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Posts: 751No please don't cut me off!! 
I can't wait for the spring to really arrive because when it does I will go and sit in the grounds of our local museum and do my sewing there.
The grounds are really beautiful, they have a little cafe in the museum and it is a great way of meeting people as their curiousity gets the better of them and they come over to enquire what I am doing. Its lovely.
Karon
This is a great question my dear - yes I do my bear-making every-where I go, I've a little brown bag with all neccessary things inside and another little bag for the parts of the "bear in project" - I love it to sit f.e. in a waitroom at the doctor and do my bear-making - when people are watsching so strange and asking themselves - what the hell is she doing there????? It's really funny - and I can't stop making my bears.
Two years ago, when my Mom had to stay in the hospital I visited her day by day and stood there for about 5 hours - well what should I do for all this time, just holding her hand and looking at her ........ oh no, it was more funny for her watching me working my bears and she was happy while chating with me about all and everything.
So our bears are joy-bringers everwhere from the very beginning moment ..............
Hope to read some more from all you TT-friends
I have definitely made my bears in public places. 
One of my favorite times was when I lived in the West Los Angeles / Santa Monica area of California and I would go down to the pier at Santa Monica beach. I settled myself on a picnic bench on the huge pier and watched the people as they had lunch, rode carnival rides, enjoyed looking out to sea...it was really neat there. I remember working on a bear I called Crumpet; he was probably about 8 inches tall. I'll always remember him as the bear I finished on the pier.
Over the years, I know that I have worked on bear parts in waiting rooms--what better way to pass the time? And I used to take bears to work on when I worked in an office; I had lunch at my desk and stuffed bears too. 
~Debora
DENBY BEARS:crackup: no, I can't say that I have. But I have worked on other crafts at craft shows, such as painting or cross stitch, or chrochet. I have taken things to work, but not the bears, I seem to think there is too much detail to be interupted by. Maybe being a novice, makes me insecure. Too many pieces and tools to take with me. But maybe when I just show my bears at a show I will bring the work. I do tend to sew most on the machine now that I have my beautiful Featherweight machine. Its a beauty and small so the sewing goes so quick. Maybe I will have to give it a go when the weather gets nicer and I can go to the park. That might be a good idea. 
The Littlest ThistleI have made a few mini bear parts, and heads in the office, which amuses my mostly male colleagues. I will also be taking bear parts to Ireland with me this weekend, although won't be able to do anything on the plane as the needles etc will have to be checked in *sigh*
yes!! I've just started bringing my bears to work on at our library. It has a great "quiet room" overlooking a river and has a fireplace too. If I'm using my sewing machine or stuffing then I get one of the glass walled "study rooms" It's been a great way to get out of the house yet still get work done.
Tuppies TeddiesYes, I have too....when I do the craft markets I take a work in progress with me.
One bear I finished at a market and she sold that day so I asked the customer to take a piccie and email it to me, which she did.
Also when we go caravanning the bears to make are always the first to be packed.....fellow caravanners have walked over to see what I am doing.....a great ice breaker in meeting and greeting new people..
BrisbaneWhen I take the train down to the Gold coast for workshops or shows I always take along something to sew.
---
Therese
Benson BearsIt's such a shame we can no longer take the neccessaries onto planes with us, especially long hauls......such wasted time! I often work on bears in public places 
Yes, I work on my bears whenever I'm going to the doctor or taking the kids to an appointment. I usually just bring a head and work on embroidering the nose. Since I make bigger bears, it's the easiest. But, I have had deadlines and have brought entire HUGE bears to appointments. I get strange looks and sometimes questions. I remember one time when my daughter was getting her wisdom teeth removed, I brought a bear to work on. One of the office staff has been given an antique bear from her friends collection when she passed away. So, we really had something to chat about. I made sure to bring her a bear magazine when we came to the follow up appointment.
Hugs,
Alison
Fulrfun BearsI always carry a bit of bear with me as I never know when I will be waiting somewhere! Someof the odderplaces have been out in the desert on a camping weekend and at speedway! Although I will admit that now that I have an ebook it gets taken out more than the bears.
Debora I had to smile reading your post - of course I take along my bears also to the beach in Italy when we are on holyday and so many of my bears were born there - people know me already for years (as we love to come to the same appartement year by year) and when they come along they love to have a little chat and see my bears grow.
Bearmaking in all different places is so funny and I enjoy it really very much!
LOL Clare!!! I bring my ebook reader along too a LOT... love it!
Posts: 751Laura Lyn
I envy you working in the library with your sewing machine - they wouldn't allow that here, Sounds lovely!
