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Braille TeddiesI went to the antique shop today and saw the most gorgious mink bear. I couldn't afford him yet, but I would some day like to make a bear out of this fur. Does anybody know where I can find some mink and also how expensive is it? Does it cost more than mohair?
GJOYful BearsGenerally the good stuff costs ALOT more than mohair. I used to buy my mink on eBay but have since found some suppliers who allow me to buy faulty mink coats for alot less than usual prices. I have bought mink that was cheaper on eBay and been thoroughly disappointed. When I say cheaper I mean $50 Australian, although that was the cheapest mink I have ever bought. Usually quality mink sellers consider $400 Australian to be cheap ~ so $50 to them must be bargain basement price lol.
I have seen the most gorgeous mink from certain sellers that was much nicer than other mink I have seen but it was always upwards of $1,000.00 and usually closer to $3,000.00. And I don't like to charge too much for my bears as I like to think anyone who loves them can afford them ~ so no matter how I sliced it that was far too much to spend on a coat. I personally try to find as nice a mink coats as I possibly can that are within my budget. They usually last for quite alot of bears too which is good - although my mink bears are usually minis.
The only thing I don't like about mink is how difficult it is to work with. You also have to line every piece before sewing it ~ but I find all this is worth it as mink bears are always gorgeous.
Search eBay for mink stoles, collars and coats to begin with. In searching eBay I found stockists who are now my main suppliers so eBay is the place I recommend you begin. But beware: never buy a coat that says "Mink" followed by a question mark, or that says "Possibly Mink," or "Mink or rabbit or fox etc." As these sellers really don't know what they are selling it could be synthetic for all you know.
Also don't buy anything that doesn't close up pics of the item - close ups let you know what the pile and guard hairs are like and if it will give the desired look to your bear. If there is only one or two pics taken at a distance don't bid on it or buy it.
I often ask for pics of the lining of the coat and occasionally ask them to pull back the lining and take photos of the actual skin backing ~ if they are seriously honest and serious about their sales they don't mind doing this. It's very helpful and can save you alot of money.
OK now that I have babbled on about mink, I had better go sew something 
I hope I was helpful and I dare say there will be a lot more advice given by other artists who work with mink!
Braille TeddiesWell, pictures are not going to help me very much. I guess the only way I'll ever be able to use it is if I find one at a thrift shop. I hate buying fabric online because I can't see it and I need to feel it.
DENBY BEARS
You would be surprised the fur coats that you can get at a thrift store or even at garage sales. Or try antique stores, I once had an artist say she did not pay over 100.00 for a used fur coat to make into bears. I have made two and it takes a lot of work, as the fur all has to be lined iwth muslin. But get a used fur and try, but not too old as it can be brittle and pull apart. Good Luck
Huga Pat 
GJOYful BearsIf you try looking around second-hand shops etc, that's a good idea. I hadn't thought of the pics on eBay, sorry hun. Going by feel though you could certainly be able to pick good furs - as was suggested before never buy a fur that has hard backing.
I only buy vintage, not because I am obsessed by big prices lol, but because vintage means the minks were not farmed in cages & bred specifically to become a coat. OK, they were still killed, but vintage means they were made before mink farming. I don't want to support mink farming so I don't buy more recent mink coats - only vintage.
Hope you can find some mink and have fun mink shopping - mink is so cuddly it's so much fun to hug lol.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)I'm not sure where Gabriele lives; here in the Chicago area, mink stoles and collars can be purchased for much more economically than that. It looks like your bears are in the 'Small' range, right? 6" - 10"? a Shoulder wrap or shawl would be MORE than enough to get a bear or two out.
But I do have to agree with everyone else about the difficulty of sewing mink: it has the thinnest of 'skins' and about the hardest thing you'll ever find to sew through!
And you must use a tri-shaped leather needle so you don't split the skin or cause larger-than-necessary holes to form.
I often ask for pics of the lining of the coat and occasionally ask them to pull back the lining and take photos of the actual skin backing ~
if they are seriously honest and serious about their sales they don't mind doing this. It's very helpful and can save you alot of money.
She didn't explain why this is also very important - at least why I consider it one of my #1 points to consider, but from the outside you often cannot see how many seams there are in the piece.
One thing you DEFINITELY want is large sections free from Seams!
