Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I thought I'd jump in on this one.  It's gonna sound complicated (sorry).

I don't have any software that guides me into a design, but I do use my computer to change my existing patterns.

A while ago I scanned my current pattern into CorelDRAW, and "redrew" each piece as a "curve", and then deleted the original scanned versions.  I am left with digitally stretchable, editable pattern pieces. (One side effect - you'll get pretty good at creating and editing vector based curves!)

This is really GREAT when I want to fit the biggest bear possible onto a piece of fabric.  I make a new blank "page" the size of the fabric (I am not printing this out!), then I plop all the "pieces" on top, and arrange them as tightly as possible. 

If it turns out I have more room, I select all the pieces and "drag" them larger!  Easy and satisfying.  When they fit the way I want, I copy them onto regular 8.5x11 "pages" and print them out.

Now, I made one boo boo originally - I didn't remove the seam allowance from my pieces when I scanned them in, so as I enlarge them now, the seam allowances are getting all out of proportion!  I may start over, if I ever feel like it.   :doh:

I know this makes no sense if you're not into graphics, but it's not really all that hard to do.     And I love it!
Lynne

Thanks guys! 
It really means a lot to get compliments from you all.  Makes me feel all bubbly inside!   

My sister deserves him!  She is always there for me, and the rest of the family too.  It's funny, there's always someone in my family that gets a bear for Christmas.  She gave me the Bialosky Teddy Bear calendar (I asked for it!).  We rarely have any Christmas surprises, so her bear was a really special gift.
Lynne

I made my first bear in 1984, and started experimenting with my own patterns shortly after.  I've made 46 bears so far, approximately (I did a quick count). 

I sold 6 bears in a shop locally in 1987 or so.  No fun working on commission!  And I hated sewing the requested clothing!   

I used mostly fabric store acrylic from '84 to '87, when I kind of slowed down.  I had ordered a teeny bit of mohair by mail, sight unseen (pre internet!) and didn't really like it, or the way it sewed up.  My old pattern looked awful in mohair!

I made a few here and there through the '90s, for friends.  I didn't really start up again until 2003, when I made a bear for a play and ordered my first mohair online!  Love online mohair shopping!!     :dance:   :dance:   :dance:   

Teddy Talk has made a huge difference in my bears!  I have learned so much here.  My style may be the same, but the finish is so much more professional thanks to you all!  :hug: 
Lynne

Hi,

I wanted to share a photo of my latest bear, "Sandy".  He's 12", and made from Intercal's Kid 2H mohair.  He is really heavy for his size - I got carried away with the BBs. 

He was a Christmas gift to my sister Joanne, who is a bigtime bear collector.  He was a surprise, and she loves him and tells me that she's been carrying him around her house since Christmas.

Of course, he wasn't finished until just before midnight on the 24th!!  She kept coming over to my house in the days before, and all I could think of was "when is she going home so I can get to work on her bear!!??"     (His paw pad shading might still have been a little not-quite-dry on Christmas day.)

The photo isn't good, but it poured with rain on Christmas, so he got a plain old flash photo.  My sister says that she can bring him back over to have his "official" portrait taken.   That's good, because I miss him!

Lynne

Wow - I am so surprised that so many people take their tree down so soon.  Our family always put ours up around Dec. 10 or so, and took it down in the first week of Jan. like many of you all....

This year is a first for me... I'm using my sister's 25 year old artificial tree.   

It was onstage in my local  theater company's Christmas show until Dec. 3rd, when I tossed it into the back of a truck and brought it home, lights and all.  I hate putting the lights on!  It was so sad looking when it got here, but it's beautiful now!   

I'm leaving it up until mid FEBRUARY this year!!       because it is going back into a truck and back onstage for our next play!!  I had no idea that our March play had a Christmas scene too.   It's for "The Man Who Came To Dinner".  I guess I should have watched the old movie.

If I take it down before then, I'll only have to put up with it laying around, undecorated. I don't have anywhere to store it.  :doh: 

I love the dreamy quality of a lit tree in a darkened room. So peaceful.  (I will take down the other decorations soon though.)

Still loving Christmas!
Lynne

Hi,

I am using AT&T's dialup, and I've been really happy with it. It's very dependable and it offers an "accellerator" program that is optional that is supposed to speed things up. (I can't use it because it conflicted with one of my other programs) I think they are at www.att.net  You can do their  email through your homepage, or using Outlook Express - whichever you like best.  I use Outlook Express 'cause I'm used to it.

The info page for ATT ISP is http://download.att.net/

I might (fingers crossed) be moving out into "the country", and I looked into cable (there isn't any) and DirecTV.  My boyfirend has DSL now, so I looked up the DirecTV's satellite ISP, and it is $59.99 a month    and only $599.98 for installation !!!!!        OH well.

We haven't actually put in an offer on the house yet.  Our offer is probably going to be too low.  I am trying not to get my hopes up too much (not successfully  )  I wanna have horses before I get too much older!

Watching my hair get grayer...
Lynne

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted much lately.  Work schedule's been tough -BUT I have to read this forum or go nuts!

