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I've been trying to not be on the computer as much.. so if this has been talked about I missed it!
I used to sew, stuff & joint EVERYTHING and then do the face last. The easy part of that is that the head "sits" on his body already and so it's a bit easier.
I'm finding that I like creating his head first now... except I tend to wait to attach his ears till his head in on his body. Either that or I need 3 hands (1 to hold his head by the joint and 2 other hands to pin the ears LOL!) I'd LIKE to create the entire head (ears included) before finishing the bear...
So girls, (and guys!) there must be an easier way! I tried a "hobby vise" but it was just too wobbly. Anyone have any suggestions?
Back Road BearsWell, I attach the head to the body, then go back and do the face, ears, etc. With the empty body attached you have something to hang onto. Then you can put the body between your knees while you pin ears on. I do this sitting on the couch, feet on coffee table, knees bent, then the head is at eye level and I'm pretty comfy. Works great 'til the dog comes over to see what's going on!!! 
bears by beesley TMGood question Laura. It is funny I sew everything up but don't put it together. Then I tend to finish the head first. I have no idea why? I just fiddle and fart with it and I really only have one good hand. That might be why my fingers on both hands are full of needle pokes. I always shed a pint of blood when making a bear. I guess maybe I should leave the head until last.:rolleyes:
Hugs Louise
Delartful BearsWell, I guess I'm lucky that my heads are small, but I have never really had a problem with say heads that are 15" (well, heads that fit a 15" bear that is LOL)
I just tend to hold the bear head, and stitch with the other hand? It tends to work for me?
Danni
For the most part I make the head and attach it to the body. Usung the body as a handle, I can squeeze it between my knees and have both hand free. :)I also like having the body attached when finishing the face, it gives me a better idea of proportions. I guess its pretty much like Daphne, but mine is with the cats sitting on my lap. So I have to sew carefully, not catching any cat in my stitches! 
Winneybears and FriendsThat can be a problem...I too use to stuff the head , attach it so then I have something to hang onto ...but now I can do either way...it was difficult at first til I found a way to deal with it....
I found if you want to work on the head it stays still nicely if you can find a small but heavy bowl to prop it up in so you can have 2 hands free now to manage to measure or eye ball things better.
I have eliminated a lot of poking with needle and pins= less blood ...as I have eliminated a lot of guessing where my eyes and ears go . If I have worked with that pattern before , we talked about the measuring of these in another post...I will repeat it here ;
I find the center junction of the nose and mouth seam..stick quilt pin there...
Measure from that junction up to where you want the eye POST...stick a pin there.
Install the eyes...temporarily tie them off at the back bottom of the neck .
Measure from the TOP CENTER of the eye following the seam above to where you want your inside ear corner to start,
stick a pin there...do the same for the other side....
Now, I write all these measurements down on the side head piece along with the eye size used.
These are my BASIC measurements ,but I can deviate from there to do something else.
If I am going to do something else creative with the eyes like ; eye cords, felt backing ,etc. I do it now. If you want to do eye socket sculpting before you install eyes...take that into account of when to do that on your list.
When I am done messing around with the eye thing, I re thread the eye string and go back into that same hole outside the neck disc and go UNDER the neck disc and tie off there.... Winney
And now... you will laugh.
When I'm figuring out where to set my bear's eyes, and after inserting the disk and cotter pin and closing it at the neck, I lower that dangling cotter pin into the open top of a Bell canning jar, so it looks like the jar itself has a bear head... and then I work with the bear head like that.
When I sew it, I just... pick it up to do the nose embroidery, and hold it in my hands. I use my hands and tabletop as I twist, morph, and move it around in stitching on the ears.
Whenever I need to put it down or look at it for measurements (where to stitch the mouth lines, for example) I put it back onto the top of that canning jar and stare at it. And wait for it to tell me what to do next.
Okay. Laugh now.
Past Time BearsNot . . . laughing . . . here!! Seriously, Shelli, it sounds like a very creative method to me!!
C.W. Huggley BearsGood idea Shelli! I do the head first and I can tell you I have had many of my heads rolling on the floor and have to beat my puppy to it because she thinks I just threw her a ball!:lol:
Winneybears and FriendsOh my gosh that's funny...wonderful kitties keep things livened up ! Shelli, you have the same idea..it works !...Winney
Kiprie BearsHi Laura, thank your for good question ! I wanted to know
about this too. I've always do eyes,ears,nose before I put the head to bear body and never though of doing other way....
Bytheway..can I ask why you have to stay away from
computer? we will miss you if you are gone away too long :P
after inserting the disk and cotter pin and closing it at the neck, I lower that dangling cotter pin into the open top of a Bell
thank you for another creative method!
I have some canning jar at home(not the bell one do..)so
I will use it from tonight. I have 3heads lolling around the
room now...oops.. thank you 
Bear Hugs/Marie
LOL!! Thanks EVERYONE!! Now I've got a few ideas to try ;)
Oh Daphne! I can just "see" Tucker coming over to ya to see what "mommy" is doing And Kirsten!!!! Oh My! I would be a little nervous that I might stick the poor kittie... since I stick myself quite a lot :rolleyes:
Louise, wow! I'd always thought your bears were adorable! But creating them with basically one good hand? Wow! Danni.. LOL! Yep, my first thought when I read your sentence about a 15" head was "boy, that's one big bear!"
