Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I'd rather run them through my copier and mail them idf that's OK. My typing finger can't take the extra strain...

Email me your mailing addresses, as I'll be copying off at least a dozen recipes. Anywhere with a large Asian population should have all of these ingredients.

rkr4cds@comcast.net

Pizza Party - I think I posted this early in Feb in another thread - Neal's youngest is kneading the dough for Dad's pizza.

Later, Dad & the boys all put their own toppings on.

Here's a good start:
http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/

Celiac- Oh Yes!! Have I got a few great recipes to share!! Our youngest, 38 yo Neal was diagnosed about 10 yrs ago, right after his Fibro became full-blown. I now know why he literally chugged Pepto Bismol almost daily while he was growing up. We sure didn't know about gluten in the 70s!  He probably thought everyone felt like he did after eaing. Poor guy.

I'll willingly copy off recipes for pizza crust, rice pudding, pie crust - to die for; our whole family prefers this pie crust and with no gluten, it's impossible for it to turn out tough. I add an Alton Brown/Food Network trick for rolling out. (It's the sweet/sticky/sushi rice flour that makes the difference in taking away the grittiness of white rice flour recipes.) loads of other goodies!

Just email me offlist your mailing address:
rkr4cds@comcast.net

Right, got that one Gail - like a gian pinchers. The thread works so much better.
Being the Tool Gal, I've got all of the Fasturn tubes, Straws & skewer assemblies - every thing that's come down the pike.

But nothing is as narrow, as cheap and as quick as a Knotted heavy-duty thread.
And all of the others needed to be completely sewn shut before beginning to turn right-side. That puts a lot of bunched up fabric onto/into/through the tools.

For anyone who's searching for where they stored their little-used Fasturn/Straws&Skewers/tube sets, keep this neat trick in mind!!

I've never 'talked' with Live Help on any online site that didn't work this way.

As I know they cannot be reading your questions and typing a reply that fast, I've always thought that there is a standard set of numbered Replies that they drop into their Response and change a few words to make it look as if they're really answering you, while tap dancing and skirting the issue and never giving a straight answer.

I lost the topic heading where I read earlier about sewing a tail was ok (a QT Red Rat!) but the turning wasn't OK.

Well, I stopped to draw a quick sketch and cannot find the topic now!! It was the cute red rat

The comment that prompted this post was the "sewing was OK but not the turning".

I went back into some of the kits in my 1st kit line:

As I was a teen in the late 50s, spaghetti straps on gown were very popular. In order to sew those narrow little 1/8" strips, we did this:

Fold the strip (your tail, piping, whatever..) in half. Being cut on-the-bias helps, as it has more flexibility but straight grain works too.

Cut a strong cord or thread about as long as your strip. With practice you won't need it this long.

Knot one end with a substatial knot, one that won't slip through your sts.

Lay it inside your strip against the fold line, with the knot hanging out the end.

Sew (by hand or machine) across the short end, matching the edges. It's OK to sew through the cord/thread, as you'll cut it off later. It actually achors the knotted cord better.

As soon as you've turned the corner and sewn an inch or so down the side seam, roll the knotted end of the fabric well between our fingers to break up any sizing and to soften the part to be inverted.

Hold the sewn end of the 'tube' between your fingers to encourage it to take on a round shape, which opens up the center of the tube.

Pull firmly on the other end of the cord until the sewn/knotted end slips inside the tube.

Tuck the cord back up against the inside fold again so you don't catch it with your needle. If sewing by machine, a zipper foot is the best to use to keep the cord away from the stitching line while pressing only the seam allowances together.

Continue to sew and pull every inch or two - this will depend on how flexible the fabric is. If it has pile on the front/outside, you'll need to have trimmed that away from the sewing lines and the seam allowances. Tuck the rest of the nap/pile inside as you go.

As you reach the end of the strip/tube, your far, knotted end is already right there, ready to pull completely right-side out!

Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy, as my grandies say.

I *always* use Schedule in Advance.

The choice can be made up to 2 weeks in advance, and at 10¢ it's about the cheapest option/fee on eBay! They show up within minutes of the scheduled time.  The one time I forgot, early on 2 yrs ago, it took half a day, so this is not a new problem. As I always see something I missed is spelling/grammar etc.. this gives me a chance to clean it uo first!  I read a listing today that said (in speaking of her family heritage) that her Grandma was detrimental in teaching her about herbs, soapmaking..

