Saturday, August 6, 2011

Cross Over

In bear making as in a lot of things, there are the "given" ways of doing things. The pattern we first use will determine pretty much how we approach our bears. For years I have been unhappy with the way the fur sat over the toes on my bears. The traditional pattern for a bear's leg is made in two pieces plus a foot pad, and therein lies the problem, that seam over the centre of the toe area. I have been dabbling a little in dolls over the last few years and have found that there are techniques which definitely cross over between dolls and bears, and in dolls is where I found an answer to a couple of bear design problems.
I wanted to get a flatter looking foot for my bears and looked at doll patterns for a solution. So now for a number of years I have been making bears with a two piece leg like a doll's leg with the toe sewn flat (but with no footpad). I then hand appliqued leather pads to the feet, which were stuffed and sculpted to get toes like this. This achieved the flatter foot I was after, but I still had problems with how the fur was sitting over the toe end of the foot because of the seam running down the centre of the foot.
Just recently I have sloved this annoying problem by again looking at doll patterns. I now I have a three piece leg with no seam over the toe, plus a foot pad. I can then use different techniques for the pads, including sculpting the pad after the legs have been stuffed, or using a combination of trapunto and needle sculpting  to get some very nice feet. The bear I have just completed has given me alot of joy, I have managed to get some great articulation in him using Loc-line in both his body and his limbs, and I have spent hours playing with him enjoying the realistic movement in him. I feel I'm getting closer to what I'm after in my bears and that is what is so rewarding about all that I do, the evolution of design, the solution of problems and the joy of achievement!
This bear has the "new" feet, but isn't my latest.You can see how nicely the fur is sitting over the ends of his toes.

9 comments:

  1. Precious. I like the way you have the fur on the toes.

    Happy Weekend.

    Hugs

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  2. Yes! yes! Yes! I understand! I deal with the same issues, and end up trimming an plucking. I am glad there is a way.

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  3. Looks great Linda!!! I just love the feet on your bears anyway!!!xxx

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  4. I have pictures of feet on your bear Linda, just to drool over. I know what you mean about the 3 piece doll legs. The fur certainly sits well over the bears toes. Well done.

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  5. Very nice solution to the problem. I wouldn't have realized there was a problem as I've only made a couple of bears but I have made plenty of soft sculpture dolls. Very clever of you to think of doing this cross over.

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  6. Doesn't it feel great to solve a problem and move forward!!!! Love the way the fur sits now.. not that there was anything wrong with the way it sat before but I can see where your coming from. :0)
    Hugs Lyn

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  7. Oh he's fabulous, love how he turned out, and glad you could solve the problem with your feetsies :o)

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  8. It's just the BEST feeling to solve a problem that has niggled for ages. I love your bear's happy, gentle expression and his feet look great, too!

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  9. What an inspiration you are, Linda! I really appreciate the generous way you share new discoveries and and techniques with us. We all benefit, and our bears do too!

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