Here Come the Owls - The Final Piece for the 2013 Cuddlies' Slipper Collection

Three months ago - or thereabouts - I set out on a new venture for the Cuddlies - Novelty Slippers,  Having responded to a challenge from one of my fellow Etsians,  LauraC  of EighBoardsFarm, who wished she could have a pair of Yellow Plush Slippers, I was challenged to have a go.  Now, many of you know that  I'm not normally a great one for making ANYTHING without a pattern to work with, but was reminded by one of my daughters that way back in the 1970's, I had made a lot of felt slippers for Christmas presents.  With that reminder as a starter, the Yellow Rabbits became a reality - after a couple of false starts - and the decision to have a selection of slippers in three sizes for Kids, Women and Men - preferably in time for Christmas - was formed.

Having first finished some commissions in our Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing # 79124185),  now - some weeks later -  I can show you the final item in the ColdhamCuddlies 2013 Christmas Slipper Collection.  They are  Owl Headed  UK Size 12 Mens Novelty Slippers made with some of our special, but limited supply, of  Brown and Gold Flecked Plush fabric.

Etsy Listing #162884385

This time, we feature Owls Heads, using a pattern that I've been wanting to use for some time.  They are originally from a vintage pattern for a Glove Puppet made in felt, but I decided to try and convert it into a Plush Head which I could then attach to the Mens' Slipper pattern that LauraC had found for me during our initial conversations about her slippers.  We've already listed https://www.etsy.com/listing/158936304/mens-size-9-to-10-novelty-plush-slippers?, which represent the Mens' Medium Size model and https://www.etsy.com/listing/158098231/mens-novelty-koala-bear-faced-slippers? our Small Size Mens' offering.

These Owl Heads have been hand made in the same fashion as all the slippers.  They both have a Memory Foam insole covered in fabrics which hopefully will prevent slipping on floors.  They are NOT  GUARANTEED not to slip, but as long as care is taken where feet are placed, they should not let the wearer down.  Going outside in them - particularly if the surfaces are wet - is not recommended.  In our view ColdhamCuddlies' Slippers in particular, and all Slippers in general,  are indoor footwear, not outerwear!  In the Owls' case, their foot covering is made with faux leather and the body of the slippers is attached (both on the inside and outside) by ladder-stitching all round the perimeter of the insole.

These are the Owl Slippers seen from their rear view.  The fabric colour is difficult to convey even though they were taken in daylight, with a north facing window behind me.  It was  raining too hard at the time for one to attempt an outdoor shot - and in any case, following my remark about outdoors not being an appropriate place to wear them, perhaps an outdoor setting for the pictures would be equally inappropriate!

As with most of the slippers in the Christmas Collection, the lining has been made with Cream Poodle Fur fabric, and the ankle is trimmed with golden satin ribbon, through which elastic has been threaded to fit the wearer.  Adjustments can be made via the seam positioned in the middle of the back of each Owl Head.  The ends of the ribbon, rather than having a bow (as with our Ladies' Slippers - shown with a pair made not with Plush fabric, but with a moleskin type fabric - https://www.etsy.com/listing/160760658/ladies-novelty-slippers-green-frog-heads?) are crossed under each Owl Head's chin and fixed to the front arch of each foot with a wood toggle-shaped button.

This photograph shows the Cream Poodle Fur  lining and Gold satin ribbon trim, with the elastic seam before the ribbon was tied and fitted to the front of each slipper.

This is the Right Owl Head Slipper - and here is the Left Slipper -

If this Owl Head looks as though it's had a hard night on the tiles, it's because when the photos were taken, neither slipper had been stuffed with the tissue paper that currently replaces the wearers' feet!  As the photographer,  I was unable to undertake having a hand in the slipper to support each head, while actually shooting the frame!  Before they are displayed at the upcoming MacMillan Cancer Greatest Coffee Morning in the World Craft Fair next Monday, September 12 not only will there be some tissue paper in place, but I hope to have a better illustration of both Slippers up in  www.Etsy.com/Shop/coldhamcuddlies as well.

