Making a cats head

I am testing a new pattern for a kitty. I do not often make cats so this is a new process for me. I decided to use a pattern where I tuck the gusset in to the side head pieces to sew it trapped between the side head, and to shorten the nose length of the gusset considerably.

cat head wrong side out

As you can see the "nose" is really short. I am also using really long fur which I plan to trim to help establish the cat cheek features.

 

Cat head turned right side out

The head looks like a fuzzy critter! But this is the head sewn and turned right side out.

Preferred polyfil for stuffing creations head only

I now stuff the head slowly, using small amounts at a time, and packing it from the nose back into the head. I will try get in as much stuffing in as I can. This does make the head very firm. I like to use this brand of fiberfil for the head as you really can get a lot more in than a silky type. I will always stuff the head of any creation first before I cut any fur to shape a face. That way I know what I am cutting rather than guessing. To make sure I do not loose any stuffing,  I now add in the neck joint. I use running stitch all around the opening and then put the joint in place. Pull the threads tight and backstitch all around the joint to make sure it really stays in place and does not pull out. You have to use really strong thread to be able to handle all that tugging, so I use upholstery thread made by Coates.

Placing joint in neck

Neck joint sewn in place

My next step is to trim the muzzle and a bit more up the nose section to help figure out where the eyes will go.

white nose tip trimmed and eyes in test eyes in place

side view of trimmed nose and test eye

The test eyes will help me figure out what size eyes to use and where I want to place them. They also help me to start the trimming of the face. I trim from the eye in a straight line down to the chin, I repeat that on the other side. I can now eyeball if I am even, or I will use a mirror to check. I hold the head up facing the mirror and I stand behind it. The mirror is great at showing if the eyes and trimming are symmetrical or not. I will now trim the one cheek and work at it until I know it is the shape I want. I go slowly and brush the fur often.

 



Left cheek done

One cheek cut facing front

 Time to cut the other cheek. I always make sure I have time to cut both cheeks at once. I will cut one and then straight away cut the other. I find that works better for me than putting it down and walking away for a bit.  Walking away seems to "disturb" my eye and I cannot cut the other cheek as well. I am in essence repeating on the other side what I have just done. I remember better- doing it right away.

Two puffy cheeks

Once I am happy with the face trimming I will sew the eyes in place. I love the look of glass eyes. I know the pupil is not truly cat shaped but the eye looks great when it is in place. I now purchase my eyes from Itercal Trading. The matching quality is better. I have had some interesting eyes show up from other suppliers that I will probably never be able to use.

Checking eyes quality- please note that these are not Intercal Trading supplied eyes

The first thing I do when I purchase a bag of eyes is pull them out and match them. When you are in the throws of creating you do not always want to stop that process to find a pair of eyes that match. As you can see from the one batch I got- the eye quality and pupil size is all over the place. They are handmade so we do allow for some discrepancy : ) Once I have my eyes picked I place them face down in a product called "sticky stuff". It is available in office supply places. It holds the eye still as I paint them.

Eyes facedown in sticky stuff

Depending on the detail and look of what I am wanting to achieve, it takes 3 layers of paint to get what I want. I will use nail polish to seal the eye when I am done.

Painting eyes

I let the eyes dry really well. There is nothing worse than setting an eye and it smudges the paint all over the fur because you did not wait long enough. I attach my eyes using sinew, waxed linen thread or sometimes on smaller eyes- dental floss.

Eye in place

My next step is to attach the ears. First though I will trim the ears to get the look I want.

Ear right side out

Ear trimmed showing back of ear

Ear trimmed showing front of ear



I sew the bottom of my ear shut before I attach it to the head. This way I know the ear will not shift and give me a strange shape as I am sewing it to the head. There is a lot of long fur I am working around and I like my ears to be symmetrically shaped.

Base of ear whip stitched shut
 

I use a long length of thread that once I have sewn the bottom of the ear shut the same length will attach the ear to the head. I attach the ear using ladder stitch. I do hold both ears up to the head to make sure I am happy with the placement and character they give before I sew them on.

Ladder stitch ear to head

I ladder stitch the front of the ear down and then the back. I make sure the corners are tucked and sewn on extra well to make sure the ear cannot be pulled off.

My cat head is not ready to be attached to the body.

 

I will finish the cat nose once the body is fully done. I will make a nose from polymer clay or needle felt one. That is a decision I make once the cat is almost done. Kind of the last thing I do besides feet/ paddy paws. Here are some other finished cat heads...

