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I am like a broken record and have a few topics I like to see re-surface every so often. This is one of them.
I'm again getting the hankering to move into something very primitive and distressed in my work. There's a certain FEAR of screwing up a piece of fabric that costs $50-200 per yard, I admit. But more than that, distressing mohair seems to be one of the industry's most closely guarded secrets. Probably for good reason. And until I really think I'm onto something in terms of how to do it, and do it well, it just doesn't seem worth pursuing. So help me out, will ya?
I thought I'd test the waters here and see if any of our new (and long-time) members want to contribute to the discussion on how distresing is best accomplished. I've read fairly extensively on it but am interested in learning even more techniques for both altering the length/look/pile of the mohair and backing, AND the color of the mohair. Texture too, even.
Some of what I've learned already.
-- Tea works to antique fabrics, but isn't permanent. I need permanent.
-- Same goes for coffee, which will produce a stronger effect.
-- Sandpaper, wire brush, cheese graters, and razors can be used to rough up backings and shear off mohair bits. Wouldn't it be easy to go too far?
-- Some people drive over their mohair, bury it in a backyard, or use thin washes of acrylic paint to smash and alter it. Sounds messy, and time consuming.
-- Scissors and clippers can be used to randomly add "bald patches", and plucking works too. Is this the best way to remove fur believably?
-- Shoe polish is said to be great for creating a distressed effect, but must be rubbed in completely. I'd worry it would rub off!
Anybody have any specifics on those techniques; any personal experience using any of them; or anything new to add?
Chomping at the proverbial bit to learn more, I remain yours curiously,
Shelli
Nobody? Nobody????
BEAR ME SHOOTKASome people drive over their mohair, bury it in a backyard, or use thin washes of acrylic paint to smash and alter it. Shelli
Wow! Shelli, is that true?? goodness.. you just could clean your floor at the house.. that's less time consuming.... :crackup:
I just made my first distressed teddy, probably you saw him in the gallery.. I used coffee, oils, sandpaper, whish I used on backed black polymer clay first, so it became "dirty" and when I rubbed my bear it gave a slight grey effect..
Not much info from me ))) I would love to hear anything too!
hugs, Julia
Real Deal BearsHi Shelli, I have never distressed a bear, but am absolutely dying to try it.
I know that cloth doll makers use Parisian, its a browning agent for food that can be purchased at the supermarket.
I don't know if it is permanent though, I think I might do some tests with it to see the results.
I was thinking also that maybe we could have another challenge of distressing and can exchange ideas and results, what do you thinK????
Laurie Lou BearsI don't really have a lot to offer as I use the copic marker pens and they work ok for smaller areas but I find if I use them on too large an area the pens dry out too quick.I also trim off areas to make them look old and shabby.I would like to get an airbrushing system or try my oil paints but if I do this it would mean that I would have to do all the distressing at the same time if mixing colours to keep the colour the same.Another thing to try which I haven't done yet is to dye your fabric in certain places with a similar colour to what you have but duller to give an aged effect.I have some small bears I have just finished and will add photos as soon as hubby has taken them.Maybe some more tt's could add photos of what they have done or even what bears they they own that have been distressed and aged?
Laurie :hug:
q.D.paToOtieSHi Shelli,
Here's a link to an article I wrote about Tea Dying.
http://www.twincubs.com/tutorial2.html
Have you thought about paw pads? I've used a double paw pad before where I sew raffia onto a paw pad base (like one made out of muslin) and then put a felt cover on top of it. Then I put a few rips in the top felt layer with my seam ripper (usually a small one and then pull it apart gently with my fingers - it makes a better effect).
Also, how about all wobble joints or a "not so stuffed" look.
There's also fabric (the really matted) that if you wash it - well let's just say it becomes super matted. It works well for old looking animals.
Anyway, here's one of my "aged" animals, Beatrice. She was tea dyed, I started with that matted mohair and then made it "super matted" and her neck isn't stuffed correctly so she's kind of just floppy necked. A bearly there nose...truly sad looking.
Hope this helps!
BlondheartSpeaking as someone who has taken distressing things to an art form in my bear career, I can tell you it's not so much a closely guarded secret as an innate talent. I like old things that have history, I have the ability to see how the aging process is layered upon a thing and translate it to something new. It's just kind of one of those things you can either do, or you can't. I've taught a few people how I do it, and a few of them still couldn't master it even with me guiding them because they don't have that "old soul" so to speak.