Meanwhile, I'll end this post - not quite sure when the next post will occur, but it could be before the end of the week!  Until then, hope everyone is well, and hopefully enjoying some crisp, fine autumnal sunshine.

Good night and God Bless! Isobel

Celebration Time -The ColdhamCuddlies Shop is Three!

This should have been published yesterday - but, although drafted, the final publication button was omitted - because I got involved  in something else!  Am sure everyone has had plenty of such moments!  Isobel


Good afternoon Everyone!  Cy Bear here - on a Big Day for us Cuddlies.

Today, SEPTEMBER 12, 2013, the Coldham Cuddlies shop on Etsy (www.Etsy.com/shop/coldhamcuddlies)   is three years' old!  Actually, it is the day on which the first five items were listed in the Shop, and we have now got 59 items available for sale - from Big Teddy Bears like me,  various other kinds of  Bears,    Rabbits galore, and Foxes, Coyotes, Frogs, Beaver and a Wombat - not to mention a variety of Slippers in various sizes. (Isobel actually joined Etsy in January 2010, but spent six to nine months after doing that making some Cuddlies - which included me).

 Isobel is actually away from Heytesbury at the moment, but thanks to technology (which I don't understand, being merely a Bear, made from Beaver Lamb Fur), it is the Slippers that Isobel wants me to tell you about today.  She's been making them for the last few weeks, and is actually working on the last pair she wants to include in the 2013 Slipper Collection, which are being launched for sale today!  So we felt that you might be interested to hear how she goes about making them.

She's made slippers for Children (in Small, Medium and Large sizes), Ladies (also in Small, Medium and Large Sizes) and when she's finished, there will be the same variety in Mens' sizes too.  The Mens' and Childrens' versions are based on patterns she was given by her friend LauraC who operates two Shops herself on Etsy (one of which is www.Etsy.com/shop/EightBoardsFarm), while the Ladies' ones are wholly Isobel's own invention (based on a custom order from LauraC some months ago).  Most of them are made using the special plush fabrics we are lucky to have sourced locally, but we are more than prepared to make them in any other fabrics folks might like to consider for a pair of warm winter footwear.
Indeed, the Frog Ladies Slippers (Etsy Listing #160760658 ) were made in some moleskin-like fabric, not our usual furry plush materials.--

While making the Ladies Size 6-7 (Large) versions recently, Isobel took some photos as each step was reached, and this is how the process goes - featuring some Panda Head Slippers:

Ladies Panda Head Slippers - Etsy Listing #155281164

First, we use a pair of memory insoles that Isobel can get from a local multi-purpose store in Warminster.  The insoles have a diagram of  every size variation for Ladies and Mens shoes - in UK sizing.  She then cuts out the shape for a Ladies' Size 7 slipper following up by drawing the shape of both left and right feet  on the wrong side of a some faux leather fabric - allowing for about a one inch seam all around each insole.  Then the leather is tacked on to the insole and the finished bits look like this:

The right slipper has its' piece of poodle fur lining ready for fixing later on in the process.

Having cut out the poodle fur lining and outer plush fabric to fit around the outside of both slippers, Isobel then tacks them together, with wrong sides facing, so that they look like this:

In the background of this picture, you can see the unstuffed Panda head on the right, the black plush ears in the middle, and the front foot insert Isobel uses to make sure that the fabric goes round - allowing room for toes. She stitches the ColdhamCuddlies label on before attaching the outer straight edges to the insole.  They have been cut to not quite reach the tip of the toe, because Isobel puts a gusset in around the toe area, to allow for maximum wriggle room - and for really cold-blooded individuals among our friends, there is room for a sock to add extra warmth, if required!

