First Bulletin on Ed Ted's treatment

Ed Ted wth some bandages removed

Following Cy Bear's introduction of Ed Ted, we thought you'd like a quick update on what is happening (or not) with the poor fellow.

I've heard back from Ed Ted's Best Friend, RFE, and he's given me carte blanche as to what I do with him to make him better.  That should cut down on the time frame for his treatment, as it's my intention - if I do go ahead with setting up the Coldham Soft Toy Clinic - to keep the patient's family fully informed at each relevant stage of progress.  If they're not an Etsy member, that can take time.  RFE is a busy chap, spending time in UK, Dubai and Italy, when he's not in New York (or some place else!)  So. he's difficult to pin down, to say the least.

The UK fabric supplier I've already contacted for swatches has yet to come back to me - but they have more than one shop location in the south of England, and the colours I've specified may not all be in the same place.  So there is likely to be a delay in finding the rolls from which to cut the swatches.

In the interim, I was checking on the Etsy Activity site of www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com last night and found one of my Circle friends had favourited a site called FatPumpkinBear - based somewhere in the great USA.  The name was enough to catch my attention, so I had a further look - and lo and behold, Karen the site proprietor supplies Bear fabrics, among other activities on Etsy.

We happened to be online at the same time yesterday evening and I think's she's actually got some golden mohair fabric (rather than the plush fur I normally use) which, allowing for the differences computer colours can be to real life, looks to be to be spot on. There were a couple of others sample pictures she sent which might also be a good match, so I've asked for swatches from her too.  So, I will have to hope that US Mail and Royal Mail co-operate and that I can soon be able to make a decision and place an order.

Ed Ted's next treatment stage is for me to take him to pieces and make cardboard patterns from which to cut out his new form - both in the fur (when it eventually arrives) as well as the calico base on which I shall applique his existing pattern pieces, thus preserving what I can of his original body.  From the pictures already shown and those that follow, you can see that he's in pretty good shape, except for his arms.  Also, his stuffing is dangerous - being wood chippings (as was the practise when Ed Ted was new) and kapok filling, both inflammable and thus a real fire hazard.  When one thinks of the open wood,coal and gas fires that were prevalent when he and RFE were young and playing together, it's little short of horrifying, isn't it?  But, then, no one realised it then......so, it's up to me to make him a safe Bear to play with.

Ed Ted from the left side, with his eye hanging down

Right:  that's enough for tonight's bulletin.  We've got a daughter for lunch tomorrow, which may prevent much getting done tomorrow.  So, there may not be a post from either Cy nor me until early next week.  Isobel