Belated Happy New Year !!

I can`t believe the first half of the month of the New Year already is gone..  I don`t think it is to late to sent my best wishes> I hope and wish everybody worldwide a great start in the new year and may it continued the years to come !! 
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

For me it is time to get back to bear making and prepare for the shows to come. I have a few new designs needs to work out... and there will be another ThReAdTeDs® Challenge (more about this later).
There are mini fabrics waiting for new colors..  my web shop and web site needs to be updated..and...and.. and..

But.. in this post I like to share with you what I worked on and finished in the Christmas Season Holidays...  as you know I like many other crafts/techniques besides bear making.. and/or at least want to do it ones to know what it is about..

Knitting is another favorite needlecraft I LOVE to do.  I found this website of  ZIJ MAAKT HET  and fall in love with the monkeys Jacobus and Saar.  I wanted to knit the monkey for my Grand daughter Malu. Above is the first finished Monkey. I made him with thinner wool and needles as described in the pattern, he turned out very cute. 

The second Monkey I knitted from thicker wool, it is the kind of wool which can be wet felted afterwards, but I knitted him very tight, so no more shrinking or felting is needed. 

Here they are sitting together on a big wet felted Rock. Malu liked the Monkeys, but as she is almost 4 months now, everything she has in her hand will go to her mouth..  and she did start  "eating"  wool fuzzles.. hmm.. not very tasty and  not safe..

So the 3th Monkey I knitted "Malu safe" from a nice cotton yarn.  The above monkey went home with her and she loves to play with him. 

If you are interested to knit Jacobus or Saar or any of the other cute animals, the patterns are available via Annita`s website or in English language available via  www.ravelry.com  user name:  Annita. 

The Felted Stones Pillows the monkeys are sitting on I wanted to make for a long time, and finally got to it. So far I made 4, the last one is in progress. I will make a picture from all the Rocks together wen I finish him.

at last...

ZHEN XIAN BAO

Another project I wanted to do for so long.. making a yarn book using paperfolding techniques developed from a fascinating tradition from remote South West China. It is an aspect of folk art and takes the form of an intriguing type of folder made principally for storing embroidery threads by the Miao, Dong and other minorities. 

Instead of pages they contain many ingeniously folded 3-dimensional compartments. The original books are beautiful decorated inside (stil have to do mine), and usually have a plain indigo cloth cover. I made an inset decoration of tyvek (again another material I wanted to work with) in the cover of mine book.

The book does unfold into 15 pockets. The Chinese name for these books is ZHEN XIAN BAO which translates as NEEDLE THREAD POCKETS.  The book may look complicated, but using and  following the Instructions in book 1;  "Folded Secrets" by Ruth Smith it is not so difficult to make.  Unfortunately  Ruth doesn`t have a website but if you are interested in her books you can contact Ruth at:  eruthsmith@btinternet.com

As you see above, I was quit productive in the Holiday Season, learned a lot new and did pick up some old.

Merry Christmas

Our Yearly Bear Friends Works Shop

Every week we come together with friends, to work on bears or other fun project. In between we chat .. hmm. or should I say.. in between chatting we make bears .
To close the year we organize a Christmas workshop. I mostly take care for the projects.. others take care for food and drinks.
This year we made ThReAdTeDs® Bear Paw pincushion.

  First the Paw Pad was sewn together,  stuffed and weighted.

Then with a template the felted details were added. The claw beads sewn on seperate.

 The fun thing from these projects, with the template we made, everybody can do it..and each one ended up with a nicely needle felted pincushion to take home, with memories of a nice and fun day spent together with Friends.  

Teddie Word Wide Christmas Show Preview

I know, I know, I am late to announce the preview for the Teddie World Wide Christmas Show, but there is still 4 more days to cast your vote !!

