Now the preview has begun, you can visit http://www.teddiesworldwide.com to see all the lovely preview bears and vote for your favourite.
Friday, 14 June 2013
The Show Preview has Started
The show preview has started! My preview piece is called: 'Lunch with a Friend'. Matilda is a 17 inch (nose to tail) brown bear made from Schulte alpaca. She has six nut and bolt joints. Her legs are wired. She comes with her little mouse friend, who I have hand sculpted in polymer clay. Little mouse has hand sculpted acorns, oak leaves and blackberries for them to share for lunch. I hope you like them as much as I do!
Now the preview has begun, you can visit http://www.teddiesworldwide.com to see all the lovely preview bears and vote for your favourite.
Now the preview has begun, you can visit http://www.teddiesworldwide.com to see all the lovely preview bears and vote for your favourite.
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Work in Progress
My bearmaking for the upcoming online show is going well...but I'm not allowed to show any previews. It is difficult to not show them, as I am very pleased with them.
I have two quilts that need sashing and borders - both are samplers, one is pieced, using batiks and the other is all white and free-motion quilted. Below is a single block from each quilt.
I've found time for some baking:
8 inch Rich chocolate cake
8 inch rich fruit cake and 6 inch Madiera cake
The Spring has been the coldest for 50 years, so the flowers are about a month behind. I grew the yellow tree peony from seed.
The rhodedendron is a very large, old shrub that had reverted back to the mauve species plant with only one small branch of the cultivar remaining.
The quince below was planted last year. It looked quite sickly, so am delighted that it looks so good this year. I LOVE quince jelly!
Hoping everyone is having a great weekend!
I have two quilts that need sashing and borders - both are samplers, one is pieced, using batiks and the other is all white and free-motion quilted. Below is a single block from each quilt.
I've found time for some baking:
8 inch Rich chocolate cake
8 inch rich fruit cake and 6 inch Madiera cake
The Spring has been the coldest for 50 years, so the flowers are about a month behind. I grew the yellow tree peony from seed.
The rhodedendron is a very large, old shrub that had reverted back to the mauve species plant with only one small branch of the cultivar remaining.
The quince below was planted last year. It looked quite sickly, so am delighted that it looks so good this year. I LOVE quince jelly!
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Teddy Bear and Friends Picnic Online Show
I am delighted to have been selected for the next Teddies Worldwide online show from June 28th - 30th. I love the opportunity to design and make some other animals as friends of teddy.
Last year was so much fun. I created elephants, a piggy and rabbits. I now need to think carefully about making some special friends for this year's show!
Last year's friends of teddy
Is a Teddy Greater Than the Sum of his Parts?
This post contains my thoughts...you may agree or disagree. When it comes down to it, a teddy consists of a head, body, arms and legs. Within that framework there are almost endless permutations of design that can be applied to each part. There are few rules and existing rules that have been broken may produce exciting innovations. The teddy bear artist is always trying to create designs that:
Regardless of the perfections of the craftsmanship, for the design to be successful, the entire composition must be in sympathy with each of its parts.
It always amazes me how much variation there is in bear design...in size, materials used, techniques applied, dressed or undressed and 'viva la difference' I say. A bear that appeals to one person may well be totally ignored by another. I think every teddy lover has their ideal teddy in their mind.
On a personal note, I love genuine vintage bears, classic teddies, realistic bears, anime style bears and prim bears. In fact, there are very few bears I dislike. A mean expression is something I wouldn't want to share my home with. My own collection is very eclectic, but if I look at those bears I have chosen to part money with to adopt, they all have a couple of characteristics in common. They all have strong characters. They may look shy or a little sad or happy, but they are full of character and real individuals. They are nearly all made with mohair or alpaca except for one little one made from an aged viscose. Synthetic fabrics are not for me.
