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Teddies to TreasureI am so discouraged.I am trying to get ready for TBOV Toronto-in 2 weeks and I can't seem to get my bears stuffed.I decided to make larger bears-16" as I love to dress them in antique clothing and hand-knits.However the feet are going crooked, the faces are crooked, the neck is hollow etc.For 2 weeks now I've been on the verge of tears everyday.Is there ang magical tip for stuffing larger bears?Is there a mantra to recite or a song to sing while one stuffs??? Is there a way I should be holding my tongue????What on earth is wrong with me? Perhaps I should go back to smaller bears.Hubby is convinced that my "claim to fame" lies in making bigger bears and of course, since I'm so "wishy washy" I always listen to everyone else!!!My bears are traditional and I'm so computer dumb I still can't figure out how to shrink my pictures to size for this forum or I would post some.I can only send them in an email.Please help!Sincerely Jane D.
Cleathero CreationsI don't make larger bears so I really hope someone can help. Well actually I know someone will so just try and calm down so you don't stress too much.
Okay first Jane, you need to get some Chocolate!!!! and then.......use small even amount bits of stuffing, don't try to use big piles, and work from the center of the piece you are stuffing and push it out to the edges evenly, I use a stuffing stick, especially for the heads, you want to make sure that it all goes evenly....so I have found that small even bits, vice large clumps, work from the middle outwards like a clock and then repeat....you should have even shaped bear parts in no time. Hope this helps!
Hugs,
Krista
Country BearsHi Jane,
Oh dear, you poor thing... :hug: :hug:
My advice, if you haven't got one already, get an 'Ultimate Stuffing Tool' from Donna Mettling - she's a member here on the forum, you will never look back - it's wonderful!! Here's Donna's website, just email her!! 
Good luck, and don't fret, it will all be just fine.... :hug: :hug:
Cleathero Creationsoooh yes a stuffing stick is really important. At first I used a chopstick but then purchased a couple. They are really good.
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsI use a cotter key (looks kind of like a scew driver and it's meant to turn cotter pins) as a stuffing stick. Ilike the head to be firmly stuffed and I found myself breaking the wooden ones.
Another thought...are you using a fur with a woven or stretchy knit backing? If the backing is knit you can line your bear parts with muslin to avoid the fur stretching out of shape as you stuff. Another thought is to not stuff as firmly if you are using a stretchy backed fur.
Little Bear GuyWow Jane stuffing is a real tough one with us, it takes me forever to stuff a bear. A lot depends on the stuffing as well, I find some types of stuffing tend to really ball up and create bear cellulite in the arms and legs. We learned from someone many many years ago to actually make a long rope out of the stuffing rather than just plucking off small pieces and stuffing that way. We tend to stuff our bears very firmly so it takes a long time and a lot of stuffing to get one completely stuffed. I do agree that a good stuffing stick is the most important thing, we use several different things but for us we use a wood skewer (they do break and I go through a few of them on one bear but they are cheap and work great.) Alot of times it just is practice and eventually you do come up with a technique that works for you.
not sure if I've helped at all 
big hugs
Shane
Man, I really just dislike the stuffing part. I'm sorta moving toward a slightly smaller size for just that reason. My 16 inchers take a lot of brute force! I have two stuffing sticks with two different sized handles and like already said; I got them both from Donna (my hero.) I use smallish pieces instead of shoving great gobs into the cavity. It just takes a long time and is kinda boring. Like life in general, I guess you've just gotta take the good with the bad.
Have fun and good luck!
For bigger bears why don't you try mixing a bit of woodwool into the poly fibre...it packs down really firmly. I use it in my noses and into the muzzle. You do need to use small bits though, some people recommend damping it..I used to damp it but now I don't...I snip it up a bit first. But I find it's just down to a bit of tedious elbow grease in the end..and shaping as you go especially the head..I often put a stitch in the muzzle to hold the stuffing in place but I find that in you stuff it softly first ...then do the main part of the head you can then stuff the muzzle/nose firmly and it won't ease back out again because the stuffing in the head stops it moving....
