Banner Sponsors

gotobedbears Jun 9, 2005

Helloooo Girls,

It seems that i'm one of the few people here that hand sew my bears - what is the advantage of using a machine?

I've got two machines, one is a 1914 Frister & Rossmann - which sews like a dream and looks even better - and the other is a 'Brother' an all singing, all dancing, electric model that i mainly use for making home furnishings - curtains, cushions and bedding.

I also do quilting and tapestry work as well as bear making and i never use a machine unless i have to - am i mad or old fashioned?

Or maybe just Old...........

Penny

Laura Lynn Banner SponsorJun 9, 2005

Hi Penny!

I actually sew my bears with a combination of hand sewing and machine sewing.  I hand sew the bear's head and footpads.  Those parts are a bit tricky for me to sew accurately by machine... so I do those by hand.  I hand baste the limbs and body (often with staples!) and then machine sew them.  The machine sewing is so much faster for me and also helps to "save" my hands and wrists!  I can even sew the body and limbs of a 4" bear by machine.

Judi Jun 9, 2005

I'm with Laura.  I too do both, sewing the head and pads by hand.  SOmetimes I even sew the whole bear by hand just beacuse I love to sit and watch my kids play outside in the sandbox while I do my sewing.

The machine works well for me on the body and limbs.

Laura Lynn Banner SponsorJun 9, 2005

Oh yeah, if I know I'll be going somewhere where I'll have to wait ( doctor's office, hair appt, oil change) then I make sure I have a couple of legs sewn up so I can hand sew the paw pads on while I wait!

Judi Jun 9, 2005

Me too Laura.  We are flying to see my dad and step mom this weekend so I will be taking some sewing for the plane ride.  They let you bring scissors too...just as long as they have rounded tips.:)

Laure Jun 9, 2005

They let you bring scissors, Judi?  Really?  Which airlines?  I would invest in a pair of round tipped ones for that privilege.....what about needles?  That's OK, too?  I have just always assumed needles would be way off the 'allowable' list.

millie Jun 9, 2005

Penny,

When you find out whether you're mad, old fashioned or old, let me know because I probably fit the same category (maybe all of the above).  I too hand sew all of my bears.  I have a machine which I use for other things.  I just really like to handle my bears through the whole process.  It is also kind of relaxing to sit down in the evening and sew a bear.

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJun 10, 2005

:DHmmm . . . I'm just the opposite.  I like to sew everything I can with the machine.  I usually make bigger bears, so I don't have to do a lot of hand sewing.  It's a time saver for me, plus I have arthritis in my hands (most everywhere else, too :/), so it helps to do as much as possible on the machine.  On my smallest bears, I will hand sew the gusset and footpads.  BUT, Penny . . . and Millie . . . sewing everything by hand IS NOT crazy.  It's just a preference!! 

Kirsten Jun 10, 2005

I'm with Laura and Judi on the machine and hand-sewing combo. I find that the head needs the personal hand-touch to bring it to life, but the rest can look great with machine stitches.

Marie_ Jun 10, 2005

Hi! I'm with Laura and Judi and Kirsten,
I hand sew the bear's head and  footpads. I use staples too!(for hand base)

Laura, you can use machine for
         4" bear(10.16cm) !? wow !!!
         Amazing !!!!
         I use machine for 8" or  lager   
         bear only. I think I need more
         training for machine ....
 
I agree to Sue Ann:)
Penny , you are not mad !

As Laura said, me too, always keep a couple of legs or ears in my bags and
hand sew them when its possible. but
last time , I was at *Karaoke Bar*
with my friend and I was hand sawing
the paws while they ware singing :P
I ask them to turn the light up in the karaoke room and everyone was complaining at first but they were so interested to what I was doing :cool:
most of my friends are
now making bears and we don't go to karaoke bar anymore...we all stay home and sew sew sew ........hee hee
Bear Infection!

Bear hugs/Marie

Winney Jun 10, 2005

I met a bear artist at the Lincoln Coast Oregon show...she makes tiney teensy bears ....even one so tiny it fits in a lipstick container..she told us she sews them all on a machine...AMAZING !!! The only way I can figure out that is the tinest ones are made from ultrasuede , probably the thinnest one... " shell light" ...then she must sew the outlined bear then cut it out. I use to do it this way when I use to make 5" felt mice , some of my mice were velour...Winney

Dilu Jun 10, 2005

I'm late....sorry girls

I use the machine for everything I can, on the 2.5 gollys and bears and on the bigguns.

