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kallie214 Jan 9, 2007

Im considering my hand at another open mouth bear just to challenge myself and push my own boundries. I tried one several years ago and it turned out looking like the Joker from Batman...accckkk! I never attempted another after that.

Is there anybody out there that can offer me some advice. Im going to be starting from scratch with a brand new pattern, so any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated!

Many Thanks,

Kim

Jane Perala Jan 9, 2007

Wish I had some tricks and tips to give you Kim.  However what I do have I will gladly give you.
For the very few open mouth bears I have made, I don't use the "slash the side head" method.  Instead I use a method I sort of "made up".  I'm sure it isn't and original idea however, and I'll be glad to share it with you.  I'll go and trace out the pattern and take a photo and post it.  It's just too hard to explain - heck, even with the pics it will probably be too hard to explain :crackup: (I just  love this little smiley guy)
Be back in a while,
Jane P.

tuppies teddies Jan 9, 2007

I too had tried the slash method but  it looked so awful.

Picked up a tip from a wonderful lady from this forum.
I cut a shape from felt, like an ear shape, hold it against the chin of the bear. When I am happy with the placement, and the size I then use the felt template to cut out a piece using the main fur. One piece fur, one piece ultra-suede for the inside of the mouth, then ladder stitch into position.  After attaching I then trim his new chin..

Bonnie Jan 9, 2007

Hi Kim, Welcome to Teddy Talk! 
I haven't made an open mouth bear yet, but I can direct you to some threads with some instructions and tips.

Try this link:
http://www.teddy-talk.com/search.php?se … =883010373

Here is another link with some good info:
http://www.edinburghimports.com/articles/openmouth.html

Nancy Tillberg's book "101 Bears to Make" also has instructions on open mouths.
Hope this helps.

kallie214 Jan 9, 2007

Thanks Bonnie! I will go check them out!!!

Kim

Tami E Jan 9, 2007

I wonder if Jane's method will be like mine. Mine makes a smiling bear too. It is an adaptation of the "slash" method and I did come up with it myself  about ten years ago. I had been thinking about how to do it in simple way, and you know how people say you
should sleep on it? well this came to me in a dream!! I got up and scribbled it on a paper bag and then went back to bed!  It makes sense if you want your bear to smile you should draw a smile! The flattened chin seam keeps you from having to add a chin gusset which is another way of doing it.
I have showed a few people before as it is really simple.
I've sketched it out I hope it shows up OK.

Here is Figaro one of my open mouthed bears they are kind of my specialty.

http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=9986

kallie214 Jan 9, 2007

Thanks Tami!
Thats pretty close to the way I did it before, but at that time, I had no idea what sculpting was, so it was just this droopy scarey looking mouth....I wish i still had a pic to share..I know you all would get quite a laugh out of it.

Kim

All Bear Jan 9, 2007

Mine's nice and simple.  I draw a side head piece with a triangle missing where the mouth goes.  I make sure I have a deep enough chin at the lower jaw.  I join the nose to top mouth seam, then chin to neck seam, leaving a gap for the mouthpiece.  Before I sew in the head gusset, I insert my mouthpiece in the relevant space, in the same way as you would insert a footpad, taking care to stitch the corners of the mouth very carefully as that's the weakest area.  Then I sew in my head gusset.

In my experience, the trick to a good open mouthed bear is to keep everything very symmetrical and to stuff the head ultra carefully.  The shape of the mouth and smile will depend on the shape of the mouth insert piece and also the depth of the triangular cut out on the side head to accommodate it.

Jane Perala Jan 9, 2007

OK, I hope this makes sense!  The pattern is not to scale, but you should be able to adjust it to your own pattern.  The inner mouth piece will need to be done from Ultra Suede (best) or felt and will need to be stabilized with heavy interfacing.  The side head piece is just sewn from the tip of the nose down to the first "corner", then the chin piece is sewn to each side of the head piece from the neck up to the first "dots".  The inner mouth piece is then sewn into the hole left by the side head pieces and the chin piece.  The gusset can be sewn on at any time.  When you are stuffing, you have to be careful that the inner mouth does not bulge out too much - so all you "rock hard" stuffers will need to back off a bit.  When you are finished stuffing you will have to take a double thread of VERY strong nylon thread and go from the back near the disc and right through the back of the "throat" take a stitch of about 1/4" or so and go back to the disc area - tie this into a triple knot and pull very tightly.  You will now see why the interfacing of the inner mouth needs to be really heavy and your stuffing will need to be a bit softer - it is easy to pull this stitch right through the fabric, yikes!  You may need to do some judicious needle sculpting when you are finished, but this will give you a starting point.
I find this gives a nicer look than the slash method.
Thanks Kim for reminding me that I had this pattern - I will have to go back and make a few.
If I get time this afternoon, I will peruse my files and see if I have a digital photo of one of the bears made from this pattern and post it.
Be sure to post pics of your bears if you do any with this method - I'd love to see them.
Everyone, please feel free to use this pattern for yourself or for bears for resale - all I ask is that you don't sell the actual pattern.
Thanks and bye for now,
Jane P.

