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Past Time BearsHello everybody . . . and welcome, welcome to all the new members! It's wonderful to have you join us. I just want to throw this subject into the discussion pot. When I first started making "stand-up" bears, I cut a piece of heavy cardboard slightly smaller than the foot pad. After the pad was sewn to the leg, I inserted the cardboard, then started stuffing the foot, leg, etc. I discovered that, while it flattened out the bottom of the foot, the hard edges of the cardboard showed when the bear was positioned to sit. Didn't care for that, so I have started filling the foot (about up to the ankle) with either the tiny steel beads or tiny glass beads. That works, but I really have to . . . . . uh, for lack of a gentler way to put it . . . . "slam" my bear down (standing position) so that the beads redistribute for a flatter paw. Hoo boy . . . that sounds downright violent!! Anybody have a better way to make a bear stand on its own? Thanks for suggestions. 
Winneybears and FriendsHi Sue..No, quit slamming that bear Sue !, LOL
Yes..I had the same problem..what I do is put down a layer of wool felt first in the foot, it helps to obscure the cardboard line.try two pieces if you need to you can glue them all together to keep any layer from shifting. Do whatever works for you.
I make 20" tall fashion bears and they do need to stand up to model their attitude off, LOL. I put a layer of felt in the feet and then zinc coated BB's . I found if I put BB's only up to the ankels..she buckles on me right there at that point so...I read recently to fill 1/3 of the leg up ....that will probably work real well except BB's get quite expensive so.... I plan to try a combination mix with poly pellets too. The BB's will probably end up in the feet eventually as they are heavier than poly pellets. Oh yes...line the leg with muslin for added protection ...Winney
Past Time BearsVERY good suggestions, Winney . . . I really appreciate them. As I am working on a standing bear right now, I will try them out!
Ginger, I know and love your sweet little cubs! The Piece Parade was one of my first internet "findings" when I started making bears and I loved your work, and your website, instantly. It's really great to see you posting here. Welcome!
Past Time BearsGinger . . . thanks so much for your input. Those suggestions will help. And thank you for your compliment - you're very thoughtful! Yes, to echo Shelli, your bears were some of the first ones I connected to when I started reading the bear magazines . . . always with SUCH sweet faces! It's a pleasure and honor to have you on the board - welcome!
A belated "hello" to Ginger! I have to add that I also have admired your work for quite some time!! Beautiful bears AND website :D
As for bears that stand up.... right now I am just filling the feet up to the ankle with glass beads. As I stuff the foot/leg, I press the foot down on a flat surface to keep the paw relatively flat. I do not put a cardboard insert in myself.
Then also... when I am filling the tummy... I am careful about how many bb's I put in there. I pour some bb's into a nylon "bag" and put it into the empty tummy. Then I see if he can still balance alright. I'll add or subtract bb's till he's just right.
At the moment.. I've only done that on bears 3 3/4" up to 10" tall. And every once in a while... I just get one that will not stand -- and so put that in his description 
Past Time BearsHey, Laura, thanks for the input on free standing bears . . . it will help!
C.W. Huggley BearsHi Everyone!
This is great! I just found out that Intercal had this option. My gosh, I have missed out on so many posts. I will spend a lot of time catching up. I am glad to be part of the group.
Past Time BearsHi, Cindy . . . what an adorable avatar!! Welcome to Teddy Talk . . . so glad to have you aboard! I've found that this is a GREAT place to spend a LOT of time! 
Already we're helping each other out with suggestions, so feel free to join the fray!! I'll be looking forward to seeing some of your creations on Bears for Sale!
Cindy, welcome! Your new avatar bear is adorable. New?
C.W. Huggley BearsThank you Sue and Shelli. Glad to be here. I want to add something I tried for stand up bears that might work. I added wire to the legs just as I do for the bendable arms only I position the wire straight. The ideas for stuffing the feet as the above posts mentioned is great but adding the wire to the legs also gives them the strength to stand on their own. I did that on a couple of my bears and it worked. Might want to give it a try.
