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Additional Information
Fur condition:
For real fur coats/stoles, the fur needs to be soft enough to sew.
If the hide is too dry, it will not hold the seams. I usually will
not do anything to an heirloom garment unless I believe the material
will work for the project. For more information about how to assess
your fur's condition scroll down to find Frequently Asked Questions.
Important!: It is important to know that memory
bears made from matured fur cannot be considered toys. Although
I do things to re-enforce the fur and make it stable, old fur is
not overly sturdy and it simply won't hold up to rough child play.
In addition, the premium glass eyes are NOT child safe. They are
blown glass on the end of a wire. Although they are securely attached
to the bear, a child pulling and twisting them can break them off
and they can become a choking hazzard.
Want to know more?
Below the following samples of recent projects, I include more information
including Frequenttly Asked Questions and a description of my process.
Here are some of the many projects I've had the opportunity to work
on. Not everyone takes the time to write me when they've received their
memory bears, but I've included some of the ones I have heard from.
You can also see even more projects on my Gallery
page by following the link at the bottom of this page:
 Fluffy
Coyote Fun
Jeanie wanted a bear made from her Coyote fur jacket. Coyote is
a beautiful fur and really makes the most adorable bears, but the
fur is a "bear" to work with. I had fun sculpting the
face and we used fur on the inside of the ears as well.
I just received my coyote fur bear today - It is totally adorable! I
love what you did with the short fur nose and inner ears. The
lining made wonderful paw pads and scart and the deep red you added
was perfect! Thank you for the beautiful job you did in preserving
my jacket. Thank you again and again,
Jeanie |
 Musical Memories Will Go On
Anita wanted seven bears made for her children, neices and nephews
from a combination of her late mother's garments. In addition to
wanting each to have "Love Grandma Rose" on their scarves, she
wanted a music box put into each bear with "My Heart Will Go On". I
was able to find some 18 note wind-up music boxes with that tune.
|
 Bears for Sisters
Kenneth wanted bears made from his late mother's stole for his
sisters for Christmas. The blond mink stole was just big enough
to get him three total bears.
All the bears are in a happy home. My
Sisters loved them -
Thank you.
Ken |
 Beautiful Bears from Mom's Coat
Teri sent her mother's fur coat to have bears made. The coat had
a mixture of short and long fur so we decided to emphasize that
mixture. It made unusual, fluffy bears with a lot of personality. The
two bears with color scarves are 14" and the two bears with the lining
scarves are 18".
Good morning Liane,
I wanted to let you know that the bears arrived yesterday. They are absolutely
perfect and I can't thank you enough.
I brought one to school with me today
and have been showing it off. I also have given many teachers your
information, just in case they decide to have bears made.
Thank you again, I now have a lasting memory of my mom and myself
for my children, niece and nephew.
Sincerely,
Teri |
 From
Grandma's Fur
Lynn sent her grandmother's fur to have two bears made for
her and her brother's family. The fur was a dark mink and made
beautiful bears.
Hi Liane,
What a fabulous homecoming!!! My husband and I returned
from 3 weeks in South America yesterday, and when the mail came
(all 3 weeks of it!), there was a package from you. I was
so excited I could hardly get the box open. The bears are
absolutely fantastic. They are all I dreamed of and MORE! You
did an outstanding job and I love the bears so very much. Today
I invited my best friend over to see them and she was just awed! She
does a lot of sewing and said that your work was really top quality. All
and all, the bears are a HUGE success and greatly loved! I
will give the smaller one to my brother’s family. Thus,
they too will have something from my grandmother and can pass
the bear down within their family. I will keep the larger
one for myself and love and cherish it. He sits on our
bed and each time I pass him, he brings back wonderful memories
of my grandmother. It’s so much better than having
a coat I don’t wear taking up room in my closet.
I will certainly recommend your fine work
to anyone that might be interested and tell them what a wonderful “fairy godmother” I
found on the internet. Thank you from the bottom of my
heart.
Sincerely, Lynn |
 Furry Ears
Carol Ann wanted four bears from her aunt and her grandmother's
furs. She requested that we use the fur for the inside of the ears
instead of the lining materials--which makes for very furry ears. |
 Challenging
Fur
Linda sent her mother's white mink stole and her mother-in-law's
dark mink coat. The coat was in very poor condition and it was
a challenge to use the fur. I was able to salvage just enough
to get two bears from it. The white stole was in fine condition
so I mixed the two furs to make the four bears she wanted.
