A Little Help Please

[Judi Russell]

I need a little help and I know that generous people that you are, will guide me in the right direction. I have been making bears since we took over the company about 5 years now. It started because I had to showcase the mohair fabrics, but now I do seem to sell all that I make, which is nice or I would be overrun with Teddies. As the new mohair comes in I make a new bear, lucky really as I do love all fabrics. I have used needlefelting, needlesculpting and various methods to improve my bears, but now I need some help. I am longing to try an open mouth bear, I dont have a pattern and need to understand the mechanics of it. Not just a flat open mouth but one with a bit of difinition, I dont want you to part with your hard won trade secrets. But if anyone knows of a good available pattern, I would be very grateful. :)

[Geralye]

Have you tried e-bearz university?

http://www.kranbearys.com/EbearZ/index.htm

They do a couple of courses, 'Smile' and 'Sonny', both of which I'd like to do, but things keep getting in the way (Full time job, sick parents, etc).:(

cheers,
G

[Judi Russell]

Thanks for that it looks quite promising, like you time is the biggest factor. Just wish I had more of it:)

[Chowlea Bears]

The courses only need to be completed within the month - you have total control over the pace etc.

You can download all the course materials for future reference - but the special class forums stay 'live' for the month so that the tutor can help with any technical difficulties that arise.

I haven't done these particular courses but I have done others and found them to be of high quality. (I was a teacher in a former life so I'm pretty critical). :D

[All Bear]

I did the 'Fabulous Felted Faces' course by Judi Paul on Kranbeary's. It was very well put together and I really enjoyed the process. I'm sure the open mouth courses will work beautifully.

As regards open mouthed bears, I developed my own process years ago found it really is a case of trial and error. These days I design very simple open mouths without the need for needlesculpted detailing and they give nice smiley faces!

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You need to make sure the 'chin' is deep enough on your side head pattern to take a cut for the mouth. I usually take a slim trianglular shaped piece out of the chin and then work out what shape mouth piece I would like to use (and what will fit of course!)

There's no magic formula, I just work on the principle of fitting the mouthpiece like a footpad, before the head gusset gets sewn in. So stitch from nose to mouth opening, then chin to neck before working on the mouth insert. You'll need to pin the mouthpiece into the opening carefully, basting to secure and then my preference is to machine stitch. The main things to consider are that the corners of the mouth are stitched in very securely, because they can be a weak area when it comes to stuffing. Also that the mouth is stitched in very centrally. If not, it will throw the entire head askew when the head is stuffed ... which will mean the nose will be wonky and the eyes probably won't sit in evenly and the ears might not be level! Once everything is perfect (!) stitch in the head gusset as normal.

The shape of the smiling mouth will be affected by two things. Firstly, the shape of the mouth piece ... ie ovalish, roundish and so on and secondly, the angle of the cutout from the side head piece. So, play around with shapes to find your perfect smile.

Finally and most importantly is the stuffing. You will find it shifts and it's very hard to get the nose firm enough to embroider on to. I take small pieces of stuffing and work them firmly into the nose area first, then the chin area. Then I stuff into the main head, constantly checking and restuffing the nose and chin areas. It's not easy to get a perfect finish but plenty of practise should make perfect!

I'd recommend Nancy Tillberg's '101 bears to make' and Jennifer Laing's 'Constructing Teddy and his Friends' if you prefer to have a guide book to work with and I'd definitely recommend taking one of the courses Sandra mentions. I learned the hard way as such advice wasn't freely available when I wanted to make my first laughing bear ... even now I'm sure I could be making life easier for myself by learning a few more techniques!:p

[Judi Russell]

Thanks both for your help, the courses sound like a good idea and I will probably give one a try in the New Year. You obviously experimented with great success Paula, your bears are just fan flippin tastic. I will post a picture if I ever get one made that looks half way decent, though dont expect too much just yet :6034: thanks again guys

[Jenny]

Hi Judi..I have to say that I did the course on-line too. It was ok.

I did the Sunny course and it was basically just showing how to stitch a flap on the the chin which is a doddle and not what I wanted to learn. I bought vast amounts of books and in the end devised my own method which is complicated and involves making a mannequin muzzle in felt and then coevring it..a bit like in taxidermy. I just wanted to create a 'mouth' as opposed to an opening in the face.

I think I achieved what I set out to do ...but I need to work on it and it's so time consuming and produced a bear that didn't look like a Three O'clock bear!!

So I then did one with a 'flap' which seemed to work as well.

I am still thinking about the open mouth which I see as a real challenge..

I don't think there are any quick answers though Judi...just research...trial and error..and do your own thing!! Again I think it's one of those areas where bear making books aren't that good. Taxidermy and dolls making books may hold more answers for you.

Here are my attempts!

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[All Bear]

Jenny, the work you've put into your open mouths really shows! They are great ... my favourites are the last two pics as they look the most natural in my view. The last little girl looks very cute indeed. What you've achieved with your toothed mouths is complicated craftmanship ... I tend to work on as simple and straightforward principles as possible to get what I want from my bears! (Lazy eh?:p ) I must agree with you about looking outside of bear making books if you want to develop things to a more advanced level, there are some terrific books out there covering other medium which would translate skills into bearcraft.

[Jenny]

The thing is that the way they do it in books looks too complicated for me ..especially in Nancys book. I just couldn't follow the 'recipe'..I don't know if they intentionally leave a crucial bit out but I haven't found a way in a bear making book that looks good and is easy..and the Sunny course...well I'll probably get shot down in flames for saying it, but it wasn't really much help. I suppose I expected a few techniques and it was just a flap stitch under the chin which to my mind isn't an open mouth at all.

So when I went searching for teeth I was lead to taxidermy sites and found that their techniques can be watered down for use in bear-making. I ended up making teeth too...but again, you won't find that in bear making books.

Judi, I think it's a bit like asking Colonel Sanders what herbs and spices he puts in his Kentucky Fried Chicken....he might tell you a few but he'll keep back the bit that makes the characteristic flavour ( I actually hate KFC ...it's only an example lol!!) and I think the lesson I've learned in bear making is you have to do a lot of experimentation to find a way of doing things!!!!

[All Bear]

Good point Jenny. Even when I tried to outline how I go about making my open mouths above, I realised I kept missing vital steps out of the instructions! It wasn't deliberate, but some things are just little knacks I've developed over the years and I don't even think about them when I'm doing them now. That's why I think it really is a case of working out what system suits your needs and then practise, practise, practise, because that's the way you develop your own look.

[Judi Russell]

Thanks Jenny for your comments, I do agree that it is going to be a case of just get on with it and trial and error. I must say, if any of them turn out any where near as beautiful as the ones you do, I will be amazed. I know that reading instructions is not the way I like to work, I like to see things in front of me and actually do it myself. I do appriciate everyones input into this particular question I posed, it has been very helpful and I will let you all know how I get on. Judi :6087:

[Geralye]

I have a pattern (by Sindie Smith) for an open mouthed bear, and the mohair etc, and I must admit I'm wary of making a start, cos I want a bear that looks like he's laughing, not leering!:D

[Jenny]

My goodness ..a leering bear....can't say I've ever seen one of those.
Ive turned out a few frowning ones where I put the eyes too close together!!