Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thanks everyone!  I am now VERY pleased with how he/she came out.  (not sure if it's a girl or boy yet, but leaning towards it being a girl)

I thought of dog ears.  I thought of rabbit ears.  I only have bear ears cut out and there's no more fabric.  I have decided NOT to put ANY ears on her... she's official now a Yeti!!     (or a Snow Wookie... but I might get in trouble for the Wookie part...)

Thank you all for your kind help and comments!!

He could also be a Wookie... A Snow Wookie...

Shane, I think I like him just the way he is!!  I think I might even leave the feet, my mother suggested that he would need skid-free feet for the ice!!

OK... haven't fixed the feet yet, but I present to you kind fellow Teddy-Talkers...

ABBY!!  The Smallest Abominable Snowman!!  Or Yeti...

Thanks everyone... my little snowman is going to live!  I've got the arms done and the head is together.  I'm trying to decide whether he's gonna be a little yeti, or if I should try to trim him up enought to look like a bear.   

He looks like a tiny "Bumble" from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer right now!

Since I like to needle felt feet, I might as well do it to this one.  I use a soft cream cordaroy for his pads and liked it, but now you'll not be able to see them on the feet.  Oh, well!! 

I'll post another pic when I'm done.

Shane, LOVE that bear!!

Thanks for all the help guys!  Ya'll ROCK.

Soo... how far do you go into denial before saying a bear is just NOT WORKING???

I made a new design and wanted to try it out on some scrap material I had left over from a large bunny I made for my mom.  Very furry.  Thought it might be cute.  Didn't want to use my new mini fabric Deborah sent me on an untested design.  (thanks Deb!!!)

Here's just the body and legs...

Yep.  There's legs AND a body there!  I don't think it's the design, but could be.  Ya can't tell!!!  It's too furry!

THEN, like an idiot, I marked the feet with removeable ink to do a little sculpting... didn't test it on the fabric first.  Yep.  Wouldn't come out.  So I thought, hey I have new fabric paint, let's use it instead for something different.  Came out gloopy, looks horrible and feels like the bottom of "footie" PJs.

When do I give up????      Do any of you just keep tredging on when a bear goes all wrong??

Help!  I don't know what to do.

LOOK WHAT I GOT!!!

I can't express how grateful I am.  I got home yesterday to this wonderful package!  And all the Pooh stickers!  I have an obsession for Pooh!   

I spent last night and today making the little teddy there in the middle, tomorrow is my middle girl's birthday and she gets him!  Made from some of the fabric Deb sent.   

OH!!  and all the cotter pin joints I can now make!!!  My mini's I have made in the past were all string jointed.  SUCH a pleasure to use the cotter pins for this little guy.  I'll never go back to string jointing again.   

Yesterday was truly like Christmas!!

I feel so honored.

I got mine!! I got mine!!  HOWEVER... I'm OUT OF TOWN!!  My mother just called to tell me that I got my package...  I'm not there to see my goodies!      I'll have to go home early, I can't wait to see all that I got!!

Thanks again Deborah!!!  You are a living DOLL!

Millie, what a kind offer!!  That would be great and very helpfull.

But don't go out of your way!  I'm not in any type of hurry.  (I don't have the materials to make it yet, just trying to make the pattern first .)  Just whenever you might have time, email me or PM me.   

Wow!  You guys are all great.  I'm so glad my babbling wasn't as babbling as I thought!   

I was even thinking of 2 side pieces, a center belly gusset, and 4 inner legs.  The belly gusset going up to shape the chest area.  I think  having 4 inner legs is what was throwing me off.  2 inner-belly-gusset-legs may get me going in the right direction!! 

I actually think I have a handle on the head!  But then again, I won't be possitive until I put it all down, then sew it all up.

Daphne, love those pics!!  They help a lot!  and so cute, too!

Thanks again, this is the best place for help and guidance on bears and such!!   

You and your family are definitely in my thoughts and prayers.
:pray:   :hug:

Hi All!!  I just have to make a giraffe, don't know why, but I MUST!

I can't seem to get my head around the pattern.  Any help will be appreciated.  So far I've only sketched out the side, not the actual pattern, but the side of the giraffe.  When I make patterns, I like to "wing-it" alot and have it in my head before I sketch out the pattern.  After making my first bear, they all come out about the same and not as hard as the first pattern.  This is not coming to mind very easy. 

I'm thinking I'll need LOTS of pieces for this feller.  The body is what I'm having trouble with.  I'm not asking for a pattern or a link to one, just some one to push me in the right direction!!      Has any one made a girafffe??  Should I make the legs separate like a teddy?  If I do, that would make the whole thing much, MUCH easier, but my goofy head keeps wanting the legs to be a part of the body and the underside gusset or piece is what is troubling me.