Winney, thanks so much for your detailed "how to" directions! I'll have to try them out! Shelli, NOT laughing here!!! That's perfect!!! Heck... I might drill a hole in a lid and fill the jar with something heavy... ??? hmmm....
Oh Cindy! Yes, I have to agree! My whippet girls are often with me as I sew.. and they LOVE to play ball! I have to watch my bear stuff around them too :P
Oh Marie! You are so sweet!!! First, you're welcome! Glad I could bring the ? up for both of us 
And second... I'm trying to stay away from the computer so I can get more bears made :D. It's my full time job so if I don't make bears... I don't get paid 
Wisdom BearsHi All, Like Shelli, I use either a Jar or a Vase whichever is best for the size of bear and it leaves both hands free to work on ears etc. Well thats my Tuppenceworth, Hugs Rita xx
Baird'sBearsThis is a great idea, Shelli & Rita--I'm always losing my head! :rolleyes:
What about filling the jar/vase with rocks to keep it steady?
Eileen
Wisdom BearsHi Eileen, Forgoodness sake don't use the family heirloom crystal vase:lol:. I use different sizes as I do different sized bears, but its really is easi-peasi. Hugs Rita xx
Actually, my jar already has stuff in it; bear stuff. I have several jars filled with disks of various sizes.
I also occasionally use a wooden candle holder in lieu of my canning jar -- it's basically a wooden box, four sides and a bottom and no top -- that has all my eye elastic and cording in it, which I sometimes buy in spools.
It does help to have something in the jar to keep it weighted and it's not a perfect method; the head still rolls off sometimes, and it's not really a way to "hold" the head as much as a way to "perch" the head so I can look right at it without touching it.
You guys are so full of great ideas...
Posts: 8,574My goodness, what clever ideas from al of you! Who woulda thought?
Is it wrong to go ahead and put the head on the bear and then do eyes ears nose and mouth?
I think I MISSED something. Hmmmmm
dilly
No it's not! Actually one of my favorite bear artists makes up entire "blanks," sewing and jointing the body (but leaving it unstuffed) and attaching a stuffed head without features of any kind. She tosses these blanks into a bin and then returns to them, sometimes years later!
It's a great way to work if you can manage to find the patience (I can't!) to WAIT until later to finish your bears to completion. I feel certain it's a very economical way to use your bearmaking time. I really get stuck doing one bear at a time, from start to finish, and trying to work up the right spirit or enthusiasm to start each one individually. But then when I tried this "blank" thing, I was so unfulfilled, just sewing, and stuffing, and jointing, and sewing, and stuffing, and jointing.
Clearly, there's no right or wrong way to do this stuff; just what's right or wrong FOR YOU!!!
I do think I might go back to the "blanks" thing -- which, Dilu, would involve completely stuffing/closing/attaching the head and ears, and then doing the face last (instead of first) simply because I need to get off my patootie and get some bears made quickly.
Fool's Gold BearsThat's how I do it, Dilu. I stuff everything before adding features. That way, there is something to hold onto for leverage. I felt so affirmed to learn that Steve Schutt does it that way too. Just kidding. I don't think there is a 'right' way, just what works best for you.
Hi Dilu!
Oh no, not wrong at all! I'm just trying to see if by making the head first (all the way) that maybe I won't get so distracted... and thus get more bears done 
Kiprie BearsHi Everyone
thanks for good ideas!
Laura, I understood why you are busy:)
So I will try not to bother you
much as I can...Oops.. :P
Bear Hugs/Marie
Baird'sBearsRita--
Heirloom chrystal in MY family? Ahhahaha The last piece of ceramic, my mom's handpainted plate from Virginia (cardinal on dogwood) smashed about 15 years ago when a daughter caught her hair on the hanger and decided to save the hair instead of the plate.
We've got some dented silver, though.
I needlesculpted UglyDucklingGeorge before closing the head--was that wrong? The head was very well stuffed, but I probably distorted the neck with all that tugging and hauling.
Still working on the pix problem.
Eileen
So I will try not to bother you
much as I can...Oops.. :PBear Hugs/Marie
Oh Marie! Don't be silly! 
Feel free to talk to me all ya want! I've decided to still go on the board... just trying to not go on every hour :lol:.
DoodlebearsLaura Lynn wrote
If you create "teddy"'s head first... how do you hold it?
Hold it, hold it...I just dropped a bears head and my cheeky dog Lucy has run off with it and I can't find where the little darling has left it. It's a good job I have enough mohair for a new bear head. I couldn't think of using the doggy drool one now could I!
Jane.
:lol::lol::lol:
Oh Sorry Jane! What a pain in the "you know what" for sure! Or... hmmm... maybe you could come up with a whole new line of "well loved" bears? LOL!!