Matilda, I hope you don't mind...  :redface:

So...  I GOOGLED "Ice Magic" and this is what I came up with:
"If you're as old as me then you will probably be able to remember Ice Magic Chocolate Sauce. When I was young Ice Magic was a novelty as when the thick chocolate sauce was poured over ice cream it immediately set so that it was rock solid, and as the spoon was dug into its smooth surface the chocolate cracked into small pieces adding an unusual taste texture to the ice cream."

There is something like this available here in the US, but I can't remember the name..  Not very helpful, I'm afraid. And the recipe looks like you need both white chocolate and milk chocolate flavors.  I hope I am not messing this up, Matilda!

Double cream can be best explained by one of our British friends, I think.  ( I've never seen it in person - I gotta go to England!    ) The internet says "Double cream is the British term for heavy or whipping cream in the United States, but it is a little thicker than our whipping cream."

It all sounds mighty good to me!  I'm off to have a snack.  Hershey's dark chocolate with almonds!  :dance:
Lynne

What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL tiger!!   :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :dance:  :dance: I love him!!

He is just glows!    I am guessing (I've no airbrush experience) that the paint is pretty transparent - so light bounces off the white "ground" of fur underneath - just like in a painting.   :rose:

He looks lit from within - truly lovely work!!  :rose:
Oh boy would he get my vote - I bet that he'll win first place in both!

Lynne

Woo hoo!   :clap:  :dance:  :hug: Sarah and Danni, I bet you can't stop smiling!! You both deserve a big hand!  :clap:
It's great that you will get an even wider audience for your beautiful bears!  :teddybear:
Lynne

Absolutely lovely!    What a wonderful expression - and I agree her "hair" is perfect!   :clap:  :dance:
Lynne

Yay for Dilu, our Golly ambassador to the world!   :clap:  :rose:

Congrats!
Lynne

Hi all,

I just had to share this - I opened my "Weekly Web Specials" email from Intercal, and scrolled down...  and there was my own bear Tumbleweed!!!   :dance:  :clap:    If there was a bug-eyed smiley, I'd use it! I was so surprised.  I am so tickled!!

I have been giggling to myself ever since!  And I am trying to think of a few more friends that I can forward the email to. 

I don't mean to start another thread about my bear, I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU  to Intercal!  This is a big thrill for me.
Hugs to all!   :hug:  :dance:  :hug:
Lynne

He's definitely got your style!  Absolutely ADORABLE!  :clap:
Lynne

Thanks everybody!

This little guy was a joy to make.
Matilda, the fabric I used is Intercal's KID2/H 5/8" semi-sparse kid mohair in Honey Tan w/Dark Back.

He looks a little rumpled.  The fabric was lovely and fluffy after rinsing it out, but my bears do always end up looking like the dog has been chewing on them!!    Always!

Looks like he needs a hairdresser, or some mousse!  But then he wouldn't be "tumbleweed".  :teddybear:
Lynne

Hi!
This little guy is finally done!  I am calling him "Tumbleweed" because of his generally disheveled appearance.  He's 12" tall and mad from one of my ever evolving paterns.  He's a keeper.

I had the most fun making him!!  That's thanks to everyone here at the forum - with this bear I tried every new technique I could squeeze in, and had a great time!  (Can't wait to start another.    )

A special thanks for teaching me how to make better bears:
A rinse with conditioner (Dilu  ),
Trimming the fur from seam allowance - scary but works GREAT!
Marking the seam allowances on the footpads for more accurate guiding through the machine,
A wire armature in his arms - thanks Laura Lynn and Kristine Holmberg!
The RIGHT STUFFING for the nose and head - big yay on this one!  :clap:
BB tips and sources - I got mine at KMart
Ear attaching tips - the best, most secure I've ever sewed! Thanks Shelli and everybody on that topic,
Oil paint for shading - a first for me, worked perfectly!  Thanks again Shelli,
Beeswax on the nose, from a recent topic.  Thanks to everyone for specific how-tos (this used to scare me, but no more!)

I am so very thankful for this forum and all the wonderful members  :clap:    Your willingness to share your knowledge has brought me back into bearmaking, and I am loving evey minute of it.  Big BIG HUGS to ALL!!  :dance: :dance:

Sorry for being so longwinded  :redface:
Lynne 

Hi everybody,

As a collector, I've always chosen bare bears because I love the feel of mohair, and I am a traditionalist, I guess.  That said, I absolutely LOVE the bears that you ladies have been putting up.    :clap:  I want them all!  :doh:

As a bearmaker, the only bears I ever made to sell in a bear shop (50% commission!  ) they wanted DRESSED.  Now, I don't sew clothes well!  So my poor babies had really BORING, yucky clothing.    The shop was happy, but I was not.  I wish I was as creative as you all.   Lately my bears get a bow, if they're lucky, poor things.

I agree that for me making the clothes takes twice as long as making the bear!  Much more frustrating!!!

