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Upstate New YorkSueAnn ~
Anxiously awaiting your mink creation for your sister!
Baird'sBears:dance: 
Good for you, Sue Ann! What a wonderful thing to do for your sister :hug:
My fur-sewing ipatience mproved by bounds when I got some leather needles for my sewing machine. These came from WalMart, but I'm searching for a better source somewhere else.
My latest 2 are an improved (I hope) penguin and a little Cupid bear for Valentine's day. I've been so unexpectedly swamped with students since Christmas that I've hardly touched either, and I've had no time to finish my pile of UFOs.
And I'd love to try a raccoon--yours is INSPIRING, Gail!
Eileen
Terries BearsSue Ann that is a great reason for struggling with fur again, I can't wait to see the finished bear.
Gail your raccoon is adorable!
I have been working on a little bear with a rounder body, bigger feet and longer nose, she sounds kind of goofy looking but I am pleased with her so far. 
I haven't tried an open mouth yet, so that is what is on my list of things to do.
Thanks everyone for your comments on my raccon- I was really happy with how he turned out. Want to try needle felting on more critters Good luck with the fur bear Sue Ann I am sure it will be as lovely as all your other bears
Hugs
Gail :dance: :dance: :dance:
Upstate New YorkGail ~
Love the racoon! Awesome fish too! I picked up some glass fish I can't wait to use wtih a bear. That's looks like a HUGE one. Not always easy to find.
Great job!
I haven't been doing anything earth shatteringly exciting but I have been working on some patterns for smaller bears 10-12 inches and I've finally suceeded in making a 10" bear that actually looks like a bear - Lord knows it's taken me long enough. Thanks to all the tips on enlarging and reducing patterns I finally managed it!
Thanks girls!
Don't worry Vicki - I have exactly the same troubles with smaller bears! It's such a fight to get them to look how I want!!! :lol:
Sue Ann, that bear will be among the best you've ever made! 
It sounds as though there's a river of creativity flowing through TT right now - I'm really looking forward to pics of the new projects! Love that racoon by the way!! 
Wind Lake. WisconsinGail
Rascal is really cute, nice job :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Laurie
My laughing panda head is about to be consigned to the rubbish bin! Yuk!
Going to stick with the panda theme but abandon the open mouth ... I tried a new shape for this mouth and I don't like it at all. It's such a fiddle that for now, I can't face the palaver of working it all out the mouth from scratch again so this guy is going to have a stitched mouth after all. 
Dontcha just love it when you put in hours of work and it all goes wrong??? (Or maybe it's just me that happens to??!!! 
)
Paula, my friend, I have a horridly misshapen, painted, repainted, and painted again, ugly as all get-out, pig head face, still staring up at me from the bottom of the trash bin next to my sewing space. This swine-y loser was so hideously ugly it could NOT be rescued, no matter what I tried.
So no, you're not the only one...
I know the feeling....I just made a squirrel, of which the body turned out fab...but the head.......aaaaaaagh...he looks like he's eaten all the nuts.....
So it's back to the drawing board!!
Headless squirrel???? Spooky!!
Watch this space!!!
A bit late jumping in htere... 
but I've got loads of new ideas I want to try out too!
Yep, dogs, kitties, an "almost anime" style bear (larger head and eyes) and I've been working for a while at trying to do an old fashioned bear like the early Steiffs..... I keep doing prototypes... I'll get there yet LOL!
Ahhhh! Paula, Shelli & Jenny I feel your pain! So sorry the heads didn't work out Vicki congrats on your 10" bear design!! 
Sue Ann what a marvelous thing you are doing for your sister.... I'm sure you will be so happy when you are done... for more reasons that finishing it I hope you post pics! Gail, Rascal is adorable!!! Matilda.. congrats on starting to sell your bears!! Jenny, I hope you get a chance to post a pic of your bride bear "with mad hair extensions"!!
Posts: 3,540
Well I've just finished my first painted claw design :dance: and my first mohair bear! Unfortunately, I won't be able to make many mohair bears My hands are allergic, but I want to use up the mohair I've got.
This is "Little Sally" playing dress up, and showing off those painted nails.... weren't they half fun to do! 