If you do try to do this, the most important thing I can stress is C-O-N-T-I-N-U-I-T-Y!!! If you're going to distress something you need to go all the way or it won't make sense. But then again this is true of any piece art, continuity is what defines it. There are no specific tried and true methods for distressing but I urge you to take your time with whatever way you choose. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was an antique real or faux. I also urge you to not use methods that really make the item dirty such as driving your car over it or burying it in the back yard. Nor would I use shoe polish on mohair, it would be fine for other things. If the piece is going to be sold we still have certain child safety laws and health regulations to uphold even though they are not intended for children. It's just not that hard to create fake dirt/aging that will not be rubbed off or fade off of the bear, or leave the bear non hygenic. There is a lot more to the way things age than simply making them appear dirty. Remember bears age from the inside as well, so make your jointing and stuffing appropriate. Make a pattern that is right for the look of an old bear. Chibi style bears that are so popular right now with the asian explosion wouldn't usually look right antiqued. Make sure your accoutrements make sense for the appearance of an aged bear also. I have seen people try to distress things and not go that extra distance and just end up with dismal failures.
BEAR ME SHOOTKAHi Kelly!
I agree with your every word. I too think that the bear should be health safe and clean no matter would child play with him or not. There so many safe ways to make fabric look worn and aged.
I have never done a real old-looking bear, antique-styled, replicas.. my opinion is you have to see real old bears... you just can't master it from the pictures and photos which has marked spots "where-to-distress".
I make bears that is look like old but I don't pretend they are antique and aged.. 
It was the same reason for me when I started making bears I bought some very good artist bears to see them in reallity.. what are they look like..
Julia
Thanks to everyone who's posted their methods and opinions thus far. It's been a helpful and informative read! One of the reasons I've not yet tried to distress a bear despite having the nagging desire to do so for years is that after putting not-a-little effort into making a bear, I want to be fairly confident that the distressing method I've chosen will be safe, authentic looking, and respectful to the mohair (for want of a better way of saying it.) In other words, I, personally, am not fond of the idea of ACTUALLY abusing mohair, as much as giving the mohair the look that it's been aged over many years. So yes, Kelly, no truck driving or compost piles for my work! And it seems to me that something like shoe polish would rub off onto clothing and bedding which would probably not please a customer too much. All of that, worth considering.
I have quite a handful of books on bear collecting and bearmaking, some of which feature huge numbers of photos of antique and vintage bears. That, I think, is a worthwhile study, in terms of the spots where wear-and-tear are likely to appear. I've been taking mental note for some time. I just havne't yet worked up the courage to try it!
Still, I wonder... how DO people get a "dirty" look? I'm inclined to use a pigment, but which one? Acrylics? Some kind of ink? Walnut, maybe? But that's not permanent, I don't think. How DO those worn spots get created? Scissors? Razors? Clippers? Plucking? Sanding? A combination of all of those? The wobbly joints and uneven, crushed stuffing part seems like it would be easy to navigate without guidance and figure out of my own. I guess I'm just not wanting to spend three years experimenting on methods when the ideas are bursting out of me right now! Especially if someone has a "recipe" to share on this subject. Too bad the Forget Me Not sisters aren't members here!
In the end I'm days from whipping up a bear and just trying some things out, succeed or fail. I can't wait any longer. I've got old-style bears in me that need making!
Thanks again to everyone for their advice. Gave me lots to chew! For those with something else to add, please, keep it coming.
Y Daydream? DesignsI am so glad I found this post, I too have been wanting to make an antique looking bear but haven't had the courage to try or know where to start.
I was reading some techniques used by primitive doll makers, they seem to use coffee grounds and cinnamon to age their dolls (the extremely grungy ones.) I don't think that I want to put coffee grounds on a bear or doll for that matter. It seems so dirty!
I found a product in the store that is an antiquing gel medium. It is with the craft paints. It comes in various shades I have tried it on muslin but not mohair. It is difficult to control but can be lightened with a little water. You paint it on and then rub off. If you are not careful it can make things very dark.
What typed of mohair would be the best to use? sparse? ratty? or ?