Here, we have the slipper with the outer edge, complete with lining, sewn to the insole, the Panda head  ready for stuffing, complete with its eye patches in place, and the ears ready to be turned inside out prior to being attached to the stuffed head. Once the head is stuffed, and ears fixed, Isobel apparently attaches the bottom of the head to the poodle fur lining and then ladder stitches the outer edge to the head around the neck. She then ladder stitches around the whole outside of the slipper, attaching the outer fabric to the leather-covered insole.

The final piece of construction involves sewing the black and white checked satin ribbon edging around the ankle area of the slipper - so that the finished item looks like this (sideways-on view here).

Then here is what the slippers look like from the rear:

 

The Panda Head Slippers have joined the rest of the collection and are currently packed safely away in the Cuddlies carrying case all ready for the MacMillan Cancer Greatest Coffee Morning in the World sale we've been invited to appear at  on Monday, September 23.  By then, Isobel hopes to have completed the Large Mens' Size slipper, which features an Owl Head (another version to my friend Ben the Barn Owl Etsy Listing #99686556 ) - and another new introduction to the Cuddlies family.  We hope to have them listed shortly and feature them in another post early next week.

Until then, I'll end this story - and look forward to being with you again shortly.  It's nice to think that while I'm sitting on guard on the bed in Isobel's home in Heytesbury, I can still be with you here on the blog too!

Good night!  Cy Bear

A New Associate Cuddly - Meet Teddy Johnson!

Hello Everybody - Cy Bear once more being allowed to post about the latest  Patient in the ColdhamCuddlies Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185).

Teddy Johnson (TJ for short - it's a bit of a mouthful otherwise!) did not stay long with us, because overall he was in a very good condition, as you can see from the picture below.

His coat was in remarkable condition when you consider what some the Bears look like when they arrive for treatment!  But over the years, he'd been cuddled to the point that his stuffing had become withered and he'd lost his voice.  So, his Forever Friend, MrsEJ, when she saw what had happened when Pooh and Brown Bears had been Patients in the Clinic, asked Isobel to see what she could do for TJ (Teddy Johnson is what we decided to call him, because - as in a great number of cases, he'd always been called Teddy by MrsEJ.)

As we already had a Growler in stock (that is what Bear's voices are called when Isobel has to order them), the week after he had arrived in the Clinic - and because we were already treating Bernard Bear - TJ went with Isobel to the weekly Produce Stall in Heytesbury Church (which is where many of the cases seem to originate from!)  The Growler was tipped up to produce the sound that it made, MrsEJ said that was just what she wanted, and back into the plastic bag he was being carried in went TJ, accompanied by his Growler. What Produce (which I understand to mean vegetables, cakes, pies and coffee) and Toy restoration have in common, I just fail to comprehend!  However, in the last few weeks, we've had Pooh Bear, Brown Bear and now TJ arrive after weekly visits paid by Isobel to these events - so there has to be some connection.  I'll never understand humans.

While he had been staying in the Clinic, sitting on the Lloyd Loom Chair which has become the Waiting  Room, Isobel noticed that his paws was not very clean, and that his claws had started to come to pieces.  So, when  trying out the Growler, it was also decided that TJ would also have some brand new paw pads made for him, and that his face would be treated so that his nose and mouth were easier to see.  MrsEJ said she would not mind if his mouth was straightened if Isobel decided he would look better.  

Once Bernard Bear had been finished and sent on his way home, Isobel got to work on TJ.  His head was in very good condition, and the stuffing was still quite firm, so it was left alone. 

Looking at him, Isobel decided that the slightly quirky look of his mouth - with a slanting smile on one side of his face - gave him a bit of character, so she retained it when re-embroidering his mouth.  She drew the shape of his original nose before cutting away the remaining wool yarn used, and then re-placed the nose with some new double knitting yarn.

