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Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Hello ladies. hope all are having a nice evening!!

I need some thoughts on a bear

I'm making a pure white bear at the moment which is for my Aunt's christmas present.. yeah i know it's only october but i have a hospital appt in a few weeks time for my wrist and if they tell me to stop using my hand or suggest surgery or whatever i wont be able to get it done in time for christmas. so i better start now so i WILL have time.. it will take me ages to start with going so slow LOL

Anyways,, my question. this bear is pure white..she is for christmas. she will be wearing a dark green velvet dress and a dark green velvet shoulder wrap which has a little hood on aswell. it also has 2 white pom poms on the string to tie around her neck, now the bear is completely white. she has a red nose (i gave her a red nose because my aunt kept trying to steal this white bear i have with a red nose LOL and it's christmasy.. now my question what colour paw pads and feet pads do you think i should give her ?? should i give her red ones to match the nose.. or green to match the dress which i think will be too much green and take the "shine" away from the outfit.. or do you think all white paws aswell would be best ??  i was thinking white paws, but this other bear my aunt loves and wanted but she couldnt have because she's mine (lol) has red feet so im inclined to try and make another one similar (this one has longer hair) But i dont want too many colours to clash with the dress.. oh my..i just cant decide...

whew. that turned into a long post for such a simple question  :lol:

i would show you a pic but she's just a head at the moment with no ears and i am covered in white fluff where i have been trimming fur from her face ;)

anyone else have this much trouble trying to pick feet colour ??

Shelli SHELLI MAKES
Chico, California
Posts: 9,939
Website

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

I don't think that either red or green would CLASH with the dress, per se.

However, I like the facial features, and the accessories, to stand out on my bears... even when the pawpads are especially elaborate.  So my inclination, if it were me making this bear, would be to go with matching white pawpads... maybe something especially rich and luxurious and textury, like velveteen, for a wintry, lush feel.

I'm sure you'll get ten thousand variations on this answer.  But this is just what Shelli would do.

Have fun!  And do post a pic when you're done.  Sounds like it will be a beauty.

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,879

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

I would go for the white, also!

psichick78 Flying Fur Studios
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,073

I'd also go for white. You could paint/airbrush/draw/felt colored toes on the bear if you really want some color.

Heather

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

I'm leaning toward white too, i think it will make her more "snow" like which will be good for winter, she's got a baby face really. (she has a face now lol) and she looks young. like a baby bear. so maybe white would go better, i even thought of doing white. and then maybe sewing something onto her foot. like a little piece of holly or something (thats if i can achieve it hahaha), i was good at sewing when i was little but thats 20 years ago now LOL! i do have white UV which has a sparkle too it. that would be pretty to match the velvet off the dress !

So another question. if i were to embroider something onto the food pad. should i do that before i sew in the foot pad to the leg ? i think that would be easier, oo soo many choices.. !

i will be sure to post a pic when she's finished  bear_laugh i'm sewing ears on  right now (in between reading posts)

Dilu Posts: 8,574

White

Velvet sounds great Shel,

but white

Close your eyes and picture this precious critter with red or green pads.

What jumps out?

Yikes, it like being at the eye doctors, " which is clearer, the red or the green?"

White

bear_tongue

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Thanks Dilu bear_original great idea to imagine it complete with the colours, i'm going to put White sparkly upholstery velvet for her feet, and im going to try and freehandly embroider a piece of holly and a couple of red berries onto the foot pad on one of them (if it looks dreadful i can just cut out another footpad nothing lost there really) but i think it will add a really nice touch to the foot bear_original (i hope)   :P

Well i say all of this i do get adventerous sometimes LOL but that's how we learn ? if i dont try i never know what i can do  bear_laugh

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Oh Pipa, I love your idea....Now that sounds beautiful!

bear_tongue

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Thanks bear_original  i can faintly draw the holly on the wrong side of the velvet  in pencil and then sew using the lines as a guidemark at least that way it should come out looking like holly & berries  bear_grin

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

in fact i mso excited about that idea im going to give it a go right  now even tho she only has a head  bear_laugh

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Stone me ! i just embroidered the holly leaf and it looks pretty amazing even if i do say so myself hehehe i had to go freehand because my outline was making me go in the wrong shape funnily enough lol i will post a pic of this footpad when ive done the berries bear_happy

Deb Upstate New York
Posts: 1,650

I'm sure by now you've already cut them out, but ....... white!  bear_laugh

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

I have deb LOL I've cut 1 foot pad out and emboirdered it with holly & berries. i tried to take a pic but it came out overexposed. it's 1am almost here so i need properlight, will try again in the morning with daylight bear_original

Densteds Densteds
Posts: 2,056
Website

Your snow bear sounds wonderful, can't wait to see a pic..glad you went with the white pads!!!
I'm sure your aunt will love her, what a lovely and thoughtful gift,
hugs,
Denise.

Delartful Bears Delartful Bears
Australia
Posts: 3,518

We wanna see photos Pipa!!  Love the idea of the embroidered foot pads!!

Danni

P.S I would have choosen white also, but I'm a little late!

Gail Bear With Me Enterprises
Posts: 1,319
Website

Hi Pipa
I would go with white as well and although I like the sound of the holly etc it will make the bear a Christmas one and not one that say you could remove the clothes and dress differently the rest of the year-just a thought!!! You could also use the same fabric for the footpads and paw pads as you used to make the bear and for a change remove all of the fur from the backing from the mid section of the pad to the bottom and then embroider claws on the plucked section. Looking forward to a picture when she's done
Hugs
Gail
bear_innocent

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_laugh I've got no thoughts to contribute (actually, no thoughts on much of anything at 3:31 am!), but I can't wait to see her, Pipa!  :hug:

Eileen

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

I'm too late for this, but I would have shosen white as well. LOVE the idea with the hooly embroidery. Way to go Pipa  :dance: :dance: Cant wait to see pic's.

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

footpad.jpgThanks everyone for the input. i always have trouble picking matching colours that suit best, I've already embroidered the footpad altho i haven't stitched it in, I don't think she will mind having a christmas bear all year round though, i made her a miniature last year which wears a santa hat, i do hope she likes it, She really wanted this other white bear of mine (who wears a blue velvet winter coat) but i cant part with her so i thought i would make one similar, she's gonna be about 12 inches tall. hold on.. let me try take a pic of the footpad...
it's actually a more off white than pure white and the colour of it matches the colour of the back of the fur, it will look really nice when it's done i think !

here's a pic. it's not that great on the photo it looks ALOt better for real an the colour isn't as white as that, when the bear is finished i will get a proper photo of her all complete and it will give yo an overall better look of it, my camera is useless indoors honesty LOL

Eileen - 3:30am ? LOL i thought i was bad staying up till after 1am.. me and a couple of friends stayed up all night once. didnt bother going to bed playing this online game bear_grin

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_laugh Wow! I can't wait to see the rest of her . . . well done, Pipa!  :hug:

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

Thanks Eileen. the piccie really doesnt do it any justice. i cant wait to finish her now hehe

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

Very nice Pipa.  Can't wait to see the finished bear. bear_innocent

Winney Winneybears and Friends
White City, Oregon
Posts: 1,103

Great idea Pipa..white is perfect and the holly looks very appropiate....Now, we all will want to see her finished...Winney

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,879

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Love the embroidered holly!

Pipa UK
Posts: 971

footpad2.jpgThanks everyone. she has a body, 1 leg and a head lol my neck is KILLING Me from sitting looking down at this sewing, i did get a pic of the foot stuffed tho it looks better

right, thats my last pic until the finished bear hehe, watch this space  bear_laugh

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