Thanks for all the tips
Hello Shelli
Oh man...if only the FMN sisters were member is right! That woudl be FABULOUS! I have actually talked to one of them on the phone before and I did ask about their distressing techniques, of course, which are closely guarded. The only things she would tell me is that their Father owns a furniture shop/repair shop of some sort. I dont remember exactly as it was several years ago. I guess with the information she gave, your first step would be to figure out the tools used in a shop of that sort and kinda go from there. I have been baffled all these years because I know nothing about the furniture business. I went as far as to contact some local shops and ask about their tools...it wasnt much help to be honest.
Hummm...distressing, there are so many things you can do. I think you have named a good majority of them already so I wont ramble on about it anymore. I will say I have had great success with tea dyes, and I havent had any problems with them fading over time. I have also added a dab of black acrylic paint to my tea dye to get a darker effect. I have used INSTANT coffee...makes a great dye, but the smell can be overwhelming. It does fade over time...pheeew!
OK, well Im off to see what else is happenin' on TT these days...
Good luck to you all!
Bear Hugs,
Kim
PS An afterthought: For those of you who might be interested, I do have a pattern on B4B called This Old Bear. It has some distressing techniques right in the pattern, like how to weave a patch onto your bear that looks like a repaired spot, replacing one eye with a button etc....
Laurie Lou BearsI think the best way to start is by selecting the right mohair Shelli.I love the schulte sparse felted mohairs.You need the right mohair otherwise if you try to age a piece of fabric that isn't the right sort it will just look all wrong.Your style also needs to suit an old bear although saying that a lot of styles can still look nice if use the right mohair.The hardest bit I found was daring yourself to have a go as when it takes a while to make a nice face you can dread it if it turns out wrong.I used to practice on my rejects and then use them to see how far I could go before it looked too overdone.A couple of my first bears that I had aged before xmas I took to my local bear shop and I was worried incase I had overdone them but they were sold in a few weeks so it gave me a bit more confidence to know that what I had done was ok.Once you do the older style bears they can be very addictive and I love making them now-they are my favourites 
I will look forward to seeing your creation Shelli 
Laurie :hug:
Thanks for your tips and for sharing your experiences, Laurie. I'm thinking of doing something not at all like my current bears (which are pretty NOT suited for the distressed look) and yes, I understand your point about picking the right mohair. I'm thinking something sparse not too long and not too shiny. I can't imagine a 2 inch, wavy, kid mohair looking authentic with an aging process but maybe it's possible; just sounds challenging and easy to mess up. I'll be sure to post results if/when I get it right.
Miss Dorothy's TeddyFolkHi Shelli, I've been experimenting lately. Try overdying sparse mohair (get a little bit from intercal, ask Johnana and tell her I said hi 
) that is a tanish color, use a darker color, let it get splotchie in the dye bath. Cushing acid dyes are wonderful (intercal). I bought a hand sander, one with a handle knob, and went over the mohair 1/3 yd. at a time, this way and that. Then I get out my steam iron and go whosh here and there all over the mohair, then I twist it up steam the twist as I go and wad it up into a ball and fasten it with a big rubber band. Let it dry a few days, untwist it the iron the back, so that it lays flat. I bought this little eyebrow shaver that work well for small areas to achieve a worn look. after the bear is assembled I thought I would spritze on some distressing inks (rubberstamp store) they are permenant and acid free etc.
hope this helps Dorothy
That sounds like a great process, Dorothy! I actually placed an order for a short, sparse, light tan mohair from Intercal in the middle of last week thinking that overdying mohair like that would be a great place to start on my distressing project. I've got some of those Cushing's dyes, too, already; used one of the pink ones a while back on my pig piece, and have a brown on hand I've not yet tried. They work great on mohair fibers, for sure. Thanks for the reminder.
I do NOT, however, have a plane sander... sounds like a good investment!
I'm sure that will help loads; thanks again for your input!
BlondheartPlease don't overthink this either. *Cringes at the thought of a sander* Keep in mind that actual wear happened to vintage bears in a simplistic straight forward manner. Fur gets rubbed off because the bear is hugged a lot by a child or made to play dress up. Noses wear because muzzles get pushed to the side from being held against it's owners body and kissed goodnight a lot. Staining accumulates from tea parties and rides in sleds and being a best friend and companion to a child. Fur fades from sitting near a sunny window and just being handled a lot. Whatever you do to create distressing, please don't make it any rougher on the bear than anything it might have gone through naturally. You still want the bear to withstand decades of it's own aging on top of what you're already doing to it.
