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BrisbaneI have been using cord for eyelids on my bears and have been using super glue to glue them, but I was wondering if there is a better way as the superglue leaves a milky film on the eye and it is a pain having to scratch that off, (I use a toothpick for that!).
No matter how hard I try I can't seem to glue the eyelids without getting some on the eye :doh:
Bine-TeddiesHi Sarah Jane,
if you go to the top of this thread and choose eyes/eyelids from the drop down menu next to the word library you may find some information in previous threads on this topic. I remember a variety of ways to make eyelids.
My problem with leather cord eyelids and glue is that I can't get them to go deep into the head. As soon as I stick them into the hole with glue on the end of the cord they get stuck there, at the surface. Can't pull them in further, weird. Perhaps I can put the glue deep inside the hole somehow.
Brisbaneooops I didn't know you were supposed to put glue on the cord first...I usually put the eyelid in place then drip the glue on...maybe thats what I'm doing wrong? 
Nail Polish Remover worked good for me to take the glue off of the glass eye. I think Shelli suggested it.
Jane
If you use a long piece of cording... and have it go thru the entire head (from neck to eye and back) it's much easier. Then just lift the cord up a little, put your touches of glue on the eye and place the cording back. I used a tacky glue that dries clear.
Kim-Bee BearsOne question about bringing the cording through the head... HOW DO YOU THREAD SUCH THICK CORDING??? My cording never would fit in the needle eye!
I tried that once and the cording threaded okay but I couldn't pull it through the mohair without making a big hole as it was then double the thickness!
Jane
Use a big huge honkin' needle 
Seriously... I use the German needles for that that I got elsewhere.... PM or email me for more details if you want!
BrisbaneI use doll needles that you use for button jointing, and don't have any problems with holes or anything...my main problem is with the glue, I don't seem to be able to manage touches, more like great big globs... 
Wild Thyme OriginalsI use the big old wonkin' needles too! I found mine in the upholstery area of JoAnn Fabrics. They are enormous! I have one that is a foot long... really, they are just so funny! :crackup: I do have to flatten the cord a bit sometimes to get it threaded... I just scrunch it flat with my needle nose pliers.
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Matilda Huggington-beareKim! I couldnt imagine great wonking foot long needles anywhere near your wee petite dainty wee bears. :crackup:
Wendy
Brisbanefoot long? Hey, I need one of those for the days my eyes are bothering me, I could see that!
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
I cna't believe you use pliers to flatten it...I use my teeth :crackup: :crackup:
Wild Thyme OriginalsOh you guys are SO funny!
Teeth would CERTAINLY work just as well to flatten out leather cording as pliers would! Definitely! Bite away! :crackup:
Wendy... If my wee ones knew that a needle like that was coming at them they would run, blind and screaming, right out of the studio! I only use the huge needles on my BIG guys! On minis, I stitch in the lids with floss.... only requires a large sewing needle... maybe two inches long, with a fairly normal sized eye.....
I find the big needles just really funny!!!! My kids just crack up about them too.... they make me feel like I am fairy sized! It says on the back of the package that hey are for tying springs to webbing, attaching buttons through cushions, etc..... 
Kim Basta
Widl Thyme Originals
Matilda Huggington-beareTeeth!!! :crackup: Blind mini's running hell for leather to escape. You guys crack me up!!! :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
I reckon they could make a sitcom about a bearmakers workroom :crackup:
Wendy
You guys are funny.
Like all creative things, there are ten million ways to do this. But since my name came up, let me describe mine.
When I use leather cording, I cut a piece about twice as long as what will run across the eye. I poke awl holes at each eye "corner" and put a dab of GEL SUPERGLUE on the tip of the cord, then insert it into the well-reamed, and fray-checked, hole. I can usually insert it a good 1/2 inch or so. I wait a second, then pull gently to make sure it's adhered to the stuffing inside the head before I move to the other "corner" and dab glue, stick into the hole, etc.
It may be important to note that I use not my fingers, but TWEEZERS, with very pointy, sharp ends, to really shove that glue-tipped cord end well into the hole! It's particularly difficult to do this on the second of the two holes (there are two holes for upper, and two for lower, lids.) I guess that has to do with less slack to work with, or something. Dunno. I just know I HATE doing the second hole!
After the cord ends are both glued and inserted well into the head and stuck to the stuffing, I run a thin line, or even just a bead (superglue SPREADS), of glue along the back/underside of the cording, where I want it to adhere to the glass eye.
FYI, I ALWAYS get bleedout onto the glass eye, and use nail polish remover (pure acetone works best) and a needle tip to scrape the excess away once everything is dry.
I've moved to a new eyelid technique to alleviate some of these issues and while it's also imperfect, it's much easier. Having said that, I'm keeping this one to myself!
:)
I've also used elastic cording with much the same method. I find it nearly impossible to thread leather cording that's 2mm thru a head, even with a gigantic needle; 1mm I can do. The elastic cording is easier and you can use a very long, single piece and thread it from hole to hole. I find this method cumbersome and hard on my hands and it does require a little extra work to get those holes big and fixed and well-cemented with fraycheck first (for me, anyway!) before trying to stitch thru them. Also, sometimes you'll find that it's just very, very hard to get that much textile (doubled cording, and your needle) thru firmly-packed stuffing. Frustrating! That's why I don't, personally, generally thread the cording thru the head, but rather, just use four pieces (one top, one bottom, for each eye.)
Good luck!
Posts: 8,574I use the big old wonkin' needles too!
!
BrisbaneThanks Shelli...I'll try it this way for a while and see of I find it any easier 
I think some of the problem is the 6 inch bear...I may have to try bigger bears
I've moved to a new eyelid technique to alleviate some of these issues and while it's also imperfect, it's much easier. Having said that, I'm keeping this one to myself!
Only share it when its perfect OK!!! :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Once again thanks so much for your help. 
BrisbaneOOhhh and I'll try the nail polish remover too (I can't believe I never thought of that :doh: )
Donna's Duin BruinsYou might want to try using pearl cotton for the eyelids. If you run them through beeswax they will have some sheen and be a little stiffer. I tried it on my 6" cat and I really like them.
Donna
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: "wee bears running blind and screaming, right out of the studio! "
Brisbane"wee bears running blind and screaming, right out of the studio! "
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
I'm not going to get that picture out of my head in a hurry!!!
Kim-Bee BearsYou might want to try using pearl cotton for the eyelids. If you run them through beeswax they will have some sheen and be a little stiffer. I tried it on my 6" cat and I really like them.
Donna
I have done this on my needlefelted critters before and it worked wonderful (I am going to try some experiments with other types of eyelids and things so I will let you all know how it goes! )
Here is an example, this is Peanut - he has perle cotton eyelids (I put a drop of superglue on them to stiffen them and adhere them to the eye.
Brisbane(I put a drop of superglue on them to stiffen them and adhere them to the eye.
Would someboddy please tell me how you manage a drop!!! :doh: :doh: 
Peanut is a really cute bear.....I will try the Perle cotton on my next one....Thank you
sarahjane... are you using superglue GEL? That's really the key. I use the LocTite brand and swear by it, even though it seems to run out very quickly. Very easy to control and apply and has a needle-like tip.
If you use plain old superglue (the runny, liquid kind,) you'll get a huge mess indeed!
Brisbane:doh: :doh: :doh: Shelli I didn't know you could get superglue as a gel!! Thanks for that looks like a trip to the shops is in order :dance: (obviously I don't get out much 
)
