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As I remember (and I probably don't), Buttercup doesn't know why either! :lol:
Sorry, but it's so hot here my brain is melting.
Eileen
It's the same over here, Jane 
High 80s with higher humidex. I hate it.
I came home from a walk to the grocery story yesterday literally pouring perspiration. I must have left a trail!! Maybe a small brook . . .
I have to hose down the dogs twice a day. After each soaking, they stretch out in front of the fans until the next soak.
The only coolish spot in my house right now is the basement. I'm living down here until the heat breaks.
Eileen
Shelli, the cold-room in my basement is full of furs, and I can't resist trying them on from time to time! Funny though, I no longer think of them as coats--they're my babies. After winning some on Ebay, I found a local vintage-fur seller who's willing to sell them to me in quantity. Some of them have damaged bits, but the fur and pelts are in good shape. Last time I saw him, I got 10 coats/jackets for $200.
I was a little creeped out, Kim, the first time I opened up a coat and saw where the little pelts had been seamed together.
Kelly, I've been reading Nancy's Teddy Bears with a Past on making real fur bears, and she embroiders noses on pelts. I have no idea where I got the notion that you couldn't, but if it works for Nancy and your Mom, maybe Shelli & I should give it a try?
Eileen
What a great bit of info, Kim :D
Washers in the right size aren't the easiest things to find, and just TRY explaining what they're for to your average local hardware guy. 
even when you've known him for 20+ years and he knows you're fairly straight . . .
Eileen
Your mom's bears (and noses) are amazing, Kelly I especially love the little heart-tummied panda.
But how can she keep the nose stitches so close and not shred the pelt? I still don't get it. Your mom needs to join our forums. . .
Eileen
Nance,
My husband has Norton and loves it. It seems Windows has changed its mind about McAfee, but I think McAfee is winning.
Eileen
WOOHOO! :lol:
I just got my copy of Nancy's Teddy Bears With a Past. Time to learn what I should have been doing all along.
I do love the postman . . . .
Eileen
That is a great nose idea!
I posted my mink bear some time back, but still don't have a really good photo to share.
Anyway, I made a nose of leather, opened the snout again, and inset it with a bit of glue and stitching. On my second fur bear I made another leather nose, but this time cut away all the inner bulk from the leather nose and glued/stitched it on top of the snout. The second way was certainly easier!
First time through, it hadn't yet occurred to me that I couldn't embroider a nose on leather/pelt. :rolleyes:
Eileen
Great topic! :D
I don't have any advice to offer, but I'm delighted to hear that large bears sell well. I've been afraid they wouldn't.
No matter how huggable they look, the little guys are hard to get your hug around. At least on eBay, there seems to be a demand for the tiniest possible critter.
Eileen
What a nightmare, Nance :(
So sorry you had to go through that. I'm really surprised that Microsoft supports such a nasty thing (or am I?)
There are lots of 'free spyware!' popups on the web, but my hub insisted that I get McAfee's whole bundle, including anti-spyware, anti-virus, anti-spam and a really strict privacy protection system. He's afraid I'm going to give away the family identity and plunge us all into financial ruin. So far so good, it's certainly working, but I do find that it's in a constant state of war with Windows, even after I got advice on setting default systems.
I had a less serious experience than yours with a cute little graphics program some time ago. It more or less ate everything else, and got its little claws deep into the operating system. Apparently it's a well known Nasty, and I managed to Google lots of good advice on disabling it. Wish I could remember the name of the thing, but I seem to have repressed it.
Eileen
Great info, Nanc Thanks!!
There's a much better supply of beading stuff than sewing stuff here in Hogtown. I've found it hard to track down curved needles with small diameter shafts, but the beaders ought to be just about right.
Eileen
Nance,
I can't wait to see your latest Yorkie? When does the listing start?
You actually anticipated my next question--experience with black dyes. It makes sense to me to use the best, and black was exactly what I was wondering about. I got some really nice black pieces on sale, but they're not always the same quality/finish as my whites. I'm thinking panda, here. :/
The only experience I've had with black dye was probably Rit, way back in college when I decided I needed some [INVALID] black undies but couldn't afford it and ended up dying some nice bras and panties and slips I already had. I'm here to tell you that mottled charcoal grey is absolutely not [INVALID]--but it probably preserved my virtue for a while longer!! :rolleyes:
Eileen
Ahhh 
That sounds really good to me, right now Danni!
Hot and humid in Toronto,
Eileen
I have to say that though I'd never wear it, I think there's nothing more beautiful than fur. I love the idea of reclaiming vintage coats that would otherwise have no life except maybe stoking someone's vanity, and turning them back into cuddly animals. If challenged, that's pretty much what I'd say.
And if some PETA-addled person attacked my bears, I'd really have to wrestle him to the ground and whup him good. That's just me.
Eileen
Hayley,
It was under "Goiter", a thread that I started when I was having trouble with my neck.
Eileen
Sue Ann,
I would definitely buy the 2" in almost any color. It's a perfect length for grizzlies and other shaggy types, plus dogs and cats and bunnies. Your bear is amazing, by the way. The longer fur makes a great bear outstanding. How about a nice PrePak, hmmmm? Introductory pricing?
I think Marble's fur would sell, but maybe not in such quantities.
A blend of mohair and viscose . . . I don't know. There's mohair and there's high quality synthetic, and I'd buy one or the other, but I'm not confident that a combination would sell.
Eileen
Force as in "May the Force be with you" Shelli! :D
We'd miss it if you stopped!
Eileen
I forgot to say that the stretching tip is designed for wool sweaters. I don't know if it would work at all on synthetics.
Eileen
Kim-Bee,
Turkey Stitch, or Turkey Work is an old embroidery stitch. You alternate 'locking stitches' (flat) with loops (loopy). When you're done, you can clip the loops and brush the floss/wool out to make fur. Here's a link with a diagram:
http://webstitch.designwest.com/stitch02.html#turkey1
I've been considering, sometime soon, of 'furring' a naked bear with turkey stitch. That's about as far as I've gone.
Winney, I think I'd unravel the sweater first wind it into a hank, and then soak the yarn in fabric softener. Plain water might also do the trick, but the softener might help. Once it's dried, the yarn ought to have lost its kink. As a matter of fact, I just might recycle a few sweaters that way. I have a bad habit of catching sweaters on door handles . . . :/
Eileen
This is all great information :D
I guess I'm still a bit afraid of my mohair. Afraid of ruining it, that is. You're right Dilu. If it can't stand a little torture, it's not going to last 100 years or so on a bear, much less survive turning and stuffing and all that. I'll be braver from now on. 
I've got to buy the mohair on sale because I pay 15% tax plus a $5 handling fee when it arrives :mad:
I got busted the other day when my hubby met the postman at the door, but once I opened the box and started playing with my new stash, I didn't care . . . blissed out.
I've also stretched sweaters using hair conditioner--I found this tip by a websearch when I bought my son-in-law sweaters for Christmas that were too short in the body and arms. I used very warm water, and it worked like magic.
Rather than buying $300/yd mohair for a small piece, I'd be tempted to follow Winney's advice, and use fur on skin or needlefelt some roving. It ought to be possible to needlefelt yarn and then comb out the plies, right? Or you could embroider turkey stitch on the head, cut the loops and brush it out.
I've got a bag of silver mohair fleece and one of black/grey/brown Lincoln Locks that I couldn't resist because they were so beautiful. I haven't quite figured out where I want to use them yet, but I will . . .heck, I've got a small collection of birds' nests in frames, so why not fleece?
Eileen
Wait a minute here . . . :/
One to three inches is "larger". Yoiks. What's "tiny"?
Eileen
