Meerkats!?

[shebob bears]

Who is going to be the first one to create a Meerkat and all its family. :6044: C'mon now Lisa, I feel certain that is right up your street. I know you would soon have a long list of people wanting one (or lots) of the little darlings! ;)

Cheers,
Sheila

[LisaAP]

Well that's just freaky Sheila, :eek: my next project is actually going to be a meerkat! I have all the stuff for the job. Have you seen the photos in the latest BBC wildlife magazine. Oh my they are soooo cute, and I have lots of photos from my visit to a zoo whilst we were on holiday. So I'm prepared... watch this space. :D

Anybody else, like to give it a go? We could have a TBF meerkat family get together.

Regards

Lisa

[shebob bears]

Yes Lisa, I am dying to create a meerkat family. I'm sure I could make the body, arms, legs, and tail easily, but the HEAD :confused: I think I would have to needlefelt the head to get all the features correct.
So Lisa, I shall watch this space with eager anticipation! :D
In the meantime I shall gather all the information I can find on meerkats and give it a go. :6086:

Cheers,
Sheila :6013:

[LisaAP]

That's fantastic Sheila! That's two then. :6013:

I'm hoping to finish my present project by the end of September. It consists of an empty head/body/2 arms and half a leg at the moment. :p Then my meerkat will start taking shape after that. Fingers crossed I'll have some sort of 'meerkat-like-animal' done by the end of October. Gulp!

Anyone else like to join in?

Regards

Lisa

[Ruth]

Hey , guess what you two .... I've stroked a baby one !!!! (nah nah nah nah na :6086: ) It was SO adorable I almost cried ; absolutely teeny , and bony , with the roundiest little head and it kept squeaking .
A wildlife man had a family group on show in Buxton shopping arcade (of all places) their claws were so long and needle-like . Apparently they had already dug under his house foundations once ;)

Good Luck - I can't wait to see them !!

Mini Hugs , Ruth

[alyanome]

Those are cute! But Lisa, just don't make Tanuki please. :P

[Hayley-bear]

Ooohhhh, I love meercats! They were selling them at a local garden centre apparently :mad: not sure they would make great pets :rolleyes: I think i'm going to sit out on this one and leave it up to the experts! I can't even make a simple bear at the moment :(

[LisaAP]

Selling them at a garden centre??!! :eek: The mind boggles, leave them in the wild I say.

So who is Tanuki? I'm afraid you've lost me there, please refresh my memory. :o

Regards

Lisa

[Judi Russell]

I just love Meercats, that ad for car insurance on TV never fails to make me laugh. Lisa if anyone can make one you can, we all wait with baited breath :eek:

[alyanome]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki

http://alyanomen.kuvat.fi/kuvat/S%E4l%E4%E4/tanuki02.jpg/full

Cute at first sight - closer - not so cute. :rolleyes:

[LisaAP]

Ooo-err! I'll try my best not to make one of those, there's no guarantee though, lol. The real thing looks kinda cute though, like a big fluffy dog really.

Regards

Lisa

[Hayley-bear]

They are very strange! Not like the meercats I have seen :confused: How about this baby one?

http://14.media.tumblr.com/8QSk4fQyUq0wu76rTLRNbV4bo1_500.jpg

or these little cuties...

http://itech.pjc.edu/sctag/Meerkat/meerkat_babiesx.jpg

[shebob bears]

What fantastic photos. I'm not totally convinced that are real living meerkats though. :rolleyes: I mean, Lisa makes such true to life critters, it could easily be one of her creations. :D

[Hayley-bear]

What fantastic photos. I'm not totally convinced that are real living meerkats though. :rolleyes: I mean, Lisa makes such true to life critters, it could easily be one of her creations. :D

You're right Sheila! Maybe they are Lisa's creations, maybe they are real meerkats, who knows :confused: he he

[LisaAP]

Now hang on a minute! I'm feeling a bit pressure building now, my effort could end up like 'The Thing'. Not that I've seen that film, but I understand it's pretty scary. :eek:

Those pictures are sweet! They had some little 'uns at Dudley zoo when we visited and they were just adorable. Kinda wobbly on their feet like only babies can be.