Dear Liane,
When I shhipped you my mother-in-law's
brown mink coat and my mother's white mink stole, I was excited
to get this project started. i was very excited when you suggested
using both colors in each of four teddy bears. I was excited
when the carton arrived with our new additions. then came Christmas
morning and I could hardly contain myself until my four grandaughters
openedd their bags--after I narrated the significance of the
bears.
I am so happy I found you on the internet.
Your work exceeded my highest expectations. Thank you and Happy
New Year!
Love, Linda |
 Keeping the T-Shirt
Mia sent me her late Father-in-Law's favorite T-shirt and another
work shirt to have bears made for her husband and his brother.
The T-Shirt had a saying on it that she wanted captured. I had
to split the words between the front and back of the bear because
they were too big to fit all on the front. However, I think it
worked well.
Liane,
"I have been thinking of just how to express the feeling
I had, when I opened my heirloom bears from Liane! They were mesmerizing~
All the memories from our father, came flashing by, and we both
cried as we held the bear in our arms. This is the most precious
thing we own...We couldn't be happier with the outcome, and I will
cherish the bear forever...Thank you Liane for capturing the true
spirit of our father in these adorable, huggable, bears!"
--
Warmest wishes... Mia |
Remembering Gramma Peters
Mary Jo sent her late mother's fur jacket to have two bears made
for her grandchildren--who had never met their great grandmother. |
 Bears for the Next Generation
Stephanie sent me her mother's mink stole to have two bears made:
one for her brother's grandchild and one for her greatgrandchild. The
stole was small so the bears are 12", but they are full of
personality. |
Bears for Siblings
Susan sent me her late mother's mink coat to have bears made for
her and her siblings. I was able to get four 14" bears and one
12" bear from the fur. Each bear has a vest made from the
coat lining.
Hi Liane
I picked up the bears this week and they
are so cute! It
was a pleasure working with you on this project - it was certainly
an easy process. My siblings will love the bears as a Christmas
present, and, as a reminder of Mom since the fur was her original
mink coat. I am so pleased I chose to do this. With
your help it has been a very gratifying project.
Many thanks. Susan |
Opossum in Three
Nancy sent me her Opossum coat to have three bears made for her
daughters and granddaughter. Opossum coats are often made up
of a kind of patchwork of different colors so it makes really interesting
and unique bears.
Dear Liane,
I just went to the post office to pick up my package (I was gone
for the weekend).
I have never been happier...They are absolutely gorgeous!
I have to tell you that I was a little apprehensive about sending
a complete stranger my coat and money without knowing anything
about you, but I can say now with complete confidence that you
are the real deal.
I checked out a couple web-sites before deciding
on you. I
felt that your web-site was the most direct, but most importantly,
I felt an honesty in yours that I didn't feel in the others that
I reviewed. I made the RIGHT decision!
The quality and care that went into your
creations is obvious in the finished product. I love the expressions
on the bears faces. They
just look sooooo happy. My adult daughters will receive theirs
for Christmas. I haven't decided when to give the other
one to my 4 year grand-daughter.
All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.
Nancy
Merry, merry Christmas to you. I had to let you know that
my daughters think that you and I are "the bomb". They
were so surprised and moved by the bears that you created from
my coat. There were some tears of joy and lots of good memories
shared.
Thank you again for allowing me to do business with you. And thank
you for your talent.
Nancy
|
 A Friend's Request
Sandra sent me her friend's mink coat to have three bears made. The
mink was brown with black stripes. She had me put the original
owner's initials on each scarf. The coat made three incredibly soft
12" bears.
Dear Liane
I wanted to let you know I received the bears. They will be wonderful remembrances
for Millie's family. Thank you very much.
Sandy Pavelich |
Big Furry Bears for Granddaughters
Marjorie sent me her black fox jacket to have two bears made
for her granddaughters. Fox is one of the more difficult furs
to work
with, but it makes really furry bears. She also had me put her granddaughters'
initials on the scarf.
Dear Liane,
Our two beautiful bears made from my black fox jacket arrived today. My granddaughters
and I just love them and could not be happier. Their faces are adorable and the
bodies so furry and silky. Thank you so much for creating something my girls
will have for a lifetime. You truly are a fairy godmother..........Marjorie |
Seven Bears from Four Coats
Susan sent me four coats that belonged to her mother-in-law. One
was seal, one was persian lamb, one was mink and the other was
a long-hair lamb. She wanted seven bears for her daughters and
granddaughters. I mixed the different furs and made seven large
bears.