 

 



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.

Attending shows

I did my first show in 10 years (maybe more) this past weekend. I am still feeling exhausted from it all. Much of the time is spent standing there and waiting for someone to walk by and maybe stop to take a look. I am always ready with a smile and a hello. I introduce myself and ask them if they have any questions about my work. I try to appear approachable and pleasant.

Eden and I at my display

After a full day of talking loudly to be heard over the music from a nearby DJ, I would be a total liar if I did not say I was exhausted, hoarse and dispirited. The venue was certainly interesting and there were some fabulous items for sale right near me. But no one really stopped. No one asked questions. A quick glance and move on. I ended up chatting to the artists on either side of me who did wonderful, creative and astonishingly interesting works. To me anyway. They also did not have many people stop. A quick glance is all we got. Seems like all the action was outside the hall we were in, and we could not really leave our stalls to go look. Well- I could not as I did not have back up, and at the back of your mind you keep thinking that the next person may stop and purchase something and what if you are not there?
I had esty seller "Surly Bunny" on one side. Check out her neat stuff: https://www.etsy.com/shop/surlybunny?page=1
Eden is getting a unicorn mask, though I may borrow it !
The other talented lady is also on etsy with "Teddies by Design": https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeddiesbyDesign

I loved the cart I had to display my work on. The lady who organized the event is an energetic and awesome person. She directed people to us, had us show our work on the stage and did a "prettiest bear" competition to draw people's attention to us. I got placed too!

My little girl bear that got placed in the in house competition

Then there is the one thing you cannot control with the show crowd that crops up. Someone's budget. Perceived value can be talked up and explained and I know what goes into making a bear. I explained, got a smile and a nod and they moved on. People were taking a business card and looking. I ended up exhausted with no sales. I think most people came by to support a fundraising event, not purchase art, designer bears or craft. I did get comments on how 'nice' my work was. I really do not like that word. "Nice". yuk. But I am glad I got some attention and great feedback. Making me rethink some of the things I make. What a great way to find out more about your target market! I do appreciate that. Another lady there sold fabric handmade bears and she seemed to be doing well. Her price point was right and people truly loved what she made. Her workmanship was superb.

I left the show having made 2 new wonderful friends from the ladies of the booths next door to me, found out about a bear makers guild in Plano, Texas and a realization that next time I need to do better homework on a show. I did end up supporting a great cause raising money for homeless children. I am glad I did that. I went in with no expectations which is good in this case. I would suggest attending a show before you just signup to sell. Go see who comes by, what there is to purchase and price points, will your work be a good fit and what the show organizers offer so you know what to bring. Shows, for me, are about making contacts, getting direct feedback from potential customers and getting people to see you in person and touch what you make. And maybe make a few sales. Nothing beats that affirmation in your skill such as someone paying you for something you made. I learnt a great deal this weekend and I am glad I went. Still exhausted : ) but knowing a lot more about myself and where I want to take my craft.

Making dragon wings out of liquid sculpey

I have been making a lot of dragons lately and not all of them look good with quilted wings. I know there are plenty of places on You Tube and such that you can see how it is done. There are some fabulous wings out there. I like to use liquid sculpey and art wire to make mine.

The first thing you need is a good template. Again there are many fine examples on the internet. It is generally a line drawing and you want that as the wires will run on the lines to make the wing strong.
There are a few tools required too, but not many.

Tools I use:
1. liquid sculpey- liquid fimo is good too.
2. wire cutters
3. round nose pliers
4. strong aluminum wire for the outer edge lines
5. Colored art wire for the inner lines or veins.
6. tweezers
7. Sheet of glass
8. old paint brush
9. Baking oven

The first thing I do is place my template under the glass and tape it down so it will not move easily while I am working. I work slowly and carefully to shape the thicker aluminum wire  to the outer edge of the wing and one of the middle veins to add strength. The wire I use is about 1.5 mm thick or about 16 gauge. This is a slow process and you want to be as accurate as you can.
Once you have the outer wires- mine area copper brown- in place you can form the veins out of the coated art wire. It is about 18 ga or 1mm thick and it is easier to form. Work slowly to shape the wires and place them on the glass in the corresponding line as you finish them. I find accurate placing is better achieved with the tweezers.

Once the wires are all made and in place, I add the liquid sculpey. I work slowly so I do not move the wires. Liquid sculpey is a thick liquid so work carefully around the wires and it will help hold the wires in place as you fill the rest of the wings space. You want to fill the whole wing and have a decent layer. Make sure you put the liquid sculpey over the wires.