Regards

Lisa

[LisaAP]

Time to get started. :6013:

Regards

Lisa

[Hayley-bear]

Can't wait to see the finished furry product :6013:

[shebob bears]

I'm attempting to draft my meerkat pattern now :6031:
I am going to use a synthetic chinchilla fur. What are you using Lisa?
I recently purchased a family of four lifesize meerkat garden ornaments, so I now have models to keep checking my measurements as I go along.

Anyone else joining the meerkat race?

Cheers,
Sheila :6013:

[baildon bears]

I'm attempting to draft my meerkat pattern now :6031:
I am going to use a synthetic chinchilla fur. What are you using Lisa?
I recently purchased a family of four lifesize meerkat garden ornaments, so I now have models to keep checking my measurements as I go along.

Anyone else joining the meerkat race?

Cheers,
Sheila :6013:

Im afraid there not cute enough for me, though I am imagining one in a felted hat and trims:D I think I might leave it to you. Hannah

[shebob bears]

Thanks Hannah, what a brilliant idea - meerkats all dressed up in their best bib and tuckers!! :D Thanks for that one. :6086:

Cheers,
Sheila :6013:

[baildon bears]

Thanks Hannah, what a brilliant idea - meerkats all dressed up in their best bib and tuckers!! :D Thanks for that one. :6086:

Cheers,
Sheila :6013:

Joking apart, I actually quite like that idea I think you could get away with it with Meerkats because of there joker facial expression. Hannah

[LisaAP]

Not cute?! Surely not, I think they are super cute. The ones featured on comparethemeerkat.com are very smartly dressed too. :p

Sheila, I'm going to be using a synthetic fabric similar to the stuff I use for my mice only with a slightly longer pile length. I've not used it before but the Tyber brand fabrics are lovely to work with so hopefully it should be OK. It's not a great match for a meerkat but what fabric out there really is? Like you, I almost chose a chinchilla fabric but I changed my mind at the last minute. I love to work with Tissavel synthetics but the style I really wanted for this project cannot be purchased in the UK. I could order from the US but it takes so long to arrive and there's import duty to consider (grrr!).

Must get on, the pattern is calling. :)

Regards

Lisa

[Hayley-bear]

I really can't wait to see the meerkats :6013:

[LisaAP]

Just a quick update on my meerkat project.

All the body parts are sewn up. They are just waiting to be jointed and fattened up. :) This is the exciting (and scary) part, I can't wait to see if the odd shapes I sketched out on empty cereal boxes weeks ago have come together to form a shape that resembles a meerkat. Gulp! :p

Regards

Lisa

[Judi Russell]

We have loads of faith in your Lisa, just know that the Meercat is going to be faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantasic, cant wait. :6013::6013::6013:

[Hayley-bear]

Can't wait to see the meerkat Lisa, it'll be superb! :6013:

[LisaAP]

Hi Peeps!

I've been away for 4 days with the kids, visiting Grandma & Grandad (argghh sweetie overload or what! LOL) so I'm running a bit behind with my meerkat. I hope to have him or her finished by the weekend all being well. :)

How goes it with everyone else?

Regards

Lisa

[shebob bears]

Well Lisa,
I couldn't get beyond the body, arms, legs, and tail. :mad: The head had me totally baffled. So I am 'cheating' and needlefelting the head, using a garden meerkat ornament as my model! I shall most likely end up felting the entire meerkat. That way he just might resemble the real thing.

Longing to see your creation though. And don't forget, he would be most welcome to come and live here with all my other critters. :D

Cheers,
Sheila :6013:

[LisaAP]

I think the head is always the hardest part. I'm undecided about my effort at the moment, it is still eyeless, earless and noseless. A creation never comes to life for me till the face is done. So as it stands I could end up with a meerkat (maybe), a bear trying to be a meerkat or something closer to 'The Thing'. :6086: Only time will tell.

Btw I don't think that needlefelting is a cheats option, I can't wait to see your creation. :6013:

Regards

Lisa

[alyanome]

Yay! This is closer to mah little critter to come "alive"! :6013: (Though, I'm excited to see how the meercat comes out.)

[LisaAP]

:D

He's all done, I'll be posting the pics tomorrow.

Alyanome, now it's time to move on to my next project. ;) I'll be in touch soon.

Regards

Lisa

[LisaAP]

Finally, pics as promised posted in the thread below:

http://www.teddybearfair.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7672#post7672

Comments much appreciated. ;)

Regards

Lisa

[alyanome]

He is amazing just like all your work. ;)