There trick is to outline and then cut.  I would never get anything done if it was all hand sew....muzzles are are usually hand sewn on the little bears and on the bigger ones just the last inch or so to the nose seam I hand sew....

But I came at this bear thing backwards-having sewn clothing for nearly my whole life....yikes!  Oh good, just did the calculation, only 46 years. 

I feel so much better, I was afraid it was going to be some awful astronomical number....:P

I machine sew the real furr babies too....no you silly wollikins , not the cats....the ones made of mink. etc.

Marie-when you go to make a mini bear, try drawing your sewing line, not your cutting line....it is easier on the small ones if you can see where you are supposed to sew....also I cut out pieces slightly larger in proportion than the larger bears, so that I have something to hold and guide.

OHHHHH my ears hurt....did I just hear all you purists scream about wasting fabric???

yes it may be a larger piece in proportion to what you would have with a ten incher....but considering the little dickens is only 3 or 4 inches tall it really isn't much at all....so let it go....I really waste very little,

really

Dilu Wonks

Marie_ Jun 10, 2005

Hi Dilu, 
Thank you!
I will try that  for small bears.
" drawing sewing line".

I start use the sewing machine from 6moth ago :(
I sew double line (sew twice) but it is really hard
for me to sew on same line....I think I just need
more practice on machine sewing first...

Thank you.
Bear Hugs/Marie

Delartful Bears Jun 10, 2005

I hand sew everything - large and smaller bears.  Perhaps that's because I've never mastered the sewing machine??? I find it relaxing to hand sew anyhow, so I  no complain!

sockerplinga Jun 10, 2005

I hand sew all my bears.. Maybe cause I make small bears. Cant imagine them in a sewing machine.. But I will make some larger bears too, and then I think I will make some by the machine.. Not sure yet.. Time will see..

But I dont think anyone is crazy or old fashioned just because they sew everything by hand. As long as the artist is happy with the bear, I dont think it does matter how you sew him!

Wisdom Bears Jun 10, 2005

Hi Everyone,
                       I hand sew all my small bears ,but I do use the machine on arms legs and bodies of my bigger ones, I always hand sew the head. There is no way that I could hand sew a bear in one day, I must be one of the slowest bear-makers around. Saying that, I'm never in a great rush with a bear anyway, I do enjoy seeing it come to life ,no matter how long it takes me. But as long as were all happy with our own methods,I think any way is ok.

  Hugs Rita xxxx

kbonsall Jun 10, 2005

Oh my goodness penny, you read my mind - I almost posted this yesterday!  I sewed my first two by hand and then I tried to sew a bigger one by machine and it didnt like the fabric, it was too slippy and it just continued to sew in the same spot!!! I think I would rather sew by hand, I think then the bear, to me, means so much more and is a more personal item.... nothing against you that perfer machines.. probably when I start making clothed bears, I will use my machine for that I am sure it takes four times as long to hand sew but for me it is a stress reliever

Dilu Jun 10, 2005

Marie, is it possible that your machine has a triple stitch ?  Usually used for knits and stretchy stuff...does 2 forward one back then 2 forward one back?  If you do try it, you may find you no longer need or want to stitch each piece 2 times. 

Also try putting your tension a wee bit tighter, if you are worried about the stitches showing when you stuff...

Kim- I certainly take no offence that you like to hand sew everything...honey I admire that.  I, in case you can't tell from my posts, tend to be a wee bit more hyper than normal folk, and don't have the patience.

However doing golly mouths and bear noses does relax me, probably because I see it as embroidery.

good to have stress relievers, right?

Although I suspect Penultimate Penny and I get our stress relief in a more liquid form.:D

hahahaha

I use the spa!

You thought I was suggesting something else, Mizz Penny?

Well that's ok too.

hugs to each and every one of you wonderful hand sewers...It is an art form in and of itself!

Wonkydi

PS....Mr. Technowizard has put a pop-up blocker on the computer and now the spell check will not come up.....is that tooo funny?:P:P

Sorry Intercal Computer Wizards....

doodlebears Celebration AmbassadorJun 10, 2005

I've found it very interesting to read how you all sew your bears. I sew everything by hand, from the Dinky Doodles right up to the big bears 28 inches or so. Each time I have stitched by machine I am not happy with the result.
Sue Ann, poor you! I too have  arthritis in my hands etc;  I find hand sewing helps keep my hands mobile and I don't get half as much pain as I used to have before I started sewing every day.
Now is my favourite time of year so I can sit in my garden and sew my bears whilst watching my dogs  and listening to music...what's a better way to spend a few summer hours! :cool:

Toodle-loo
Jane.