 

 

The sculpey can be coaxed onto the rest of the wing space on the glass with a paint brush. If you do decide to do this, then you need to be careful not to move the wires. Baking sculpey is tricky as it releases fumes I bake outside if I can and I have a dedicated oven for this. Before I bake the wing I do add some sparkle in the form of polymer glitter.  I got this one from Hobby Lobby.

 

I sprinkle the poly flake onto the wet wing and let it sit for a bit as the liquid sculpey levels out. I do get a bit on the glass but it does come off after baking so I do not worry about it.

Now I bake it:

I bake at 275 Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not let the temperature go over 300 as it will burn the sculpey and release smelly nasty fumes. The liquid does bake to a clear finish at a higher temperature.

 

The wing has baked and the poly flake has cured into it. I carefully remove the wing from the oven and place the glass onto a muffin pan to cool and finish setting. Once the wing and glass is cool enough to touch then I will move the wing. The wing will have some flex, but go slowly so you do not tear it. I now use gallery glass stain glass paint to add some more detail. It dries to the finish listed on the bottle so plan carefully before you add it. Most of the gallery glass is transparent when dried but there are hologram and pearl or frost finishes. It is also very runny so work carefully in order to not flood the area.

 

 

I do one side of the wing and let it dry totally before flipping the wing and adding gallery glass onto the other side. You can also add more glitter, gems, pearl beads to add detail and "bling". After all dragons like bling. Now I repeat the process to make the other wing. I do like to form the wires at the same time as this helps make sure the wings are a mirror image of each other. Once both wings have been baked, painted and decorated I leave them alone for a day as a precaution. I want to make sure they are really dry before I mess with them.

The part of the wings that touch has a small loop on each. I use more wire to wrap around those loops to hold them together. I now use a hot glue gun to glue the wings together. While the glue is still warm/hot I add an embellishment to cover the wire wrap and the glue. I like to use a brass embellishment as again- what dragon does not like the color gold?

I will glue on seed beads or glitter to hide anything else I do not want to be seen. Wings need to be pretty.

My finished wings for the green dragon. I sew a small loop of strong ribbon to the back of the dragon where I want the wings to be, The brass detail slides into this loop to hold the wings onto the back of the dragon. It makes tem removable for play.

More on Artist Bear Selling

I work in a variety of fabrics. When I make a test bear I will work in something like calico. It helps me to see if the pattern is even on all sides and if a shape may be hard to sew. I have only recently started to use Mohair or Alpaca. It is so expensive and the gold standard is Schulte mohair. Developed in Germany since 1901. It can run for $300 a yard. I purchase my mohair from Intercal Trading in California.
http://www.intercaltg.com/

I also love to use good quality polyester faux fur or Tissavel woven back faux fur. The woven back is stronger so allows for the needle felting of a bear face without worrying about what the sharp barbs on the needle is doing to the fabric backing. I purchase most of my faux fur from these places:
www.fabric.com
http://www.fabricempire.com/
 These places stipulate a minimum of a yard but the prices are excellent.  I also use polyfill premium fiber fill for stuffing the body. I like to use the Morning Glory Fiberfill for the head as it can be packed in a lot tighter than other brands. It is also great to needle felt on as it does not pull through and being not so silky as the other brand I use it grabs the wool better.
The needles and wool I use to felt with I purchase from:
http://weirdollsandcrafts.com/
http://livingfelt.com/

Other things I use to make a bear are felt, ultrasuede or other fabrics for paw pads, all kinds of threads, jointing parts, clothing fabrics, nose thread or wool, ribbons and sew in tags.
That is just the bear making part! The business part adds a whole lot more to be considered.
I mostly purchase my bear making supplies such as eyes and joints from Intercal Trading or from CRS Crafts www.crscrafts.com.

Other things required for a business are a computer, internet access, a printer, and good lighting (Ott lights are great for a daylight type light). A good camera is essential for record keeping and for online listing.  I take many photos of my bears as you never know when you want to make another one similar or a customer requests one. Without my notes and photos I would be lost as to what fabric I used, when I made it, what pattern variation I was on and what finishing details I used.
I also make hang tags for my bears as well as sew in tags. I design and make them by hand. I sell my bears online so there is a listing fee, a selling fee and a transaction fee before I even get any money out of the sale of a bear.