As a bear artist, I usually make a bear's head first. I like to see the eyes, ears, nose and mouth all completed before I create the body. This allows me to change my mind about elements of the body or limb design if I want to, without wasting fabric. The magical thing about teddy making that I never tire of and never really understand, is that the faces and characters 'happen' ...that is they seem to have a life of their own. Although I am doing the sewing, needlesculpting the face, making the nose, choosing and placing the eyes, I don't feel I have any control of how they look? It is almost as if they are making the decisions. (Maybe I've lost the plot!) Occasionally, the process doesn't go smoothly. I remember a few years ago, making a bear I called 'Chance'. Secretly I called her 'Last Chance', because I just couldn't get her right. I left her for a couple of weeks, and then went back to her. Seeing her with fresh eyes enabled me to move the eyes slightly and change her ears. She turned out well in the end and found a lovely home in the US.
The decisions made about each element of a design affects the overall harmony of the composition. Are there any definite no no's? This is something I need to ponder further.
The nice thing about a blog is that it allows you to reflect about your feelings regarding your craft. In the future I hope to post in more detail about the different options available to a bear maker.
The bear above is Bramble, made by myself in 2011.
- enhance the appeal of the teddy
- may or may not resemble reality
- may or may not resemble a traditional bear
- are completely unique to their interpretation.
Regardless of the perfections of the craftsmanship, for the design to be successful, the entire composition must be in sympathy with each of its parts.
It always amazes me how much variation there is in bear design...in size, materials used, techniques applied, dressed or undressed and 'viva la difference' I say. A bear that appeals to one person may well be totally ignored by another. I think every teddy lover has their ideal teddy in their mind.
On a personal note, I love genuine vintage bears, classic teddies, realistic bears, anime style bears and prim bears. In fact, there are very few bears I dislike. A mean expression is something I wouldn't want to share my home with. My own collection is very eclectic, but if I look at those bears I have chosen to part money with to adopt, they all have a couple of characteristics in common. They all have strong characters. They may look shy or a little sad or happy, but they are full of character and real individuals. They are nearly all made with mohair or alpaca except for one little one made from an aged viscose. Synthetic fabrics are not for me.
As a bear artist, I usually make a bear's head first. I like to see the eyes, ears, nose and mouth all completed before I create the body. This allows me to change my mind about elements of the body or limb design if I want to, without wasting fabric. The magical thing about teddy making that I never tire of and never really understand, is that the faces and characters 'happen' ...that is they seem to have a life of their own. Although I am doing the sewing, needlesculpting the face, making the nose, choosing and placing the eyes, I don't feel I have any control of how they look? It is almost as if they are making the decisions. (Maybe I've lost the plot!) Occasionally, the process doesn't go smoothly. I remember a few years ago, making a bear I called 'Chance'. Secretly I called her 'Last Chance', because I just couldn't get her right. I left her for a couple of weeks, and then went back to her. Seeing her with fresh eyes enabled me to move the eyes slightly and change her ears. She turned out well in the end and found a lovely home in the US.
The decisions made about each element of a design affects the overall harmony of the composition. Are there any definite no no's? This is something I need to ponder further.
The nice thing about a blog is that it allows you to reflect about your feelings regarding your craft. In the future I hope to post in more detail about the different options available to a bear maker.
The bear above is Bramble, made by myself in 2011.
Friday, 5 April 2013
No Name
I don't usually keep bears that I make but I think this chap may be an exception. He has no name yet and he is very shy but I am smitten with him. He is a wonderful cuddle. He is made from a lovely, dense tipped Schulte mohair. He has 6 joints, wired arms and applique and trapunto paws. I have more of this wonderful mohair, so hope to make another bear for adoption some time in the future.
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Happy Easter 2013
Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter!
The bear in the photo is Rufus. He is a classic bear with a large hump made using German Helmbold mohair and wool felt. I have just finished him today...and thought he should have a nice ombre, daffodil coloured silk ribbon.
The bear in the photo is Rufus. He is a classic bear with a large hump made using German Helmbold mohair and wool felt. I have just finished him today...and thought he should have a nice ombre, daffodil coloured silk ribbon.
Monday, 25 March 2013
Thank you
Thank you to the collectors who adopted my bears over the weekend! The teddies are, (as I write this), already on their way to Australia, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. One is waiting to be collected this evening. The show was, as always, very enjoyable. I love to see what all the other artists have made and many thanks also, to Daphne Towle who works very hard to make the show exciting and fun!
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