Banner Sponsors

Tatty Bears Feb 28, 2012

Hi all,

  I have a question:

Do you attach your teddies limbs before or after you stuff them?

Up till now I have attached my bears limbs before stuffing them ( I use cotter pins ) but my last bear I put the cotter pin in the limb stuffed it them attached to the body then lastly stuffed the body. I didn't have any problems and preferred doing it this way, it was much easier when it came to sewing up the limbs.

So how do you do it? Do you do the same method with all your bears?

Little Bear Guy Feb 28, 2012

I started out doing them the same way as you did Sheree.  But for the past few yrs, I put the joints in and then stuff and sew up the openings and pull the toes. I find it so much easier to do it that way. Then I attach all the limbs and stuff the body and voila all done.   I think it's just a personal preference, everyone I'm sure has their own favourite way of stuffing.

hugs

Shane

joibear Feb 28, 2012

I find the position on the body where I want the limbs. Mark those spots, then I put in the disks and cotter pins add the stuffing and close them.  Then attach permanently to the body, stuff the bod and close...

Francesca Feb 28, 2012

Sheree,
I was taught to attach the limbs and then stuff them, but I found a lot easier to stuff them before. So now I always put the pin, stuff, close the limbs, and eventually needlefelt or shade them. When they are ready, I attach them to the body. It is also easier because I see the full shape of the limb, so I have a better idea of their positioning on the body.

Tatty Bears Feb 28, 2012

Sheree,
I was taught to attach the limbs and then stuff them, but I found a lot easier to stuff them before. So now I always put the pin, stuff, close the limbs, and eventually needlefelt or shade them. When they are ready, I attach them to the body. It is also easier because I see the full shape of the limb, so I have a better idea of their positioning on the body.

Thanks Francy, Hey, maybe I do know what I'm doing after all!!!! Lol

thondra Feb 28, 2012

hey sheree :)
i do the limbs before i attach them too ...
started this way actually at the beginning.

annalong Feb 28, 2012

Me too. I stuff and close then attach ..then stuff body and close 

dangerbears Feb 28, 2012

Since I use locknuts and bolts, I need to have the limb open when I joint the bear (so I can hold the bolt with one tool and turn the nut with a second tool).

With the legs, however, it helps me to stuff them halfway before jointing. That way it's easier to position them and see how they're going to look.

Becky

tcfolk Feb 28, 2012

I have almost always finished the limb completely before attaching.  For me it is much easier to handle one small limb rather than a whole bear when stuffing.  I also use set screws instead of bolts or cotter pins, so if I do mange to get a limb in a wrong place (which I have definitely been known to do!) I can just take the lock nut off the set screw inside body, reposition and use a new lock nut instead of having to take the limb apart.  I can also see how the bear is progressing as I go!

dangerbears Feb 28, 2012

I also use set screws instead of bolts or cotter pins

Thelma, I've not used set screws before. Do you need to secure it inside the limb (as you do with a bolt) so that it doesn't turn while you're turning the nut?

Becky

Donna Feb 28, 2012

Becky,
The set screws (some times called grub screws) have a little hole in the end that you put an allen key into to prevent the screw from turning while you tighten the nut.  You will need to use two lock nuts.  The first lock nut is used as the bolt head inside the limb.  Hope that makes sense.
Donna

tcfolk Feb 28, 2012

Becky - Here is a link to my other website Craft Tales where I have picture and description of set screws  http://www.crafttales.com/Jointing%20pg.%202.html.  Set screws have many different names, but if you are going to order them from a teddy supplier or a tool supplier, they are called set screws.  Hope this helps, I find them to be a great alternative to cotter pins and bolts as you have access to them from the side you are working with.

karenaus Feb 28, 2012

Another vote for stuffing and closing the limbs before assembly on cotter pin jointed bears   on the rare larger bear, I do as Becky does and stuff the leg halfway before jointing. I find this helps me with the ol' twisted leg syndrome, where both feet point the same direction, if I stuff  the feet after its jointed

dangerbears Feb 28, 2012

Thanks! I've seen set screws at the suppliers' but didn't know how to use them.

Becky

1 user likes this: tcfolk

wubbiebear Feb 28, 2012

I've only done two jointed bears so far, but I attached the limbs and then stuffed them.  On the first bear I did like that I USED NUTS AND BOLTS WITH THE HARD DISKS AND I was taught to use one tool to hold the screw in place, but that was a pain in the rear.  On the second jointed bear, who is still in progress, I glued the screw to the disk so it wouldn't turn.  I figured that doing joints is such a pain that if I can make my life a little easier, I'll do it.  I'm seriously considering going back to child safe bears, not necessarily flatties, but with safety joints and eyeballs.  I actually think I'm going to make a flattie pretty soon, though, so I can relax.

1 user likes this: thondra

cherylsbears Feb 29, 2012

I use fiber board disks bolts washer and locknuts with wire armatures so I put the limbs on then I stuff since I have to make sure the wire is in the right place and not detectible from the outside of the limb

RuthM Mar 7, 2012

Hi, I know my bears may sound simple, but I use the plastic safety joints for right now. I stuff the limbs and then attach them to the body. I would like to learn how to use other joints though. I also have been keeping my bears child safe, because I give them away as gifts or donate some of them. I am also trying to get better with the way my bears look first. Then I can work towards using other kinds of joints. I don't know where to begin with that. I know my answer to your question doesn't help much, but I think for now I find it easier to stuff then attach.  Probably what ever way is easier for you is the way to go. I have read a few bear making books when I first started making bears three years ago or so, and I found my own way worked out better than what was being shown to me in the book on how to do something. I guess I like to do things differently sometimes. I hope this helps. Good luck. 

wubbiebear Mar 7, 2012

There's nothig wrong with child safe bears.  I think we need more child safe artist bears.

Gabriele~GJOYfulBears Mar 7, 2012

I always work out where I want the joints to go, then fray stop, then turn the limbs in the right way  and stuff them about half way, joint them and attach to body. And then I finish stuffing the top of the limb tightly around the joint, and ladder-stitch up the opening. I've never done it any other way and to be honest this method never even occurred to me!

Might try it on a test bear and see how I like it Thanks for the ideas! 

wubbiebear Mar 8, 2012

You mean you leave the opening in the top???  I think I would probably invent some new bad words if I tried that one.  Hats off to you.

lovenshire Mar 11, 2012

Yep, I like to stuff very well around the joint so I can't stuff them all the way before they are joined!

Gabriele~GJOYfulBears Mar 12, 2012

Yes I leave an opening either at the top of the limb, or, more commonly, at the back of the leg or arm. I turn it in the right way through this opening, stuff through it, joint through it, and then ladder stitch it up when finished.
Lenora, I am the same - I like to be certain the bear is well stuffed around the joint, so that it can't be felt from the outside of the bear. I think I'd be too paranoid about it being loosely stuffed around the joint if I did it any other way lol. But I won't know until I try!