This is my creation I made special as preview and challenge for Teddies World Wide Christmas Show. The theme was a Christmas Carol.
The little bear is driving home in a wet felted Elf shoe car I special felted for him. The shoe is wet felted, the wheels needle felted.
If you like him, he would love to receive your vote.

You can vote only once in each category, there is one category for miniature and one for bigger bears.

To see all the preview bears go to: http://www.teddiesworldwide.com
from there you can go directly to the preview page.
Voting is easy, click on the name below the picture, a pop up window shows and in there you confirm your vote. That`s all !! No need to enter name and/or email address.

Enjoy!!

.. and if you decide to vote for "Driving home for Christmas" I like to thank in
advance!!
Berta

Addi Quick turbo felting machine

We had a wonderful show last weekend. Many, many visitors, it was crowded all day on Saturday and Sunday. Bears and dolls found new homes. There were several kinds of work-shops were visitors could sit down and join the fun to learn something new.
My opinion; It was a good move from the Organizer to change the location for this big Doll and Bear show from  Ahoy to the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch.

I was totally exited about the new addi Quick needle felting tool, which I received in the mail a week before this show. As Jessica von der Fecht (the lady who invented the tool) is not familiar with bear/animal making, I asked her if it was ok to introduce and show the Addi Quick to the bear making people during the show.  I was so exited about the possibilities, the ease to work with the tool, and the time it would save...  I just had to share this wonderful tool with fellow artist and bear makers.

I prepared some little projects to work on and to demonstrate  the Addi Quick Turbo felting machine during the show. I also invited people to sit down and give it a try.. here some pictures made during the show from a few of the many people who tried the AddiQuick:

  Like me, they became exited and for many it came on top of their Christmas wishes list. If you want to learn more about Jessica von der Fecht, about her work and her invention visite her Blog at http://www.mobifilz.com/ 
To order the Addi Quick Turbo machine visite the shop at Filzspecht.de
or google to find a seller in your country or area. I enjoyed it very much to introduce Jessie`s felting machine. Thank you Jessie for sharing your wonderful invention with all of us felting enthusiasts!!

What keeps me busy..

Preparing for the last 3 shows in 2012.

Upcoming weekend (Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 October )the show from Niesje Wolters in Den Bosch.. Yes..ATTENTION !! a new location!! For me this location is not bad as it is closer to my house so can drive home. 

Then the next week I will be in Wiesbaden. For the first time Kreativ Welt has an extra spot for Teddy Bear Artist, a Teddy Bear show within a very big happening..Kreativ Welt!! 

It is a 4 day happening so hopefully see many of you there. I don`t know what spot we will be, as these will be provided the day of set up.

Then at last on 18 November the Berlinale, Teddy Bear show in Berlin.

Besides bears I am preparing/dyeing lots of fabrics.. Special the the XX Long Pile mini fabric I like very much. It does sew easy, does not fray and the long hair makes it fun to scissor sculpt. It is easy to use for small bear as well as for bigger bears. I bring examples of bears made with this fabric, here is already one for you to see:

Another great thing, this fabric does hand- dye into lovely colors and shades.  Here some examples of the Tie Dye and Stripes I have done before with other mini fabrics:

And a new way of dyeing in shades from light to dark:

I call this SHADOW. I almost finished a bear with this new Shadow dyed fabric and hope to have him finished before the next shows for you to see.
Back to work.. and hopefully see you soon.

HURRAY !! URSA competition .. I won...

Victoria and Panda Bunny are both winners but don`t know yet if it will be number 1, 2 or 3 !! This will be announced in the October web-zine of Bears & Buds. Thanks to ALL who voted for my entries!!

From all the finalists there is only one who can win the URSA Major - Best Overall Award. To make a chance I need to campaign again for votes and hope for YOUR vote for Victoria!!  Although I do love Panda Bunny, you can only give one vote and I would make a better chance if voting goes to only one of my finalists. Victoria is my favorite, hope she is your`s too !!

Click on the above banner and vote for your favorite!!