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dangerbears Dangerbears
Wisconsin
Posts: 6,021
Website

Here's one for the mavericks out there who've made a bear's head with the pile direction on the gusset going forward (toward the nose) rather than back.

I really like the effects you can get with scissors -- with those "bangs" hanging down over the bear's eyes. My question is: Do you have any problems with the fur on the back of the head (i.e. do you do anything special like split the gusset horizontally so that you don't have fur running up the back of the head instead of down?)

I've got some pretty long mohair that I'd like to try this with, but I wonder what the contrast in fur direction will look like.

Thanks!

Becky

Jaina Emo Bears
Dudley, West Mids
Posts: 862

You got it in one! that's how I do it, with the gusset split so you get that change, see my avatar bear for one made using that technique. I love fringes.  bear_thumb

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,674

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Becky, every one of my Past Time Bears has bangs.  I quickly learned when I first started designing my own patterns that bangs would be a 'look' or 'style' of my bears.  Guess I decided that since I've worn bangs all my life, my teddies would, too.  I don't do anything different with the gusset piece.  When the head is finished, I just brush the gusset hair and try to blend it in with the hair on the side pieces.

dangerbears Dangerbears
Wisconsin
Posts: 6,021
Website

Thank you both!  bear_flower

I'll give it a try as Sue Ann does it, and if I don't like the effect in the back, I'll try it Julia's way.

Becky

Clarebear Fulrfun Bears
Alice Springs
Posts: 503

If it doesn't go theway you like you can dampen it, add a little hair gel (which brushes out nicely afterwards) and comb ithow you want it to go.  I bought a bear off ebay in my early days of bear making that had been cut out ready to sew and when it arrived they had obviously cut it out the wrong way (all the fur went the opposite way to what it should) I just wet the fur and combed it while it was wet and you would never know the diffference.

dangerbears Dangerbears
Wisconsin
Posts: 6,021
Website

That's a great idea, too. Thanks, Clare!

Becky

dangerbears Dangerbears
Wisconsin
Posts: 6,021
Website

UPDATE:

I tried this both ways, and with the fur I'm using, Julia's horizontally-split gusset idea works best. (The pile is long, so it's very affected by gravity in the back with the pile running "uphill." And it's semi-sparse, too, so changing the pile direction by wetting it would leave a bald area.)

Thanks again for the help! I'll post a photo when she's done (Look for a fluffy lilac-colored bear).

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:
Becky

baildon bears Baildon bears
west yorkshire
Posts: 114
dangerbears wrote:

Here's one for the mavericks out there who've made a bear's head with the pile direction on the gusset going forward (toward the nose) rather than back.

I really like the effects you can get with scissors -- with those "bangs" hanging down over the bear's eyes. My question is: Do you have any problems with the fur on the back of the head (i.e. do you do anything special like split the gusset horizontally so that you don't have fur running up the back of the head instead of down?)

I've got some pretty long mohair that I'd like to try this with, but I wonder what the contrast in fur direction will look like.

Thanks!

Becky

Thankyou Becky for this post, I am really interested in the design of heads at the moment and spliting the gusset sounds a great way of getting a different look. will try it. Hannah

lovenshire Love and Cuddle Nursery
Missouri
Posts: 945
Website

Now that's an idea for my design book!  Sounds great...

Tenchy Posts: 1

Can I ask, at what point on the gusset do you create the split, top middle?

Fairybear Wagga Wagga
Posts: 346

Monica Spicer has a lot of patterns where she has split the gusset.  I believe it is usually between the ears, so about top middle.

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