Buying Mohair for the first time

I finally had the courage to purchase some mohair and some alpaca fabric. Choosing fabric to make a teddy bear or other animal is always a daunting task. I get sticker shock quite a lot, but as I grow in skill and confidence I feel I am finally ready to make the change to the more expensive stuff. I also need the woven back as I want to needle felt the faces and the knitted back can unravel as you tend to poke at it with sharp barbs : )

I have often heard, and agree, that the final character of your bear is shaped by all the choices we make along the whole process of making that bear. And for me that starts with the fabric I choose to make my bear. I love North American Polyester Faux fur and get a great deal at Fabric.com with their fashion faux furs. Yes- I do pay more for that quality than the lower quality fabric I will get at local stores. But I make a creation I want people to appreciate and keep.
Here is an example: https://www.fabric.com/buy/239537/faux-fur-canadian-fox-fur-honey

Canadian fox fur

I would normally rush out to buy this and be in love when it came in. Now I hesitate as I want to make mohair or alpaca animals. I have to admit that the first thing that struck me was the different feel of the fabric. Mohair and Alpaca were not as soft and silky as I expected. The fur had more of a waxy feel to it. The backing was well woven though and it is great quality. I guess I am just used to the silky faux fur.

My first challenge was in understanding all that was available to me and what the terms all meant when they listed sparse, curly, matted, s finish... I ended up ordering samples from Intercal and CRS Crafts to finally get an understanding of what I was buying. Intercal were fabulous in talking to me about what was available and even pointed out about the specials on their website. A great way to get your feet wet. http://www.intercaltg.com/special/2.html
I ended up getting a 1/4 yard sampler pack of various colors and finishes and now I am ready to start making. I went for medium dense as a first try, as it is my first go at a large (meaning bigger than 6 inches) mohair bear and it seemed the dense might be a bit much thickness for my old machine to deal with.

Some things I learnt:

• Sparse: the backing will show through very clearly and has to be considered in your bear design. The backing can be the same color or a contrast to the mohair. Sparse fur gives the look of an older and much loved bear.
• Pile length: The actual length of the fur from the backing to the tip. I used to consider this with faux fur too as some have a very long guard hair that could look odd on a small bear. There are some guidelines out there as to bear size and recommended fur length but I just consider the character I am making and how that would work. 
• Color: Bears do not have to be one color and they do not have to be golden : ) In Frankfurt airport I found a lilac Steiff bear I would have loved to have bought. Never thought of lilac and cream on a bear before!
• Finishes: Mohair has several finishes such as straight, curly, tight curl, wavy antique curl (more groomed than just curly) swirly loose random curls, distressed, matted, feathered, tufted and string. I ended up getting the wavy as it appeals to me more.

Intercal website has great photos to help you understand better what you are about to purchase. Speak to the staff- they are friendly and super helpful if you explain what you are about to do. I loved dealing with them and felt confident I had ordered the right thing. Their enthusiasm was catching! I also love their quality in glass eyes.

Another spot to check out: http://www.edinburghimports.com/

I bought my first teddy pattern from them and they have a great range for that, they also offer many tips.