Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Michelle
Thank you for that link. Great to be able to watch how it's done.  Pictures and instructions aren't necessarily enough.

Hi Jamir,
You did well for your first attempt.
I only do a tiny bit of felting on my bunny noses and sometimes a bit around the eyes, mainly because I keep stabbing myself. I'm hopeless, my fingers just keep getting in the way. Blood stains on a white bunny, not attractive. Haha.
Keep up the good work.

Hi Plush Puppy,
Are you definitely using the correct glue? Not sure what it is for the eyes and cording.

I use a tacky glue to stick mohair to polymer clay, I've been trying to put fur bodies onto some polymer clay monkeys I have, and it sticks quite well. I'm real messy with glue, so as you said , it's probably just a case of keep on practicing.

Hi  Plush Puppy
My understanding is that you still need to pull them thru with thread, I think the glue is only to hold the cord in place, not the to hold the actual eye.. I could be wrong, but that's what I thought one did?

Oh so gorgeous.

So cute, luv the eyes.

That's great. You have a lovely evening too.

Hi Kayx,
Careful, can be a trap getting too attached to your creations, haha, I did, and haven't sold one since 2004.haha

She's so sweet.

and so cute.

Hi plush puppy,
Mine was actually a resale on eBay from a collector.

I had a good look at my little girls eyes. She doesn't have lids or cording, looks more like she has needle felted the actual mohair  round the rim of the eys, then shaded it , I'm guessing with paint. Looks good. My little girl looks a lot like the medium short haired yorkie on her current website, not the long haired one.

Meanwhile I've picked up some wire, my rabbits may get an Eye Lift haha

Hi Plush Puppy,
Know what you mean, still luv to look though, well beyond my means too.
That's why I thought all my xmas' s had come at once when I spotted the pre luved yorkie on eBay. Went at a fraction of the cost of a new one. Couldn't believe the seller let her go for the price. She's one of my prized treasure's haha

So glad you brought up this topic, I've just gotten some very helpful information too.

Hi Joanne
Stunning bears.
Thank you so much for the tip on the eyes. I tried cord a while back on one of my larger rabbits, (mainly do mini's) didn't really know what I was doing , so nearly ruined him. Teds etc , have do much more detail  it's hard to catch up after all these years with what's new. What you just described may work for me too. Yeh.

Thank you so much.

This is the sort of look I'm trying to get:

http://www3.telus.net/pococritters/arch … my0085.JPG

Wow, what a lovely photo. Sorry can't really help, but if you luv puppies have you ever come across Tammy's site, her dogs are ADORABLE .
http://www.myfureverfriend.com/index.html

I was incredibly lucky to pick up a pre loved  yorkie on eBay a while back,  she is adorable.

That is so cute, I luv the face.

Hi Kayx
What a little cute.

Hi Zorka love the expression on his face.

What a sweet little bear.

Hi Rin,
You do need a good quality upholstery velvet with a grid back like the sassy's.
I think nowadays a lot of the velvets are used for paw pads rather than for mini's and don't  really have a pile. Don't hold me to that because I haven't had to buy any for years. I went nuts when I first discovered I could make mini's and ended up with half a small suitcase full. It was very inexpensive  so I put away for a rainy day. Going to need thunder storms every day for me to ever use it up haha.
The sassy I really think would be too bulky for a Ted as tiny as the ones above. A fabric similar to the one I used works really well for a wee Ted , I'm currently doing a wee one with another one of my old velvets, it actually has a pile longer than the gold I used above, but not as long as the sassy.  It does have a bit of a sheen though. Came in a number of great pastel colours.  Just checked the website I originally bought them from , couldn't find the fabric anymore. If you get stuck finding fabric, let me know.

That bunny is actually a sassy fabric, he's about 2 1/2 inches tall from toes to top of head, 3 inches with ears.
I luv doing bunnies.  I've got well over a dozen of  them in sizes ranging from the 3 inches up to about a foot tall.
I enjoy xmas and easter, I do my teddy display cabinets to match xmas and easter themes. Starting on my xmas one shortly. Sort of takes one back to their childhood. Haha

She photograph's beautifully. Lovely bear.

Oh, so sweet.

Really cute, luv the eyes. Such a serious expression for a puppy. Haha

Very sweet, Conni. Definitely has that vintage look about her.

Hi Rin,
I'd just be a bit careful handling the weights. I'm guessing they have that covering over them to stop you touching the lead.
A couple of the articles I read gave the impression that the problem is if you ingest it ie gets swallowed, or gets handled , and especially with kiddies , they then put their fingers in their mouth. Not good.

I really wouldn't like to advise what is ok and what isn't.

Tiny teds shouldn't be given to kiddies as they're not safe. Regardless of what they're stuffed with.

Me personally, if I was doing a ted for myself, the lead probably wouldn't worry me, if I was doing one to give away or sell, I'd probably keep useing this weird stuff called Bengal bay garnet, it's like a course sand and the weight is really heavy, heavier than glass beads. Not fond of the colour , but doesn't appear to show thru. I'm just one of those overly cautious people, drive my hubby nuts. Haha

Hi Rin ,
I can relate to that. 
I tend to find anything over 8 inches, I can't get a cute expression. Also my least favourite part is stuffing bears, so the less stuffing involved , the better. Haha.
Tweezers, never thought of that. I use the stick thingo from my heated rollers. Works ok too. Though  recently  I found  a stuffing tool for miniatures, except for the ridiculously large handle, the specially designed end of it ,pokes the stuffing in really well.