For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
So Wanda...do your bears have a true centre seam or are they two piece heads? If they do have a head gussett, you disguise it really well!
I visited your website..beautiful bears!!!
Aww Hayley and Jane!! LOVE your 2 piece head bears!! Going to have to try one myself soon for a change of pace
Jane , Hayle...really cute bears!
I am designing a center seam bear with two front-of-the-head side peices, and two back-of-the-head side peices. This way I can create the bears cheek area fuller. I am also doing a separate muzzle. I also have a bear head dsign that has over 15 pieces. Not one of my favorite bears to do anymore...extemely fiddley...it is the same design as my tiger head in a different post.
SHelli, my head is often in tohousands of pieces too...must be an artist thing....so many ideas always trying to get in!!!LOL
Judi,
I'm still pondering this... I was lost on the 2 fronts of the head side pieces, back of the head side pieces thing. As I started to get that figured out you said 15 pieces!!! Sugar Babe you are amazing!!! And I'm confussed. So there we are!! Mut & Magnificent!!
Wanda...If I had the funds available to me...
Duffee Lee would be sitting on my Settee!!! and Tyler Too!!!
I have always loved center seamed bears and yours are exceptional.
nanc.......
Yes, I to think that the centre-seams do resemble the ol Steiff bears, but I also feel like they resemble a real bear too. A real bear appears to have a center part right down their head.
Ya'll have the wheels turning in this little pea brain about the 2 piece heads. I remember reading a few years back about a gal who they called "Granny"something. I cant remember her name, anyhow, she made her teddies with a 2 piece head. They were real cute and very feminine like. Always a pair like a mommy and daughter.
Anyone might know who she is?
Hugs,
Roxanne
Bear Paws by Roxanne
Oh, Roxanne, I love that picture!! I think the bear head I just designed with a snout that came out looking like pinochio's nose wasn't so far off after all!!
Sorry, I have no idea who Granny was.... hopefully someone will!
Hayley,
Thank you for the kind compliments all around. I won't be able to walk through the door for my big head jamming into the sill.
My heads are two side pieces and two gusset pieces. Just slit a regular full gusset down the center and then add the seam allowances, and Wa La .. you have a center seam pattern. It seems silly to slice the gusset and then sew it back up, but that's what gives the center seam such charm. I always make sure the center seam gusset pattern is placed on the mohair so the fur is running away from the center seam.
Hugs,
Wanda
Hello,
I went on a mad search through my older TB&F's magazines and found who "Granny" is!:lol:
I found her in the Oct. of 1998 issue, her name is Lynn Lumley. They called her "Grandma Lynn."
Well, her bears are made with the 2 piece heads and are as adorable as I remembered them to be!
I will scan a picture to show you all what one of them look like. But I am not sure if I can do this without permission or not. So if anyone is interested or knows if I can show the pic or not, just let me know, alrighty :D
Hugs,
Roxanne
"Bear Paws by Roxanne"
I do a lot of center seam bears. Yes, it does duplicate the old Steiff look. It is also fun if you use a mohair with a really straight nap. Originallly these bears were designed to save fabric because the two parts of the head gusset were cut on the side rather than the long side of the nap. I love to use center seam with a really straight nap mohair rather than the curly swirly. Of course cut the head gusset in half, all a seam allowance. Place on half of the pattern with the head curve down so that the nap will be going towards the head curve of the gussett. Flip the pattern over and reverse it so that the mirror piece has the nap going toward the curve. It gives a great look, especially if you trim the muzzle. The bear looks as if he has an unruly center part in his fur.
Hey girls...I understand the splittingof the gusset (have done that before)..but are you saying that you also split the side pieces too? If so, where to you split them? Horizontally or vertically? hummmmmm
nanc.......