Newcastle, OntarioHi Shelli,
I just noticed this post and agree with what Kelly and Dorothy have posted. Overdying, even more than once, is a great way to get an aged look. Use a small amount of water, scrunch up the mohair and don't stir it much. It will give a patchy look, which I love. I don't sand my mohair or shave, I just pluck gently with a pair of plyers and try and look at old bears to get the "thinning" pattern. Be forewarned, it takes quite a bit of time to get it looking reasonably authentic, but the subtle details make the difference.
I actually own a FMN bear and am always looking at it for guidance. I looooove it and strive to make my bears with the authenticity that they have managed to obtain. Good luck and can't wait to see what you come up with.
hugs,
Brenda
I have tried ageing a few bears recently as I do love old looking bears, I don't feel I get it just right yet so don't think I am qualified to advise on this, I use tea and coffee, sometimes a touch of oil paint (just a touch here and there) and sandpaper. Like Laurie I usually try to get the right mohair to start with and it helps, but I have a long way to go yet and frightened to go too far, a little bit more on each bear is what I am doing at the moment - I would hate to ruin one.
Look forward to seeing your oldies Shelli
Pauline
Laurie Lou Bears
I have added a photo of 3 older style bears I have just finished and they are all just under 7 inches.These were all suited to aging.The other photo is of Brewster and he was supposed to be an older style bear but came out looking like a cheeky little so and so and he just wouldn't have looked right to do too much distressing as it wouldn't have suited him 
Laurie :hug:
Yeah, Laurie... those guys on the left are just the ticket. Very nice! Just the kind of scrappy look I'm after in my own work. Brewster is a doll too and while not as aged looking, he's still got a very vintage feel to him. Great work; thanks for sharing these pics!
Hi Shelli,
I find it best to start with a slightly distressed looking mohair..I've used these matted furs on two bears and then you only need a few touches of copic shader here and there to add a bit more of an aged appearance.
Back Road BearsSheli, I"m glad you brought this topic up again.
I've spent that past 4 days designing and making what I wanted and hoped would be an antique/primitive looking bear. HA!!!!!!! I've made two with design changes in between and it still looks way too much like a 'Daphne' bear!
Stitching an imperfect nose, horizontally, was such a challenge... but wow, it went so quick! But all in all he came out too 'cute'. I did a little shading around the pads, etc. but didn't do much 'distressing'. I used a sparse whispy mohair which would probably really add to the whole 'old' look if the pattern itself looked 'old'.
But I think I'll try some more intense distressing techniques after reading this thread. Perhaps that alone will turn my middle-aged bear with a child like face into an old bear! Which makes me think of a topic to start.... off I go...
Denise, those are great. They look all smooshy just like an old bear should. I have a bear by Lora Soling and she also uses a very curly matted mohair sometimes (I think she also hand-dyes her bits which is also something I'd like to get more into. If only there were 46 hours in a day!)
Thanks so much for posting your rockin pics!
Laurie Lou BearsUnless you are trying to replicate an old style bear like a steiff I don't think that your own style can be a bad thing as long as he still looks like an older looking bear.
I had the same problem as you Daphne with Brewster whose picture is in my earlier post.He came out too cheeky and cute looking to have too much of an old appearance but my other 3 bears were little cuties but they could still look aged.Once I had seen Brewsters face I knew that he wasn't going to turn into an elegant looking old bear 
That can be the harder bit of creating an older bear-getting the look in the face that is just right.These bears have a mind of their own sometimes and what look you plan in your head doesn't come out in the bear .
I love your 2 bears Denise they are great
Laurie :hug:
This is such a great read. Seems like several of us have the bug to make old bears I've been working on one for a week. After seeing all the wonderful old bears at the Maine show and buying one, I bought a piece of matted mohair (with Laura Lynn's help) that I think worked well. I stuffed with excelsior ( firmer than I should have I think), and gave her a wobble jointed neck and loosly jointed cotterpin limbs.
Shelli, I found that the more I let the assembled bear sit , over time, the more I would pick at and distress it. It just seems so hard to start. I am by no means an expert, but if it helps I plucked with pliers, rubbed the fur with my fingers to mat if further, used pigment markers to make "dirty" paws and ears, and tea and coffee stained the assesories. I even used the sharp end of my scissors to scuff the pads at bit. I didn't make holes-wasn't that brave. I have a lot more practicing to do , but now I really have the bug 
