Banner Sponsors

clare14 Mar 21, 2006

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas on how, for a new design, I could curl some pixie feet/shoes, do you know what I mean??   You know how they point and curl at the front, how can I get them to stay there, I thought of wire, what do you think, any ideas majorly appreciated!!!   :hug:

Gosh, just re-read that, what a ramble........ 

WildThyme Mar 21, 2006

Dear Clare... I did some little Teddy Elves whose feet curled and pointed like that.....  they didn't waer shoes though... their feet were just "naturally" shaped that way....

When I modified my exisiting leg pattern... I kept the foot pad exactly the same, but on the leg part... I just curved that portion of the foot upward.. sort of like sticking a rhino horn on top of it's foot!  I bet you could make shoes the same way though..... if my description sounds like mush... let me know... now that I have a scanner, I could scan in a pic of the part in question.....

there are a few others with pointy toes in my ElfinBearies album on my picturetrail site if you'd like to see them.... just click here....  then go to the proper album once you are there!

http://www.picturetrail.com/bastadolls

OOO... wait here are some with incoroprated shoes... they look like shoes but are really just their feet....

But again... I bet you could just make regular feet, then use that shape for a shoe..... I'm off to get the piece....

Kim basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Daphne Mar 21, 2006

Yes, I think if your pattern shape is done in the curl you want then you shouldn't need to wire it.
But I've never actually done elf feet/shoes so what do I know!

WildThyme Mar 21, 2006

Okay... playing with the scanner here!  And I feel so proud that I have figured out how to use it too!  Here's my elf leg... the paw pad was just a standard oval shaped paw pad... but it appears to have gone missing.... "Gone missing...."  that is one of those wonderfully British saying that I truly LOVE to borrow... I am so NOT English.... but 'gone missing" just sounds so much better than 'I have lost it'... gone missing sounds like maybe it just walked off on it's own.... it's no one's fault... it's just "gone missing......!"  Geeze I've had way too much coffee today, in addition to the drugs I'm on for this sinus infection~!  Anyway... If you wanted to incorporate the "shoe" into your design (fake shoe) you'd just modify your pattern to look something like this.... then lop it off at the ankle.  Make the feet from some other contrastisting fabric... add in your standard paw pad in ultrasuade for the "sole." 
If you wanted to do it as a real shoe..... I'd just design a similar shape to the toe....again... cut it off at the ankle...make it a bit larger than your existing leg/foot pattern so that it will fit over the bear's furry foot..... add in your paw pad as the sole of the shoe..... you could do it in ultrasuade or something.... turn it back at the cuff......

Kim basta
Widl Thyme Originals

clare14 Mar 21, 2006

Thank you so much Kim and Daphne!!   Kim, I wanted the bear to have curly feet, rather than shoes really, but now I've seen your bears with the separate colour, well all your pics really, you are so amazingly clever you know!!   You should see the pattern piece I've come up with, it's hilarious!!       I might just have to make it up for the laugh!!!   

Thank you sooooooo very much for sharing  :hug:  :hug:    I'll let you know how I get on 

WildThyme Mar 21, 2006

You know what Clare... Smidge has just curled up pointy feet... is that kinda what you mean?   I'll tell ya, my first inclination.... and it sounds like yours might have been too...    was to make this long straight pointed foot, and then put wire into it and kinda roll it back.... I think that might work too, if you stuff softly..... thids is defintely one of those areas where there are probaly lots of different ways to accomplish the same thing....
Back when I was working on my elves... I spent days thinking about whether elves' feet are actually pointy and curled like that or whether they just are generally shown wearing those long Medieval style shoes... and their feet are human like.....  ?  I mean really, which is it?  I looked at all the illustrations of elves I could find.  It was a quest!  Then I made the "mistake" of asking my oldest son what he thought about the topic... He gently reminded me... Mom... elves aren't actually "REAL."  And you are making bears that are "elves" so it doesn't really matter much whether you think they have feet shaped like that or not... now does it!?  Ah... harsh little bit of unnecessary reality there!  But you know... it's true... that's one of the great things about teddy bears and about fantasy/folklore creatures... you can make 'em however you want... you can't be "wrong." 

Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Tina Mar 21, 2006

Hiya, I've done pixies with legs like Kim's fab piccie, and simply curved the ends of the base a bit more and not used a paw pad at all. They were standing pixies though, so you didn't really notice the bases. Don't forgot the cute lil pixie hat, aaw I love pixies (can you tell...!!)

Hugs
Tina

psichick78 Mar 22, 2006

Wow, this has been an interesting read! Kim, you are so helpfull. Thanks!

I've sculpted people with feet like that and Kim I have also been on a quest to see what's real or not. It was for dragons. Then I realized, why was this guy the expert, etc. So I just made what looked right to me. I much prefer that, than to make something look real.

Can't wait to see the finished product Clare

Chowlea Bears Mar 22, 2006

I used to 'eavesdrop' on this site before I 'Jumped in' and two thing struck me -

a) How friendly everyone was and appeared very willing to share their expertise.

b) How- magically - someone would always have a solution to a technical problem.

Despite the fact I'm not personally up to that level of technical skill - it is interesting to see everyones approach and solution.

I havn't changed my opinion. 

Sandra

gotobedbears Mar 22, 2006

Hi Clare 

I have never attempted elfie feet or i would offer soem sort of help but i reckong that the advice from the girls here so far is pretty much on the money honey.

Let's see the finished bear Clare

Penny 

Laura Lynn Banner SponsorMar 23, 2006

Hi there!

A bit late jumping in here... and I don't know if these are "curly" enough for you... but here's a link to a free boot pattern.....   http://barbarawillisdesigns.com/boots.html

clare14 Mar 23, 2006

Kim, you are just amazing lady!!   Thank you so much!!  :pray:  :hug:  :hug:

And Laura, those shoes are wonderful, thanks so much!!

Also Penny, Tina, Heather and Daphne - thank you, I'm going to have so much fun with this design, and I will be sure to let you all have first showing!!   :hug:

And Sandra, this is a wonderful sharing group of amazing artists, you'll love it here!!