Awww Debbie she's adorable! I'm SO sorry to hear that you are allergic to the mohair though
Posts: 3,540
I was rather bummed. I was hoping it wouldn't be like the synthetics, I've known I'm allergic to those for ages...and there's so many pretty textures and colours!
Ah well...I'll just have fun with it while I can :dance:
Donna's Duin BruinsDebbie,
Can you wear surgical gloves while you work with the mohair?
Donna
Good question!
???
Jare Hares & BearsSue Ann -
I have some glover needles that you would be welcomed to.
Another artist gave them to me years ago. I use to use them all the time, but started using other needles that I like better.
But they are desgined to work on leather and hides. They have a triangle shape to them.
Anyway, if you would like them just let me know.
Now I just need to go find them, but I know I have them in one of my organized containers on my sewing table.
For everyone who has ever made piece that you can't salvage -
Mom and I have a morgue, for a long time it was a big black trash bag now it is a small pile of bodies on the floor. After a while we take them apart and salvage the innards, luck nuts, dics, and such. That way we recover something.
As for new designs I haven't had the time to work on them. I have some great ideas, but with getting ready for Toy Fair it is a matter of modifing exsisting designs.
Maybe after I get back I will post some pics in the gallery section. I can't believe how close it is.
Matilda Huggington-beareFor everyone who has ever made piece that you can't salvage -
Mom and I have a morgue, for a long time it was a big black trash bag now it is a small pile of bodies on the floor. After a while we take them apart and salvage the innards, luck nuts, dics, and such. That way we recover something.
.
I thought for a moment there that you were going to offer to bury them for us.
Wow am I pleased the artists I respect so much have calamities too. Awful thing to say I know. But you know what I mean, dont you? I dont feel so :doh: any more.
Yes , I also have to do the salvage thingy. I feel so sad though. I mean when you salvage you have really given up on the poor wee blighter. Matilda
Baird'sBears Matilda! I love your Platypus . . . first time I've seen it!\
Eileen
Paula, my friend, I have a horridly misshapen, painted, repainted, and painted again, ugly as all get-out, pig head face, still staring up at me from the bottom of the trash bin next to my sewing space. This swine-y loser was so hideously ugly it could NOT be rescued, no matter what I tried.
So no, you're not the only one...
:)
Shelli, I'm laughing out loud here!!!! I'm so glad I'm not the only one ... I guess sometimes you just gotta accept there's no hope!!!
Apple Dumpling DesignsI decided to take inspiration from Jenny's bears and Judi's latest little guy with the topknot and whacked apart one of my bears heads (just a pattern not the head...settle down Dilu). So I added a piece of longer mohair of the same color and similiar density and now I have a bear head that resembles Phyllis Diller in her earlier years. I'm not sure that's a good thing...or where I was headed but I'm going with it for now!!!
Posts: 3,540 Shantell, you make me laugh!! But that's a great thing :hug: I figure if the bear evokes a smile, that's what its meant to do....
Surgical gloves for me, I'll be trying the glove idea out later today. I've been using my usual thimbles, but even the fingers under those seem to dry. We'll see if the gloves provide better support
So many clever people on here! But sometimes what comes out in fur doesn't quite match what was in mind I've gone through that myself....and gutted the wee beasties, salvaged what I could and chucked the rest :twisted:
Wind Lake. WisconsinDebbie:
She is so aborable, I do love the beautiful manicured claws. :clap: :clap: are they made of clay then baked? So sorry to hear about your allergies to mohair. Try Donna's suggestion on the gloves.
Laurie
Newcastle, OntarioI just finished sewing and jointing a bear from a new pattern, that will be about 8 - 9 inches. For me, it's a giant as I've never made one this large as I've always been strictly a mini bear maker. It wasn't as bad as I thought cuz I was able to sew most of it on the machine, after it was basted. It's also a valentine bear in red and white mohair, which is also something new for me. I have never done a brightly coloured bear. I was reading posts here about stretching ourselves artistically and I decided I was definitely in a rut. All my bears are looking the same! Sooooooo, I thought I'd take the plunge and if it turns out badly I'll just blame all of you! (just kidding) LOL!
I am going crazy fixing the house, I had to do something in the evening to give me some satisfaction. It may not be done for several days, as I can't work on it a lot, but I will post it when it's finished.
Hugs,
Brenda
