For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
OK This is to proove that I really do do bears! :D
Meet Yentle the Yettiebear
She already has a penchant for abominable matches! She has the Gollies revolting and it is bedlam here today. How could someone looking angelic be such a pip!
She was an experiement:
Part one:
1. I got a Ted Menten book and noticed that he had differant ways of doing things....
His nose pattern = loved it I thought it made sewing the nose much easier
having the appendages open at the top by the discs= HATED IT!
Perhaps if the fur had been shorter it would have been easier, but it felt akward and I found it harder to do- both jointing the bear and closing the openings
Except for those 2 things the rest of the pattern was mine
Part two:
1. This was a Schulte synthetic 3" long fur. I found the backing to be quite questionable, and would never use this fabric again. It seemed to be a stretch nylon but nylon would have held better, so I don't know. I had several seems open up and had to double sew the seams....and now am thinking I should have overcast the seams as well. I am uncomfortable with the viability of this bear and therefore would never give away or sell. ( what do you say to someone who has one of your bears and the stuffing starts coming out?)YIKES!
2. While working on this fabric I found it everywhere! This house would have been a forensic scientists dream, yeah nightmare! -there was hair everywhere! What a mess! I even found it floating in the spa water!
3. Now that she is done I like the drape of the fur, it brushes nicely and is kind of fun that way. I caught my girl cat trying to clean her. yuck~!I see fur balls in my future!
Part three:
1. My first time to use cording around eyes. I didn't dare try any needle sculpting though because of the fragile nature of the backing. Darn....cuz I wanted to sink the eyes a little....something else to consider on the fabrics we buy.
2. Because I did not trust the backing I did the cording a little bit differently than Shelli had shown us. I cut the cording on 45 degree angles and fitted them together like a picture frame and glued.
I think it worked well. But I still think sinking the eyes a bit would have been better. Also I am not sure of the long lasting ability of this method, I suspect I shall have to keep an eye on this before I try it again. I did use Magna-tac though.
Part four:
1. I used oil pastel crayons for the eye shading. I did not want to do anything heavy, as Yentle is still a baby, and shouldn't be having dark circles under eyes, like her mom. :lol:
Anywho those are the thoughts and ideas I came up with while working with Ted's ideas and Schulte Synthetic
To tell you the truth, I am very glad to be done with her!
Ooh, those long hairs are so hard to work with. This one looks like it was really a "bear." (couldn't resist that pun; sorry :rolleyes:)
She turned out beautifully, Dilu, and I love the embroidery work on her paws. You're so talented.
By the way, I'm with you on leaving the openings at the top near the disks. I prefer backside of limbs and body for my stuffing openings, myself.
Well.she is sure different, you definately have a vivid imagination ..and Dilu you are too funny too, what a way with the words !
Hmmm, 3" long synthetic I would imagine it would be flying thru the air all over the place....I use to find our long doggie fur even in the frig., he, he...
I sure would love to see a close up of yetti's face...can you post one Dilu ?...you know....pictures, pictures.... we must have pictures...I'd better quiet down here as I have not posted hardly a one ! I still am working on that but keep getting ill..yuckies all the time... I can't seem to get much done but...I WILL very soon so watch out ! he, he.Winney
Wow, Dilu . . . Yentle is a wowzer!! The gollies are just jealous of her beautiful loooooong hair, beautiful eyes, and lovely embroidery! Yup, I WILL NOT leave the leg opening at the top . . . very inefficient, I think. And Ted does work magic with his noses . . . they are always perfect. Great job, Kiddo!
Yes, what is the nose made out of, can we have a close up? Your embroidery on her is wonderful! I like to stuff at the back of seams as well...
Hi Dilu...
Amazingly I just got some of that very fabric yesterday....I did notice it is knitted so I've lined it with iron-on cotton.....to stop the stretch...and yes I just pick up a piece of it from my cooker from where I cut it out so I reckon it will be everywhere by the finish...and in a house full of dogs and cats I don't need more fluff.
We'll see....watch this space............
Very clever bear by the way...
Jenny
Oooo, Dilu! WOW!!! What artistic thought went into her!!
Nose: Yes... nose close up and tell us how you did it!! Pick that nose apart for us!! :D
I third the motion: No open seams at the tops of the limbs! UGH!!
OK the nose is air dry polymer clay that I paineted with a gray fabric marker and then put perlized white nail polish over. I didn't want a black nose- I thought it would be too heavy looking....I was hoping for a subtle look, but she is way from being subtle....little minx !
I did not trust the fabric to be able to hold a nose. thats why I did'nt sew it
Hi Jenny, you're new! Welcme welcome !!! had I been paying attention I would have lined the fabric....so I am glad you figured it out before I did! :lol: I didn't get 'it' until she was jointed and by then I was not undoing her .....yikes!!!!
Ahhhhh Jenny- we are looking forward to seeing what you do!
Hugs and welcome
Dilu
Dilu - Yentle is wonderful and what a great job you have made of her!