Liane--My seven bears arrived safely and
are better than I expected. They are all so cute with the furs
mixed together and using some of the embellishments from the
coats make them especially sentimental. I had them all sitting
together trying to decide which daughter and granddaughter will
get which one---- What a hard decision
!!!!! I wish Christmas was here already, so I can see them
opening their bears.Thank you for making them so special.
Susan |
 Furry Gifts for a Friend's Grandchildren
Maureen sent me a coat that belonged to her friend who passed
away. She wanted two bears made for her friend's grandchildren. The
coat was made of white fox. Fox is difficult to work with but it
makes truly beautiful bears.
Liane -- The bears are fabulous!!! Your
workmanship is unbelievable!.
My husband said there's no way I'll be able to wait until Christmas to
give them to my friend's daughters. I'll keep you card on hand and refer
my friends to you.
Maureen |
 Giving an old quilt new life
Mary had an old family quilt made by her grandmother that had
seen much better days. It had gotten so tattered and worn that
it could no longer be used. She didn't just want to tuck it away
in storage and she wanted her granddaughters to have a piece of
it so she had me turn it into two bears. The fabric had gotten
rather fragile in places so I had to add some patchwork in places
just to strengthen it. |
 Bears
for a Grandchild
Barbara sent me her mother's fur stole to make two bears--one
for her first grandchild. The stole a beautiful dark mink that
made beautiful 12" bears.
Liane, I got home from our vacation and the best package was awaiting
me. The bears are BEYOND cute. They are just ADORABLE. They turned
out better than I imagined. Thank you so much for helping to preserve
my mother's memory. Our kids never met my mother. She died before
they were born. How special it will be that her memory will go
on with their children in such a precious way.
Your work is impeccable. and you have been a joy to work with. Thank you , Thank you
again.
Barbara |
 Just Too Fluffy
Vicki sent me her raccoon coat and asked me to get two bears
from it. I used nearly every last inch to get these two fluffy
18" bears. Raccoon is one of the more difficult furs to
work with because of the way the coat manufacturers actually
create the coats. However, it makes such lovely bears.
Liane,
My precious bears arrived yesterday. They are absolutely
beautiful. I was originally planning on giving them to
my granddaughters but that will have to wait I can't bear to
let them go (sorry no pun intended there). .... I don't
know why I waited so long to send you the coat, if I'd
know how much joy they would be giving me I would have sent it
much sooner. Thank you again so much !
Vicki |
 Military
Memories
Mary Lou had her late husband's military uniform and decided
to take it out of the closet and have a memory bear made from
it. I preserved many of the embelishments from the uniform to
use on the bear and its scarf. This little guy is 18" and
has glass eyes and corded joints.
Comment from my Facebook
page:
This bear is even better
in person. This bear was made for a friend of mine. It was
made from a Blue Air Force uniform. The blue does not come
out in the picture. The bear also has beautiful blue eyes.
The front of the scarf is light blue from the uniform's shirt.
The button on the scarf was the one of the buttons from the
jacket. The medals are part of the medals this man earned.
What a great keepsake. Beth |
Three Fabric Bears Full of Personality
These three guys came out with so much personality. Stephanie
sent me her late father's robe along with three shirts and three
ties. She had the shirts and ties coupled together and wanted
them used in three different bears along with the robe. Her father
had hazel eyes and used to wear glasses and a tan baseball cap.
She also wanted a dragon fly incorporated into the bears.
Hi Liane,
We have just received our bears! They are absolutely wonderful!
My mother, sister and I just love them and we all cried
the minute we saw them. The eyes, glasses, hats, and
dragonflies just made my mother's day! I can't thank you
enough for making such wonderful memories of my father that we
will forever cherish! If you ever need a reference you have
one!
Thank you so much!
Stephanie |
 Persian Lamb and Mink Bears
Beth is local to me and she brought over her black Persian Lamb
coat with a silver mink collar. she wanted three bears made.
We decided to use the mink as accent in the muzzles and ears
of the bears.
Liane, I love my bears. You did an outstanding
job on them. Each one has it's own personality. Every time I
look at them, I am reminded of my Mother. I am so glad I found
you living so close to me. It was great meeting you in person.