Other costs to consider are packaging and shipping supplies. Boxes, tissue paper for wrapping, ribbons, tape, labels, cellophane bags and special boxes also add to the costs incurred in the selling of a bear. Another way I sell bears is at an occasional show. To sell at a show you have to rent a both, and get there with good stock, and if it is out of town you will be incurring hotel fees and shipping costs to get your items there. There are also advertising fees, brochures, and business cards. Let us not forget the telephone...

When all of these things are considered, most collectors of bears will realize that when a bear that is One of a Kind or Artist Made, that there is a lot more to the bear's price that has to be considered. The price of a bear reflects many aspects of the running of the business as well as the art of making a bear.

Selling Artist Bears- why so expensive??

This is a question I get asked many times. "Why is your Bear/animal so expensive?"
I am going to try to answer this. The answer is a long one so I will do it in stages.
I found a wonderful article in Teddy Bear and Friends magazine. It explained many things I should have been telling people about, but was always a bit shy about or just too plain tongue tied!

To define what I mean by an Artist Bear: I found this quote from Irene Heckel: "It is totally made by an individual, from designing the pattern to the final details on the face and body". OOAK is also used a great deal and that means One of A Kind. That means exactly that- there is only one. One pattern produces one bear only. A true one of a kind will command a higher price.

Bringing an Artist Bear to life involves many things: one is being trained in the craft of bear making. I took online courses with EBearz: http://www.kranbearys.com/Ebearz/Teachers/NancyTillberg.htm
Nancy Tillberg taught me to needle sculpt, scissor sculpt and started me on the needle felting of the faces of my bears. I also have a huge library. Bear Makers also need specialized tools and materials. I  purchase the inventory to make the bears and it stays inventory until I sell it. My tools often have to be replaced too- special scissors for cutting do not always stay sharp! Bear making involves skills such as sewing, patience and plenty of practice. Skills I have learned:  how to lay out a pattern to cut minimizing the amount of fabric I use (Mohair is expensive- some runs at $350 a yard), stitching and turning parts and jointing methods. Sewing pieces together can be tricky and the first time I jointed a bear was a major exercise in reading, trying and panicking. Even stuffing the bear is an art- you have to know what stuffing to use and where. How much and how to place the stuffing so you do not end up with a strange face on your bear, after all that careful sewing. A finished bear involves developing a pattern, stitching, turning, stuffing, jointing, assembling and finishing.

Scissors sculpted trunk on Elephant

Needle Felted face on Detective Bear

As such Bear making takes a long time from start to finish. I find one bear can take up to 35 hours for me to make. That includes developing a sample pattern. I want to sell my bears so I have to be very thoughtful in how I can cover that time in terms of what I pay myself. I am still relatively unknown as a maker and the demand comes more from my commissions for something different or unusual rather than a bear I have already made. I cannot charge a premium for my time.

I work alone and I hand make all aspects of my bears. I develop my own patterns, but occasionally I find one I have to make on Etsy.com . A favorite place of mine to look for a pattern is Jennifer Carson at https://www.etsy.com/shop/jennifercarson
She does allow a certain number of the animals made to be sold, so long as you recognize her as the designer. Not having to design a pattern sure does reduce the amount of time involved in bringing a creation to market. I personalize the creations a bit, but the original pattern is hers so I will credit!

Salty Sea Dog- Jennifer Carson Pattern made by myself

Designing your own pattern can take weeks: draughting the first one, making the animal, making changes to the pattern, redoing the sample until it is all just right. I make my first few samples out of inexpensive fabrics before I make the final in the "good stuff".  I do reuse my current patterns by altering size, materials used, the finishes. The animals are all unique in their own way but you can see they are from the same pattern. I do limit the number I make from the pattern. I do not like to make more than 10 variations on that one pattern.

Next I will look at fabrics used and some of the costs of running a business.





July 3, 2014
I lost one of my best friends. His company was always so welcome, his love unconditional and his ability to always be there for me- unparalleled. I will miss my Mushu greatly. Especially when I have to work in the studio and he is not there to let me know it is time to stop for lunch.

Best gift my husband ever bought me

E and Mushu were big buddies from the moment she came home

Those loving brown eyes

How he let us know he wants something

How he spent the summer

Skinny puppy!

 

How to stop a Pyrenese from eating the fence to see- cut a hole...

 

How E learned to walk

SNOW!!!!!

 

I have so many wonderful memories of my Fur Boy. I will always miss him and try to remember the good times and all the smiles and laughs he gave me over the 11 years of his life.

When I cross the rainbow bridge I will be looking for him.

https://rainbowsbridge.com/poem.htm