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Little Bear Guy Apr 22, 2007

I'm really interested to hear people's answers to this question.

When you make a teddy bear do you vacum it at anytime during the process?

I only ask this as awhile ago we made a teddy bear for a good friend of ours for his birthday.  Now his wife is a teddy bear artist and there there was another well know teddy bear artist at this birthday party.  Normally I would always give the bear a quick vacum when we finish them, just to get any bits of stuffing or stuff that got onto the mohair or fur.   Well since we had been rushing to finish this bear I forgot, well he loved the bear and then I apologized for not vacuming the bear  ,  well his wife and the other artist gave me these looks and they both said you vacum your bears????  I said of course I do don't you?  They both said no,  I just thought it was part of the process  we have always vacumed the bears.

Normally when I cut the bear out I always vacum all the pieces to catch any of the loose hairs from  when I cut it out.  Then I always give them a vacum when I finish them, Now granted I'm not shoving the vacum in the poor bears face, but I always run it over the body and arms and legs and the back of the head.

AM I STRANGE??   hmmmm maybe that's not the right way to word that as most people would say yes      am I the only one who does this ?

big hugs

Shane

Marie_ Apr 22, 2007

Hi Shane !
I also vacuum when I cut out the bear..... but not for finished bear.     

nimbleknot Apr 22, 2007

I was watching a show on vintage quilts. Of course they cannot wash these heirlooms but they do vacuum the quilts. They put a light screen over the top so they won't suck it in and vacuum gently. I would think vacuuming a bear would be a great idea.

puca bears Apr 22, 2007

Hi Shane
no comment on your "am I strange" question... :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:
I must admit I've never thought of vacuuming the finished bear - I certainly give the freshly cut pieces a good shake onto the floor.....I AM allowed - I do all the cleaning!!! I'm a fanatic about picking out any small pieces of filling that come through when I sew up the openings.....and then I use a fine cat comb to pick up any stray loose hairs.
huggies
Maria :hug:
p.s. - I have been know to vacuum the dog tho' - she seems to quite like it!

Little Bear Guy Apr 22, 2007

Well we usually give ours a big brushing as well (the bear not the dog Maria)  our dog doesn't much care for the vacum    .

I guess I was just being anal about the whole thing, our friends said anything left on the bear just adds to the artisticness of the bear haha.   

I shake out all the loose ends onto the floor as well , I can do that as well since I do majority of the cleaning around the house.

thanks for everyone's comments

big hugs

Shane

Michelle Helen Apr 22, 2007

Yes, I vacuume my bear pieces after I cut them out.  I never shake any of them for I cough and sneeze and fur is everywhere. So I cut out the pattern pieces carefully. I take a hand held vacuum and put the hose attachement to it and vacuum every piece. Hold on tight though because the vacuum may win out but I just dig it out and vacuum again. It is a wonderful thing to do with real fur too...I never have flying fur in my house.

Stellajella Apr 23, 2007

Shane,
oh well, I guess you´re deffinitely not strange!
I´m proudly owned by a Dyson, due to the furry friends around the house, and I do just the same like you: holding the newly cut pieces into the hose of the vacuum cleaner and once the bear is finished, it gets a well dosed body massage with the brush nozzle.
And still: my place is always fluffy...

Maria,
wonderful that your baby likes to be vacuumed! I wish mine would like that, too...

Gaby

Mark Apr 23, 2007

Hi Shane,

I shake them out when I cut out the pieces.  But I also vacuum them just before I go off for a show.  My bears tend to sit around and collect dust, one of the problems of living in a desert. 

Happy bear trails,

Mark

Daphne Apr 23, 2007

I've had to go fishing in the vacuum bag a few times for those freshly cut pieces that 'got away' so, unless I'm working with dense alpaca or real fur I don't vacuum any more.

I give all of my bears a very good brushing when I'm done. The dogs leave the room when I do this as it usually sparks the thought in my pea brain that I ought to brush THEM too!

I vacuum when I'm cleaning my collection. That's about it for the vacuuming.

But now that you've brought up the idea I'm going to try the vacuum on my next finished bear. It's of the curly, matted stuff that really changes in appearance if brushed yet I'd like to get the extra stuffing thats stuck to it off easily.

Thanks for the idea, Shane!

Little Bear Guy Apr 23, 2007

I use to use my normal house vacum for doing it Daphne, but then I purchased this little vacum called a "Shark" it comes with a small hose attachement and a brush that you can take on or off.  I think we only paid about 15.00 for and the great part is if you do suck up a bear part you can retrieve it easily as there are no bags. 

big hugs

Shane

puca bears Apr 23, 2007

Gaby
if only brushing Nounours was as easy as vacuuming her - I have only to pick up her brush and she leaves the room - she HATES it! Of all the dogs we ever had, only ONE loved being brushed - and he was a Bloodhound, and hardly needed it!
huggies
Maria

DebbieD Apr 23, 2007

Since I use real fur, I'm another that always vacuums, after the pieces get cut out, and then again after they're done.  Of course I'm always combing and brushing as well     I don't think I could stand all the loose fur if I didnt' vacuum the pieces....and yes, sometimes the vacuum cleaner wins 

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorApr 23, 2007

What's a vacuum...???

WildThyme Apr 23, 2007

What's a vacuum...???

:P

:crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

Since most of my bears would fit WHOLE right down the tube,     I don't vacuum the little ones!   I use a stiff bristled golf brush or a baby tooth brush, depending on the fabric.

Kim Basta

pma2003 May 1, 2007

I've had too many pieces end up in the vacuum cleaner and seeing I'm very allefgic to dist mites, I don't retrieve them.  I do a lot of shaking outside when it's warmer and vacuum the area afterwards.  But I get out my nifty little grooming brush and make them all pretty when complete and  again when they're off to their new parents.

bearhug07 May 2, 2007

I do vacuum the finished bear but not during sewing and one of my dogs LOOVVESS having the vacuum on low suction run down her back......so she gets one too.      Her eyes roll shut and she wriggles.........    

My other dog runs and hides.......he hates the vacuum..I think it's the sound.

Swan Valley Bears May 2, 2007

I haven't vacuumed my bears.  I brush them after they're done also.  I have central vac and would have to go underneath the house to retreive a piece.  (Husband empties the canister, not me.)  Good idea though, Shane, about the Shark.  I'll have to check that out.

bumblebearies May 2, 2007

Patty...you could put a piece of pantyhose over the nozzle... just elastic bands will hold it on there....it will have plenty of suction still but nothing goes down ...some fur doe go through it..the rest you can pick off ...

Michelle Helen May 4, 2007

Ellen wrote: Well, I did not vacuum my bears before, but after using faux furs and Michelle told me that I would not cough as much after vacuuming the pieces (thanks Michelle!), I have bought a small vacuumcleaner and vacuum all just cut out pieces.

Ellen: I'm glad you took my advice. you will see a big difference in not shaking but vacuuming your bear pieces. You will not be coughing or have an itchy nose again!

Mutz May 5, 2007

I have always been a shaker also. I'll have to try the vacuum thing. I know I have one around here somewhere.....

TTFN
Amy