I will spread the word about your work. I have already sent you
one of my friends to have a bear made out of her husbands military
uniform. I can't wait to see it. It will mean so much to her.
Beth |
 In Memory of Mom
Marcia sent me her late mother's fur coat and a couple of her
mother's favorite dusters and asked me to make four bears with
outfits. She wanted each bear to wear a duster, glasses, beaded
necklace and bracelet as well as embroidered scarf. I made the
dusters in the same style as the original ones.
Dear Liane,
The 4 memory bears arrived safely. They
are just perfect! I could not get over the incredible
detail you have put into each bear. From my first email
to you requesting 4 memory bears, sending my mom’s fur
coat and 2 duster dresses, my ‘long’ list of instructions
as each bear was a bit different, to receiving progress updates,
to picking up the box at the post office; the process was smooth
and timely. You graciously honored my timeline as I plan
to give them to my sister, niece, and daughter on May 23rd,
the first anniversary of our mom’s/grandma’s death.
I am completely overwhelmed with each bear
and as soon as I saw the first one, I burst into tears. They
remind me of mom in so many ways; you have certainly captured
her for all of us! From the duster dresses (which she
wore in her senior years), the eye glasses, and the ‘jewelry’,
the bears are truly her. You have put so much work into
each bear and it shows! I could not be more pleased. There
are no words to tell you just how much they mean to me and
will to the receivers.
Once again, thank you for your time and TALENT! You
have an amazing gift of making memories that will last for
years to come, and for that, I will always be grateful!
My best wishes for your continued success. Your
work is amazing!
Sincerely,
|
A Variety of Ten
Michelle sent me a raccoon coat, a sable stole, an ermine stole
and a fox scarf. She wanted a total of ten bears. In order to
get ten bears, I realized I would have to be able to mix the
furs up a bit so I set out to make ten very different bears--though
these all use the exact same pattern.
Dear Liane,
I am completely speechless! I was SO excited to get the
card in the mail yesterday that the package had landed, that
I raced right down to the PO, but I found that it wouldn't be
available until after 9am this morning. I was incredibly
sad. But on the way to a meeting today, I ran over to pick
up this precious package and took it to the park, where I was
practicing dog obedience with a friend. I made her stop
everything while I opened it in the middle of a field! You
can't IMAGINE the surprise and wonder and love I felt when I
saw your gorgeous presentation in the giant box. The trouble
you took to make a special fabric bag for each bear (with your
charming Fairy Godmother tag stating which furs it was made of)
complete with gorgeous ribbon, artfully tied at the top - was,
indeed, OVER THE TOP!!!
I am completely undone by your skills and your
eye for making the most beautiful ten fur bears I have ever seen
or felt in my life. Tears almost came to my eyes as I recalled
the various moments in the distant past when my grandmother gave
me the furs these gorgeous bears are made of today.
I have to tell you that even though I knew a
bear was in each bag, I felt like a small child, full of excitement
and anticipation as I'd untie each bow and reach down deep inside
the cheery flowered bags to retrieve each luxurious, soft and
silky bear. I am enamoured of each one and don't know how
I'm going to part with most of them! They are absolutely
gorgeous - they make me smile and pose the question of how you
made these exquisite, sweet creatures! You are a genius
- these are EXACTLY what I was hoping for. No - they are
far more than anything I could have dreamed of. You must
be a Fairy Godmother! Thank you, thank you a zillion times
for making it possible for us to preserve my grandmother's furs
in such a beautiful way. Wait til our grandchildren see
them - and then be allowed to each choose one! I know they'll
be as crazy about them as I am! And I'll give them (and
their parents!) your instructions about their preservation too. I
can't say enough about these bear babies - each is different,
but simply adorable. You are just so creative and we are
incredibly appreciative.
My Very Best Wishes and Thanks,
Miche
See
more at Michelle's blog |
 White Mink Lovelies
Benita sent me her aunt's white mink jacket and asked me to
make three 14" bears. The fur was in lovely condition. The
picture doesn't show it, but the jacket had a double lining.
The outer lining was a light tan color and the inner lining was
white so I made two-toned scarves--preserving her aunt's name
that was embroidered in the jacket lining for one of the bears.
Liane,
The bears arrived over the weekend, I was away and just got to
see them. They are really great and I am very happy
with them. I certainly appreciate how quickly you made
them up and the little sacks are super cute and useful.
Each bear has a different
expression and each one fits for our individuality. Thank
you!!