So a seller in a shop or online should be willing to show you inside/underneath the lining. Turning body parts which are filled with seams running in all directions is no fun! And you don't want to trust old seaming in a critical area once you go to stuff your bear....
But you'll also need to feel if the skin has any stiffening areas and pull on the fibers to see if it is losing any of the fiber.
Now lambskins - that's another story! Those shining curly locks make BEE-uooo-tifuul Bears! And another feature is that the skin is very thick but I've actually pulled it into two separate pieces and had one sueded piece and lined the furred section and had a curly, napped piece. And even though they're both still thickish, they sew both through, like Paula Dean says "like butt-ah"!!!
To answer your original question, I'd say that, in my experience: No, it doesn't cost more than mohair.
GJOYful BearsWow that's very interesting Bobbie. Here (in Australia, sorry to not be clear) if you want mink it costs ALOT more than mohair, or at least it does for me especially if it's imported.
I ask for pics of the skin simply so I can see how large the pelts are and if the skin looks healthy. I know some people who work in fur salons and specialize in the way the fur is treated and lined etc, so I mostly follow what they say as I don't know alot about furs other than working with them for bears. I wish I could just go down the street and pick up a mink collar or stole, I get coats imported as it's like finding a needle in a hay-stack if you search second-hand shops here. If someone says, "I have a fur coat" my common response is "Really? Wow! Where did you get that from?" lol. So they're not too common at least where I am.
I have made quite a few fur bears before in fox, coyote, otter, beaver etc but I'm fairly new to mink. I love the feel of it though and it makes gorgeous bears.
I REALLY wish I could find mink stoles in shops here, that would save so much time and money..... especially the money lol.
Kran-Beary'sDon't eliminate any source for good quality, inexpensive coats. I've found some on ebay, some from furriers, but many have also come from donations, thrift shops and garage sales. Mind you, there's also a lot of junk to be found out there in all of these places, but it's a great feeling when you happen across a beautiful $20.00 coat at a yard sale. Once upon a time I even ran a classified ad in the newspaper "Seeking old fur coats." I got about a dozen from that ad alone. You can ask for them on Kijiji also. You'll be surprised how many people will donate their old coats to you once they know you are looking for them. Many people would rather see the coat used by someone than have it go to the landfil or thrift shop.
nancy tillberg
Braille TeddiesOh man, do they actually kill the minks or just sheer them like they do goats and sheep? I'd feel kind of bad if an animal had to give his life so I could make a bear.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Like Nancy:
but many have also come from donations, thrift shops and garage sales. Mind you, there's also a lot of junk to be found out there in all of these places, but it's a great feeling when you happen across a beautiful $20.00 coat at a yard sale.
this is where I've found mine.
But just as often, they weren't treated with proper care and (cold) storage during the off season so that's why I found it rather more important to examine a piece in person. I was always trying to go as small as possible: a true miniature was impossible —at least I found it so—as the poor thing just looked like a butterball and there was no differentiation between body, limbs and head! So those were the largest teds I ever sewed, at about 5", and where someone clued me in on having a box fan next to you, pointing away, with a furnace filter on the side toward you, to catch all of the fibers as you cut out the body parts and trimmed the fibers off from the selvedges prior to sewing, before the air and your lungs filled with them!
I'm sorry to have to say this, but 'ranch minks' (you'll hear that phrase used in advertising the products!) are actually raised for their pelts. I'm trying to think of another species of anything (I know there must be more of this type) but cannot come up with any analogous animal right now...
So in a way, as long as their coats are already in use, turning them into a teddy to be cherished and admired gives it a new life and a much better ending! Especially if this can be done with a piece of clothing which had belonged to a family member who no longer needs or wears it, and it can now be 'shared out' as several teddies for others in the family.
Braille TeddiesThat's true. At least he'll be able to come back as a teddy bear.
Kran-Beary'sYes, mink is the actual animal skin, as are all real furs. There are different ways to get them, including pelts (directly from a trapper) this is generally a single animal skin. Plates are animal skins sewn together in either a square or an oval shape, or those pelts which have been made into a coat.
My personal policy for the past 17 years is that I work with recycled garments/items only. I do not use new pelts nor will I work with endangered species.
