Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I think that might be why it's skewed. I would anchor the centre of the gusset at the nose to the centre seam of the head sides...ie the nose/chin seam. Then tack from the nose to the neck opening easing the fabric as you sew, so that you end up with the gusset fitted correctly. Most of the movement in the gusset happens because of the direction you sew if you tack from nose to nape on both sides before you you sew up this will help. When it's tacked...hold it face on to check that it's in straight ..then either machine it in or hand sew the whole thing. I often machine but I can see why people prefer to hand sew the gusset in.
Stuffing can twist the whole thing out too...as right or left handedness means you tend to be unconsciously more diligent stuffing one side more than the other. So as you stuff be careful to stuff evenly on both sides.

She's lovely

I think that might be the type that is very hard to work with....
If you search for Tissavel on eBay there's a company that sells curly Tissavel woven Tibetan lamb style faux fur ...quite beautiful and I expect expensive but very nice indeed.

Lovely !!!

Aaaw...thanks Lisa!

That's kind of what I do...I build the shipping cost into the price but it does depend on what you charge for bears. If you don't charge much for a bear it can double the cost if its a heavy bear.

She's lovely

Very pretty...

Thanks so much...!!!

I posted Mikki on my website and he found a new home really quickly....I do like this bear though..,he has avery endearing expression...though I say so myself...

I am nervous on your behalf. I have had this same scenario before.....there is no reason why they shouldn't pay at the auction close and or write to you. It's just bad manners not to even make contact. I pay immediately and most honest people do.
Fingers crossed they pay up...but I have a sinking feeling when this happens...sorry it's happened to you...no one deserves it.

Thank you so much!!

I never make prototypes....or a model of any kind. I see why it's a good way to work for some but I have just never done it. I have sometimes thought I might try and I can see why its helpful but I just tend to go for it. Just like when I draw..particularly life drawing ..I never work to a grid on the paper. I just like to sketch freehand. I have occasionally, when I need to understand how a shape needs to work,  made a mock up pattern in cheap felt just to see the mechanics...but generally I try to just draw it how I see it in my head. That's maybe because I don't really ever depict a realistic creature...my pieces all tend to be whimsical.
I have to say that I don't think of bear making as an exercise in absolute exact measurements and scale etc. I think if you are building a car or something that requires a pattern of critical design that requires total symmetry etc then you clearly need that amount of accuracy.
But in bear making it's the idiosyncrasies and the personal features that come about through imagination and free expression that make for individuality and style. Making a computer mock up that is totally symmetrical and perfectly designed I feel would make for bland bears with very little character. Each to their own I guess but I don't like  computers enough to spend that long on one!

I guess if you want to go down that road with computers. But for most bear crafters I think the challenge is discovering how to make what they are imagining. Then using their skills to build an image of their design using materials and sewing techniques. I don't think this would work for me. I like the exercise my brain gets in thinking about how to do something.

The thing is there isn't a place to start and finish with designing anything...it really is a case of learning a process and working through until you find our own way.  I think the analogy of the jazz solo is a great one as it's very much like that. When I started out I wanted to design a squirrel and boy was it hard...mainly because a squirrel is so unique. It's hard to capture the character of the creature  and it's not something that a book can teach. It's a matter of looking and learning how to make the shapes. What is it particular that makes a squirrel different from a rabbit, or a cat.  I would love to have just found a one size fits all guide to making a pattern but there is none.
My suggestion for drawing was because in drawing something it's necessary to look in order to work out the shapes.
That's the essential part of designing is understanding the shape and then recreating it in 3D.

Not that big..15 inches..but that's bigger than the bears I have been doing lately..
Thanks so much !!

This is Malarkey....he's the first bigger bear I have done for a while. I just love this fabric.

You definitely captured the look and the character. Great job!

To post a bear within the UK under 2 kilos costs me £9.75... So I include that cost in the price of the bear...I also subsidise overseas shipping of smaller bears. When the weight goes over 2 kilos it ratchets the shipping costs up hugely to over £25. It really makes no sense ...so I try to keep the weight to under 2 kilos including the box.
I often get people ask me to undervalue the box...I feel very uncomfortable with this as my insurance  is then voided...but I know why people ask...and I have been on the end of import duties myself so it's a tough one. I am sure that the parcels arrive still safely but I wouldn't have a leg stand on if I had to claim..
I do try as far a possible to build in the shipping costs into cost of the bear..certainly UK postage anyway..I then an reduce the worldwide costs by the UK shipping price..
Postage is a problem for everyone.

Thanks so much!

Thanks so much. I have loved making these simpler styles.

Getting that roundness was challenging!!
That's so much!

Thanks so much....I don't do smiley very often...so it's good to try something new !!

This is Willis...my new bear. He's the second in this simpler style and I am thrilled with how it's evolving...

Always fabulous work....just wonderfully made and sweet personalities...