For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
I must be weird but I adore all sizes of bears. I have always handstitched my bears and recently started using my machine for the larger ones. I had been snooping around in the archives looking for info to make a mini since I still want to do some totally handstitched bears and found info for Sassy fabrics. I went to the site and not only does Stephanie have a TON of products but everything is beautiful! Well I need to make an order and I have NO idea what to choose! How did you decide? Should I just close my eyes and press keys and add whatever to my cart? I mean I am sure I wont be disappointed no matter what I get.
Side note: I WAS going to just email Stephanie herself and ask questions but maybe there are other Sassy newbies like me that could use the advice and help too! I hope I am not the only ninny anyway! :redface:
Oh, yes, I do understand.
First try your best to spend the $200 as it will not only give you lots to choose from but also a price break! I personally love her frosteds, and her pastels, she does them herself and truly they are so very lovely. All of her fabrics are dream fabrics for hand stitching, so easy and so dependable. And, for minis so very very easy to turn-pretty crucial consideration!
You can get 2-3 bears out of one piece- I think 9" square??? i cannot remember, but even a six incher is doable. If you can go the $200 then get yourself a healthy sample of the different fabrics and then you can decide which brings you the most joy to use.
And I promise you , you will love it when all these wonderful things come, like Christmas in the summer.....
dilu
Oh I know exactly what you mean Alexis!
I am also a fan of the frosted fabrics but I love the others too . If money was no object I would have a square of each one, as it is a bit of a problem for me, I make small orders but try something different each time.Make sure you keep a note of the colours you particularly like when you get them ,so you can reorder when you run out.I can get about four little bears from a square, but I do make them quite tiny.
Not only are the fabrics wonderful to look at, gorgeous to feel, but ( and I may be a bit weird here ) they smell so pretty too LOL
It was now expensive.. I read this post and what have I must do?... Order Fabrics I love all sassys fabrics and... the fabrics from Tyber look under synthetics
Manuela
Awww, thanks ladies!! I try my best to get the good stuff. I know what works for me so know what to look for.
Now for some good news! I've been working with a textile mill for over 6 months now to get a new fabric made. They had to make a few samples before they got it right. I am soooo picky! Anyway, they made a trial run (several yards) and sent them to me. I've hand-dyed some colors for sale.
They are having a problem making it. It just doesn't want to come out right on their machines - even though I think it's perfect. So I don't know if they will be able to make more for me. If they can't, then I'll find someplace else to do it. I'm working with a couple textile mills in China too.
Here's some photos for you. I call it Sassy Cashmere. It's the super-soft cashmere type fabric with 1/8" (3mm) pile. Do any of you remember Vintage Long Cashmere? I've wanted to get this made since I started my business, it's my dream fabric! Right now, I only have a very limited supply but am crossing my fingers I can get more made.
The 2 bears I made from it are 4" tall.
the new fabrics looks wonderfull Ah look at the Queen of Heart Mouse left ( Avatar) she is from Sassy long pile white
YUM! :dance: Stephanie you are killing me!
Thanks everyone for the advice. I will just keep trying is small amounts since my budget cannot afford a huge amount right now anyway. THANKS!
Alexis,
I have a booklet titled Mini Bear Fabrics that I can send you. At the end of your order, in the COMMENTS, just type - Please Send Booklet. It has photos, descriptions and samples of every type of fabric I sell.
Oh Fanastic! That would help so much! Thank you!
I've ordered off sassy fabrics once. I used to make minis a while ago, and LOVED her fabrics, wonderful shipping costs and wonderful fabrics!
I would never hesitate to order of sassy again if I decided to make minis. I used her micro plush with the fabric stabilizer on top works a treat. I also ordered her smoked and her frosted and it was wonderful! I specially like her frosted and smoked but for softness order her micro plush add the stabilizer and its great! SO SOFT and cuddly!
I would never hesitate to order of sassy and her new cashmere fabric looks great I may have to order some of that!! sparks the minis in me to come alive,
HUGS,
Richy~
p.s. Great work stephanie keep those fab fabrics coming!
Gerry's has got some in stock here in Australia so I don't have to wait for it to come from overseas!!!! I love it. Gerry's also plays around with dyes so we are getting some interesting colours too. That new long pile fabric looks nice though....
Those new fabrics are looking good Stephanie! :dance:
Alexis.. when you place your order don't forget to choose some of Stephanie's super fine and strong thread. I use it for most of my bear making now. Everything else feels like I'm sewing with rope
Wendy
Ahhhh steph
Honey, you'll drive back into bears and away from dolls.....no wait! We can do both!
I think I shall have to order some of your cashmere if there is any left after the Spring Fling at Nancy's- gotta get these dollies done first.....
you do supply the best minimini fabrics! And the colors are delish!
