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Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJul 6, 2005

I'm making two bears concurrently and find myself resenting the all that furpicking at the seams. You know... the absolutely necessary, but irksomely time-consuming, task that can really make or break your final product?!?

I tend to first brush, then carefully comb, fur from the seams right down to the very last little wisp... INSIDE, first.  Then I flip the bear head right side out and do the same thing -- brush, then comb down to the last wisp -- on the "right" or out-facing side of the head as well.

This works for me but takes an investment of time.

Anyone have other methods to recommend?

bearsbybeesley Jul 6, 2005

I know Shelli, it is a big pain. I tried in the begginning to avoid the hand picking but soon learned that was not an option.

Hugs Louise

Eileen Jul 6, 2005

Has anyone tried trimming the fur from the seam allowance before sewing? Pros and cons?

Eileen

Winney Jul 7, 2005

Yes,...I trim the fur off the seams first...I use to do it by hand and that took forever on a 15 to 20" bear....maybe even an hour ? Now it only takes me about 15 minutes as I now use a cord/ cordless shaver !

I place the part down flat on the table then looking right above the piece.... I place the shaver outside the edge to be shaven then just move it inwards 1/4"  flat against the fabric and walla ! furs gone in a microsecond !

I get a rethym going and only stop when I reach the end of the part on that side then use a bunka brush....I get quite a pile of trimmed mohair I save in a zip lock .
  Believe  me this is a LOT faster than spending all that time brushing or  picking fur inside and outside of the seams...betacha ! double dare!!  ...works really fast for me...Winney

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJul 7, 2005

Winney, my concern with shaving seams -- which I know a LOT of bear makers are fond of -- is that I might trim slightly past that 1/4 inch seam allowance.  And that then, when the piece is turned right side out, I might end up with a "bald" strip along the seam.

Do you have any advice or experience on this?

Winney Jul 7, 2005

YES....shave carefully LOL. LOL, LOL

I have one I am doing now, it's 1"long fur. If you shave even just a TAD  more ...chances are it will be hidden  as when you stitch that seam then turn it right side out...the fabric does tend to roll towards the inside a tiny bit.

If you know you have overshot the shaving a bit then when you stitch ...turn the part out and check it...if it looks naked along that seam then stitch it again a bit smaller.It still save more time doing this than the other method.

Don't forget you will get good at it with practice. I sometimes on smaller bears choose to hand trim especially on the head and paws and soles...in fact I always do the soles by hand 0on all bears because I want a gaurenteed control over this domain...he, he....Winney

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJul 7, 2005

Winney, you are wicked!  I'm going to start calling you "Wicked Winney."  ;)

Shave carefully...  AARGH! :D:P

Winney Jul 7, 2005

How do you like that " OOOOOOOOOOOn all my bears "? spell check did not pick that up..I love that spell check thingy , I always have a contest with it to see if I am getting better with some words... Wicked Winney eh ? That will be something new for me , he, he...as I always say he, he....Winney

Daphne Jul 7, 2005

Winney - what do you do with the shaved mohair in the zip loc bag? Do you mix colors or have separate bags for each color???? Inquiring minds want to know. :D

I use my tapered awl to remove fur from seams. Love that thing!!! I slide it along the seam, parallel to it, being careful not to snag the backing but picking up the fur that's caught. It's quick and easy for me. Then I use a bunka brush to fluff everything up. DO NOTTTTTTTTTTT pick and scratch at the seams with the tip of the awl. This is my one pet peeve when teaching classes. I see someone picking away, scratching even at the seams if they've gone ahead of me and started trying to set that mohair in the seams free. Not only do you run the risk of breaking the threads of the fur backing but it frizzes the mohair and draws even more attention to the seams!!! ( Grrrrrrr..... ok, deep breath!!! )

Daphne

Marie_ Jul 7, 2005

I trim the fur on seams too but since I'm beginner I can't
trim *EXACT* 1/4inch.... So what  I do is just try to trim
*UNDER* 1/4inch (very carefully) then after I sew, I will
pick the fur out of seams.  I only need to pick a little of
fur now(due I already trimmed ) ,I feel it's worth to trim down....:)

Hugs/Marie

Winney Jul 7, 2005

I don't know what I will do with the saved mohair..you know crafty people save everything, he,he...NO I thought I might try and needlefelt with it right onto a bears face.....Winney

Winney Jul 7, 2005

Oh yes...for another tool to pick the seams with...I use a seam ripper turned around and used backwards...some of my rippers are so darn old they are dull enough to use for this...tells you how long I have been sewing ...Winney

All Bear Jul 7, 2005

I'm a trimmer ... I sit on the floor, trim carefully by hand around each and every single flippin' piece and then sneeze heaps before vacuuming.

Jill Jul 7, 2005

I use my tapered awl.  I have recently begun to trim around my pieces before sewing but am not brave enough to go right to the 1/4".  Maybe some day.  But just reducing the fur by that much makes pulling it out of the seams easier.  This may sound crazy, but sometimes I find it relaxing.

Jill

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJul 7, 2005

Great ideas, everyone.  Jill... WONDERFUL bear in your avatar!  Your bearmaking has advanced from novice to superb!

Judi Jul 7, 2005

I myself am a picker.  I use the blunt end of a long needle and this works well for me.  Also, you can trim the fur on one half of the seam before sewing and it makes the fur picking easier.

Jill Jul 8, 2005

Thanks for the compliment Shelli - she is a potpourri of all the things I have learned from all of you.  I trimmed the seam allowance before I sewed, I experimented with my own pattern pieces and a few altered ones, I shaded with oil paints (a little), she has a music box with key that plays "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear by Elvis, and she has the terminal ring/electrical wire armature in her arms.  She has a Ted Menton inspired embroidered nose (the leather one that I tried to do looked like a pig snout as I told Judi) and my first try at a Shelli inspired mouth.  I was successful at taking her picture with my digital camera and half a____d light tent, downloading it to my PC, figuring out how to get it to be an Avatar and printed it for the hang tag.  Whew - somewhere there is even a part of me and a part of each and every one of you.  She has gone to her new home (she was a gift) but she has left me with more confidence than I ever had. 

With that said, I would never have gotten to this point without all of you - your talents, kindness, sharing, jokes, poems, etc.  THANKS THANKS THANKS

Jill

kbonsall Jul 8, 2005

Can someone give me some pointers on sculpting a mouth?  So far, all of my bears just have eyes and noses, may sound strange but I think I like them that way... but i would like to learn...