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Posts: 3,540
This has probably been drummed into the woodwork, but I've been having an 'issue' with my pulled toes today. Maybe its the fact that I'm trying them on mohair, and I've always used the stiffer real fur...or maybe its because my ultrasuede is 'softer' somehow, but as I pull my toes, the ultrasuede is wrinkling. I've tried loosening the stitch, but then I just end up without my pulled effect. I have stuffed and stuffed, and wedged in my hemostats with extra bits of stuffing into the toes...there's no more room for stuffing! My best effects have been to use my doll needle after the toes are done to smooth out the toes by gradually shifting the stuffing.
.....sigh, is there a technique I'm missing??? I'm using Jennifer Laing's instructions from Constructing Teddies Friends, so I'm pulling the thread from the top of the foot or paw to the center (or bottom of the toes) for the stitch...and as I pull down, here come my wrinkles, right across the pretty plump toes.... 
I'm getting a bit frustrated as I look at all the beautifully plump tootsies on here...and they're all done on mohair, so I'm doing something not totally right here...
Sunnie BearsDebbie
I learned from Jennifer also and I have had the same problem from time to time. You may have them stuffed TOO tight.. I can think of all kinds of things that would cause that.. maybe the foot isn't flat enough? (which would put extra ultra suede in the pad.) or maybe it is the type oif ultra suede. I generally have that same problem if I use a very heavy ultra suede. The lighter stretchier ultra suedes seem to work best.
Sonya
I have had exactly the same problem from time to time...but a bear artist friend told me that if you start your stitch further away from the tip of the toe...ie bring the needle out through the mohair say a centimetre above where the 'toe' tip is ( blimey this is hard to describe!!) because you are making more of a curved stitch and pulling the toe through both sides of the foot effectively then you get a smoother toe.
It does work actually..and though the thread doesn't emerge right on the edge of the foot you can't see the stitch on the foot side as the pile hides it. I always pinch the foot together as I pull the thread through too...that seems to help. Without a doubt though it does depend on your paw pad fabric, felt and cashmere , to my mind, sculpt beautifully....though cashmere puckers easier than felt does.
I hope that makes sense!!!!!
Posts: 3,540:hug: Thanks gals!!! :hug: I knew someone on here would know exactly what I was talking about 
Hmmm....I do tend to pull awfully hard, and the ultrasuede I'm using is a medium weight. Its possible that its too heavy? So I'll see if I can find some lighter weight for future bears....
Jenny I'll have to give that a try, starting the stitch further back. I usually start right on the edge of the ultrasuede where it meets the mohair, so maybe that's the setup point for my crumpling and wrinkling?
Thanks for giving me new things to try. Bear making is always interesting, I just wish the collectors knew how much hard work goes into making them 
Sunnie BearsI concur with the others. I didn't think of it before, but I also start mine just above where the mohair meets the pad.
Sonya
Glad you all understood my ramblings.......It does work...along with the pinching together when you pull the stitch through..
Pijangibears
When I make pulled toes - I take a little stitch between the mohair and ultrasuede with each toe.
Jennifer Laing`s book: Constructing Teddy and friends. Page 42. I think, that it works great.
Hugs Birgitte
Matilda Huggington-beare
I have a feeling I do mine like Jenny. The thread goes over the seam line into the mohair. It gives it a good anchoring point. Only when I have tried to do it only on the paw pad fabric have I ever got wrinkles.
I also do'nt stuff the heel o(r close up for that matter) until my toes are finished.
Matilda
Posts: 1,153Debbie.
I always mark the spots on the paw pad where I want the thread to be at the bottom of each toe...because once I start to pull up, I can never find the right places for the other toes.
I pull up into two places. The top of the foot and the tip of the toes. When you pull your thread to the tip of the foot (Like Kim said) is when you really start to get the shape to come to life.
I usually soft stuff first and then add more stuffing after the 'sculpting' is done.
Nanc.......
Ruby Mountain Bears
I have found that if you over stuff the foot when trying to sculpt the toes the fabric will wrinkle. Also just like sculpting the face you have to pinch like Jenny said.
Posts: 3,540:clap: I love all these cute tootsies gals!!! :clap:
So it seems if I OVERstuff, I can cause just as much problems as understuffing too.... Wow there's a lot of ways to mess up pulled toes 
I'll see if the bear and I get along better today....
Baird'sBears
Nice tootsies, Birgitte and Matilda and Kathy
It makes perfect sense, now that I think about it, that the footpad would pucker if the pulling pressure is only from one end of the pad fabric to the other--you'd be pulling it back on itself. It might not make much difference how firmly or softly you stuffed. If the toe stitch is anchored on the mohair, the pull would be between the two fabrics over a firm seam. Yes!
Eileen
Winneybears and FriendsI love this thread...I didn't have to ask not one question..lol.. You all got it figured out just great...
I love too ..." Gee..there's so many ways to mess up"...lol... I got to thinking ...there sure is..even tho we discuss every single detail on making bears ( count all the posts !) we can still find more ways ..lol...Winney
Baird'sBears So true, Winney--add to that a wobbly memory, and there's no such thing as too much information!
Eileen
Pijangibears
I don`t sew in the mohair, only in the ultrasuede.
Notice the little stitch on the top, that is the one, that will do the difference.
Thank you for the kind words. 
Hugs Birgitte
Pijangibears
Photo
Posts: 3,540 Yep, Birgitte, that's the diagram I'm working with!
I LOVE the toes on your baby bear 
Oooh, I just want to reach out and squish them! Last night I perservered into the night, and managed to get all my tootsies just the way I wanted. They are a bit harder than I'd like, but every time I tried to understuff, the wrinkles came back 
Pooh! So, I guess 'bear' wanted his tootsies that way! I tend to just bow to the bear's wishes ...
Thanks for all the suggestions, and lovely pics :hug: They've helped loads!
Mountain Dreamer BearsGreat thread!
Beautiful toes everyone and great advice!
I've been wondering why some of my toes wrinkled and some didn't. I've been trying to stitch in the middle of the seam, right where the paw pad and mohair meet. I guess sometimes I got above the seam allowance inside the foot and sometimes below it, making the difference.
If the toe stitch is anchored on the mohair, the pull would be between the two fabrics over a firm seam. Yes!
This makes sense to me too. Hurray! May this be the end of wrinkled bear toes!
hugs,
Matilda Huggington-beareBirgitte! I do mine differently to you.
I wont say until asked. Dont want to confuse everyone. hahahahah
How many ways to do one detail on a bear aye? hahahahh
Matilda
Posts: 3,540....Ooooh, well I'm asking Matilda!!! How do you do your toes??? It never hurts to have more than one way to do something....and I'm intrigued 
PijangibearsHi Matilda
How do you do your bear`s toes? We really like to know.
Hugs Birgitte
PijangibearsMATILDA
Hugs Birgitte
Posts: 3,540Matilda....you're a tease 
C'mon out and tell us how you do toes
Baird'sBears No fair, Matilda! You know we're not going to let you alone until you give out with it!
Eileen
