your bears noses and mouths?
Thanks ,
Tomi
Willow Creek Bears

Sandi.S. Mar 31, 2006

Hi, Tomi

I have used diluted acrylic paint on my bears and been happy with the outcome.

When I am making thread bears, I completely finish the face (eyes, nose, mouth...) before closing up the head. I enter and exit through the head opening when doing my embroidery. All knots will be hidden once you close up the head.

Bramblewoodbears Mar 31, 2006

Hey Sandi,
That works very well for my crochet bears as well, but I run into trouble when sewing the mouths on my fabric bears.  I always end up wondering what to do at the end of the embridered mouth or nose.  I can't figure out how to hide that darn knot :)
Tomi

Sandi.S. Mar 31, 2006

I'm sorry, I thought you were still talking about crochet bears.

Acipenser Mar 31, 2006

Hi Tomi,
I don't make a knot at the end of a mouth. Instead I go back throught the muzzle into the nose, do a few stitches under the embroidery and cut off. It holds well that way. Knots should be pulled through the fabric into the stuffing, but I can't get mine to lock, so I do a few stitches back and forth without pulling, like under the nose embroidery or for claws, through the limb. Does that make sense?

WildThyme Mar 31, 2006

Hi again!  Just popped back on for a minute... thanks for your lovly compliment about my bears!  On fabric bears i do the same as Sandi is describing for thread bears.... I don't joint and close until everything is all done... same excact principle.  If I do decide to close before doing some of the facial features.... or I change my mind at a later point    I just make sure that I do the knots near that same area where the joint is... I generally shoot for exiting at the base of the neck, under the chin.... then pull (burry) the knot back into the head. 

Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Wild Thyme

Bramblewoodbears Mar 31, 2006

Thanks everyone for your help.  I think I am getting the idea....Sabine, you were saying that you do a few stitches under the embroidery.  What does that mean extactly?  Dont the new stiches show up on the nose?  Sorry, I'm a little dense :)
Tomi

Acipenser Apr 1, 2006

Tomi, I use the same thread for nose and mouth. When I'm done with the mouth I come out at the top edge of the nose, then in again at the same point and out somewhere else at the nose edge. I go under the already embroidered nose, which has several layers of embroidery and do several stitches like that to lock my thread. Its just like I would finish off any embroidery, by going under the existing stitches a few times (on the back of an embroidery). I do this, because the thread is invisible in the nose. If I go back and forth through the muzzle to lock my thread I need to be really careful about using the same hole for in and out or I will leave a black stitch on the fabric. I can't get knots to lock well, so I do this. You could also go down to the neck and sew your thread locked there, particularly if your head is still open.

Hope this helps. Its difficult to explain. Not a very sophisticated technique really, but its what I do most of the time.