As far as feet go, the stitching line is very obvious on bigger bears so most important to stitch straight and then I find that as I stuff I keep squeezing the stuffing to the egdes..and I use a chop-stick to push the stuffing right into the edges....
I use Donnas stuffing stick for the head..it's fab!
Laurie Lou BearsAs long as you have been making your bigger bears the same way as your smaller bears Jane so the sewing is accurate the problem should be in your stuffing.I have found that I can get two different types of polyester-one stuffs harder than the other but lumps up very easily and the other is a lot more springy but won't stuff so hard.In the head and feet areas I often use the more springy stuff even though it doesn't stuff so hard as it doesn't seem to distort your mohair as easily.The other thing is to take your time and not rush as the quicker you try to work sometimes you just don't get the results that you want.I hope this helps 
:hug: :hug: :hug:
Laurie :hug:
Teddies to TreasureThank you everyone for responding so quickly and for taking the time to help as I know you are all busy too! I was in such a panic that my heart was pounding.I get like that now as there never seems to be enough hours in the day anymore.I don't seem to sell many bears at the shows and I want them to be so perfect so they look just right and it seems that everything is going wrong these days.I just need to slow down and take my time.But I want to sell bears-----!!! Thanks again all.Have a wonderful day! Sincerely Jane D.
MerBear OriginalsI absolutely love my magic stuffing tool from Donna - it's one of those things I'd take to the proverbial desert island! I've been making 12 - 14" bears lately and find it indespensible for stuffing firmly.
Marion
Bumpkin BearsDear Jane, I can so feel for you, but take a deep breath and take your time and I am sure your bears will be beautiful. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention this here - but have you ever taken a look at the Teddy TV channel at TeddyBear Times -
http://www.craft-club.tv/player_craft.asp
Click on "Teddy Channel" and then scroll down all the various previous shows/interviews until you find
"Head masterclass with Julie Shepherd part 1 and part 2
It may help you seeing it visually and you may get some new pointers from her, I hope this helps and I'm sure your bears will be great as always :hug: :hug:
OOOPS I just checked and it is sadly now only available with a subscription, I had watched some of it before. Sorry Jane. But I am sure that just taking your time, using small pieces of stuffing and constantly feeling the outside of the head as you go for any 'pockets' of air and using a good stuffing tool (I too often use my cotter pin turning tool) or a wooden spoon!
good luck
Catherine
xx
BrozZ BearZOh I feel your pain too :hug:
See why I make smaller bears? :P
I use a chopstick for my 18cm little bears because one end is small and pointed and the other is blunt and quite big.
I broke my chopstick that I've used for 2 years just the other day. I almost cried 
BlondheartWow this is surprising, I had no idea how many people didn't like stuffing. Jane, when you're stuffing the bear imagine that you are sculpting it out of clay. If you had a lump of clay and you were making it into a bear, and you had an uneven spot you would add or take away clay until it was even. Bears can be unstuffed if you need to and restuffed, polyfil can be manipulated into place from the inside with a tool or the outside with a long needle. When you're stuffing a muzzle turn it in your hand as you go. It's natural for feet to go in the same direction if you hold each leg the same as you stuff it unless you're ambidexterous....which most of us aren't. Maybe you should consider using pellets?
About that husband of yours who is trying to be oh so helpful......good for him for taking an interest in your work! Now after you thank him for his interest, gently and kindly remind him that it's YOUR work, and the only bears that will turn out well are the ones you believe in and love. If you prefer making smaller bears, then make a nice big one just for him as a present of appreciation and go back to making what YOU love.
Edit: Oh and did I mention the other trick is to go outside on a full moon and hop on your left foot in a concentric circle while balancing a 5 pound box of polyfil on your head to appease the stuffing gods?
q.D.paToOtieSOh I feel your pain too :hug:
See why I make smaller bears? :P
I use a chopstick for my 18cm little bears because one end is small and pointed and the other is blunt and quite big.
I broke my chopstick that I've used for 2 years just the other day. I almost cried :(
Well $am, I guess it's time to order out for Chinese! But seriously, a chopstick is a great idea. I think I'll try that one.
