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Bumpkin BearsHi everyone,
I'm thinking of trying bent legs for a bear but everytime I try to adapt my existing leg pattern the bent legs seem far too long for the rest of the bear. I don't want to end up with long skinny legs, I want to keep the more chubby look to them! Not often you hear ladies saying that 
I'll keep trying with my pattern but thought I'd ask in case anyone here had any tips?
Thanks,
Hugs
Catherine
Hi Catherine,
I read your post and remembered seeing reference to this in Nancy Tillberg's book '101 Bears to Make'. The technique is called shape shifting, using your original pattern and just changing the shape--such as straight leg to bent knee. 
I scanned the picture from the book--sorry scanned a little crooked and missed the text, but I think you can still see what Nancy has done. She cut identical leg pieces, cut three seperate sections from them and pieced them back together with brads so the leg could be moved into the desired position. Then trace round the whole thing, and you have your new leg piece!
Hope this helps!
Tracy
Bumpkin BearsTHANK YOU sooo much Tracy - FANTASTIC - silly me - I actually have that book so will go take a look now.
I really appreciate your help
Catherine
Ha Ha! 
That book is great, isn't it? I should have asked if you had it before scanning that and all! :doh:
I haven't tried the shape shifting yet---let me know how it works?
Tracy
Back Road BearsTed Menten's "Teddy Bear Studio" Book also describes techniques for taking striaght legs and bending them.
Haven't tried either technique but I'm thinking that Nancy's will give you a more accurate bend.
Kim-Bee BearsWow Tracy! That is cool!!! I will have to remember that! I would like to do a bent leg some day!!! That is on my "list" of things to do! :hug:
