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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Dolls N DreamsSince I have never bought any by the yard etc,
who has the best prices, specials etc?
Thanks,
Upstate New YorkIntercal of course! Check End Pieces and Bargain List.
First, let me start by saying that, in my opinion, there's no such thing as bad mohair. It's kinda like chocolate, or hugs, in that regard.
:)
I use and love Intercal's mohairs almost exclusively, and find the pricing very good. I've never been able to find anything selling on eBay that I couldn't get here, guaranteed new and fresh and whole, for the same or better price. And the quality is great; the "look" works for me. Plus the customer service is second to none. I really believe that, and that is not some kind of paid or reimbursed endorsement. When I needed mohair for the skunk I made last year I knew I could not physically get down to the warehouse (ahhh... someday... <sigh>...) so I phoned Johnna and told her what I needed (length, colors, what needed to match what, etc.) And she personally went and pulled four mohair types off the shelves and matched them up for me, sending them off the next day. TEDDY TALK wasn't even a concept then, and I hadn't ever been published, much less won any kind of kudos or award, or even exhibited at a show... so this wasn't service reserved for bear artists of reknown. It's just... what they do. I recommend them highly for this reason in particular. (And PS... that skunk ended up winning the GOLDEN TEDDY for its category last year, and I really have Johnna/Intercal to thank for getting me set up to make what was in my head into reality.)
Tami, if you've got a minute, click on the button above that says WEEKLY UPDATES. Intercal sends out a weekly mailer (you can sign up if you're so inclined, or just visit via TT.) There, you'll see what's latest and greatest, plus weekly specials. Of particular interest is the PRE-PACK, which gets you 3 or 4 equally sized pieces of mohair in different colors, but one "quality" -- "quality" meaning the combination of pile length, pile density, and mohair finish or "effect" (like distressed, swirled, curly, matted, etc.)
Intercal, and Edinburgh too, I believe -- probably all the mohair suppliers -- offers SAMPLE PACKS of swatches for a very reasonable price. It's not quite the same thing as seeing a yard laid out in the flesh, but it will give you a very good idea about textures, looks, and finishes. I bought two samples packs when I started out and hardly ever consult them at all anymore, but found them enormously helpful at the outset.
Here are some places to find mohair. There are many more, whose names I can't remember, and/or whose mohairs I have never used, but I'm not personally familiar with them in any way, in the UK/Europe, Asia, etc. TEDDY TALKERS from those areas... please fill out this list for me!!!:
Intercal Trading Group (California) www.intercaltg.com
Edinburgh Imports (California) www.edinburghimports.com
Beary Cheap (Australia) www.bearycheap.com
Disco Joints (Canada) www.discojoints.on.ca
Last... attending a bear show will almost always provide you with an opportunity -- sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller -- to check out mohair. Generally the big suppliers have a "rep" at the bigger shows; someone who might sell other supplies, or even be a bear maker (Donna Mettling, here, is a rep for Edinburgh; Dale and Judy, who post occasionally, are Intercal reps.) Those folks bring several big tubs -- or, in Dale's case, an entire truckload! -- of mohair, usually in one-yard cuts, and lay them out on a table for people to run their hands over, and oooh and ahhhh.
All this mohair talk makes me wanna go shopping for some myself!!! Fun!
Kim-Bee BearsI think Intercal's end pieces are calling my name, that is where I would look!!! 
Good point, Kim! Tami, the END PIECES are great bargain points, especially if you need odd sized or smaller bits of mohair -- say, for a panda you're making, in a ten inch size.
It's ALL good.
OntarioI've always thought we should set up a mohair exchange/trade board. Im sure some people have mohair they've used for a bear, but have a lot left over and don't want to work with it again right away. This way it wouldn't go to waste or sit in a pile for years unused.
What do you all think?
Matthea, that is a great idea, and one that was discussed very in depth only a few weeks ago. However, there are liability issues associated with a forum being the "official" host of a swap board, so it was decided we won't be doing that here. However, if you've got something you'd like to swap for, or a piece of mohair you think would be "happier elsewhere," I think it's okay to post something like,
AVAILABLE: One full fat quarter of 1" pile, sparse, light brown mohair; please contact me via email or PM to discuss a trade.
If you, or anyone, does this, I would encourage you to remember that we are an international board, hosted by a mohair supplier... so please, let your language be gracious and keep your descriptions, objective. It wouldn't look so good, either for you, or for this board and/or its host company, if you said, "I've got some total crap mohair by XXX that I hate, and I can't wait to dump the stuff." Eek!
I'm sure you understand.
Thanks for bringing the idea back to the forefront. It's an excellent one, in theory. And certainly something every bearmaker might consider doing, privately.
OntarioI've been off the boards for so long I didn't read that, sorry for double posting!
It's the right idea to host the little swap board somewhere else, like livejournal (there are tons of swapping pages there for everything you can imagine!), especially since TT is hosted by Intercal.
I know some sell their mohair scraps on ebay and with their fees, and paypal double dipping, a free swap board would be fantastic! I can look into some options.
Dolls N DreamsThanks all for the great info. :dance:
a free swap board would be fantastic! I can look into some options.
What a lovely offer, and one I think many here would applaud loudly. I hope you'll do just that... and thank you for your understanding.
PS No need to apologize over double-posting. We all do it, all the time!
Apple Dumpling DesignsI would highly recommend the samples that Shelli mentioned. She suggested them to me months ago and it was a small investment well worth the $15. The pre-paks and end pieces are wonderful especially when you are just starting out (like me) and don't quite have a feel for what your look is yet.
Have fun...