But I'd really like to try knitting the leggings that Jenny's bear wears!  Does anybody have a knitting pattern that is similar? I'm a novice knitter.
Lynne

Oh Dilu!!  Gosh that is amazing and awful! 

Reminds me of when I was quite small, my mother ran the sewing machine needle through her thumb near the nail.  She was really calm (though it was bleeding like crazy). She took the needle out of the machine (!) and since I was the only other person around, she had little me hold the pliers to pull it out!!   AAAaaaagh!   But she was very calm the whole time, and I admit, I am still VERY respectful of the power of the ol' machine!

"Don't drip on the BEAR!" I gotta put that on the wall in the sewing room! I poke myself really well at least once with every bear.

Hope your finger heals without being a bother, and that your old headaches behave themselves too!
Lynne

Another interesting topic!  I probably have you all beat for awful hours.  I am a true night owl - I go to sleep at around 7 AM (yes, AM) and get up around 3 or 4 in the afternoon.  I've always been this way, and even though I am "all growed up" for goodness sakes, I still get criticized for it.
Boy am I touchy about this!  I do my best work overnight - so what!!  Grrrr.  

I agree with Heather and Daphne - working in the quiet is really nice.

I work at home most days, but when I am working at the studio (a big steel warehouse without air conditioning) in the summer you HAVE to work after the sun goes down!  That is what gets me that out of tune with the rest of the world.  In winter I try to wake up at least a few more hours earlier so I see some daylight!  :P
Lynne
PS My newest bear is all sewn but am waiting for right sized eyes to arrive from Intercal!  Pics to come!

I don't like movies - not sure why.  Except for old BnW classics on AMC or Turner Classics.

TV is a mixed bag for me.  My boyfriend got me hooked on "24" and "House" last year.  And I watch Animal Planet and HGTV all the time.  There aren't enough old style shows on PBS anymore!  "The Duchess of Duke Street" is being rerun here and I love it!  I still like Antiques Roadshow and Masterpiece Theater. 

I watch old reruns of ancient Dr. Who each Saturday night.  Eileen, I'm glad to see that someone else loves MST3K.   I watch the Baltimore Orioles play baseball every night (in season), I can't help it, I'm a lifelong fan.  And I can work at the computer or sew while they play.

My biggest "must see" is...  anime cartoons on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.  InuYasha is my absolute favorite.   I am way too old for anime, but I love it.  I'd like to make a mohair "Kilala" (She's a two tailed golden saber toothed cat!) :D
Lynne

I'm sure she will improve very quickly with all these powerful prayers!!!  Giant hugs for both of you!!
Lynne

Hi all,

You can count me as one who likes growlers.  I think I've only put a few in bears, maybe 20 years ago.  But my first "serious" bear that I bought (love at first sight) was a 32cm Steiff who, yes, sounds like a sheep.

But what I really like is when I am dragging him around, in a tote bag, to the theater, wherever, he occasionally out of the blue says a little something.  Just to remind me that he's there.   He is my mascot, and by now everyone I know expects to see him with me.  My little eccentricity!

I remember buying him, how it made me a little weak in the knees to spend 60 bucks on a "toy" (excuse the expression ;))!!   Do you all remember buying your first "collector" bear??  And didn't people think you were crazy?
Lynne

This is a nice thread.  I am on the right, in the checked shirt, and my bear is the panda in the unfortunate t-shirt that the boy on the left is holding.  My little sister is in the middle (on a large sit-upon turtle), and our neighbor John is at left.  (I wonder what ever happened to him?)  I also see my sister's rubber faced monkey doll.  He's still around too.  Taken around 1968 or so.

The second photo shows my old Panda in the middle, with my absolute favorite yellow elephant (who came from Goodwill) on the right.  On the left is a little FLAT teddy that I sewed on my Mom's machine when I was about 8 or 9 years old.  He has glued on fabric eyes, nose and mouth. I wanted a Winnie the Pooh so badly that I made my own.  My first official ARTIST BEAR! :lol:

Lynne

Hi Sarah!

I am glad to meet another Jack Russell lover!  My last dog lived until age 14 and was a terror until the very last.  Loved being underground, and was the best ball catcher I've ever known.  My Cody, now, doesn't understand anything about playing ball!

The photo shows my old Gyp at least 10 years ago, with a rag doll I made tied onto her back.  She was playing ball, completely ignoring the doll!  She would rear up like a horse, and take off after the ball at full speed, with the poor cowboy doll hanging on for dear life!!!   Just watching his long hair flop as he rode was hysterical.  The photo is taken off a video, and it is so funny to watch, you'd better go to the bathroom first!!

I miss my old Gyp.  My fierce girl.  But my new sweet boy Cody (in the previously posted photo) has certainly filled the hole in my heart!! 

Keep the petstuff coming, you all!
Lynne

PS - I will be starting a new bear this week!  Hooray!

How about "Teddy"???:lol:
Such a cutie!!

Lynne

Hi Garnet,
Thanks for keeping us informed.  Add my {{Hug}} to Louise's hugs collection from Teddy Talk. Get well soon!
Take care,
Lynne