Ella

Yes, I know it’s been a while (again!!), but I have a good reason. I’ve recently moved house, so enough said – anyone who has been through the process will understand. I’m still dealing with paperwork, but I’m getting there!

Anyway, just before the move, I almost managed to get this little lady finished; and now she is complete. Her name is Ella and she’s a gift for a special lady who I’ve worked closely with for about the last 8 – 9 years and she has just retired …… and since I first started making them, she’s always taken a keen interest in my bears, so it was a natural choice.

I haven’t actually given Ella yet (I hope to very soon), but I think I’m safe, as I don’t think said lady reads my blog.

Anyway, Ella is my second bear using the beautifully soft curly Steiff Schulte Mohair fabric, although a different colour, plus faux nubuck fabric for the paw pads. Again, I have made her a lovely pair of dungarees, except this time I’ve used a genuine vintage fabric (a lovely pale blue with a pretty pink floral pattern) which I picked up several years ago at a vintage fair and has been in my stash ever since. They may be dungarees, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be trimmed with a bit of bling does it .......... aren't they sweet!

Around the back, you can see the bag I’ve made for her, which holds her latest canvas, because she is an ‘Artist’ bear in the true sense of the word! There is a theme you see, as said lady took up painting some years ago, so Ella is an artist; hence also the art palette charm around her neck.

Ella stands 13½ inches / 35cms top to toe and 9½ inches / 24cms sitting and has the fabric ‘Handmade at Bilberry Lane’ label and the metal ‘BL’ pin at the back. She is filled with the usual firm fibre fill and steel shot for weight. She has black glass eyes, with white felt behind them and is slightly aged a little with oil pastel.

I hope you like her!

Delia

Here’s a cute little girl – Delia! She’s a bit larger than my usual bears standing top to toe at 13¼inches / 34cms and 9¼inches / 23cms sitting.

Delia has been made from the most beautifully soft curly Steiff Schulte Mohair fabric, with faux nubuck fabric for the paw pads. Her dungarees are made from a vintage shade of pink 100% cotton fabric. They have old gold style buckles and a front pocket. The bottom of the dungaree legs are trimmed with pink flower lace and around her pretty head is a deep wine colour raw silk ribbon and she is finished with a bottle of pink pearls around her neck. I’ve also added the fabric ‘Handmade at Bilberry Lane’ label and the metal ‘BL’ pin to her dungarees.

Delia is filled with the usual firm fibre fill and steel shot for a good bit of weight. She has black glass eyes, with white felt behind them. Lastly, she is slightly aged a little with oil pastel.

Delia can be purchased for £70, plus shipping and packing:

UK - £10 Special Delivery

Europe - £15, tracked and signed for

Worldwide - £22, tracked and insured

If you would like any further information, please email me at:-

bilberrylane@hotmail.co.uk 

Thanks for looking

Christmas bear

This is Casper (as in one of the Three Kings), my Christmas bear. Well, what else could he be made from such lovely red mohair fabric? He’s made from the same pattern as my last bear below (Sammy): a pattern I can’t even give credit for, as it was a free pattern found on Pinterest – thanks anyway to whoever is the designer!!

Casper looks as though he’s going carol singing doesn’t? He’s carrying his rusty primitive style lantern trimmed with greenery and pip berries; and has his Christmas carol singing sheet at the ready – I’ve tried to photograph the inside of the carol sheet to show the detail, but it's rather blurred - sorry!! I made it from vintage carol sheet images I found: I shrunk them down, printed them, glued them together and added an antique style eyelet

He has glass eyes; slightly smaller than Sammy’s, firm fibre filling and steel shot in his tummy and feet, faux repair stitching and distressing here and there to give an aged appearance.

For his nose, I’ve tried the felting technique just to see how that works – it’s ok I guess! And finally, Casper is trimmed with white chiffon ribbon, a holly sprig and two random buttons for a bit more colour.

I do hope you like Casper

A New Direction

I thought it was about time I posted again, if for no other reason other than to put Wendy (The Quiet Room blog) out of her misery!! I told her recently in an email that I was changing direction slightly with my crafts, but didn't expand any further ……………. I hope I haven't excited her expectations too much, but here we go LOL

For several years, I've been following one particular blog; and browsing lots of Pinterest pictures of Mohair Bears. Initially, I decided they looked far too complicated for me to handle, however the more I looked into it, the more I thought perhaps I could do it! Having discovered a Mohair Bear Making Workshop about only an hour away from me, I decided this was the answer - so that's what I did about a month or so ago. And did I have a great day ……… well, yes I did; and here is the product - my very first, fully jointed Mohair Bear (Vintage style!)

I've named him Alfie after my granddad. You wouldn't believe 10 middle-aged ladies all sitting round at the end of the day saying "and what are you calling yours" ……… really funny!!!

Following the Workshop, I made this little Mohair Bear Westie Dog (no name yet!) – bought as a kit from eBay 

And I’ve just finished bear No. 3; similar to Alfie, except this one is two-tone …… also no name yet! Don’t look too closely at the nose – that is a skill yet to be perfected! I need more practice 

The reason for the decision to have a go at bear making is that I’m going to have a go eventually at setting up my own small craft business, probably on Etsy. There's a decent market for Mohair Bears - not as toys for children, but for collectors; and if you can establish a good following, they sell well - a lot more than the rag dolls I've made in the past. This is something I'm going to work on over the next 2 - 3 years to become experienced at making them, find my own style and establish a business. The plan is to use it as a Pension supplement. I'm 55 now; and although I can retire at 60 on a full work's pension, I would have to continue part-time because of the mortgage. And the thought of that simply depresses the hell out of me - I feel so tired sometimes; and I hate all the travelling!! So now the plan is to make some extra money by doing what I love doing - sewing!! For about the last 10 years I've yearned to have my own craft business, but never believed it could become a reality (Pie in the sky I thought); but where there's a will, there's a way as they say ……. so watch this space!

Now you all know how kind bloggy friends are don’t you? A few weeks ago I was exchanging a few emails with Shazy, when the bears came into the discussion. It turned out that Shazy had considered bear making a few years ago and had bought various pieces of the Mohair fabric (not cheap I can tell you), cotter joints, ultra suede (for their paws) etc., however, as with many of us, some of our crafty ideas simply never become a reality because of shortness of time! So what has Shazy done? She gifted the whole lot to me on the grounds she would rather see it used that go to waste – how super kind is that – incredibly so in my book. I’ve already said so directly, but again, thank you so much Shazy xx

Anyway, I’ll end it here on a totally unrelated note as I’m still buzzing!! Last night, I went to see The Divine Miss M ….. Bette Midler here in Birmingham. What a show, what a woman - she was amazing I can tell you. The whole arena went crazy when she sang ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ ….. WOW – Incredible!!

Until the next bear!!!

EDIT: Bear number 3 above has found a new home with my lovely friend Elaine - and Elaine has decided he should be called Constantine - thank goodness he now has a name!!