Karon
Sometimes I'll bring cat heads and work on them at the airport (coloring). Most people look in horror until I explain they're not real 
Usually I try to hide what I'm doing so I don't upset people.
Karen
Andrea, I can just picture you at the beach in Italy working on your bears. :dance: Wish I could join you there! 
Oh I too carry a little bag around with sewing in, never know when you can fit an odd seam or two in :lol:, in the car, sometimes on the bus or train. When I go on holiday I cut out bears to take even before I pack my clothes, and if I sit in the bar in hotel on holiday it might come out, I get bored stressed somehow without it especially if I am just sat somewhere.
Pauline
'Bear' Bottoms OriginalsI have worked on bears occasionally in public, but I do A LOT of bear making out on my back porch on nice days. Since we live on an Army base, neighbors are never far away, and frequently new... My next door neighbor has gotten used to it and the day before yesterday I overheard my 9 year old, Gabrielle, telling her "mom is working on a new bear" to which she replied "yeah I saw her carrying around an arm or leg or something earlier...." lol
Great question - yes, I have often worked on my bears, when traveling on the ferry, always great to make use of ones time.
Hugs
Carolyn
near CologneWell.. I can't remember having worked on a bear in the public, as I feel a little uncomfortable when everybody is looking at me, but... I had to take the train some months before (3 hours of train.. x.X) and was so bored that I put out some of my doll parts to sew them. I was glad that there weren't too much persons, but nevertheless the guy in front of me looked at me quiet irritated lol
Little Leaf Bears by ShannaI have on occasion, but plan on doing more of it as I'm going to be in Rhode Island for the summer. I can't wait to do bears at the beach!
Karen,
that's funny that people think it's a real cat! You must be flattered that they are just that realistic!
Shanna
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Absolutely! It's the greatest ice-breaker!
I had an absolutely STELLAR moment yesterday - we're here visiting in AZ (see you Thursday, J, J & A!) and Don's camera quit.
He researched a new one and decided to get one at the Best Buy near where we'll meet: I took along a couple of in-progress pcs so I could check on the macro capabilities, then needle on them during the drive - - and if he decided he had other browsing to do in the store.
I was focusing down to an inch & a half on one grizzly and the sales girl came up to us, asking "Oh, do you make these needle felted bears?"
I about fell over!
I've never known a complete stranger to recognize this genre. She recommended I put them on etsy if I didn't have another outlet, as she sees & buys the BEST Artist OOAK work there. I did tell her these weren't $20 beanie-baby types and she replied "Oh I knew that. And I've seen handmade leather belt and purses there for well over a thousand $$$$... so yours would not be out of place there."
It was so nice to find that someone outside your usual circle of friends is becoming aware of a relatively new fiber art format!
One of the largest Fiber Art Shows agents in the Northern Illinois area host a series of DIIP (Do-It-In-Public) spots in coffee-houses, bookstores, etc... throughout the year, where everyone is free to drop in on the chosen day/night/Sat/Sun and bring their spinning/knitting/weaving/embroidery/lucet/tatting/bear-work/feltwork — anything involving textiles and it really makes others aware that these aren't little old granny crafts but that their alive and thriving!
I used to look around huge arenas as we attended concerts or sports events and think "Gosh, if some ppl were to start just a few rows of a scarf or simple sweater and pass it on, and everyone worked just a few more sts or a few more rows before passing it on again, there would be a continuous supply of snuggy warm hats/scarves/sweaters for those in need and it would cost the rest of us nothing but a few minutes of our time... by the time the event is over we could have produced up to 50 items, while we were doing nothing anyway!"
Too Polly-anish? Oh well - I still think it could work....it just hasn't been implemented yet.
We're so Lucky to have 'busy' work that travels easily in a purse or pocket!
The Littlest ThistleThank you Bobbie, you've just given me a great idea to pop along to the make-it-on-Sunday group that meets at the fabric shop I get most of my sewing stuff from (they don't do mohair or anything like that though) I wonder if I can find some people to work with or that may help me dress my bears... hmmmm
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Katy, that's a great idea!
Would you be interested in some ideas for some simple costuming/dressing ideas that take very little actual sewing, like seaming and finishing?
I wrote a clothing line series last year for a group for miniatures like this and the ideas could be easily adapted to any size. I'm involved for the next month in bear work however; if you can send me your address off list I'll be happy to mail you print copies, which I'll print off after the middle of June. I'm sure your sewing circle might like these too, as they're easily adaptable to doll clothes or whatever.
As you're way over in Scotland, please just ask them not to offer my trademarked pattern work anywhere for sale! You're free to use the items in anyway, just don't sell the patterns.
The Littlest ThistleThank you Bobbie, I'll pm you
