The Latest Farewells - More Cuddlies going to their Forever Homes

One of our recently listed Golden Plush Teddy Bears left for his new home in Southbridge, Ma, USA  on Tuesday, January 22, so we thought you'd like to see what a Cuddly looks like as he/or she is prepared for their international journey(s).

Everyone gets wrapped in at least two sheets of chemical free white tissue paper, and then they are all encased in a layer of bubble wrap.  That way, given the rough treatment all parcels get when they are committed to their post-bags in the UK Post Offices, there is a better chance that they will arrive at their eventual destination a little less battered than otherwise might be the case.

Before Golden Bear was put into the polythene travelling envelope, Cy Bear made sure he was comfortable.

Before the envelope is finally sealed, we always enclose a letter to the new Forever Friend and then the envelope is sealed, a FRAGILE label is attached to both front and back of each parcel - they may be soft, stuffed toys, but they deserve a bit of TLC do they not?  Then an Air Mail label is fixed on and finally - where required - a Customs Form is filled in and signed.  Then the package is ready.


On Tuesday, on the way to her weekly Zumba class, Isobel went to the Post Office in a nearby Village which has the capacity to handle international parcels of all sizes.  Heytesbury does have it's own Post Office, but it can only handle Small Packets up to a specific size - and usually the ColdhamCuddlies  Teddy Bears (the biggest toys we sell in our shop at www.Etsy.com/shop/coldhamcuddlies) end up a whole lot bigger than a Small Packet - although some of them may still travel at the higher Standard Small Packet charge!  Confusing or what?  This is why, when all the Cuddlies are listed in the Shop, Isobel now explains at the end of each description that as she no longer drives a car, access to the right Post Office is limited to Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays of any week.  (On the latter two days, she goes into Warminster to do her weekly shopping, and that town also has a suitably qualified Post Office).

Edward Bear, the subject of our last two posts,  also went back to his Forever Friend on the same day Golden Teddy Bear left for the USA.  RevJS also attends the weekly Zumba classes when her parochial duties permit, and last Tuesday was one such occasion.  Thus he was handed over after the session, Isobel was paid (RevJS said she would come armed with her cheque book!) and another Patient's treatment was bought to a successful conclusion.

Here is a final photograph of Edward - together with Cy Bear, as the latter performs the now familiar ritual of saying goodbye to the Cuddlies (and Associate Cuddlies) as they go to their Forever Homes.

 
Today, Thursday, January 24 another ColdhamCuddly left Heytesbury on his way to a new Forever Home.  This was one of our White Plush Baby Bunnies ( Etsy Listing #70181260) and he is on his way to Austin, Texas.  Ordered by KatieM, he is destined as an Easter Bunny present for her little niece.  He is Bunny No.1 in this picture.   All my baby bunnies tend to be "He's", and this one was no exception.  However, prior to his departure, KatieM  did request that a Pink Ribbon be added - so doubtless he will be come she eventually!  A photo of Bunny and Forever Friend will, hopefully, be forthcoming once the presentation takes place.

 
When there are more than one examples of a Cuddly in our shop at www.Etsy.com/shop/coldhamcuddlies, this is the procedure.  All available models are lined up, numbered (so far there has only been a need for 4, but the labels are easily prepared should the need arise!) and photographed at all angles so the Buyer can make a choice.  How on earth did one manage before the appearance of the internet?  As I had to go to Warminster this morning, White Plush Baby Bunny came too, and was posted as an Air Mail Small Packet to the U.S.A.

Now, the next project is the Treatment of Ted Wilson - who arrived in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic a few weeks after Edward.   He is in a lot more need of therapy than was Edward.  The picture below shows him with Edward when they were both waiting for their mohair fabric to arrive from the supplier.  Apparently, his garment was knitted for TW (as he has been named for the purposes  of his treatment in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic) by his Forever Friend's Nanny, who was ashamed of his naked appearance!  A request has been received for said garment to accompany him back home once his rehabilitation is complete. 

Until the next time, both Cy Bear and Isobel signing off!

How Edward Bear became a New Bear - Part 2

Here is a close-up of Edward Bear as he now looks- and this is the tale of how he finally reached this conclusion.

This is Cy Bear taking over from Isobel to finish off the latest Patient's saga in our Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185).   Part One of Edward Bear's renaissance story ended with his newly washed and rinsed pieces hanging out to dry on the clothes airer in our workroom.

Once the pieces were all dry, Isobel drew the shape of the original pieces of Edward's body, legs, arms and head and cut out two new ear patterns.  She then trimmed the edges of the original Edward, which had become badly frayed, and tacked each piece to its matching new version.  In the photograph above, you can see a leg, with the two pieces matched and already sewn together, with the two front body shapes ready to be sewn together.  The bits of wool indicate where the plastic safety discs are to be fitted when the limbs are added to the body - in this case, it's the arms.

Here you can see Edward's new head, sewn up and turned inside out.  His ears are already sewn, as are his two arms - with some smart new beige leather pads replacing the somewhat tatty originals.  The second leg is at the back on the right hand side, and the two pieces making up the Edward's back has been sewn together, ready for attaching to the front.  These seams become the side seams eventually, with the top coming to a narrow point - with just enough room for the head disc to be fitted on when the time comes.

Finally, with all the pieces sewn together, the time came for Edward to be turned inside out ready for the stuffing to be applied.   Isobel is finding it is easier to fit head to bodies first when making us Bears, so this is what happened next.  Edward was first given two brand new brown eyes and the stuffing was then put into the head cavity.  You can see the white plastic neck disc waiting to be fixed once the neck opening had been gathered together, and the head was then attached.

The nascent new Edward is a little taller than our Glove Hand Puppets, but for the purposes of this photograph, Isobel used one of the knitting yarn cones we use to make the Puppets stand up when we are exhibiting them at Craft Shows in the area.

 

Once the head was fixed firmly in place - quite a tricky operation as Isobel has to work in a fairly restricted area,  with one hand in his abdominal area and pushing the head disc though a small hole with the other hand. Then she has to ensure fixing the washer firmly on so that it never comes off.

( Isobel interrupting:  one of our neighbours here was a prolific Teddy Bear maker - she has over 100 samples she shares her flat with still - and when she had to give up sewing because her fingers simply would not work any longer, she gave me a lot of her bear sewing paraphenalia, plus offering a lot of great tips.  One of these helpful hints was to use an old-fashioned wooden cotton reel (the hole in the middle just fits over the disc posts) and leaning on the reel (with a hard surface beneath the seam and disc) and just wait for the satisfactory click that comes when the whole thing is firmly in place!  Works like a dream!!)

The picture above shows Edward almost complete - all the limbs and head are in place and he just needs to have the final seam between his legs sewn together. Isobel found it easier with Edward to fix his legs to the body without the stuffing in them.  She then stuffed each leg and sewed the beige leather paw pads in place.  At least he now has two legs that look the same size!

Then, Edward's ears were sewn in place and finally, Isobel got going with a needle and black double knitting yarn to sew on his nose and mouth.  Here's what the finished article looks like!