There's not a lot of room where the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic normally operates - from the Lloyd Loom Chair next to Isobel's bed. The sitting space is currently filled by two plastic bags in which the remaining Christmas Teddy Bears are resting - until we can find space for them in one of our cupboards. Here's a photograph of said Chair, together with a Kilo (2.2lbs) Bag of Stuffing waiting to be used, balanced on the back of it,
because there are another 4 Kilo Bags of Stuffing balanced on top of another cupboard the other side of the bedroom! We operate in a relatively small space!!
Thought you'd be interested in this information - before I get back to the subject matter in hand. By the way, the Bubble Pak box has the bubble wrap in which all the ColdhamCuddlies get packed before they set off to their Forever Homes, and underneath that is the pile of chemical free tissue paper which is put round them before they get bundled in the wrapping. The whole travel preparation process takes place ON Isobel's bed!
Now - back to TW Bear's transformation: once the old Bear pieces have been dried, they normally require to be lightly pressed. In TW's case this was not needed, so Isobel was able to proceed to the next stage. Because some of TW's pieces were rather ragged (as mentioned at the end of our last post), each piece was placed on cardboard and Isobel drew around them. That way, she was able to get a better idea of his eventual shape. For example, the gusset piece to which TW's side faces is attached needed a bit of guesswork on Isobel's part. Had we thought about it, we should perhaps have asked to see a photograph of what he had originally looked like - but in the event, MrsAW, TW's Forever Friend is quite satisfied with his final look.
Here are TW's new shapes already to be put together, with his original bits tacked on to the new mohair coat fabric. The black wool markings indicate where eyes and ears need to be matched, and his ears are already made. His original ones had disappeared, so Isobel used the pattern for Edward Bear's appendages - since they were roughly the same size, shape and age.
The bits have been sewn together, turned right side out, and TW's eyes have been put in place. Now he's ready to be stuffed!
TW's head has been stuffed and attached to his body.. He's got a knitting yarn cone stuffed inside him so he can stand up for this photograph, but that is somewhat shorter than TW's whole body - which is why he looks a little odd at the bottom end!
Now TW's arms have been stuffed. His new paw pads are made with soft beige leather (as opposed to some sort of felt that had previously been used) - and attached to his body. The legs have been attached in their respective spots, but still need to be stuffed. In TW's case, because the fur was thicker than Edward Bear's, Isobel decided to stuff his legs after she had attached them to the body. She decides on which pathway as and when they arrive!
Here is TW, with ears attached, nose in place - the shape of the gusset called for an oblong nose this time, rather than the arrow-shaped one Isobel usually puts on us Bears (again, it's "horses for courses", as the saying goes - Isobel) - and he is ready to be re-united with MrsAW, his Forever Friend.
That took place a few days ago - and here are two pictures of TW sitting on one of the armchairs of his Forever Home.
He looks great against an apricot coloured background, doesn't he? We've been invited to call round anytime to see him - because he only lives across the road from the front of The Hospital of St. John here in Heytesbury (our apartment is at the back of the complex).
There we are then - the next patient in the Clinic is expected to arrive sometime later this week. His Forever Friend seemed to get cold feet about bringing him in on Tuesday. He was her mother's bear, and she was never allowed to touch him, so for years he has just lain in a drawer. When his Forever Friend went to pick him up, apparently some of his stuffing fell out, and when they met at their Zumba class earlier in the week, she wondered if it was going to be worthwhile giving him to Isobel at all. Fortunately, RevJS, Edward Bear's Forever Friend you will remember, was standing next to them, and she provided the requisite assurance that Isobel would certainly be able to bring her Bear back to life. So....... we await his arrival.
Rumour has it that he's another Red Bear! (Little Red Ted was the very first patient in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185)- nearly 2 years' ago - posts about him and his big Brother, Big Red Ted appeared on 30/04/2011, 04/05/2011 and 05/05/2011).
Finally - Edward was re-united once more with RevJS - who is now completely satisfied with Edward's "happy look"!
Good night and good-bye for the time being. Cy Bear
