Skip to main content

Banner Sponsors

Johnna's Mohair Store - Specializing in hand dyed mohair and alpaca
Past Time Bears - Artist bears designed and handcrafted by Sue Ann Holcomb

Tony Furleigh Bears.
Trowbridge
Posts: 20

Albert is my third bear. Hmmmmm.........I think he ate all the pie's. 1393081776_p1040443.jpgHe did not seem that fat on the pictures I got with the pattern :D

1393081874_p1040434.jpg1393081904_p1040442.jpg

He's made from cinnamon mohair and has wool felt paw pads. He also has a growler which the kids love. He is the first bear I have made using a 2 part head gusset and a 4 part body. Albert was also part experiment in that I tried  out different methods from my previous bear. Some things worked very well and were certainly improvements other things seemed not to work. bear_whistle

dangerbears Dangerbears
Wisconsin
Posts: 6,021
Website

He's a bit chunky, but you've given him great character and wonderful fur!

If you wanted to modify the pattern, I'd say the body could be longer (given the size of the head and length of the legs). That might work for me as well, come to think of it--just make me taller to achieve the proper weight to height ratio! bear_laugh

Becky

Tony Furleigh Bears.
Trowbridge
Posts: 20

Hi Becky.
I spent most of yesterday going over the pattern even down to checking my templates. Even checked a spare piece of mohair I have left over for stretch. It did not have much give at all. I tend to stuff a little hard which could of caused me to have a plump bear. Even the seam allowance was right. I did not encounter any real problems whilst making him. He does seem a little rounded in the photo's of the original pattern design but not plump.

This could one of the pattern to alter at a later date. I was thinking about taking the body pieces in a bit so he's a bit slimmer, and looking at him his body could be a little longer. I was also looking to take in the head gusset a bit on the top of the head as well.

Has anybody else made a bear from a pattern or book only to find it turned out totally different to what it was supposed to?

student bearmaker Northern Ireland
Posts: 283

All the time!
I never redo the bits of my bears that aren't quite right but keep them as an example of what I need to improve on next time,when I look back at them,they make me smile.
This is a great third bear and your nose embroidery is brilliant  bear_thumb ,I've made 8 bears so far and still can't master that technique.
As for the chubby look,all the better to cuddle him with  bear_grin .

edmondnutmeg Padfield bears
Derbyshire
Posts: 1,343
Website

I am always amazed how a bear sort of decides how he wants to turn out. It's like we have nothing to do with it sometimes!  I actually like him looking chunky he has a lot of character bear_wub The first bear I ever made was from a kit and turned out absolutely nothing like the picture That made me decide there and then to do my own patterns  bear_grin I still have it some where so if you want it pm me and I'll post it to you. It was about 6" so it might be possible to use some left over scraps. You might have better luck with it! As for Albert I wonder if you cut out the front body pieces upside down so that his arms are where his legs should be? Just a thought? Excellent nose work btw
michelle

Tony Furleigh Bears.
Trowbridge
Posts: 20

Hi,
Being a 4 part body I seem to have taken extra care to the extreme with it. Albert is the first bear I have used a 4 part body on.Sort of reminded me of a furry rugby ball before it was stuffed. All parts were identified with letters where they went and the arm and leg holes were also identified on the back of the material. It was simply a case of matching up the letters along the edge of the mohair during assembly. Albert has quite a humped back, which could give the impression of some parts being inverted. Give the hump a pat and he sort of makes a stuttering growl. My nieces favorite tricks with him :lol:
Still going over what might of gone a little egg shaped(Albert shaped) but guess I will never fully know. I am contemplating the fact that the people who published the book may of altered the size of some of the parts for Albert perhaps to make the pattern fit the page better. It may not of been a lot, but it could be enough to make a difference to the finished bear. It is something I have come across before but with balsa model aircraft instead. It's something worth keeping in mind in future.

I have two more teddy's in mind to make from published patterns then I wish to start either to modify a pattern or to design my own bear .I really want to be able to do the latter as I have a few ideas I would like to try out and a few fantasy bears to bring into reality. I have next week off work, bear_thumb so it's bear making time.

Then perhaps a few beers on the side bear_whistle

BooBoo Posts: 153

He's so adorable!!! I love a big bear!! bear_wub  bear_wub  bear_wub

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB

Banner Sponsors


Shelli Makes - Teddy bears & other cheerful things by Shelli Quinn
No Monkey Biz - Domain name registration, hosting