Benita |
 Christmas Gifts for Grandchildren
Lorna sent several garments to have bears made for her eight
grandchildren. Six of the bears are made for her young granddaughters.
The bears are made from a robe and additional fabric she sent.
I then made wardrobes for each bear consisting of a party dress
(made from Lorna's mother's silk stole) and an outfit that included
a shirt, pants and jacket (all made from clothing).For her grandson,
I made a hoodie and shorts from a shirt that Lorna's father used
to wear. The fur bear was for her teenage granddaughter and was
made from a fox fur jacket.
Hi Liane,
I sent the pictures to my daughters and one emailed me back that
she had to stop crying before she could reply! She loved
them, so I think they will be well received. Certainly,
they will be well received by the parents of the kiddos who
will receive the bears!
Thanks so much, and I will let you know when they arrive.
Gratefully,
Lorna |
 In Memory of a Beloved Son
Lois's son was a vibrant, active person who was taken from her
suddenly. She sent me his favorite shirt and hopefully this little
bear will help bring comfort to a grieving family.
Liane, I received my little red bear today and
it surpassed my expectations! I can't think of a
better way to keep alive the memory of a loved one. You
do beautiful work and the gift bag was a pleasant surprise. I
will surely pass on your name to family and friends. Thank
you for doing this project for me
Sincerely, Lois |
You can see more projects on my Gallery Pages
|
Download the form and send it, along with your garment and
payment to:
Liane Wagner
3943 Old Troy PIke
Dayton, OH 45404
|
How much fur/fabric does it take to make a bear? I
can usually get the following:
Standard small shoulder stole = Two 9"-12" bears
(most stoles won't yield three bears)
Larger stole or small jacket = Two 14"
bears one 16" bear
Hip-length jacket/coat = Three to four 12"-14" bears
or two 16"-18" bears
Full length coat = Four to six 12"-14" bears
or three 16" bears or two 18" bears
Standard men's shirt = Two 12"-14" bears
Standard woman's blouse = Two 12"-14" bears
Standard pair of pants = Two 12"-14" bears
Full length bath robe = Four to six 14" bears, Two to three
16" bears
Each bear has approximately 24 pattern pieces. I have two primary
patterns in a range of sizes. If someone wants more bears from a garment,
I can sometimes adapt my patterns to make smaller bears. I don't like
to work with bears less than 9" though.
Will My Fur Work Well?:
So far, I've been able to work with any fur that has come my way. However, different
fur does handle differently.Here are some of the common furs I've worked with
so far:
-
Mink, Muskrat, Beaver,
Squirrel, Weasle, Sable, Ermine, Opposum, Badger and Persian
Lamb all make beautiful bears and I can make just about
any size bear from these fur types.
-
Rabbit has very thin hide so I have to treat
it a bit more and it tends to shed over the years. However, it
does make very cute bears in any size.
-
Mouton and Seal These furs have a very thick
hide. The final bears are beautiful, but it is nearly impossible
to work with bears under 16" in size.
-
Fox, Silver Fox and Raccoon all
tend to have very thin hide with long pile fur. However, most coats
with this fur are made of strips of fur between strips of leather
or suede--which gives added strength to the fur. This works well
for coats, but when making smaller items--like bears--the strips
of leather WILL show. I try to place the pattern pieces so that
none of the seams land on leather strips, but this means there
is more waste. If you want me to reduce or eliminate the leather
strips, I can do so but there is a $50 up-charge to your total
order because it is time consuming to do so. I have to cut the
strips off and re-bind the fur pieces together. The fur from these
animals is so long, it works best on bears 16" or larger.
Can you use smaller fur pieces? Some people have
collars, hats or the kind of decorative stole that is made of several
small animals--more like an accent piece than an actual stole. I can
make small bears using fur for the head and paws and other fabric for
the actual body (which is covered by an outfit). However, I do charge
for the bear plus a full outfit to do so.
 I
have a couple of shirts from my late husband and would like bears
for each of my grandchildren. How can you use them to create five
bears the same? I can use quilting and patchwork techniques
that incorporate the different fabrics into each bear. This bear
uses a quilting pierpoint star on the belly, embroidered initials
on the foot and patchwork from a couple of garments.
 Do
you do animals other than bears? Yes, I literally have hundreds
of patterns from over 40 years of sewing. If you want a cat, a bunny,
a dog or some other animal, let me know what you are looking for. You
can click here to see a growing gallery of other animals.
