Wednesday, November 14, 2018

head first into the fray......

Now, this is the way to spend an hour working on a little bear.

Some patterns and some bear makers stitch from tip of nose down to the neck area first and then stitch in the head gusset.  Some stitch on the head gusset piece first..I guess it depends upon which you prefer after you have made a couple of bears, or which you learned first or whatever...I totally forget which I learned first or if I just followed directions for patterns and then... forgot about them and did it my way.  I seem to stitch up the nose to neck first a lot of the time.  But, then..it does seem to be a bit of a wrestling match to get the gusset to line up perfectly ...altough, it is tough either way.
Can't say one or the other is easier for me.

I stitched up the second side of the head on this day... which is always a bit of an eye opener.  You more or less have to stitch from the top side of the gusset down to the underneath side of it with each tiny stitch, as compared to the other side...which seems to be from the bottom to top if you get my drift.  It has to be because you are going in the opposite direction, but can't just back-stitch from left to right instead of right to left.  Hmmm...  maybe you could... you know what ?..I've never tried that.  Maybe I could some day.

So.. totally confused?  Okay then...I'll just show you my head so far then...

This is normally just how I work.  A tiny cluttered space with my light, my "stuff" ..oh, and on this perfect day... Mr. BumbleVee poured me a little drink to sip as well.  Perfect.

It was a cold, snowy day and nice and cozy in the house.... a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

















It looks a bit cluttered on the actual head as well doesn't it?  With all those alligator clips.... but, that is an easy way to hold the seam edges tightly together without having to grip it with fingers and thumb and make my hands reeeellly sore.   You just remove them as you get stitched right up to each one..or move one and re-organize the next one if a pucker or ruffle shows up... it is an ongoing process to get a head stitched up the way I like it.

As I mentioned in my previous post..the head is actually stitched together now...and I put in some stuffing...but, I will have to load up some new pics ...so you can see that next.  Patience people.... patience.....hahahha... what am I saying?  I have no patience at all myself... ....I want things now and I mean right NOW! .. but here I am expecting everybody else to wait.  BAD me.... bad me.....

But, there was drama with the nose area.... trauma and difficulties ensued...problems were overcome and I am back in the driver's seat...

Off I go now to stitch up an ear ....

and...............next time I tell you the story of how I made the poor little guy's muzzle instantly bald with just a few plucks...



5 comments:

Magpie's Mumblings said...

oh the horror - muzzle plucking! Patience isn't one of my virtues either and I have to admit to practically holding my breath to see your wee bear finished...

Sue (this n that) said...

Hi Vee, it's always interesting to see how bears are made. I have done a few in the past, purely self-taught, oh yes, patience is often needed and its so nice when they are completed!!

Mary Ann Tate said...

I take it that you are sewing the head by hand? Not me. I'd baste and then sew it on the machine. But that's me :)

Hmmm....I must talk to "the help" around here. I don't get any interesting libations when I'm sewing. Okay I get cups of tea but nothing in a glass.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Everything is looking groovy.. and some refreshment to boot.. nice to be taken care of... and this light.. what kind is it and what is your recommendation of it?.. always need good lighting!!

Shashi Nayagam said...

Oh don’t mention the clutter mine is even worse. I spend half the time searching for the scissors or the needles😀. Those tiny bears must be a beast to sew. I don’t think i have the patience for such tiny ones. Look forward to seeing yours.