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Cat Gabriel CraftsHi all,
Just wondering whether other mini artists weight their bears, what you use and how you do it?
When I first started bearmaking I used to weight my minis with steel shot just by pouring a little bit into the body, but I'm sure there is a better way of doing it. I haven't been weighting my minis for a while now and wouldn't mind starting again, so just wondering how others do it?
Depends on how tiny they are Catherine... but I like to make tiny fabric pillows with a half teaspoon of shot or so in them... a bit of polyester placed around that to fill...there is not much room really if you use cotter pins and discs...but if you string joint it would be easier I guess. So far..I mostly use discs and pins..........
Yes, I weight my mini guys.... I use either the micro stainless steel shot from Lulu bears (an advertiser here) or a combo of that and tiny glass pellets. I like to put them into their feet as well as the tummy... helps them to stand up by themselves.
I have just finished a bear and tried using the micro stainless steel shot. It is very very tiny. I didn't put it into a bag first. Used cotton stuffing which is thick anyway and wrapped it around about a 1/8 of a teaspoon . Do you think it will eventually work its way out?
This was my first try with weighting.
Hugs,
Ruby Mountain BearsI use nylons. I cut a square about 2x2 inches and put the shot in the middle as much or as little as I want then just pull up the corners ans tie it. cut off the excess and voila a tiny pouch of bb's . I just put five to eight in each foot to give them balance. It is much easier to use the nylon to keep the bb's from getting away from you while you are stuffing the belly.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)I guess you'd have to define your 'mini' size.
I used the larger shot (Dale used to have some coated shot, like BBs) but if put into the foot it tended to look like a case of hives in anything smaller than 3".
After finding Luann's micro SSS, I went exclusively with it because it could be poured right into the limb at any point (or fill it completely) and cap off w/fiberfill at the top jointing area. Add as much or as litle weight as you want to - with the 1 - 4" size I'd stick w SS right into the body part. Anything larger or a more softly stuffed bear I'd tend to 'bandage' up too!
Cat Gabriel CraftsThanks everyone for your replies! Sorry, I should have said what size I was talking about - my bears are anywhere from 2 - 5 inches.
Might have to check out this micro stainless steel shot I think, the steel shot I have used in the past is the brown variety.
I like the idea of putting the shot in little "pillows" so they don't go everywhere.
Thanks 
Posts: 1,836I had a bottle of micro shot from Sassy that lasted forever! I just ran out and will have to reorder. It was perfect for weighting in legs and bellies of mini's (mine tend to be about 3.5 inches). I see she has glass too, just never used it myself. I like a mini to have weight, gives it a nice feel....plus I like to have my minis holding balloons and stuff, so they need the belly weight to sit and never tip....don't want tipsy bears 
:hug:
~Chrissi
You need to take care when adding steel shot to thread-jointed bears, as the shot gradually wears away at the thread running through the body. One of my first weighted bears ended up falling apart because the shot caused the threads inside him to break - it was suprising how quickly it happened!!
For this reason I don't tend to weight my minis. I don't mind 'light' bears!!! 
Hi , I must admit I don't weight my minis either - something I often wondered if I should :doh: I feel quite happy with the "lightness" now though ; and they are usually between 1.7" and 3" maximum .I once made a display bear with wafer thin sheet magnets in its feet (and the board) to keep him from any drunken lurching !!
Ruth 
Walnut Tree Corner Bears By GailI sometimes weight them, but not always. When I do, with my larger minis, I make a tiny bag from,of all things, tubular finger bandage!. I cut a bit off and sew accross on end and then fill with the steel shot and then sew over the top. It gives the weight but keeps all the little bits more contained in a little package 
then I just stuff as normal around the little bag.
Waggle BearsI use nylons. I cut a square about 2x2 inches and put the shot in the middle as much or as little as I want then just pull up the corners ans tie it. cut off the excess and voila a tiny pouch of bb's
I do this, too, Kathy. My first try I was wondering how to contain them and thought of pantyhose. (I had some L'eggs I'd never worn.) I really thought it might not work because the sewing would put runs in little bag, but it didn't. Amazingly, it worked perfectly...not one run.
