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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
I was admiring Judi's new little cub and got to thinking (again!!!!) about armatures.
I always use wire and am happy with the results but I do have some loc-line in my box of bits and many times I look at it and think it looks so chunky to fit into a small teddy arm or leg.
It obviously does because Judi has used it on the lovely little 14" cub....but those of you who have used it can you tell me this...can you feel it inside the arm? I spend ages wrapping and padding so I can't overly notice the wire armature...so not unduly affect the 'cuddles'....but with the loc-line.....would you wrap it first?...I use the self stick bandages that aren't glued but just adhere when you wrap the wire.
Also, would you cut it shorter than the paw so not to feel it ...I have the 1/4" but it still looks huge to me ...compared to wire.
Chowlea BearsJenny - I'm sorry I don't have your answer - but Its such a comfort to know that someone as proficient as yourself asks questions too
Reassured.
Sandra :redface:
Flying Fur StudiosSandra, you're soo funny!!
Jenny, haven't used armatures yet, but I have seen pictures of of people wrapping them in cotton batting to hide the 'feel' of it.
As for how long to make them, I'll let the experts give advice on that one!!
Did a search, this place shows many things you can do with loc-line.
http://www.modularhose.com/Merchant5/me … ry_Code=LL
And here are some pretty good instructions on how to use it
http://www.edinburghimports.com/articles/locline.html
Later!
Hi Sandra...the thing is by my reckoning ...the day I think I know everything is the day I throw in the towel. That's why I love making bears....there's always something I don't know!!
Thanks for the links ...I have seen those...I need more hands-on opinions!!!!
Donna's Duin BruinsJenny,
What I have seen with your size bears is the locline is used for the head and body then the wire armature for the arms etc. I have used the locline for my other animals more than for the bears. I use it as a skeleton for the giraffe, goat, donkey and rooster. You also need to be aware that the locline makes a creaking nose as you move it and some people can be put off by that. If you use plastic pellets in your bears you will want to put a little stuffing in the end of the locline so the pellets don't get inside and rattle. You will need to end the locline at a point on the arm or pawpad where there will not be a bulge, I would guess from the pictures of your bears maybe 1/2" from the tip. I would really like to see you use it in the head. You already have a magnificently designed bear and I think the added posability (Is that a real word?) would just put your bears over the top. Can you tell I like your bears?
Donna
Hi Donna...I am actually designing a cat at the moment and that is why poseability is important to me.....hence why the loc-line is in my head....as well as the cats!!! ....that said I really think that when people buy a bear the ability to pose it in a variety of ways makes it so much more appealing.
Donna's Duin BruinsJenny,
If you need it to be finer in the paw areas, you can run your armature wire down the middle of the loc-line and end the loc-line where it becomes too cumbersome for the limbs and then take the wire down to the end of the paw. I do that with the rooster. I can't wait to see your cat!
Donna
Donna ...thank you so much for your help..I am really grateful...I didn't think about running the wire through the loc-line...what a great idea!!!!!!
Sunnie BearsJenny, I agree! I have many times run a wire down the center of the locline. You do want to pad it with batting before inserting it in the ar, . In fact, you put a little polyfil in the paw area first (about half of the paw) then make sure your lovline goes to that point. I take polyfil and wrap it aroud the locline and secure it by wrapping that with a piece of artificail sinew to make it stay in place. Then insert it in the arm and secure it to the disc and fill in any spots with more polyfil. Don't stuff it too hard or the arm will not bend easily.
Sonya
PS.. I will try to make a pic.
BRB
Jane Perala Designs Ltd.I have never tried loc-line, but I must have tried putting wire in limbs at least a dozen times, and always end up making a real mess of it. What I can't figure out is how you stuff this wrapped wire parcel down the narrow arm. I always end up with the batting pulling away, even when I wrap it with thread, and I have a bare wire at the bottom (paw) and lots of jammed up stuffing at the shoulder. When I try to push stuffing down the side of the wire I get it all off centre and lumpy, and again end up with a bare wire being felt through the mohair. So I have just given up - until next time, when I have forgotten all about the frustration and try again.
Jane P.
Sunnie Bearsyou need to make sure the polyfil wrapping is NOT too big to fit into the arm, wrap it around the END of the wire too, and tie it more firmly with the artificial sinew
S
Hi Jane...try the bandages...they are the ones that stick to themselves but not to skin...they are slightly rubberised. They very snuggly wrap around the wire armature...and you then just sew the end to secure...it goes in very easily and you can stuff round it as it's quite slim....
On smaller wires I have used florists tape...again it stops the wire being felt through the limb but keeps it slim as it adheres to itself..and the wire.
Sonya...thanks for your help ...I think you are right about not over-stuffing...it also stops the wire being forced to the edge of the limb. I still think my size bears limbs may be too small for loc-line....but might try it on the cats...especially now, with the idea of running the wire down the centre the loc-line!!
KP BEARI use wire for my small bear and I wrap it with florist tape and it is great. That way you do not have a bare wire in the arm and it is easy to pose the bear the way you like.
Lena 
Baird'sBears
I just had a brainstorm 
Has anyone ever tried inserting the armature wire into flexible aquarium tubing?
The thin stuff used for aerator connections would work best, unless the wire is too fat.
Otherwise, I've left an extra long opening in the back of the arm, just to make sure I can get the wire and stuffing into the right spots.
Eileen
Donna's Duin BruinsI have a friend that uses drip irrigation tubing around the wire. Not too expensive.
Donna
LuxembearsHi. I have used armature in bears as small as my OPie, 10" tall . You can buy it pretty small from CR's Crafts. I have never put wire inside the loc line but I do wrap it in quilters batting. You can feel it inside but it does not feel bad and you have to squeeze pretty firmly to actually feel it.
LuxembearsAlso, when I stuff an arm with the wrapped loc line inside, I use a thin flat screw driver and work small pieces of stuffing all around the "skeleton" of the arm.
LuxembearsAlso, when I stuff an arm with the wrapped loc line inside, I use a thin flat screw driver and work small pieces of stuffing all around the "skeleton" of the arm.