I don't think my question is coming out very well!!

Can any one decipher my problem and give me alittle push??

THANKS!!

Not to compare a cat to a dog, but....  when my "baby" dog, (who thinks he's an 80 lb. cat) that  I recused from the pound was "fixed", he was about 2 years old.  We've had him 2 years now and when any females in the area are in heat, we have to try to keep them away from him, and vice versa.  We have (and not to be too descriptive) ... we have had to "turn the water hose on" to , umm, rectify the situation.  So, yes...  having the operation may not deter the actions, just the outcome.   

He is the cutest thing!!!

Yea!  Thank you AGAIN and AGAIN!  Will post photos as soon as something is created.

OH!! OH!!!  yippeee!!!  You are an ABSOLUTE DOLL to begin with, now I get something EXTRA????  I am beside myself with appreciation.  I lurk alot here, but have learned sooo much from everyone here.  And the way everyone helps each other just blows me AWAY!  I was racking my brain trying to think what to send back to you for your generosity, I definitely need to think much harder now.  Thank you again!!

PS - I feel like I just won the lottery!!   

I was just googling today to find boxes for my bears!  I haven't packaged any of mine as creatively as every one else, and I've been thinking I should.

The past couple I've sold (and one I *JUST* finished) come with blankets, so I make sure they are all wrapped up nice and warm for their trip to their new homes.  But otherwise, just plain shipping boxes.  I want to do something neat and this thread is pointing me in the right direction.

I HATE the ears!! Also sewing up the stuffing holes.

But I LOVE    everyother bit of making a bear!

I've had this pretty little bear since Christmas 1985... I can't read the name of the artist, the handwriting is like a doctor's  (if the artist is reading this, I'm sorry!).   The sewn-in tag says, "Classic Creations Handcrafted by (and I'm guessing as best as I can) Ann Kynion 9-5-85"   The hanging tag on the inside starts by saying, " This bear is designed and handcrafted in the Ozarks... ".  Her name is "Maria".

Anyone recongize the name, if the artist's name is right or close to right?  I hate to ask, but (and I hope I don't get in trouble for saying this here) I am *THINKING*, only thinking, of selling her.  And want to give proper credit.

Also, she's been in a bookcase for a LOOOOOOOOOOONNG time and can someone point me to hints on properly cleaning a bear that you are not quite sure the material is made of?

Thanks for any help!

PS... forgot to say that the reason I'm thinking of selling is that I'm ready to finally purchase my first bit of mohair.... scary... but I must have some!!

Thanks everyone!  This place is great.   

This fellow is just so different from what I've done before.  I've got his ears on, he's no longer earless.  Now... to figure out my dad's camera for a better shot of him...

I found this forum by searching for information on needle felting.  I hadn't tried it, but wanted to.  After finding SOO much wonderful information and inspiration on here, I ran out and bought some needles.  Being that I'm a SAHM and homeschool-mom, I have no extra money for materials and I "make-do" with what I can.  I had no roving, but HAD to start playing.  So I grabbed some curling wool just to get the feel of the needles.  WELL... 2 hours later and I had what looked like a full paw-pad.  Next thing ya' know, I have a set of four...

So I grabbed my graph paper and sketched a quick pattern AROUND the paw-pads, not even thinking twice about purportion.  The only fabric I had was some green curly "stuff" I found a few weeks ago, and I LOVE 'cause it was so silky.  (Thought I'd make a pillow out of it.)  The fabric fought and fought me... "fur" was EVERYWHERE!!  Well.. to make this long post shorter, here's two pics of what came out of it!  Totally different from any teddy I've made before. (He has no ears yet, I forgot to sketch them, that's how excited and impatient I was... )

Sorry about the quality and background of the pics, but I just had to share!!

All comments will be greatly appreciated!

Ann

Ok... since I'm new, let's see if I do this right.   

(I'm not much of a photographer, sorry!)
Ciannait is 4", made from "fuzzy felt" I found and LOVE!  I made her for Hunter's (my daughter) 10th BDay.  She won a pink ribbon (Honorable Mention) at the State Fair of Texas this year.  She's on display there right now for all fellow Texans that might be heading out to the fair.   

Hi all!  My first post to look at after introducing myself in the "new members"... and it's about a "friend" of mine from the doll-makers' list I'm a member of!  It's she wonderful!?!?  All of her dolls are great, but this one is breath-taking!