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Posts: 5Hi,
I am a new member and registered specifically so I can make this post. I am looking to buy my girlfriend a very special teddy bear. As I was searching google I found out about the TOBY Awards, then as I was plugging in the winners I found this forum.
I am looking for a very soft, cuddly [Undressed] teddy bear. I would like him to be large. Although, I don't want to spend a fortune, I would certainly consider spending a few hundred dollars if I have to.
Not too many requirements, just as long as he's very soft to the touch, and large enough to cuddle.
Any recommendations?
Oh my goodness....there are so many lovely bears around.....I'd suggest you have a look at the showcases here and then follow the links attached to any bears you like the look of to see more of that artists work. It's hard to recommend a specific one and each collectors tastes are very different. One mans meat is another mans poison!
Have fun!!!!
Sophie Z'OursHi!
You can also browse the bears on the site bearpile.com.
There are lots available there for a wide bunch of great artists.
Good luck,
Sophie.
Just a couple of thoughts as you begin your search:
1.) Large and huggable, to me, means over 18". (It's sometimes hard to estimate size if you haven't bought a lot of bears before.)
2.) Soft to the touch might include synthetic fur, which can be a bit less expensive than mohair or alpaca. (I adore mohair, but it is a matter of personal preference.)
Whatever you decide to do, your girlfriend is going to love the amount of thought you put into this gift. 
Becky
If you don't find exactly what you want there are wonderful artist here that might be happy to design and make exactly the bear you want!
yeah bear pile or tt ! you would find your joy!!! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Posts: 5Hi Guys,
Thank you so much for replying.
We're slowly beginning to narrow down exactly what she wants. I referred her to bearpile What is TT?
Unfortunately, she keeps choosing tiny bears! I thought she would want a bear that she could hug. Guess not.
What is the softest material for a teddy bear? For some reason I keep thinking mohair and alpaca is not very soft to the touch? Am I wrong?
I want something that feels like really soft fur.
What is the softest material for a teddy bear? For some reason I keep thinking mohair and alpaca is not very soft to the touch? Am I wrong?
I want something that feels like really soft fur.
This is TT (Teddy Talk), to answer your first question. For this next question - it depends. People often think of mohair as a rough or scratchy material because of their experiences with upholstery (old cars and sofas) or short-pile mohair on old teddy bears. In fact, there are some very soft mohair fabrics, including "kid mohair," which is cut from young cashmere goats. All in all, there's just a lot of variation in mohair styles, with some feeling very soft and some feeling more bristly.
Other people love the feel of alpaca, and all the alpaca teddy-bear fabric I've touched has been very soft.
Then there's real fur, and several artists do use it to make teddy bears. Faux fur or synthetic fur can, in my opinion, feel the softest. It's often a very dense pile with very fine fibers, which gives it a soft feel.
I hope this helps,
Becky
Posts: 5Any thoughts on Mink?
The Littlest ThistleThere's a number of people make beautiful mink bears - it always looks soft and fluffy, but I've never actually held a bear made of it, just my gran's old fur coat! I'm sure someone will be along shortly that makes them though, good luck with your search
Past Time BearsYes, mink is very soft. I made a couple of mink bears for my sister from my deceased mom's stole . Real fur, to me, is about the softest there is . . . although some mohairs, alpacas, and synthetics come very close.
Posts: 5can you tell me who the best is for mink bears ?
Posts: 5last question (i promise) - can all of these be used as furs for teddys?: Beaver, Sable, Chinchilla, Mink, and Fox ---- and what would the difference be? Whats the softest?
Real mink is very soft, but the softest I've used is sheared beaver. It is buttery soft - but it is shorter, so it won't give you a fluffy looking bear. Fox is very soft too. Muskrat is almost as soft as beaver and since the guard hairs are very soft, you can have a bear with a longer fur. I've never had any sable or chinchilla to try out, so I couldn't say for sure - I've heard chinchilla is very soft.
There are so many differences in what people like even in a mini bear. I create realistic miniature bears out of fur. There are many on here who create cute and cuddly bears out of fur.
I've always admired the real-fur bears that Susan of Blue Valley Bears makes. See what you think: http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=39878
Becky
The Littlest ThistleAs well as Susan and Melisa above, there's also:
Tammy at Beckoning Bears http://www.beckoningbears.com/
Helen at Bear Cub Designs http://sitekreator.com/barecubs/main.html
Nancy at Kran-Beary's Dolls & Teddy Bears http://www.kranbearys.com/index.htm
Susie at Susie's Bears Etc http://www.susiesbearsetc.com/
Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head
Emo BearsI'm not sure about bears, but I can say if you want the softest, then Chinchilla is definitely it. They are the softest animals in the world; I own 3 and the feeling of stroking their fur is like nothing else.
Having said that, I have heard that Chinchilla is VERY difficult to work into a bear as it is so dense (over 30 hairs per follicle) and it just goes everywhere - so bears made from it are very rare. 
I prefer mine with the furs on them (don't have a problem with people recycling antique furs though)
