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DebbieD Posts: 3,540

bear_rolleyes This has probably been drummed into the woodwork, but I've been having an 'issue' with my pulled toes today.  Maybe its the fact that I'm trying them on mohair, and I've always used the stiffer real fur...or maybe its because my ultrasuede is 'softer' somehow, but as I pull my toes, the ultrasuede is wrinkling.  I've tried loosening the stitch, but then I just end up without my pulled effect.  I have stuffed and stuffed, and wedged in my hemostats with extra bits of stuffing into the toes...there's no more room for stuffing!  My best effects have been to use my doll needle after the toes are done to smooth out the toes by gradually shifting the stuffing. 

.....sigh, is there a technique I'm missing???  I'm using Jennifer Laing's instructions from Constructing Teddies Friends, so I'm pulling the thread from the top of the foot or paw to the center (or bottom of the toes) for the stitch...and as I pull down, here come my wrinkles, right across the pretty plump toes....  bear_wacko

bear_cry I'm getting a bit frustrated as I look at all the beautifully plump tootsies on here...and they're all done on mohair, so I'm doing something not totally right here...  bear_cry

SunnieOne Sunnie Bears
Ridgecrest, CA
Posts: 1,167

Debbie
I learned from Jennifer also and I have had the same problem from time to time. You may have them stuffed TOO tight.. I can think of all kinds of things that would cause that.. maybe the foot isn't flat enough? (which would put extra ultra suede in the pad.) or maybe it is the type oif ultra suede. I generally have that same problem if I use a very heavy ultra suede. The lighter  stretchier ultra suedes seem to work best.
Sonya

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

I have had exactly the same problem from time to time...but a bear artist friend told me that if you start your stitch further away from the tip of the toe...ie bring the needle out through the mohair say a centimetre above where the 'toe' tip is ( blimey this is hard to describe!!) because you are making more of a curved stitch and pulling the toe through both sides of the foot effectively then you get a smoother toe.

It does work actually..and though the thread doesn't emerge right on the edge of the foot you can't see the stitch on the foot side as the pile hides it. I always pinch the foot together as I pull the thread through too...that seems to help. Without a doubt though it does depend on your paw pad fabric, felt and cashmere , to my mind, sculpt beautifully....though cashmere puckers easier than felt does.

I hope that makes sense!!!!!

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

:hug: Thanks gals!!!  :hug: I knew someone on here would know exactly what I was talking about  bear_thumb

Hmmm....I do tend to pull awfully hard, and the ultrasuede I'm using is a medium weight.  Its possible that its too heavy?  So I'll see if I can find some lighter weight for future bears....


Jenny I'll have to give that a try, starting the stitch further back.   I usually start right on the edge of the ultrasuede where it meets the mohair, so maybe that's the setup point for my crumpling and wrinkling? 

Thanks for giving me new things to try.  Bear making is always interesting, I just wish the collectors knew how much hard work goes into making them  bear_whistle

SunnieOne Sunnie Bears
Ridgecrest, CA
Posts: 1,167

I concur with the others. I didn't think of it before, but I also start mine just above where the mohair meets the pad.
Sonya

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

Glad you all understood my ramblings.......It does work...along with the pinching together when you pull the stitch through..

Pijangibears Pijangibears
Denmark
Posts: 870

DSC00620.JPGWhen I make pulled toes - I take a little stitch between the mohair and ultrasuede with each toe.

Jennifer Laing`s book: Constructing Teddy and friends. Page 42. I think, that it works great.

Hugs Birgitte

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

oliverjameswebsitefoot.jpgI have a feeling I do mine like Jenny. The thread goes over the seam line into the mohair. It gives it a good anchoring point. Only when I have tried to do it only on the paw pad fabric have I ever got wrinkles.

I also do'nt stuff the heel o(r close up for that matter) until my toes are finished.

Matilda bear_thumb

NancyAndFriends Posts: 1,153

Debbie. 
I always mark the spots on the paw pad where I want the thread to be at the bottom of each toe...because once I start to pull up, I can never find the right places for the other toes.
I pull up into two places.  The top of the foot and the tip of the toes.  When you pull your thread to the tip of the foot (Like Kim said) is when you really start to get the shape to come to life.
I usually soft stuff first and then add more stuffing after the 'sculpting' is done.