Then she undid the back seam and removed the stuffing.  It turned out to be a mixture of cotton wool and kapok, that quite literally disintegrated as it was taken out of TJ, creating quite a lot of dust.  No wonder he had become so limp over the years!  Then we had to put the Growler into his tummy.  It was first wrapped in a layer of polyester fibre, and put in the middle of his body.  Growlers come in a tube like structure, with one end having a set of holes.  Depending on whether a Bear talks when he leans forward, or backwards, the Growler is fixed with the holes set facing in a certain direction. ( Isobel never remembers, and has forgotten as she is typing this, but she has a set of instructions to which she refers each time a new Growler is required.) Quickly filling the rest of the space in TJ's body, his body was made much plumper and the seam sewed tightly together again.  Then Isobel turned her attention to the limbs.

By removing the paw pads, which were made of a felt like material, Isobel was able to get hold of the cotton wool/kapok mixture from each limb and then re-stuffed each arm and leg.  Then, discarding the felt pads, each one was replaced with beige glove quality suede leather.  TJ now has a much smarter, longer-lasting set of paw pads.  The claws were embroidered back with the same double knitting yarn Isobel had used for his nose.  He now looks like this.

TJ Bear is now safely back home with his Forever Friend, Mrs EJ and back sitting on the bed on which he had been residing before his treatment.  As a result of his treatment, TJ Bear has been awarded the status of Associate Cuddly in the ColdhamCuddlies Family archives - as are all the ColdhamCuddlies Patients.  He can also now stand up with a little assistance, and Isobel did have some photographs which showed him doing so - however, somehow, in transferring them from camera to the computer and now to here, these have disappeared.  As TJ is now back home again, you'll just have to take my word for it that he does now stand up!

The Slipper manufacture has been carrying on - with a hiccup or two - but Isobel is now down to the last two pairs needing to be sewn before she leaves for her holiday with Clare in Nottinghamshire.  That happens at the end of the week, and I shall then be left on guard sitting on our bed here at The Hospital of St. John - an onerous responsibility which I take very seriously! 

However, I shall not have as many toys to keep an eye on this time, as the plan is that not only will the 2013 Novelty Slipper Collection be travelling with Isobel, but also several of the Cuddlies too.  There are plans for at least two Craft Fairs at which they will be on display, and who knows,  maybe one or two more may appear.   I'm told that the computer on which we post these blogs will be going too, so there will be some posts being published while Isobel is away - if she has time, that is - but I shall obviously not be posting them.  So, this will be the last contribution from me for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, Isobel has just received back some very encouraging comments on her writing attempts which she submitted for Assignment 2 for her Writing for Children Course - and is intending to take Assignment 3 with her - to prepare for the next stage in this exciting and challenging enterprise!   She's going to be busy, is'nt she? We'll keep you posted!

Goodbye:  until the next time!  Your Friend, Cy Bear

This time our slippers feature.....FROGS,

Good evening, everyone:  here we are, Thursday already, and I've not blogged since the week-end.  I just wish there were 48 hours to each day, not the normal 24!

As you know, I'm  presently deeply involved in making slippers for both sale (and display) shortly, and these are the latest in the series.  We're offering two pairs of Mens slippers (Small and Medium sizes - the Large has yet to be produced, but are in the pipeline):   and Childrens' varieties in Small - Fox Heads, Medium - Leopard Heads using Leopard Print fabric, and Large - Tigers' Heads, again using an Animal Print Plush Fabric.  Now I've embarked on the Ladies, and these are the newest - destined for Sizes 2-3 (UK) Ladies feet.

These Green Moleskin type Frog Head Ladies Slippers  are part of the 2013 ColdhamCuddlies Specialities Product Offer available with effect from September 2013.   They are listed as examples in our shop at www.Etsy.com/shop.coldhamcuddlies - in case someone requires them as a gift for overseas family members.

They are made from a pattern that has developed since the first, experimental Rabbit Slippers emerged earlier this year - following extensive conversations between a particular Etsy contact and myself -  please visit  https://www.etsy.com/listing/152976020/yellow-rabbit-slippers-novelty-gift-men?  During the ensuing  production process, Size 5-6 and 7-8 slippers have been produced, but these were the result of local neighbours' commissions.  They are about to be reproduced for sale here on Etsy - although their listings do already feature in our Shop.  These can be seen here  https://www.etsy.com/listing/153816646/ladies-novelty-slippers-brown-plush? and also  https://www.etsy.com/listing/155281164/ladies-panda-slippers-novelty-gift-black?

