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Posts: 7I need to complete two very special, custom 12" jointed bears and have had terrible luck with plush toy companies. Further, there are no bear makers in the L.A. area who may be able to help me. I am a fairly technical person with a lot of attention to detail and am pretty good with my hands. I just ordered the book 'Teddy Bear Art: How to Design & Make Great Teddy Bears' and am contemplating making the two pieces myself. I DO NOT know how to sew...
Will I be able to pull this off? Thank you for your help!
PennsylvaniaAssuming you have the equipment and tools... maybe.
Try this. Go get yourself some inexpensive fabric. It doesn't have to be plush. Just something from WalMart. Try to make a simple project. See how that turns out.
Then when you're done with that, judge for yourself whether you can make a Bear.
But, do you know what? There are literally a hundred people who make Bears right here on this site!
You could look through the Bear gallery: http://teddy-talk.com/bears_and_friends.php
Then you could pick out the Bearmaker who makes the kind of Bear you like best.
I have some Bears from people who are members of this site. I have never been disappointed. I'm sure you can find somebody to make Bears for you, too.
However, we're coming up to the holiday season. It takes time to make a really good looking Bear. If you want to get a Bear any time soon, you'd better get your order in right away. If you wait too long, most Bearmakers are likely to be booked up until after the new year.
Fulrfun BearsI couldn't sew when I made my first bear.
desertmountainbearI am agreeing with US Bears here. You can probably make the bears. I was involved in crafts my whole life before I ever made a bear. My first bear was good. But in all honesty it would not be good enough to sell to someone who had placed a special order. There is a lot to bear making that takes time to be mastered. If you want to do it yourself by some cheap fur and practice, practice to see if you feel comfortable before committing yourself.
Best of luck to you, please let us know how it all turns out,
Joanne
Posts: 751Bear making is an art that is learnt over time - patience, trial and error (and I fair portion of FRUSTRATION). I started off on soft toys - one of which was an acrylic jointed bear which I sold for £4.75!!!!
I couldn't sew either - even now I am a pretty basic sewer.
Posts: 7Thanks everybody. I checked out the gallery and found a few makers that were in the same "direction..." I will be contacting them. As their locations aren't listed, odds are (my luck is) they are out of state. Is there any place on this forum where I could place a thread listing my wants/requirements? That is, a bear maker with traditional flair who is based in the LA area...? mlm
Honey Valley BearsI'll let you in on a little secret, there are a lot of us artists that can't sew. Bears are different so give it a shot.
Hey if you need help or encouragement there is always a bunch of us here
Past Time BearsHi, mlm . . . this "General" section would be where the most people would see your post. Good luck with your quest!
PennsylvaniaIs there any place on this forum where I could place a thread listing my wants/requirements? That is, a bear maker with traditional flair who is based in the LA area...?
I think you just did! :lol:
I just contacted the Bearmaker of my choice via Private Messenger service, courtesy of this forum, or via their published e-mail address.
Be prepared to describe the Bear you like. If you can show the Bearmaker a picture of a Bear that she made which you like the looks of, it will be helpful. Pictures of other Bears are also acceptable. Describe any differences in the Bear you have in mind to the Bear in your picture.
The Bearmaker will probably ask you for a deposit. At least half of the cost of the Bear.
She's going to have to purchase materials and supplies. Right? How's she going to buy that stuff without money?
Then, the Bearmaker will probably send you a picture of the Bear she made in its "almost finished" stage.
You will then approve of the Bear or suggest changes.
When the Bear is approved, you send in the rest of the "adoption fee" and the Bear will be shipped to you.'
(You might also have to pay extra if you want express shipping.)
One of the Bears I bought from a Bearmaker at this site came all the way from England.
She is a very nice Bear and she has a cozy little spot to live in our Bear Den.
So, the bottom line is that you don't have to have your Bear made in California unless you really want it to be. 
Astrup Bears
I'm a Danish bear artist and all of my bears is sold to outside of Denmark, most of them living in USA and some even longer away like Japan and Australia.
Its not a problem to send a bear and is takes 8-10 days to be there. 
beary regards
Lisa Astrup
Chaska, MinnesotaClair wrote: I couldn't sew when I made my first bear.
Clair: I could not sew either. I learned to sew making a bear. My friend taught me. The more you make them, the better you get.