How do I know if my fur will work? Most fur that
still has its original lining in good shape tends to be useable. Furiers
use lining fabrics that allow the hide to keep its oils. Vintage fur
can get dried out over time though--actually, it is the hide that gets
dried out. If the hide is too dry, the needle holes from sewing act
like perforation instead of binding.
For thicker hide like mink, muskrat, wolf, beaver you can test the
fur. If you peel back a bit of lining on your garment to expose the
hide, try and poke your finger through the hide (preferrably not on
a seam--though some fur is made up of nothing but seams). If it takes
a lot of effort to tear, or if the hide simply doesn't tear, your fur
is probably going to do well in the sewing process. If the fur tears
easily or acts like paper once there is a little hole (as long as it
isn't along a seam) then it is pretty dried out.
For thin hide like rabbit and silver fox, this test won't work because
the hide will poke through even if it is in good condition. The best
thing to do is send me the fur so I can assess it.
There are things I can do to re-inforce most hide (in fact, I rarely
have to send a garment back). If you are unsure, you can send the fur
to me along with your order. If the fur simply won't work, I'll ship
it back along with your returned payment minuse the cost to ship the
garment back.
Is there any option for fur that is dried out? Yes,
there may be. If your fur is in bad shape but you want me to try and
use it, I have a process I've developed that has made it possible to
use every fur that has been sent to me so far. However, there are no
guarantees so I will only attempt it with the following understanding
1.) If it simply won't work after I've tried, I will return all but
$20 of your money. 2.)It requires me to cut the fur in order to create
a bear arm and leg. I use a process I've developed but I won't know
if the fur will split at the seam until I turn and stuff a sewn piece
or two. If the test does not work and you want the fur returned, I
will also charge ($15) to ship it back at that point.
Do you use the garment lining? Yes, if the garment
has lining material that can be used for paw pads and ear pads as well
as noses sometimes, I will use it if at all possible. I will try to
use it to make a scarf for each bear as well. If the lining is just
too old (old satin degrades to the point that it simply tears easily),
I use satin scraps from my own supplies. If there is a special embroidery
element, I try to work it into a scarf when possible.
What kind of eyes do you
use? I use standard acrylic
safety bear eyes for my basic bears. The acrylic eyes are more affordable,
long-lasting and look good. They are also more secure so don't represent
a choking hazzard for little ones. If someone wants glass eyes, I will
use glass eyes. They take a special order and do cost a bit more ($10
per bear) and they ARE NOT for bears being given to
little children. Although they are securely applied, glass eyes are
attached to a wire that can break if enough twisting and pressure is
put on them--making them a potential choking hazzard. If someone wants
an old fashioned folk-art look, I use buttons for eyes. If you are
interested in glass eyes or button eyes, please mention it when you
place your order.
Do you offer internment of ashes? Yes, this is a
specialized service and is not offered on my order forms but I can
place a small portion of ashes in a sealed water-tight container into
each bear. For those who would like to do their own internment, I can
create a pocket in the back of each bear that you can slide a small
locket or container into. If you want internment options, please call
ahead to discuss what will work best for you and your family.
How much time do you put into each bear? Normally,
each bear takes 68-12 hours. There are some preliminary things I have
to do to the fur or fabric to make sure it will hold up to the sewing.
With some garments it can take nearly an hour just to propperly remove
the lining. The higher quality the garment, the more difficult to get
the lining off. I often have to adapt my patterns to work with the
fabric/fur nap as well and this can literally take hours of switching
the pattern pieces around when I'm trying to get several bears from
a single garment. In addition, the joints take time to apply and have
to have the right amount of tension. And, of course, there is a lot
of hand sewing involved.
How long can I expect to wait before my bear arrives? I
tell people that an average bear order takes about two to three weeks
from the day I receive the materials to the day I ship it out. Sometimes
I will turn an order around faster though. It really depends on how
many bears I'm trying to make from the materials and what I have going
on. Since this is a hobby, I use my evenings and weekend time. I try
not to work every evening or my family feels neglected. I do try to
email updates along the way. Starting in mid September, Christmas reservations
tend to keep me pretty busy through to Christmas so I highly recommend
planning ahead if you are wanting bears as Christmas gifts.
