Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

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Bumpkin Bears
Antwerp, Belgium
Posts: 2,190

Bumpkin Bears Aug 11, 2005

I'd like to add some magnets into the paws of a bear so he can hold onto something. But I'm not sure how to go about this, what kind of magnet would I use and would I just put it in amongst the stuffing in the paw or have to secure it somehow?

Thanks for any ideas,
Bear Hugs,
Catherine

Kim-Bee Bears
Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,645

kbonsall Aug 11, 2005

Actually, I was wondering about how to get bears to hold things in their hands..... my bear that i am doing for the Teddies 4 Charity has a blankee and I wanted him to be able to hold it but wasnt sure where to start to get him to hold it... this is good topic...

Apple Dumpling Designs
Willamette Valley Oregon
Posts: 3,128

shantell Aug 11, 2005

I've been collecting "reborn" dolls for awhile and the doll artists use magnets inside their little babies mouths so they can take modified pacifiers. They are actually glued in. You might check some of the reborn doll supply places and see what they have. The magnets are quite strong and you would want to put some kind of warning for individuals with pacemakers, etc. Check out "reborn" in the dolls category on Ebay and you'll see what I mean.

Shantell

Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

Eileen Aug 11, 2005

Catherine,

Check out the rare-earth magnets at Lee Valley.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx … 2363,42348

They're very strong, come in all sizes, and can be glued in place with epoxy. I've never used them for bears, but I'm guessing that you could put a magnet in the bear's paw and a small washer in the thing you wanted it to hold.

Eileen

Canna Bear Paint
NY
Posts: 749

bearlyart Aug 12, 2005

We have done a couple of bears with magnets and they can be such fun! I would suggest using the strongest magnets that you can find. They still need to attract each other and hold together even with two layers of fabric between them and the weight of the arms and gravity tugging against them. I think you'll find if you use magnets that are too weak, or pad in between them much (I don't recommend burying them in the middle of a bunch of polyfill), the magnets will not stick together well, if at all. We usually just tuck them right up against the fabric where they need to go.

Here is a picture of Petey and his Poppy, a little mink bear with magnets tucked in the middle of his pawpads so that his hands clasped together. Interestingly enough, the wire inside the silk flower stem also stuck to each magnet, so he had a VERY secure grip on the flower with the magnets together, and probably could even have held it upright in only one paw.

And this is Katy, a very new bear for us who has jointed wrists. She also has magnets tucked on the inner side of her paws, so she can hold her paws together in front of her and clasp her gingerbread man tightly.

Hope this helps!
Kelly

Bumpkin Bears
Antwerp, Belgium
Posts: 2,190

Bumpkin Bears Aug 12, 2005

Thanks everyone, Kelly your bears in the photos are soooooo sweet, I love Katy with her gingerbread man - very inspiring bear_original Magnets here I come!

Catherine

Snowy Day Bears
St. Albans, VT
Posts: 263

sandi Aug 13, 2005

Kelly
Your bears are precious. I love Katy. The jointed wrists are very unique.

I was thinking of makin a bear with magnets in the paws and was wondering how it was done. If they are put right next to the paw pad do they show through?

Sandi

SHELLI MAKES
Chico, California
Posts: 9,939
Website

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorAug 13, 2005

Kelly... Wow!

Doodlebears
UK
Posts: 7,414

doodlebears Celebration AmbassadorAug 13, 2005

Super bears kelly!

Jane.

Mo Bear Designs
Redcliff, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1,536
Website

Mo Beary Aug 13, 2005

Very cute bears!

Jane

Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

Eileen Aug 13, 2005

Lovely, Kelly--really nice proportions! bear_laugh Is Katy's wrist basically the same as a double jointed neck?

Eileen

bears by beesley TM
Tofield Alberta Canada
Posts: 6,818

bearsbybeesley Aug 13, 2005

Great Job Kel!!!! Sweet baby bears!!!

Hugs Louise

Canna Bear Paint
NY
Posts: 749

bearlyart Aug 14, 2005

Gee, you folks are nice bear_original Just wanted to answer some questions that were asked...

Sandi, I could barely find where the magnets were on Katy even though I knew where they were. I think the length of her fur helped hide them even pressed up against the fabric, she was big, about 20" tall with thick 1" fur. The little mink bear Petey had magnets that were more noticeable inside his paws, but he was only 7" tall so they were proportionately much larger in him. I guess the answer is 'it depends'...?

Eileen, I may have an even less helpful answer for you. As to whether her wrist joint is like a double-jointed neck, the answer is both yes and no. If I left it at that, you'd hate me, I know bear_happy Her wrists do not have a separate wedge piece like a double-jointed neck would, so that part is the 'no'. But what we did do was cap the two ends with fabric circles like you would on the ends of a double-jointed neck (instead of gathering), so that where the two parts join is much smoother and less noticeable.

I did take a series of photos with Katy to show how her wrists could move with wrist joints + magnets in the inner paws. Here she is holding them regularly, with the turned down paws design built into the pattern.

Here is Katy with her wrists turned at their joints, so that her paws turn inwards toward each other.

And here she is with her paws straightened back out in their regular turned down paws position, but with the magnets on the inside of her paws stuck together.