I've been busy knitting

I can't do much at the moment because of sciatica so I have been half sitting/half laying here knitting bears.
When I started to put them together I realised that I had no large neck joints left.
I am well impressed with Bear Basic's service - I ordered Monday and received the parcel on Tuesday :)
Here are the pieces to be made into 3 large knitted bears.  I had made one of the heads and then realised I had no safety joints large enough to fasten it to the body.  The knitted bears only have the one plastic joint, the arms and legs are string jointed.

This one is made from 4 different wools - 2 whites, a blue/purple mix and green.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished bear.

A mix of blues in an eyelash yarn doubled

When are you going to put my body together?
This is a wonderful bluey grey mix in a long hairy yarn.

I have changed the design of the foot.  On the left is the original stubby version.
They now have a more pronounced foot as in my mohair bears.

I will take more photographs later today when I have assembled these bears.

Small is beautiful

The small bears are evolving nicely.  The last two 5" bears have turned out well.  The pattern really seems to suit the sparse mohair.
I was really impressed with their photos too.  Not sure what I have done differently but I have managed to block out all of the background giving a very professional look.  (well I think so anyway).



This is Timmy...



....and this is Lester

Both of these 5" bears are available from my online shop at Folksy, priced at just £20 each + postage.

The vintage  bears are proving popular and a good talking point at my Alby Crafts Sunday shop.

I am now taking old soft toys and vintage bears for mending and restoration. As long as they are not too damaged  as I am not experienced enough for major restoration work.  Eyes, ears and rejointing is fine, but I wouldn't feel comfortable to do patching or limb replacement to valuable old bears yet.

One of the bears and the puppy dog have found new homes after having some work done a clean up.

I find it to be a satisfying feeling to make these old toys look good again, and hope they are going to homes where they will be loved and admired for many more years.

LtoR - Georgie, Humphrey, Billy.  Brian is sold
The little puppy dog in the front is also sold

Puppy Dog



Something made me love him!



I found a little Spaniel puppy toy and couldn't resist buying him to restore.  He looked really strange and quite ugly when I got him, but I could see the cuteness trying to get out.



He has had the usual dry bath and I don't think he is mohair as advertised, but can't be sure.  Anyway he looked a bit cleaner whatever he is made of and I set to work giving him a pretty face again.

His mouth had sort of dropped open and a seam had come open so that was stitched up and his jowls were tightened (sounds more like a face lift ).

His ears needed a few stitches and he had a small opening in one of his head seams.

Next he got his new nose.  I looked at my two Cavaliers and decided he should have a shield shaped nose.
I could see that he had worn a collar at some point as there was a cleaner stripe around his neck the same colour as the back of his ears.
I tried a few different things until I settled on black felt for his new collar, with a little bell at the front.
It seemed to bring him back to life, I felt he needed something around his neck.
Here are his before and after photos  (the 'before' ones are after he was cleaned as I couldn't wait and forgot to take them until after his 'bath').


'Heeelp me'




'Thanks, that feels better'



 I took a set of photos of him with my old doll and was pleasantly surprised at how well they look together.

I may be able to use one of these photos to frame for my craft shop stock.  I was a tomboy, so even though my doll is 55 years old she is still in very good condition.  I probably like her better now than I did then.  She has such a pretty face.

The little dog will be for sale on Etsy later this evening. (click on the flag in the right hand column of this blog to go to my shop)

Smiler

This is my new 'old bear' find.  He is not mohair, nor is he jointed, but I couldn't resist his face.
You know the feeling that you just have to have something- well that is what happened to me.  Luckily I didn't have to pay much for him.
I have called him Smiler for obvious reasons, and I challenge you all to look at that face and to not smile back at him!
He sits on my work table at the craft shop and is a great conversation starter (he makes the customers smile back at him too).



He was a bit grubby, but still smiling




Do you think he lost his false teeth somewhere along the way?

He is now patiently waiting for his 'big brother' to arrive.  I am hoping he will give me more information on what make he is as the other one has trousers and a bow tie so may even have an intact label.