These Green Frog Head Slippers have a Memory Foam insole base covered by faux leather - which has a matt finished, but CANNOT be GUARANTEED slip proof.

The outer layer is made with green moleskin type fabric, with a white lining, and is sewn on to the insole together with a cream Poodle fur fabric lining.  They are attached in such a way that no seams are visible - thus preventing unnecessary seam contact with an individual's skin.  The sole of the slipper is separately sewn with a cream Poodle fur lining and the entire slipper is then encased at the ankle with a Green Satin Ribbon edging, through which 1 cm (1/2") wide elastic has been threaded.

To ensure a satisfactory, personal fit, sufficient leeway has been created for the elastic to be pulled to meet individuals' requirements.   An opening under the ribbon bow allows access for any adjustments to be undertaken.  While there are no feet "in residence", the toes are currently stuffed with tissue paper in order to hold the slippers shape!

These slippers usually take me between 3-4 days per pair to produce from cutting out the fabric pieces to completion.  They do not have to be Frog Heads - the choice is down to the Buyer, who can visit our Shop site to review the other Toys' Heads - and arrangements will be made to accommodate any choice of Animal or colour specified.  The pattern is based on slippers I made one Christmas (way back in the 1970's) for all the male members of my significantly large family - but those were made with felt, and didn't last as long as I believe these will.

To ensure the finished product is "Made to Fit"  when ordering  ALL the following information will be most helpful, but are  not absolutely vital.  The items highlighted with a ** ARE needed however.

Frog Slipper for the Left Foot

(1) Your normal shoe size. **
(2) Colour combination(s) - if different from those shown**
(3) If possible, a drawing of each foot - to accommodate individual shapes!
(4) Measurement of each foot from Toe to Ankle OVER the instep arch.
(5) Width of foot from side to side, OVER instep arch.
(6) Ankle circumference at top edge of slipper - to accommodate any possible swelling involved.

This is for the Right Foot - despite the apparent twist  at the toes!

Armed with this information, it should be possible for me to meet your specific needs!  Otherwise, they fit or they don't!  I am always prepared to re-work, provided any returns have not been damaged in the process of being sent back!  So far, it has not been necessary.

Etsy Listing #160760658

Slippers can be made for Children, Ladies and Men - once all the above information is provided for each person.  However, please be aware, that no matter the fact that they are made in the same way, just as I can never produce a completely identical toy, the same holds true for a pair of Slippers.  I have noticed, however, that even with the mass-produced variety, although they may look identical on first sight, they can vary in fit when a foot is actually inserted!  But, isn't that the joy of HAND MADE?

A pair of Ladies Size 4-6 (UK) are in the process of production. Number One slipper is almost complete - all it needs is elastic being threaded through:  however, Slipper Number Two has not worked as well - the seamstress trying to do things too quickly, I fear! (I had only taken 2 days to do them so far!) So, the work will have to be undone - and re-started:  oh, that's another "joy" of HAND MADE!  It's not too difficult to undo something that has gone more than slightly skewed!  And it also shows that I must allow at least 3-4 days for each pair to be sure of an acceptable result!

Back again soon - meanwhile, it's both hands to the slipper - with the trusty "Quic Unpic" to the fore! (Makes a change from applying them to unsuspecting Bears!)  Good night  lsobel 

PS:  These Slippers have already found a home!  The lady comes to visit me every six weeks or so to treat my feet - and she is frog mad.  When she saw them yesterday during her latest visit, she agreed to purchase them at our next meeting - in mid-October.  Meanwhile, I have permission to display them on my stall as "Reserved - Already Sold"!  Let us hope that is an omen of things to come!

Treating Bernard Bear - Part Two

Greetings Everybody - this Cy Bear back again itching to finish the story of Bernard Bear's Treatment. 