My heart stopped, as I thought she was about to say the Grandma died after using the wrong herb plant! I know she meant Instrumental, but scheduling and then going back over it a few times gives me a chance to focus on the words instead of doing it while trying to get the url path for my images loaded correctly!!!

I also don't use the Featured options as they show up on the first page only. $20 is out of my budget. In the Needle Felting category, we've increased from 2 -3 pages of listings a year ago, to 9 - 12 daily now. I don't think it's worth paying for one of their most expensive options for so little 'face' time.

Clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapping!!!
Happy Dance in WI today!!
The first time I won, we were told in Oct/Nov and SWORN to SECRECY until the April ceremony. Boy was that hard!!!!

This point has been made many many times: many of us are from The Show Circuit - I can count on the fingers of one hand, the # of ppl that sell out at any of the typical big shows. The rest of us know that we've got stock for the next shows on our schedule.

When the intended market is online, a piece is created and presented, sold and we go on to making the next one, which again is offered sold and the cycle repeats.  That's just not realistic in terms of the thousands of bears that get Face Time at any show but don't leave in a collector's arms.

It's better to think in terms of continuing to produce at a steady rate, whatever that time period is for each of us, be it a day or 2 months per creation—offer it and if it doesn't sell, think of it as if it had been on a show table: the intended owner that is going to love that bear just didn't come to that particular show on that particular day. They will eventually find each other!

Pace yourself and keep working—and improving/honing your skills—at the same rate, the same amount of time. It's too easy to get into a slump and even become depressed if the one singular offering you currently have available hasn't caught the right eye yet. Think like a show exhibitor and keep working on building up your stock. Eventually Life is going to throw you a curve ball when you're unable to work; having stock ready will carry you through these times.

Just don't become discouraged when you have only one piece on offer and it doesn't sell the first time out. We would all feel pretty badly at shows if we all had just one bear on our table and the person who needed to bond with that bear couldn't make the show that day.

Looking at 'the larger picture' is the trick. Most of the show exhibitors tend to have the same shows that they do year after year; if a bear did not sell in March and I attended 4 - 8 other shows that year, and it was still in my stock at the end of the year, it got to 'retire'! And went to a donation like Good Bears of The World or a raffle donation at a show. They rarely got the chance to see the same group of collectors during the next year.

What I'm saying is to keep working and don't work in a cycle of individually sew, show, sell - sew, show, sell, etc.. That puts your emotions in a spin. Keep sewing and slip the online showing and selling in in-between 'bear work', during  the hours you're at the computer, separate from the set number of hours or days that you dedicate to the sewing end of business.

Why else would we've taken up Needle Felting??

It's not only allowed, but thrusting/poking/jabbing away is the only way to accomplish something!

Hi Susan,

Remember me from a booth around the corner in Hennef? My computer crashed or I too would've popped in with your name. Glad you're back among us; new life style - Change is Good!!

Bobbie

As the spouse of a 3rd generation electrician, I can tell you that copper wire (even with its insulation intact) makes the secondmost softest wire. Aluminum is softest. 

Use Michelle's technique: many old-timers still use these method of a bead in the wire's center, fold in half so it's at the top (in place of the loop or the T) and push the wire legs through the disks. 
But use floral wire instead; it's available in so many thicknesses and so cheap. 

I'd just hate to think of the copper wire breaking and the joint loosening. We cannot know if our precious treasured bear is going to be sitting in a protected cabinet all its life or will be handled and continually re-posed.

Reverse those! Subliminal is more intentional and subconscious is by accident.

Blame it on the lost HD!! No concentration.... don't think I'd better NF today; I'm likely to run out of bandages.

Thank you!! Every one of you are 'spot on' and brought out most of the other aspects of the seated/standing issue that had yet to become an issue, and which I only touched upon in saying that there is sometimes an intentional (though sometimes subliminal [intentional] or subconscious [on purpose]). Yesterday was our annual tax-day-with-the-accountant- and I was being brief in stolen moments to escape the monetary thoughts processes going on.... I had yet to realize that I had much much larger computer issues to deal with!*** 
 

Yes, Natasha, and that will come with time. We all put in those months/years! As later stated, until bears were online beginning about 5 - 7 years ago, all bears were viewed in person at shows or in magazines. Beginners didn't usually show their first efforts as most do now; those bears reside in the privacy of our secret cubbyholes—aka, family & friends collections!—so when miniatures were displayed, for the most part they were standing up. Making flat feet was de rigour. I came in in 1990, a decade after the first artist bears became available. Weighting was new in my early days; now it's all of the details that Dahpne mentions.