Manuela
your mousy is adorable-
gollydollyhugs
dilu
Wendy- SO good to know! I had some local upholstery velvet here and was using my regular Guttermans thread to hand stitich and that was exactly how I felt. It was insanely annoying. I will make sure to purchase some of the thread too! Thanks!
I'd like to mention not only Sassy fabric Quality products, but also the customer service is outstanding.
Stephanie is quick to respond to questions, and goes out of her way to HELP her customers.
She treats those large orders over $200.00 -customers just as courteous as her 'budget restricted' customers.
Stephanie stands behind her products 100 %.... AND gets her orders mailed out Quick.
Donna a.
www.BrandonBears.net
Yes, stephanie have been a great help when i could not make up my mind what to order! The ones i love the most are the frosted and the smokey long pile...
stephanie suggested to me the smokey long pile because the fabric are all black, so u can use black thread for sewing, but the hair all are different colors! cool isnt it? From what i saw, my favorite artist, Ingrid also uses them for her bears and they look sooooo adorable
wendy, what is this super fine and strong thread? i need to check that out... i did however got this really strong thread from stephanie.. but the super fine? this got me curious....
good luck in your choice! and love the new fabrics by the way....
hugs
Ming :hug:
Sorry it took me so long to get back to this topic. The thread I use is the 'Super-lon Nylon thread from Sassys.
I absolutely swear by it. Brilliant stuff.
Steph is one lady who makes it very easy for me to do what I do. Lovely fabrics and she puts in lots of hard work getting them to the stage when we can buy them. Yes, I'm a fan!!!! Just hope I can get some money together to get some new stuff. :pray:
I think the difference with Stephs mini fabrics is that she makes minis herself, and knows what is needed. And i would like to tell you she also make the most adorable dolls too, out of her special mini fabric doll fabric.....and the last time I was there, its been a while, she even had special mini prints.
And she has a pattern or two available for her dolls....I so enjoyed making them I think i will search for my sassy box and pattern for something different from the porcelaons to do....they make cute ornaments for the tree, and great quick gifts, and they really are so very very cute.....
I know its going to take me an hour to find the bx, but it will be worth it....back to my roots so to speak
hugs
dilu
I LOVE Stephanie's fabrics! Infact, I placed a small order last night and I STILL get overwhelmed and take ages to decide what to get....the problem is there is just sooooo many yummy fabrics!
I've made miniature bears and some of my mini elephants with the fabric and I just love it to work with. I am currently making a bear from a new pattern from some brown smokey long pile who will be about 6.5-7" and he's looking pretty darned cute at the moment - it just shows that you can make slightly larger bears from it too!
Wendy, i also ordered some of the thread you were talking about....I just had to try it out for myself!
Here are 2 of my elephants made from Stephanie's fabrics:
First is Edgar who's arms, legs and head are made from Stephanie's tie-dye blue/green cashmere
This is Sally Sunshine who is made from Sassy long pile.
OMG They are so cute. I lOVE them
:clap: that super-lon thread is completely amazing! :clap: I ordered some sassy stuff last week thursday and had it by saturday! I started using the thread to close the piece I was currently working on and was astounded by how easy it was to use. ladder stitches slide right up easily, no snags, no glitches, and it stays closed when you release the thread. the thread is so fine and ties so tight that the knot just disappears. I loathe handwork because my thread - even guttermans - always knots and twists (my mom says it's because I'm a lefty) I've tried thread magic and running the thread through a fabric softener sheet, but this thread is a dream to use. I found myself soft-sculpting away like I never have before, thinking how fun handwork was!
I had to place another order on monday, to get more thread colors - and more of that fantastic fabric. I haven't had time to work with the fabrics yet, I've got a few commissions to finish before I can start something new, and I know once I start using is, I won't want to stop, but I know I'll need a good stash at the ready.
Stefanie, I hope you can get this a 'done deal'. I traveled on the show circuit for over 15 years and found pockets of the Malden Mills fabrics everywhere - once found over 50 yards in various shades of white in a now-gone warehouse in downtown Phoenix. It is out there if one knows where to look.
But I always hated the shine/sheen; Malden Mills called the flocking 'bright nylon'. It really made photography difficult too as it brought aspects to the bears that didn't exist in real-life viewing. That's why the old 'cashmere' had such appeal, it had a matte finish, as do the new long pile fabrics.
With a colored backing fabric, these new fabrics bring a whole new aspect to miniature bearmaking that we didn't have in the 90s and early 00s - Good Luck in getting this done - I wish my fingers would let me work these again.
Alexis,
I'm sooo glad you started this post! I have learned a lot and just placed my Sassys order!
Wish me luck....in the mini world my "normal" bears are giants. Can't wait to see my pattern in a mini bear.....
Hugs,
JeannieB
Alexis,
I'm sooo glad you started this post! I have learned a lot and just placed my Sassys order!
Wish me luck....in the mini world my "normal" bears are giants. Can't wait to see my pattern in a mini bear.....
Hugs,
JeannieB