Good point! I've done that in the past, too. But never with glass beads up to the ankle area. Before, I used wire and then put polyfil in the feet and bb's at the heel/ankle area, but it wasn't as reliable for standing for obvious reasons; the weighting wasn't evenly distributed across the bottom of the foot to keep those little guys upright. I like the idea of using wire AND a filler of glass beads to the ankle best; it sounds most secure. That will be up next for my next standing guy!
Thanks for mentioning this, Cindy.
Past Time BearsThanks much for the tip, Cindy . . . it's wonderful that artists are so willing to share what works for them.
Winneybears and FriendsHi Sue, glad you found us , welcome ! Your avater bear is sooo cute . he looks like he's alive speaking to us....
I am curious, are you left handed ?................. Winney
Past Time BearsThanks a bunch, Winney. Shelli fixed up my avatar . . . isn't she GREAT with graphic design?!!! No, basically, I'm right handed, but I do a lot of things with my left hand that most right handed people do with their right hands. So, guess I might lean a wee bit toward ambidexterity. Pshew - is that a word? What prompted you to ask . . . or should I know??!!
Winneybears and FriendsLOL. ....Pshew can be a word, it's like Whew ..LOL.
Reason I asked is looking at your avatar you put the bow on her left ear which ends up being on our right side when we look at her....I always seem to tie a bow on so the viewer sees it on the left side of the bear... Trivial ???
Then I thought maybe left handed people " feel " the balance of things the opposite of what right handed people do...of course all that goes out the window if you are ambidexterous ! LOL....Winney
Past Time BearsHmmmm . . . that is interesting. Through the years of making bears, I've put bows on either right or left ears, both ears at once, a bow between the ears, or a headband bow. Guess maybe that points to trying to be balanced at all times!! And not getting it right, so trying it again another way. lol
Winney, you are wwwwwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too perceptive to have made note of such a thing as bow placement. Now I will have to be EXTRA careful around you with what I say, you secret detective, you. I wonder how you will interpret my sudden fascination with colored pencils...? 
<grins>
Winney,
Now I know why Sue Ann's Avatar kinda "bothered" me .... I would have put the bow on the left ear ((I'm right handed). Love the bear and Shelli did a fantastic job with the graphics ... You should see the one she did for me .. WOWsie!!!!
Wanda
Winneybears and FriendsLOL,LOL,LOL....you all make me laugh, keep it up, it's good for the soul.
Being super perceptive, aware, how all the parts fit together I think comes from my many past years ( I am terribly old ? ) of artist painting ( composition , balance) , designing crafts , sewing,stain glass , etc.
You all have this skill too, anyone who designs things, creates " art" makes those kind of choices....how does it look ? hmmmmm...no I think I'll put it over here...no, better put it back, hmmmm, maybe just move it a tad to the right...oh darn...maye I should use a different color...and so on...
Call it art appreciation...I think her bow looks just "bearfect "where it is...te, he. I really am drawn to her mouth for some reason, she just looks so cute .... Winney
Winneybears and FriendsOh hey ...have you noticed recently we have been inventing some new bear words ?
"bearfect"..what were the others ? ........Winney
I can't s"bear" the time to think of them all. My "bearsonality" just doesn't allow for such "bearsuits."
:P:P:P:P
Past Time BearsWeeeeelllll, I think you two (Winney and Shelli) now qualify as stand-up comics!! Being the witty "bearsons" that you are!!
I can "bear"ly stand such high praise.
Posts: 8,574Winney
Just finished trying the cardboard and felt trick-love it. I had been doing the glass beads to the ankle and then some in the tummy/butt. I find that I need to counter balance sometimes, if I want a fat little munchkin then I need to make the munchkin's bottom a little bigger to counter balance.
I am pleased with the cardboard/felt. I feel like I should have used 2 layers of felt, and will next time. She is standing on the kitchen counter. She is 22" tall and she is the tallest I've had stand up.
Thank you.
Dilu
