Thursday 19 February 2015

Teddy bear workshop

In two days I teached two ladies: Wilma  en Heidi  how to make a teddy bear.  The pattern we used is from my own teddy bear on the left. Everything was ready: all the materials, tools, pattern, coffee and cake.


They brought a special giant cooky from Spakenburg, the writing says in Dutch: 'Hurray the 4th of March,  bear day'. So lovely and very tasty. It was a bit funny though because it was February not March, but never mind, it tasted great anyway!

First we started choosing the fabric, not easy because they were all different. I dyed the teddy bear fabric in different colours and made it look old already.Then they started tracing the pattern, cutting the pieces and pinning everything together.

My two Singer Featherweights came in handy. I like to sew some parts of my teddy bears on the featherweight, it is strong and easy to clean. Some parts had to be done by hand.
Wilma en Heidi did some homework too.

On the second day the parts were put together, eyes put in. Here Wilma's teddy bear without stuffing.

Heidi's teddy bear is also patiently waiting to be stuffed.

Closing the back..

Stuffing the back..

Still with no nose, but already two different characters.

Heidi's happy teddy bear, ready!!

Wilma's teddy bear, a bit shy but friendly and finished too!


In the sun, posing for all our camera's.

Everything is packed after two very nice days with two very talented students!!! They worked very hard. We were all happy with the results!!

Ready to go home and Heidi's teddy bear was looking out of this bag to see where he was going...

And so is Wilma's....we will meet again soon;)

The pattern was designed by me, a 'Annemiekebears pattern'. I used to make lots of teddy bears and sell them on teddy bear shows a couple of years ago. I still like to make them once in a while. I'll show it here when a new teddy bear is 'born'. May be there will be a new teddy bear generation in the coming years!

For tools and supplies in the Netherlands I usually go to Berenatelier Tierlantijntje (click for their webshop)

P.S.  Heidi made a nice post on the workshop too, you can find it here

Have a good weekend,

Groetjes

Annemieke




Friday 13 February 2015

Pompom cover for old monkey


Hi, this is monkey and today he got a new cover for his bed, made out of many pompoms. I'll show you how it is made. I got this idea from a book, probably from the seventies.

Here are the pompoms from up close.

It is done on a frame (made out of a painters canvas. The linen is being taken off). Lots of nails 2cm apart, sock wool  leftovers from one nail to the other, up and down until the frame is full.

At the crossings the threads are being tied up. Not with wool, I tried, but it is better to use strong thin unbreakable sewing thread.

After that I cut the threads in between every square like above BUT SAVE THE TWO BOTTOM THREADS!! This way the pompoms stay tied together forming a little blanket.

Cut loose from the frame.

After the cutting is finished, rub the pompoms with your hands to make them fluffy and spray with a little water so all the pompoms get even more fluffy.


Monkey is off to bed with his new pompom cover.

He doesn't need help....

See...

Nice and warm....

Goofie (our dachshund or teckel of 14) needed to inspect the new blanket.

By the way, this monkey is probably English, more then a 100 years old, he has real 'shoe button' eyes and is filled with excelsior.  I'm being told that he is a very  rare stuffed monkey.

Monkey couldn't sleep, had lots of things to think about so.....

Lizzy (our dachshund or teckel of 6) gave him a goodnight hug  :)

Have a good weekend!!!!!!

Groetjes

Annemieke