Skip to main content

Banner Sponsors

Intercal Trading Group - Your mohair supplier
Tedsby - Handmade teddy bears and other cute stuffed animals. Hundreds of teddy artists from all over the world and thousands of OOAK creations.

beary_clairey Luton
Posts: 518

Hello All,

Can you help.

I bought the most beautiful bear recently from the second hand market. Its muzzle is made from resin which has then been covered with felt and airbrushed!!!

Does anyone recognise this technique and do they know where I could get some info on it ???

Hugs

Claire

Kelly Blondheart
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 289

It would probably help to see a pic of it.  But if I had to guess........I would say try cernit or sculpy to make the muzzle, then heat the felt to shape and mold it over the muzzle like you would block a hat.  Then either use a spray type of fabric glue or stitch it to the rest of the head.

Good luck!  Kelly

Edit:  I want to comment that as a rule I would NEVER under any circumstance suggest the use of glue on a bear ever because that makes me want to scream in horror, since it breaks down fabric backings over time.   But there is an exception to every rule, I do think in this instance a light layer would be required.

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Nancy Tillberg has a small section on this technique in one of her books.  But as for what artists routinely do it I'm at a loss.  Sounds like a great find though. Good for you.  Give the folks time tomarrow and I'm sure someone will have some ideas.

dilu

Winney Winneybears and Friends
White City, Oregon
Posts: 1,103

You can cut and stuff felt the same way you do mohair...except felt will stretch to some degree. The molded face technique is used for dolls a lot and it is " sized " with some sort of glue  by the doll maker first...

I havn't done it but you can probably find something on line like at Crafty Cottage or Sisters and Daughters doll sites or go to your local library ...Winney

Acipenser Bine-Teddies
Stockholm
Posts: 862

Kelly - that glue comment scared me.  bear_shocked Is special fabric glue bad too? Nancy recommends a drop of glue behind the eyes. Maybe I should stop doing that.  bear_ermm

Shari Nova Scotia,Canada
Posts: 1,712

It scared me too.I just bought an adhesive spray glue to use on my faux fur to adhere a layer of lightweight cotton to stop the fur from stetching.I was sure I read about this technique on here somewhere.Please someone tell me if this will eventually harm my bear.Thanks!!

Acipenser Bine-Teddies
Stockholm
Posts: 862

Shari, if its quilt spray glue it may not be permanent. At least my quilts come apart if I don't quilt them right away.

Shari Nova Scotia,Canada
Posts: 1,712

No,I didn't get that one Sabine because I wanted the fabric attatched permantly so I bought a spray adhesive that works on everything (fabric,metal,glass,paper,wood,rubber etc.) Now I'm worried that it will damage my bear someday down the road  :redface: .Oh the horror!! Help,someone give us some advice!!  :pray:   :pray:

WildThyme Wild Thyme Originals
Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 3,115

Claire, I'd love to see a pic if you get a chance!  Your new acquisition to your hug sounds just wonderful! 


Lisa... Addie is just gorgeous!!!!! I didn't know that you were using that technique in your bear making... I'm so glad that you showed us!  Too cool!  I just love it!

Claire.... I bet that what Lisa is taking about is probably more on point as far as how to incorporate a "molding technique" into traditional type bearmaking... but if you are interested, Susanna Oroyan has a book called, Anatomy of a Doll that gives fabulous instructions and diagrams concerning creating pressed felt or cotton cloth faces over hard molded surfaces like resin, styrofoam, paper clay, polymer clay....  Actually, though there is not a furry face in the book, I promise you that you will find heaps of inspiration in the book concerning "new" techniques that you can add into bear making to produce wonderfully unique results... soft sculpture, pattern draping, armatures, jointing.... It's truly a FABULOUS book!  Well worth the read if you are seeking to branch out a bit from the more traditional.

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
http://www.picturetrail.com/bastadolls

WildThyme Wild Thyme Originals
Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 3,115

Just did a quick search and found these two sights which may be of use to you... Sisters and Daughters has a kit available to make pressed felt doll faces without using the metal heated press molds that many manufactured pressed felt doll makers use...   

http://www.sistersanddaughters.com/molding.html

And, jen Lotz has a neat little discussion/description of various molded, and mask type techniques here....

http://www.lotzdollpages.com/lmakclo.html

Wow!  This is pretty neat stuff!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
http://www.picturetrail.com/bastadolls

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Thankyou Kim, The glue guide is fantastic. I saved it of course. bear_thumb

Thankyou Lisa. I saved the publication link as well. I always believe that you never know when you may need something. bear_grin  bear_thumb

Matilda

psichick78 Flying Fur Studios
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,073

Oh boy, I'm also scared about the glue. Kelly, come back and explain!!!!

I have a few questions about the felt, maybe I'll just start another topic.

Great links kim! Thanks

beary_clairey Luton
Posts: 518

beachcomber3.jpgHello All,

Here is a pic of my bears muzzle.

Thanks for your advice Kim very useful and food for thought !!!!

WildThyme Wild Thyme Originals
Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 3,115

Ah... Claire... what a beautiful bear!  A fabulous find! 

Beary truly yours,
Kim basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_original  What a great face, Claire!  bear_wub

Eileen

Christine Christine Pike Bears
Norfolk, UK
Posts: 683
Website

LTatum.jpgHi Guys,
Lulu Tatum, from Tucson, makes the most amazing bears using a fiberglass form over which she applies deerskin or leather.  I have a few of her bears and she is one talented lady!!
Hugs,
Chris

Here's a piccy:

Kelly Blondheart
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 289
Acipenser wrote:

Kelly - that glue comment scared me.  bear_shocked Is special fabric glue bad too? Nancy recommends a drop of glue behind the eyes. Maybe I should stop doing that.  :/

I went ahead and made a post in the adhesive thread about this.  It makes me want to scream until I pass out when I find out people are using glue in any capacity directly on bear fabrics.  Fabric glues are NOT designed for that type of thing, plus there is no reason you guys should ever need to use glue to put together a bear.

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB

Banner Sponsors


Johnna's Mohair Store - Specializing in hand dyed mohair and alpaca
Past Time Bears - Artist bears designed and handcrafted by Sue Ann Holcomb