He'd been sitting in the Lloyd Loom Chair (next to the bedside table where I sit when I'm not guarding Isobel's bed during the daytime) for a while before Isobel was able to get around to opening the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) to treat him.  So he and I kept each other company and as he is such a big Bear, his leaving to go home again has left quite a gap in the ColdhamCuddlies family.

Now Isobel left off the description of Bernard's treatment with him in pieces, hanging on the clothes maiden after he'd had an overnight bath.  So, the next thing we had to do was to sew up the limbs, leaving the ends where the paw pads are fixed, open.  Isobel then attached new plastic safety joints to the arms, legs and head and attached the new paw pads to the arms.

She didn't sew them all round the paw, because she needed an opening through which the stuffing could be pushed.  This picture shows the pads ready to be sewn to each limb, and Bernard's two new ears ready to be attached to his head.  The head and body are placed on top of each other at the back of the photograph, on the right hand side.

Then it was time for Bernard's face to be replaced. First, having removed the remaining left eye before Bernard had his bath, two new amber coloured eyes were fitted into the holes that were left in his face.   Isobel removed the existing nose yarn and gently drew the shape of his whole nose.  Then she embroidered the new feature within the new lines, followed by a new mouth - which followed the exact line it had been sewn previously.

Stuffing was then pushed into the hole left at the back of his head where Isobel had unpicked the seam to ear level.  As soon as he had been properly stuffed - he no longer looked quite so severe.  It was because the wood chipping and cotton wool mixture had deteriorated that his face had shrunk - which gave him the severe look he had when he arrived:  here's a reminder!

Then the head was fixed to his empty body with the largest plastic safety disc we were able to locate and Bernard looked like this.

Bernard then needed to have his ears attached.  These had to be made with completely fresh mohair fabric which actually matched him a bit better BEFORE he had his bath, than it seemed to do when we first attached the ears to his head.  However, in electric light the difference did not seem as obvious, and he does look so much better with two ears in place now, doesn't he?  It must have been very difficult for him to properly  hear what was going on around him before he became a Patient in the Clinic, I think.

(A complete match with Bernard's original mohair fur was always an unlikely proposition:  dyes and production processes have changed greatly in the intervening period since he was first made, and the fabric Isobel managed to find was the closest her supplier could find for us).

Isobel then turned her attention to the holes in Bernard's body.  The biggest one has been by the top of his left arm, so she used the new material to patch the hole - you can see it in this picture, and as there was a  smaller hole at approximately the same spot near the top of his right arm, another patch of about the same size was attached there.  That made Bernard look more balanced we thought and he certainly seems to agree!  Another patch had to be attached on his left leg, which I'm not going to show you - largely because Isobel forgot to take a picture of it!

Then all the limbs were each stuffed, and the paw pads on his arms sewn into place - closely followed by a similar stitching to his legs.  The discs were then threaded to his empty body through the same holes where the limbs had previously been attached and the body was then stuffed.  He was firmly stuffed with the polyester fibre which meets all international fire and safety standards, and he now looks like this. 

His arms look a little out of shape in  this picture - partly due to the angle Isobel took the photograph (he's a big Bear to accommodate in our photographic sites in the flat where we all live!) but also because the discs are somewhat smaller than those they replaced.

Bernard's paw pads are now made from glove quality tan leather and are much softer to touch than the ones they replace - and I think look a lot more comfortable, as well as a better colour now he is a cleaner looking Bear!

Before he left to go home, we had one of our Coldham Farewell photographic sessions, and this one of Bernard and I sitting on Isobel's bed is the best of the bunch!

I'm very pleased to tell you that Bernard travelled in comfort in the back of the car belonging to MrGS's friends who live in our village.  He was carefully strapped in with the car seat belt and we have since learned that MrGS is very satisfied with his new look.  He is apparently sitting in a comfortable armchair in his Forever Home awaiting the arrival of various grand children to play with him when they come to see MrGS.  We have been promised some photographs - and when they arrive, I promise we'll feature them in a future post.

