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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
VallierBearsHello everyone,
I have 3 unrelated questions, but bear related all the same!
1. I have started to play around with a free ebay template, that I have added new borders and such. My question being, how do you upload them to ebay when I am putting up my auction?
2. Can you make wool felt for paw pads yourself? I was thinking it's a nice touch to make your own. Would they be suitably strong enough?
3. Can you cut out bear peices then dye them. I'm not sure, i've heard they string or go out of shape a little. I didn't want to dye a whole peice of mohair as i'm getting an unbleached peice and May want to use it in a different colour for another project?
I'm sure some of your wonderfull ladies have the know how, or maybe one of you few men :P
Take care,
Richy :hug:4
EDIT: Can you dye viscose, it's in some mohair I want from Loubear?
Donna's Duin BruinsI can answer the third question. I have cut out the pieces and then dyed them. You do run the risk that they will shrink at different proportions. I found the best way was to trace the pattern out onto the fabric with a permanent ink then cut out around the pattern and dye that. Make sure that you have all the pieces traced and that the ink is permanent.
Viscose will dye very nicely. It may take the color a little richer than the mohair which I think would give it a very pleasing look.
Have fun!
Donna
MerBear Originals
I can answer #2. I have made large knitted squares and then felted them in the washing machine. Properly done they come out quite thick and then can be cut into paw pad shape. I was quite pleased with them.
Marion
Back Road Bears#1 - eBay prompts you through the whole process of listing an item. You will come to a box where you will "browse" your computer for the file (picture) you want to put in your listing. Select that file and click "upload" and eBay will do the rest. Be patient while it uploads.... especially if it's a large file. This is all assuming you use the standard eBay auction template - not a custom one.
#2 - An alternate way to knitting would be to felt the beegeezus out of some wool... corriedale might be a good one - the coarse stuff. You'd do best to do it on a bristle brush, not a foam block. Clover sells the brushes for needlefelting and you'd want to use a needle holder with at least 5 needles in it. I'm guessing it could take you longer to felt loose wool into a flat piece strong enough to hold together than to make the whole entire bear.
#3 - As Donna said, trace your pattern on to the material, cut out the section of material that your pattern pieces are traced on, dye that whole piece then cut out the individual pattern pieces.
Back Road Bears#4 I've dyed the LouBear mohair/viscose blend... you will get a multi-tone effect... I love the look! There are directions for dyeing on their site... read them! These are recipes tried and true for their material!! (I sell their material here in the US.... everyone is loving it!)
Hobart BearsFor the paw pads, you might try old wool sweaters or skirts and felt them then cut out what you need. At the salvation army you can get old donated clothing for very cheap, one sweater or skirt will make a lot of paw pads and be very strong.
Good luck,
Karen
Pandy Potter BearsI can answer question 1, well sort of! 
When you design your templates (loads of free sites, just google) save them on your computer in html, or whatever its called (forgotten lots). Then on ebay (use internet explorer or the like as some browsers are hopeless) you need to tick the advanced sell box. Go through until you get to the description box here you click from the standard (tag at the top) to the html. I then copy and paste my template in, in html. I will use photobucket to host pictures and just change the links in the code to the new photo links as and when I have a new bear.
The write up in the template I change in standard, just click on that and tha actual page comes up. You could change it in the code as well.
Well I sure thats as clear as mud. 
I did all this some years ago and have kind of forgot what I exactly did. This way works out cheaper (you only pay for the gallery photo) and looks better. I hope there is at least a clue here that might get you further. 
Mutz's Tootsz Bears & BudsMy answer is for #3. What I do is I cut and stitch the bear and then dye. That way the dye is consistant from one piece to another and your pieces don't warp out on you.
Amy
Back Road BearsAmy - is the color darker at the seams when you dye that way? Could be a neat affect!
Mutz's Tootsz Bears & BudsNo,
Although the thread may not dye well depending on what it is made of. I like to let one color "bleed" into anlther for a tie-dye effect.
Amy
