hello from sunny York!

[Backwater Bears]

Hi everyone!
Was so pleased to find this forum, have been looking out for a place to share teddy making highs and lows (mainly the placement of ears!) for a while now and this looks great.
I am Lee, 42 years old, live with my partner in the beautiful city of York. Originally from London, came up here in 2000 to complete my Masters degree. Stress of an academic kind led me to bear magazines, and subsequently to bear making. Have only just started but am keen, as you can see I have already named my bear business *lol*, I absolutely adore it and could happily make bears all day....... Looking forward to interacting with other bear makers and collectors here.
Lee xx

[shebob bears]

Hello, and a BIG welcome from someone who spent many happy years living just outside York. Everyone is so helpful on this forum, so any promlems will soon be solved. We are here to help each other.

Best wishes,
Sheila x :6013:

[LisaAP]

Hi Lee,

A very big hello and welcome to TBF, it's great to have you here. I'm new-ish to teddy bear making too, just about to complete my third creation, woo hoo! I agree that it's totally addicting and I have plans in my head for about a dozen more creatures if only I wasn't soooo slow at sewing. :6045:

Do you have any pictures of what you've made so far? We'd love to see them for sure. :D

Regards

Lisa

[Ruth]

Hiya Lee , York is indeed a very beautiful place , I've really enjoyed it each time I've been :6013: This is a great place to get help and opinions or just "hang out" ! :6086: :6086:
Ruth

[shelly]

Hi Lee,
Welcome to the forum , I sure you'll have lots of fun!

Shelly:6086:

[Lorna Evett]

Wellcome to teddy bear fair forum. You will love the chats.

Lorna

[Backwater Bears]

Hi everyone :6034:
Thanks for the welcome. It is true, teddy people are the best people....how could they not be!!
Lisa, I will try to post some piccies when I feel brave enough. My first bear was an Emily Farmer kit. For some baffling reason I felt a tiny bear would mean tiny problems :confused: Of course that is so not the case, he was very tricky and I ended up calling him Nelson because he went around with only one arm for a while! Then I went on a course run by H&M Bears at Carnforth Station and made Lady Veronica, who has since found love with Bransgrove, another bear in my hug; they are inseperable. I have since turned to bears of between 9-12" which seems a good place for a beginner. At the moment I am making a 9" bear out of some gorgeous mohair I found on ebay and using some embroidered silk for the paws and pads. I also have some bigger plush bears on the go. I am very excited about creating my own designs this summer and working in the so many different fabrics out there.
Hope everyone has a good day, I am looking forward to the bear fair in York on Sunday. :6045:
Lee x

[Judi Russell]

Hi Lee, welcome to the forum. It looks as though you are hooked already, you know there is no escape from this addiction once you take the first step.:6086: Look forward to seeing some of your creations, you had good teachers in Ches and Iris and I am sure you had some laughs too.

[monalisa1987]

Hi Lee!!
Welcome to the forum. Yes we would love to see some pictures of your bears. Yes they are great fun and very addictive!
I hope you have a good time in the forum and good luck with your bear making.
Do you have any bear fair plans?

[Backwater Bears]

Simone, I will just be wandering around cuddling bears and buying half a ton of cotter pin joints in every size available!
Would love to do a fair myself one day, but reckon that will be in several years as I am still very much an apprentice bear maker.
The only other bear fair I've been to was at the NEC, 2 years ago I think. I wasnt making bears then but interested in collecting them. I really enjoyed it, everyone was so friendly and and it was easy to get to on the train, however I havent seen it advertised since. Does anyone know if its still held?
Lee xx

[Ruth]

:6022: I'm afraid this one's dropped off for now .... ah well :rolleyes: Happy thought ; you'll have to buy extra lots from your local one to keep you going ( if you know what I mean ! ;) )
Ruth

[monalisa1987]

yeah I wanted to go to the NEC one this year as it would of been ideal for me as my boyfriend is in Birmingham University, so instead, I have been going to the one at the Motorcycle Museum which is just as easy to get to as its only over the road and you catch the same trains.
There are two more of these this year one in I think September and then one in either October or November, if you are intersted I can get back to you with the exact dates as these are in my diary at home and I am currently in Birmingham.
When you collected Teddies before you started making them did you go for artist bears or other sorts?
:6013:

[Backwater Bears]

Yes, the dates would be useful and great if its easy to get to by train. Thankyou! September/October would be a great time to stock up on MORE mohair, MORE cotter pins, MORE bear eyes, MORE fraycheck....
Before I started making bears I veered towards those old bears with no fur and their stuffing coming out! I really like vintage bears, although they are so expensive. That said, before I picked up a copy of TBS I didnt know about artists bears..... Now there is a whole world of bears out there that I didnt know existed. Gulp.
Today I vowed that I would just buy my necessary bear making supplies but I ended up falling for the charms of a little 5" bear from Flossy Bears, who was just irresistable. She has the most perfectly coloured dark pink fur and a necklace of silver bells. I never stood a chance!
Lee x

[Geralye]

Try this link, it gives dates of some fairs:

http://www.bearfairsandevents.com/_mgxroot/page_10751.html

Alternatively, the Huggletts book lists fair dates.

cheers,
G

[Backwater Bears]

Good stuff, thanks, yes, the Hugglets bible looks as if it needs to purchased rather promptly!
Lee x

[monalisa1987]

Hi ya! :6013:
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you with the dates, but life is a little bit hectic at the moment!

The Great Autumn Doll and Teddy Bear Extravaganza takes place at The National Motorcycle Museum Bikenhill Birmingham on Sunday September 23rd.

The other one, which did only used to be vintage is now now a mixed show takes place on Sunday the 25th of November.

I hope this helps you still get the train to the international station as you would for the NEC but then you will probably need a taxi to the venue, which will cost you about £5 as it is all major roads around there and not very safe to walk. For getting back the staff in the museum are very good and can ring you a taxi!

i can see why you love vintage teddies so much and I must admit they are my passion at the moment and I love going to fairs to find them.

[Backwater Bears]

I must admit that I particularly like it when their nose stuffing has gone to sawdust and collapsed. I definitely have 'collapsable noses' on my list as I develop my own bear making style!! :6045:
Lee x