I hate stuffing bears and have gone from large to small to maybe even SMALLER to avoid having to do it. I did buy Donna's stuffing tool which was fab but it still didn't work for me. I do best by picking up tiny bits of stuffing with my curved locking forceps and then placing them where I want them in the bear. I usually have my hand cupped around the part I'm stuffing and I really press into the palm of my hand to get it nice and firm. Just my method!
Hugs,
Lisa
Firstly, I'd say experiment with different types of stuffing material, until you find what suits your needs best. I've found that even when just using polyester fibre, some qualities work better than others for me. Also, decide if you just want to use polyester stuffing for example, or whether you'd like to incorporate another medium, for example, plastic pellets or woodwool ... the finish of a bear is determined by the way he is filled, so it's definitely worth experimenting.
I use a purpose made stuffing stick ... it's long and pokey with a 'foot' shaped pressing bit on the end and it really does the job! I like to stuff with pieces of filler which are about the size of the palm of my hand, then press them into place with the pokey stick.
To stuff well, you need to be symmetrical, so, if you stuff to the left of the bear's tum, then stuff with the same amount of stuffing to the right ... if you see what I mean. Constantly feel the outside of the bear as you mould the filler into him and take your time, it really is a sculpting process and one of the most important factors to achieving a professional finish. Use your fingers to squeeze, ease and sense your way through the process. When stuffing paws, keep looking at them to see how the stuffing is sitting, if it doesn't seem to be working very well, yank out the stuffing and start again with fresh stuffing and smaller pieces and more care ... you don't need rock hard when stuffing, you just need beautifully shaped and reasonably firm. It's far more important to achieve good shape, than to stuff a bear to bursting point. Bad stuffing will make a bear lopsided and lumpy, possibly stressing his seams and he may not sit/stand properly, so it will spoil all your previous hard work. 
I think stuffing techniques are hugely important to producing beautiful bears, so it's definitely worth spending time and energy mastering this hidden aspect of bearcraft.
Melbourne, AustraliaI totally agree with what Paula has said here:
To stuff well, you need to be symmetrical, so, if you stuff to the left of the bear's tum, then stuff with the same amount of stuffing to the right ... if you see what I mean. Constantly feel the outside of the bear as you mould the filler into him and take your time, it really is a sculpting process and one of the most important factors to achieving a professional finish. Use your fingers to squeeze, ease and sense your way through the process. When stuffing paws, keep looking at them to see how the stuffing is sitting, if it doesn't seem to be working very well, yank out the stuffing and start again with fresh stuffing and smaller pieces and more care ... you don't need rock hard when stuffing, you just need beautifully shaped and reasonably firm. It's far more important to achieve good shape, than to stuff a bear to bursting point. Bad stuffing will make a bear lopsided and lumpy, possibly stressing his seams and he may not sit/stand properly, so it will spoil all your previous hard work.
I think stuffing techniques are hugely important to producing beautiful bears, so it's definitely worth spending time and energy mastering this hidden aspect of bearcraft. :)
I do a lot of large bears and use three different size stuffing sticks, only ever 'A' grade polyfibre for limbs, body and head, wool for the muzzle. One point I might add...don't ever proceed stuffing a limb until the pads are perfect first. Paula's trick of lining the pads with batting works a treat too (thanks for that one Paula). Same with the head, perfect the muzzle first...and don't try to rush it, take your time.
Good Luck Jane!! 
I'm having some trouble with the bigger (ish) bear I'm aking at the moment, especially with his head. I always get dimples where I pull in the eyes, so i thought I'd try knotting at the ears instead: it's just as bad! The knot dimples inwards, and I can easily slip a nail beneath the eyes of my bear (I don't know what the accepted tightness with artist bears is, but there's no way I could do this to my Steiff! )
Is there anything else I can do to prevent this? I've stuffed as firmly as I think I could, but this new stuffing material I have is weird, it's like silken strands whereas my last stuff was more spongy... is that anything to do with it?
Thanks!