Nanc.......

kathytaylor Ruby Mountain Bears
Northern Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,467

Kate.JPGnewyear.JPGI have found that if you over stuff the foot when trying to sculpt the toes the fabric will wrinkle. Also just like sculpting the face you have to pinch like Jenny said.

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

:clap: I love all these cute tootsies gals!!!  :clap:

So it seems if I OVERstuff, I can cause just as much problems as understuffing too....  Wow there's a lot of ways to mess up pulled toes  bear_grin  bear_tongue   I'll see if the bear and I get along better today....

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_original Nice tootsies, Birgitte and Matilda and Kathy  bear_thumb

It makes perfect sense, now that I think about it, that the footpad would pucker if the pulling pressure is only from one end of the pad fabric to the other--you'd be pulling it back on itself. It might not make much difference how firmly or softly you stuffed. If the toe stitch is anchored on the mohair, the pull would be between the two fabrics over a firm seam. Yes!

Eileen

Winney Winneybears and Friends
White City, Oregon
Posts: 1,103

I love this thread...I didn't have to ask not one question..lol.. You all got it figured out just great...

I love too ..." Gee..there's so many ways to mess up"...lol... I got to thinking ...there sure is..even tho we discuss every single detail on making bears  ( count all the posts !) we can still find more ways ..lol...Winney

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_original  So true, Winney--add to that a wobbly memory, and there's no such thing as too much information!

Eileen

Pijangibears Pijangibears
Denmark
Posts: 870

Billede.jpgI don`t sew in the mohair, only in the ultrasuede.

Notice the little stitch on the top, that is the one, that will do the difference.

Thank you for the kind words. bear_flower  bear_flower  bear_flower

Hugs Birgitte

Pijangibears Pijangibears
Denmark
Posts: 870
DebbieD Posts: 3,540

bear_thumb Yep, Birgitte, that's the diagram I'm working with!  bear_thumb

I LOVE the toes on your baby bear  bear_wub   Oooh, I just want to reach out and squish them!   bear_wub Last night I perservered into the night, and managed to get all my tootsies just the way I wanted.  They are a bit harder than I'd like, but every time I tried to understuff, the wrinkles came back  bear_angry Pooh!  So, I guess 'bear' wanted his tootsies that way!  bear_whistle I tend to just bow to the bear's wishes ...  bear_grin

Thanks for all the suggestions, and lovely pics  :hug:   They've helped loads!

Bonnie Mountain Dreamer Bears
wooly woods of Missouri, USA
Posts: 1,538

Great thread!
Beautiful toes everyone and great advice! bear_thumb
I've been wondering why some of my toes wrinkled and some didn't. I've been trying to stitch in the middle of the seam, right where the paw pad and mohair meet. I guess sometimes I got above the seam allowance inside the foot and sometimes below it, making the difference.

Eileen wrote:

If the toe stitch is anchored on the mohair, the pull would be between the two fabrics over a firm seam. Yes!

This makes sense to me too. Hurray! May this be the end of wrinkled bear toes!

hugs,

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Birgitte! I do mine differently to you.
I wont say until asked. Dont want to confuse everyone. hahahahah
How many ways to do one detail on a bear aye?  bear_grin hahahahh

Matilda bear_wacko

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

....Ooooh, well I'm asking Matilda!!!  How do you do your toes???  It never hurts to have more than one way to do something....and I'm intrigued  bear_happy

Pijangibears Pijangibears
Denmark
Posts: 870

Hi Matilda

How do you do your bear`s toes? We really like to know. bear_wacko  bear_wacko  bear_wacko

Hugs Birgitte

Pijangibears Pijangibears
Denmark
Posts: 870

MATILDA   bear_whistle  bear_whistle  bear_whistle  bear_whistle  bear_whistle  bear_whistle


Hugs Birgitte

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

Matilda....you're a tease  bear_laugh   C'mon out and tell us how you do toes  bear_flower

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_original No fair, Matilda! You know we're not going to let you alone until you give out with it!

Eileen

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