Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I have had the opposite problem. When I want to put a colorful eye in, the bear just doesn't seem to look right until I choose a black on. Although I do have a hard time to keep from putting white felt behind them all.
Sonya

Love TBAGS! What a catchy name!
Sonya

OK. for those who asked.. I only have pictures here at work of 2 of my 3 entries. and these are not neccessarily the exact photos submitted, but very similar as far a poses go............... so first is

Libearty 23 inches hand dyed mohair 68 seperate pieces not counting his stars

and second is 28 inch MacBeth.  Even his bagpipes work!

Sonya

LOLOL.. I don't even want to know how muct I cost! hahahaha
Sonya

Shelli! You too! GOOGLE! GOOGLE! GOOGLE! Some are such well hidden secrets. I haven't even uploaded my entries to my website yet. But I wouldn't have a problem showing them here.
Sonya

Brenda thanks so so much! i really like this board and have also decided that the extra 4 hours a day that I have been asking for will never do. I need an additional 8 hours a day.
This place has somehow made me feel as if I have been in that very lounge all day.
Sonya

Great job! I love the felted face! Looks like I better think about signing up for Judi's class.
Sonya

LMBO Shelli! I was thinking a really young studly pool boy!
Sonya

Awww Louise, thanks so much, but please indulge! enjoy! I have an explanation of what happened. The judges are the best in the world and they all have their reasoning... We know we are all winners... when they say it is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all.. I think it applies here. As we continually challenge ourselves to create new and exciting designs, we also create an atmosphere that is somewhat self serving in that by making that same exciting design that makes the collector fall in love with that bear, it also helps our business of creating bears. I now that my collectors look forward to seeing each new design I come up with. I know when I was nominated in 2004 for the Golden Teddy and the TOBY, I really felt like I didn't have a chance in the world. And I DIDN'T win the Golden Teddy. And really KNEW I didn't have a chance at the TOBY.   But let me tell you, no one was more surprized than me when my bear was announced as the winner. No one knew who I was... how did they pick my bear?  Those were my thoughts. I have come a long way since then. I realise now that my bear had MERIT. He was very deserving to win. Never again will I feel like "how did they pick me?"" remember that your bear was a labor of love and hard work and you felt there was something there that may be deserving of winning or you wouldn't have entered. The judges agree with you. We all do! Enjoy that feeling and keep your fingers crossed. You just never know what is going to happen.
Sonya

LMAO!! Bring on the pool boy! Of course he MUST dance too! on top of the bar preferably!
Now Shelli, I am NOT going there (about molesting the bears) LOL.. seriously I know what you meant! LOLOLOL
Sonya

Save me a place at that bar!! How does chocolate go with bloody mary's?? hee hee
You have me chuckling here Shelli!
Sonya

I guess I have to break the silence and admit that I join Shelly as one who entered with great hopes. I sat on pins and needles yesterday as news started trickling in that the phone calls were being made. My heart was heavy as I slowly realized that of my 3 entries, none were selected. Then I read Shelli's inspirational message and it reminded me of something she said last year. When Chauncy won, I remember she expressed feeling so sad  for the artists who did not win.  I wrote to her at that time and told her to enjoy her time in the spotlight, that it was well deserved. EVERYONE who entered was a winner no matter what! As I remembered, it also inspired me to look at myself. My entries did NOT SUCK.  I already knew that. And as I see photos of the other entries, I can just imagine how hard it must have been to make the choices. It inspires me to try to push myself to the limits again next year. The entries chosen this year are phenominal and I don't look forward to having to make a choice. Everyone chosen deserves a HIP HIP HOORAY! And those who weren't deserve a HIP HIP HOORAY also.

Sonya

**** plus keeping my fingers crossed for the TOBY's****

I have a Brother embroidery machine with the built in Disney patterns and will look at what it says when I get home from work today.
Sonya

Jenny,
I am not sure how you have done it before, but I can tell you how I did them. After sewing the arm turn it rightside out. Mark the positions on the paw where you will want the claws. Use an awl to poke a hole into the mohair  at each spot where the claw will come out of. Then turn the arm inside out again. One at a time, insert the claws into the hole, taking care to assure that the end of the claw is pointing towards the paw pad. Now, I use artificial sinew to sew the claw into place. Stitch the claw to the seam allowance on the inside of the arm. Then, as a last step, I use a small amount of fabri-tac glue to secure the claw to the seam allowance, being careful to keep the glue only on the claw and the seam and trying to keep it off of the inside of the pad or the mohair. After it is dry, turn it right side out and there you go! I haven't had any come loose and once you stuff the arm, they are nice and secure no matter how much they are touched or played with. Hope this helps.
Sonya

Congratulations Louise! Your polar is SO SO well deserving!
Sonya

Congratulations Judi! Sue Ann and Louise too! What a deserving group of artists!
Sonya

BEE-U-TEE-FUL!! Love em! Great job!
Sonya

wow! it worked, but I guess I should have done it smaller for the forum
Sonya

OK.. I did my first one too! Let's see if I can figure out how to post it here

Sonya

Shelli
Donna is right about trying a regular needle. I find it works better than the leather ones. Have you tried sewing it by just hand turning the wheel?  Just to see if the stitches catch iif it is really slow?
Sonya

Shelli,
Don't know what kind of machine you use, but the presser foot tension is adjusted by the big button on the top that is in line with the needle. It has a big spring on it and if you push down on it, it will tighten the tension. Leather can be a bear to sew (no pun intended) You might try using sewers aide (it is a silicone liquid that you can put on your needle to make it go thru the material easier., What is happening is the leather is thick so it kind of knocks it out of time because the needle takes longer to go thru it and the little hook that catches the thread underneath has already gone by when the needle finally gets there.
Sonya

I used to make a few minis and I learned a neat trick. When sewing the seams, add a piece of strong thread between the right sides of the arm. Sew into the seam allowance near the paw end. have the string long enough so the other end hangs outside of the opening. to turn the arm inside out, pull on the string and it will pull the paw towards the opening. Then just cut off the excess string close to the seam at the paw pad end
Sonya

Awww thank you all so much! What a great group you all are and I am proud to be part of it.
Sonya

Oh my gosh! I just noticed that my bunny "Wabbit" is on the weekly update icon on the top of the page! I was shocked this weekend to see it on the weekly update email that was sent out, but had no idea it was on this page too. How cool! and how honored I feel!
Sonya

I haven't had time to read the entire thread on this idea Shelli, but what I have read so far, I like! Count me in as a YES, I would love to do something like this. I can already see that I will be spending hours on the computer.. bearmaking brushed aside.. sigh. Has anyone figured out yet how we can add at least 4 more hours to the day?
Sonya