What happens to the extra fur? Most of the time,
there isn't much in the way of extra fur. Very few people have only
wanted one bear from the fur they have sent me so I'm frantically working
to get the number of bears they want from the fur. However, occasionally
there is a little fur left over. Unless the person who sent it specifically
requests to have it back, I will keep it and use it to augment other
projects--or use when I want to do a test run on a new pattern or approach
(I have a growing collection of prototype bear heads :) ). If I've
collected enough extra fur to make a bear, I'll sometimes create one,
but it doesn't happen very often. There isn't much of a market for
people who want to purchase a bear specifically made from real fur
and there is a segment of the population that is offended by what I
do so I can't just make a real fur bear to give to a charity auction.
The people coming to this site are looking for someone to help them
turn their heirloom fur into bears so it is a more personal service
rather than a manufacturing process.
What happens to the extra fabric? Most of the time,
there isn't much in the way of extra fabric. Very few people have only
wanted one bear from the garment they have sent me so I'm frantically
working to get the number of bears they want from the available materials.
However, occasionally there is a little left over. Unless the person
who sent it specifically requests to have it back, I will discard it.
How should I send my garment? Pack it into as small
a box you can fit it in. I'd prefer not to receive garment bags or
cases that need to be returned. If you are concerned about protecting
it from moisture, put it into a plastic garbage bag. It will not be
in the mail very long--and I remove it from the box when it arrives.
I have an old fur coat I don't want, do you take donations? Yes,
if you have an old fur coat you don't want I will take it off your
hands. I'm not in the market for buying fur but will
happily reimburse your shipping costs. Most of the people coming to
this web site want bears made from THEIR fur and very few people are
simply looking for a pre-made bear made of real fur so it isn't usually
worth it for me to spend money on fur to make bears from. If you have
the energy, you might be able to sell your fur on Ebay.
I realize that I'm working with materials that mean something to the
person who sends them. As a result, I treat those materials with respect.
Here is the process that I use:
Assessing the Fur/Fabric: When the package of materials
arrives, the first thing I do is check the fur (or fabric) to make
sure it can handle the sewing process. Although there are techniques
I can use to re-enforce the fur, if I simply don't believe the fur
will hold up, I will call and give the option of having me try and
stabilize the fur with the understanding stated under my FAQ or re-package
the fur and return it to the sender along with their payment minus
the cost of shipping.
If the fur/fabric is in workable condition, I will send an email letting
the person know. If there is a question as to how many bears or what
size bears I can get out of the piece, I can usually answer those questions
at that time.
Preparing the Fur: I then carefully remove all linings
and interfaces from the fur garment. I test the lining material to
see if it will hold up to being used as accent cloth for paw and ear
pads. On really old coats, the lining material gets very fragile so
it isn't always useable. I then disassemble the primary seams of the
garment to retrieve as much of the fur as possible and to allow the
fur to lay flat.
For fabric garments, I disassemble the garments so that the fabric
lays flat.
Placing and Cutting the Pattern: Once the fur/fabric
is ready, I carefully lay out all the pattern pieces. Since I have
to avoid certain types of seams and I need certain pieces to match
the fur or nap, this can take quite a bit of time. Once every piece
for each bear I'm making is in place, I cut them out.
Sewing and Assembly: The individual parts are machine
sewn leaving openings for stuffing each part. I sew the head, attaching
the ears and adding eyes and noses. Once the head looks right, I tuck
it into the bear body inside out and sew it on the body by hand. I
then mark where the joints will be placed and turn the body and head
right-side out. Once the arms, legs, paws are sewn, I start attaching
the arms and legs using plastic joints or locking nuts, bolts and washers
so that the arms and legs move. For lighter weight fabrics, I may use
a corded joint. Once all of the arms and legs are attached and moving
correctly, I stuff each element and close them with hand stitches.
Finishing Touches: If the person I'm creating the
bear (s) for has also requested a full outfit, I create an outfit based
on any information I've been given about the person the bear is in
memory of. An outfit can take several hours to make and each is created
uniquely for the bear.
For those not paying for a full outfit, I add a Fairygodmother signature
scarf as an accent.
Finally: I take a picture and email it before putting
the final bears into the mail.
I usually post the picture on my web site with some information
about the project. If I receive a comment from the person after
they have received their bears, I add it to the picture on my web
site.
Not everyone takes the time to write but I do like to share the projects.
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Whether
it is grandma's heirloom fur coat or a beloved husband's favorite sweat
shirt, trust Fairy Godmother Creations to turn it into a custom, huggable
memory bear (or several teddy bears) to help commemorate their memory
and share with others.