Exactly - if you're new on the scene, you have only the current styles (of descriptions) to follow. I refer more to those that are experienced and should know better!!

The 'old-timers' (!!!) like me do cut slack for The Younger Generation! We do realize that you use the tools-of-this-trade as they're currently being presented; your questioning of us and your wilingness to learn demonstrates that everything about you is on the up & up!!!

None of us are pointing fingers, just pointing out the differences in the perceived accepted current practices, as the changes occur from what we know from the past. If "times are a'changing", so be it. We'll change too. We oldsters just are doing The Grannie Bit, "In my day...."!!!!.

I didn't add to the Collector aspect of the topic yesterday either, but TT was originally - to the best of my knowledge - a place for artists to come together and discuss all aspects of bearmaking. There will be occasional beefs that need input and airing out, to be able to come to a common ground. Like our Mom's & Grandmom's morning coffee klatches, where they discussed things with friends after getting hubbies & kids off to work & school, this is our coffee klatch arena.
Of course our collectors are welcome: most bearmakers are also collectors! But all must realize that sometimes dicey subjects and situations arise and everyone gets to chime into this forum; we are respective of being individuals and most if not all are polite in replying.

You weren't off-base, rambling or perceived as hard-feelinged. (Is that a word??) Fresh eyes looking at things is how we all learn from each other. We wouldn't grow unless we open ourselves to new ideas. If nothing else, it makes us all aware that both measurements should be given - Chrissi's comments on giving as much info as possible. Unfortunately, those that do this to be deliberately deceptive or hiding a true, full height, are probably not members or visitors here!!!
 

Absolutely.
 

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL - miniaturists have NEVER used the old formula that standard-sized bears were priced by! We'd've been out of business in mere months! A $15 - $25 bear? Not even in our salad days: remember, those were the bears that went to our closed cupboards or family asked for! We didn't have the internet to get our toe in the door and get back even this small a return on our inventory investment. We plunked our money down for show tables and mag ads when we felt we finally could reliably and consistently produce a quality product. 

Yes, those numbers are probably still & continually evolving. Micros were under 1.75" - down to an unbelievable 3/10th of an inch. Minis were up to 4" (some say to 6") and Small started after that. Numbers are just numbers, the next quote is most apropos: when everything comes together in perfect scale - the Wonder is there!   

That's exactly what interested me in bear design/creation. I'm fascinated by the miniature and the greatly enlarged side of everything.

***As I was taking advantage of eBay's 20¢ listing fees on Wed, our power went off several times. I had posted my bear auctions and was working my way towards my yarn stashes. In a huge 3 week early Spring Cleaning (delayed about 20 years in some corners!!! SOooo lazy!) I'm posting my yarns that I can no longer knit with. Aging finger joints just won't allow my favorite thread format any more.... I lost the templates I'd written and gave up. I went to bed with a good book and a strong flashlight. 
Arriving home after the tax appt yesterday, I noted that my computer's Desktop looked quite different. In further discovery, I found that my 500 GB - that's GIGabyte!!! - external backup drive had not been backing everything up nightly since 14 Dec 06. What it was doing in here at 2 AM every night since is in question. All I know is that I've (again) lost everything I've worked on for exactly 3 months: patterns, columns I've written and was researching, class information,  my old book which Marion has so graciously re-typed (hope you still have it!), research for my new book, customer orders & contact info (thank goodness for those who used Paypal, which saves everything from Day One),  Address book additions, all emails, teaching assignments this summer (Taiwan!!). What a heartbreak. 
I thought spending multo bucks a year ago was going to keep this from ever happening, or at the most losing only 1 day's work.
So - to forget my current troubles I've signed on early to TT and am rambling myself. 
Thx for any commiseration you're sending my way!!!

I find that cottons like floss and flower threads shred and fuzz too quickly on noses that have more than 2 layers stitched.
Silk also tends to break. The same thread I sew with, Metrosene Plus is what I use for noses, up to 8+ layers thick. All stitched with one threading on the needle.
It also has sheen and if the threads are placed and smoothed exactly next to each other the sts create a very smooth solidly filled in nose.

It has been only recently that the seated measurements begun to be given, as Daphne mentioned. Coming from the miniature side of things, I see it more often given for minis. 