Sorry, I see the picture isn't very clear.  Hope you can figure it out though.

I found a couple of photos of bears made with this method - please remember that these bears were made at least 5 years ago

Bonnie Jan 9, 2007

Wow, great instructions everyone and as always, many different ways of doing the same thing! and all great ways!

Tami and Paula, You both make gorgeous open mouth bears that I have long admired! There is nothing like getting tips from the experts.
Tami, Your instructions are very clear. Isn't it amazing what solutions your brain can come with when you are sleeping?!

Everyone, please feel free to use this pattern for yourself or for bears for resale - all I ask is that you don't sell the actual pattern.

Thank you Jane! that is so generous. Your technique is different from what I've seen before and I'd love to try it. I'd also love to see one of your sweet bears with an open mouth.  :photo:  ~hint hint 

~Sigh~ this thread gives me a yen to try an open mouth bear myself... along with all the other jillion things I want to try/do....

Maybe we need to do an open mouth bear Challenge soon?

djbbears Jan 9, 2007

Oh you guys are amazing, I have been trying to do an opened mouth and boy have I done this wrong have ended up with really bad creatures :doh:  :doh:  then thought maybe I was not meant to try opened mouths I am one of these people that I have to visually see how to do it as dummy  :redface: me goes over and over in my head when reading.......ok am learning......
You all are amazing I applaud you. :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Debbie

K P Bear Jan 10, 2007

I have made some open mouth bears in work shops but when trying to do my own patterns I get some very strange creations!! So thank you all so much for sharing all this wondful info. I will have to have an other go after januari is over. I have a show at the end of the month and trying to get some bears made.
Thank you again.
Lena

plushkinbear Jan 10, 2007

I have one of my fav linkI will post it here. It's in some kind of language looks like German but not  German.

http://teddyforum.nixfrei.com/thread.php?threadid=10907

Hope it would help you!
Hugs, Julia

Gail Jan 10, 2007

Just thought I would mention that Nancy Tillberg also offers a class through E-Bearz University on open mouths Thanks to all here who have so generously shared with us how to do an open mouth
Hugs
Gail    

rkr4cds Jan 10, 2007

http://teddyforum.nixfrei.com/thread.php?threadid=10907

This is the work of Rotraud Ilisch, who(m?) I've talked with in Germany. She is German and this work is on her Teddy Bear Design CD.

fredbear Jan 10, 2007

Bobbie, I have the CD from Rotraud, it is an excellent CD, yes she is German, but you have instructions in English as well. I printed out the CD, as my work room is on the oposite side of the study, and I wanted the notes on hand when working on my bears.
She offers excellent advice on ALL bear making. Its a CD well worth investing in.
From time to time I refer to both the notes or CD and I am still learning form it.
I also did the "Smile" course with Nancy at EZ Bear university and this was again another good course to participate in. This opne mouth went one step further and we inserted "Teeth".

Thanks to above tips mentioned here as well- its learn learn learn, till you get what works for you.

Lynette

Lynette

fredbear Jan 10, 2007

took a quick picture of my "Smile" bear that I did, also doing a photography course with Nancy so wanted to try something with the camera.

Lynette

K P Bear Jan 10, 2007

Love the teeth. the bear is soo sweet.
Lena

AndreaM Jan 31, 2007

BOBBIE.........LYNETTE.......  Where did you get the CD "Teddy Bear Design by Rotraud Ilisch????????????
It sounds interesting.

AndreaM

rkr4cds Jan 31, 2007

Bingo - First hit. Good ole Google!
Let's say it all together ~ "Google Is Your Friend."

I have an autographed copy after meeting her for a number of years running at Teddybar Total!
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Ro … gle+Search

http://www.rotraud-ilisch.de/

http://www.rotraud-ilisch.de/Pages/e_latest.htm
Tell her Bobbie sent you!

And I found the correct 'a' ~ on a Mac it's:
Hold down Option key, type u, release key and type an a:  ä

AndreaM Jan 31, 2007

Yeah Bobbi!  Thank you.....I don't know why I didn't think of Google last night...duh
I will be ordering one this week, it look very interesting!

Thanks again! 

AndreaM

rkr4cds Jan 31, 2007

Rotraud is very technical but totally understandable. I wrote her to expect a flurry of requests for info!!!

matilda Jan 31, 2007

WOW!! I just love all this. What wonderful and diverse ideas for open mouths.
Julia thankyou for the link. All those workshops all on one page.  :dance:
I'm taking it all in folks just like it was chocolate.