Loved the embroidery and her long hair - no wonder the Gollys are jealous.
Bear hugs
Carolyn
Dilu,
You crack me up, and I needed a chuckle this pm. Your posts just seem to have that smidge of humor that you probably don't even think about, but that lift the spirit. Thank you. Yentle is adorable. But sounds like you're glad she's finished. I started out working with synthetics and found mohair to to so much more forgiving. I too hate the seams open up by discs. Too much pinching, pinning, fussing to get a good closure. Have you ever tried making a slit on the inside of appendages, above and below where the bolt comes through? I'm thinking of trying that.
Deb (woulda been DebbieLu if not for that typo!)
So....it's true you do make bears....not that anyone doubted it. She adorable...I love all the embroidery work. Cute Cute Cute!!!
Dilu your bear is so creative. I love the eyes and especially the embroidery. Great job !!
She is happily ensconsed on a shelf with no gollies, but the looks I'm getting from my little ones!
I had bought 4 pieces of synthetic so I could make one for the Peta Princess. ( a bear) I didn't know which fabric would be right until it got here. Well her bear is made and gone, can I hear an AMEN? Then the experiment that ended up as Yentle, she does look a little like a yettie,
2 down 2 to go. synthetics aren't my favorites. But I am much more likely to do bizaar experiments on synthetics than real mohair. Hmmmmmm.....what's next?
I am so hooked on painting our own eyes. I don't have the finesse yet of Judy or Shelli, but It is more interesting. I am thinking of taking a pair of pre-done topaz eyes and seeing if I can doctor them up.
Thanks guys
The inspiration we get from this site!
Dilu
AWWWWWWSOME Dilu!!!:D:DYou did a wonderful job on this beautiful bear Hon! Love the eyes and the lids and the nose and the hair and the embroiderery and the whole little cutie kins!!!!!!! Great JOB!!:lol:
Many Hugs louise
Ooh what an adorable bear!! You are much braver than me - 3" mohair?? Yikes!!!
Danni
Dilu, Yentle is surley something wow! I can't imagine working with that fur. I love the embroidery you are very talented to work with such difficult fur I think I would have ripped my hair out long before she was finished lol
hugs sarah
Ahhhh Sarah.....how do you know that I didn't?
:P
hugs from baldy
Wonderful work Dilu,so soft and fuzzy.I adore your embroidery work and your eyes are stunning.Isn't it fun to learn new things here on this wonderful board.
Hugs,Shari.
Great Work Dilu, very original, excellent. ;)
I admire anyone that works with Synthetic, I cannot come to grips with the feel of it. Must try it someday.
haha :lol:
so true lol...hope your hair grows back ready for your next challenge lol
hugs sarah
Dilu, Yentle the Yettiebear is outstanding !!!!
I can't belive you manage to work on the so-long hair in this
HOT summer Superb work !
Bear Hugs/Marie
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, Wonks what have you done!
Your little gollykins with think they have been invaded and no wonder you get a little wonky when you choose to use 3 inch long fur.
Joking apart...your wonderfully fluffy bear is outrageously great. All the different skills that you have put into making her shows us that you have been hiding out behind your gollys far too long my girl. Get out those scissors and needles and get sewing on a few more wonkybearykins! :):):):)
Jane
Ok, Dilu....I finally found your little 'fuzz buster'. What a cutie!!!
I think she turned out to be well worth the effort, even if you do have a few additional nose hairs, SO WHAT if they are 3 inches long and white???
I laughed at the thought of your spa having a 'frothy top' from fur floating.
I agree, I don't think I will be using this fur again. It is very difficult to work with, but it does have a very nice drape to it. That may be why they used the knit backing rather than a stiff back.
I did not line mine (altho, that is a great idea Jenny...and by the way, I love your bears and website :D)...but I did use permanent fabric glue along each individual cut edge to keep it from fraying. I take the time to do that to all my bears....JUST in case!!!
I too, am afraid of having anything go wrong with a bear or critter that I sell.
Anyway, Dilu....she is fabulous and I love the nose, it goes so well with her and it was nice to see one of your 'allusive bears'.
nanc........
Great bear! I used a similar fabric several years ago for a large bear that also turned out to be a Yettie! I didn't do the embroidery and I remember the fur was flying all over the place. I'll have to check my home computer and see if I still have a pic of her cause my sister took the bear from my home.
Marion
Marion that would be great to see....
I woke up last night thinking that when I have nothing else to do I might try scissors sculpting on her....nothing to loose and there is a great learning opportunity there...
I forgot to mention that on the day I did all the jointing I broke out in a horrible rash on my arms. :lol::lol::lol:!
As soon as I got her stuffed it went away!!
Nancy I though of you alot when I was working on this because your little pup was so very very cute......
And I don't think Yentle is 'cute' I just think she is done.....for now......but scissors sculpting is in her future......
Isn't it fun learning new things?
hugs
di