Frankly, I don't care for it: as the standing measurement has been the standard way that has been listed, this new way to state a height is often given for a bear that is larger than one would expect: i.e., it's very much more difficult to get the same amount of & quality of details into a smaller 'package'. 
When they're shown in a bear measured seated, it's easy to 'imply' by virtue of the proportions that one's vision is used to seeing, that the bear is smaller than it actually is. 

I do see bears that are stated as being 2" tall, and whether attributed to standing or seated, when it's been photographed in the bear maker's hand and covers up more than 3 fingers, it's pretty obvious that it's at least 3" or more. 

To imply that a bear is 'smaller' than standard/standing lengths, by stating a seated size, is just plain wrong.  It's like 'sinning' (used in a generic sense!! please don't jump on me) by Omission rather than Commission.

You're welcome Ellen I didn't know others did the same amount of research, i.e., the # on different days of the week!

Whether I use 5 or 7 day listings, I always end them on Tues, Wed or Thurs and at an ideal time for the US.
7 - 10 PM across the mainland time zones.

I'm also not sure if I chose this option in eBay or Andale, but I get only 'unique' visitors - meaning no matter how many times a visitor looks, only one 'visit' is recorded. Others breaking up the pattern of my visits to my auction doesn't affect it - only a single recorded visit per eBay ID.

I think it's important to know when your collectors like them to end.

Near the end of each auction, I record the ID's of ppl that have bid (after the auction's over the IDs are gone: eBay says to record them before the end) I then contact the top bidder(s) to say Sorry you didn't win. Would you like to be lised oinb my Advanced Notice List (typically sent out 2 - 3 days in advance of an auction's start.)

About once a year, I send an email to my list asking questions on their current bidding choices; 2 of them are on an ending day of the week and the length of an auction. From the responses I receive I try to accommodate as many ppl's choices as I can.

Oh, that number took 2 years of steady posting to get that high! Steady is the keyword here - eBayers are more fleeting than show attendees or website visitors.

There is a huge turnover continuously in Sellers and Buyers and if you post only sporadically, you aren't perceived as a reliable, steady source of work.

Sad to say because it has nothing to do with quality (what ever does on eBay???) but until an expected regularity is met, be it once a week or once a month, your client base has to know when to expect to see new work appear.

Every time you've had a break-in-service, it's like starting out all over again.
Just part of what it takes to work within that particular marketplace.

Guess it would help if I bothered to spellcheck.. That's "Men are drawn to...  and 'mating' might be a bit more genteel than 'breeding' LOL with...

And would that be on the Market research or the Blonde stats?????  LLLLLLLLLLL

Speaking of blondes and curious minds, I thought I'd share another research study I read - out of a nothern European study.

Blondes may become an Endangered Species!
Men as drawn to blondes, but without taking into accont that it's out-of-a-bottle, so they're actually breeding with brunettes.
Which could possibly cause true blondes to become an Endangered Species!
Makes sense to me!

I average about 400 visits and 40 or more watchers.
As I have only a few regular clients, I figure the rest are like me, with about 30 items on watch at all times.
Just doing Market Research - keeping abreast of what's happening.

Bobbie

This seated Cubblet is about 1.75" tall. His body (w/o the 3 pc head) is 4 pieces; on the back 2 pieces there are 4 tiny darts across the bottom seam - on each side - 8 total. All 4 legs are in just those 4 pieces.
The front pieces have 2 darts on each side/bottom seam edge. That's how I got a really nice pooched out bottom/seat for him.
He's really hard to turn so when I created a kit out of him, I increased the size to about 2.5" seated.

Agreed with Luann & Sonya - you've got excellent photo skills! - which helped point right to the problem: your sts are covering 4 - 5 weft threads of the mohair backing.

At most your machine sts should cover 2 or maybe 3, according to this backing size of weave.

Kim, try stitching 2 scraps together, pin the seam open wide across something as if it's stuffed, take a pic of that seamline and show us the difference. We think you'll be pretty pleased with it.

B

Is it smaller than 6"? Than category #3904 is for you: mini artist bears.

Not any more - not for at least the past 5 years! Thread/crocheted bears have become a fiber art format in thier own right. It's a lot tougher than it looks; I know I cannot crochet tightly enough to make them.

Write me off list if you want to know the url of the very large yahoo list of mini-animal crocheters.