I believe that working with the coat gives the animal a second chance at life, especially if the coat belonged to a loved one, and the bear creates a treasured heirloom. I don't work with new pelts, ranched or otherwise, as I don't believe in perpetuating the killing of animals for the sake of luxury. ( My exception over the years would be Alpaca rugs made from animals that have died a natural death, as these animals are normally raised to have their fur shorn.) I have yet to run into someone who will buy a fur coat just to have it made into a bear. The coats are always used, and generally are 30 years or older.
Having said all that, this can be quite a touchy subject and you'll find many opinions out there on what is and is not ethical. I would advise that you think the issue through thoroughly, and then devise your own policy, and then stick to it.
Working with real fur is a whole other ballgame, and there are all kinds of techniques involved and extra steps that are not present in working with mohair. (taking apart the coats, layout, cutting, lining, trimming etc.) After sewing real fur, mohair is easy like a hot knife through butter.
hugs,
nt
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)After sewing real fur, mohair is easy like a hot knife through butter.
AMEN!!! LoL
Having said all that, this can be quite a touchy subject and you'll find many opinions out there on what is and is not ethical. I would advise that you think the issue through thoroughly, and then devise your own policy, and then stick to it.
I don't want to add to this, but just had to say that I love finding words of wisdom. This is very well-said and very good advice.
Becky
Braille TeddiesWell it'll probably be a long time before I sew with mink since it's apparently a pain in a very uncomfortable region of the body. I'm having enough trouble figuring this out without adding more. I guess I should at least be able to put together a full bear before I use difficult fur. BTW, I thought mohair was real fur.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Yes, Mohair is real 'fur'.
It's sheared fiber from a Mohair Goat, woven into a cotton backing.
The weaving process (at Schulte in Germany, anyway) is fascinating and I think I've described it in detail. It's probably in the Library somewhere along with others' descriptions.
Braille TeddiesAs of now I've only made one flattie bear out of mohair. Everybody says it's so much easier than my faux fur, but I really didn't notice that. It was easy and nice to work with, but so is most of the faux fur I've used. Of course I've had some pieces that would make a preacher cuss, but most of what I get from the fabric store is pretty cool.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)The difference between mohair and faux fur fabrics that most of us have found is that the fauxs have a knit backing which tends to stretch and bulge when stuffing firmly, and mohair is woven, which doesn't (as much, unless cut on-the-bias, but most body parts aren't cut this way...)
So you wouldn't notice much difference in sewing between the two, even with Flatties (are teachers still sending out 'Flat Stanleys?) - - - - - until it comes time to stuff.......
Braille TeddiesWell, I stuff my bears softly because they're for hugging, and I think my bears would cry if someone called them soft sculptures. They're cuddly, squuzzy, loving teddy bears.
desertmountainbear(are teachers still sending out 'Flat Stanleys?) - - - - - until it comes time to stuff.......
Last year my cousin's kindergarten son sent Flat Stanley for a visit to the desert. I took him to school and took pictures of him playing in the playground and having lunch with some children of Mexican and Native American decent. Stanley came to visit me from Pennsylvania, so the demographics are much different here. The kids in PA enjoyed meeting our Arizona kids through Flat Stanley.
Joanne
Braille TeddiesWhat is he, a teddy bear or a paper doll cut out or what? Are my bears as flat as that dude?
desertmountainbearI am sorry to have hijacked your thread Jessie, but since Flat Stanly came up... Flat Stanly is a character in a children's book. I don't remember how he gets flat, but he does and they send him around visiting to different places in the mail. Teachers when they read this book to the kids now have them make Flat Stanlys out of paper and send them around to places. Whoever he visits sends pictures of him visiting the area back with him to the child who sent him. One of the Flat Stanlys from my cousins class went to Africa, how exciting is that. It is a great way for the kids to learn about different cultures.
Your bears look nothing like a Flat Stanly, but you call them flatties which made us remember Stanly.
Joanne
Braille TeddiesThe term flattie came from a term I coined to pick on piano players who only like to play in flat keys. I'm a sharpie because I prefer sharps. I used to call the piano player at my old church Flattie because he absolutely REFUSED to play in sharps. It was a term of friendly teasing. I call my bears flatties in his honor. Sorry for the musical geekiness. Hey, maybe I should name this flattie I'm working on Adrian after him.