Meanwhile, I'll end this - with the hope that you are all enjoying this last Bank Holiday before Christmas as much as Isobel is:  she has her elder daughter staying for the week-end, and they seem to be very busy driving around the area in Philippa's car doing various errands, one of which has been to stock up with bags of stuffing so that Isobel doesn't run out when making up the slippers and Christmas presents she hopes to be making in the upcoming weeks!

Goodnight to you all.  Cy Bear.

Treating Bernard Bear - Part One

Goodness me - it's Wednesday afternoon, and several days have passed since I posted about Pooh and Brown Bears' Happy Endings.  I've been very busy with one thing and another, and although the photographs have all been prepared for publication, I've just not had the time to sit down and write the story about Bernard and his particular problems.

 So... with no more ado, here is what happened to Bernard Bear, who spent some time in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing  79124185) before treatment could begin - because a decision needed to be made as to whether he should undergo the full  Coldham Bear Therapy, or merely a partial one.

His arrival actually coincided with that of Pooh and Brown Bears, but as their needs were more easily tackled, and Bernard's treatment was dependent on a decision on his future looks, he remained sitting in the Lloyd Loom chair in my bed-room, which seems to have become the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic's waiting-room.

His requirements were pretty obvious:  he'd lost both his ears, he only had one eye, his nose was somewhat disfigured, his mouth needed attention and he had some pretty large holes in his body and head which either required total coverage, or patching.  While a decision was awaited, closer inspection revealed the need to replace all his paw pads - which had become very hard and  needed to be removed, together with separating his limbs from the body, so that the holes could be adequately treated - which ever route was taken.

Given Bernard's age - approximately 40-50 years we believe - and the fact that he'd not been played with for a very long time, spending the time in cupboards, he was not really in too bad a shape.  But the mohair fur definitely showed signs of the loving attention he had received when his Forever Friend, MrGS was playing with him.  It needed to be matched if possible, and a price for the fabric obtained.  Once that had happened, the decision was taken to go the partial restoration route, and so his treatment began.

As usual, with the "Quic-Unpic" - without which such operations cannot happen - at the ready, his head seam was undone from the back, as far as ear level and all the wood chip stuffing removed.  In the head and limbs, the wood chips were mixed up with disintegrated cotton wool.  This often  happened during the period I suspect Bernard was made - because I've had to deal with similar concoctions in some of my previous treatments.  It came away quite cleanly, and I was able to remove the stuffing adhering to the seams with my hand held vacuum, although the cotton wool rapidly fell to bits, and became very dusty.

Then came the main piece to be treated - his body. I decided to try and keep the body as intact as possible, because patching the holes would be easier to achieve.  So, it was the main back seam that was unpicked from the neck to his bottom.  The stuffing here was all wood chipping, and it came away quite easily.

 However, one thing was striking:  the way his seams were created.  Where the seams were clearly visible, they had been machine-stitched.  However, at the extremities, the fixing was very rough and ready. The seams seem to have been held together and string used to wrap it round very casually. then gathered to form a roll,  and then the ends sewn in to the body near the seams. The joins were hidden by the head and limb joints!   I've tried to show this in the following photograph of the seam towards his legs:   the same happened at the end of all the limbs, themselves.

It's not the first time I've come across this way of completing a Bear's seams, but it was particularly noticeable in Bernard's case.   Which makes me wonder if Bernard was originally a hand-made bear, rather than  a mass-produced bear.  All the others where this phenomenon occurred were mass-produced, but the string was only used for a short time.  One will never know - but this is one of the fascinations for me of restoring old,  much-loved bears.  Speculating on how, when, or where they originated, closely followed by their very individual stories.

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Once the wood chip stuffing had been removed, I then could remove the cotter pin joint discs.  Three (out of a total of five) of them are shown in this photograph, together with the pliers and screw driver with which I tried to open the pins, which had been very firmly fixed, with very thick steel.  (All of the joints were 2-1/2" inches in diameter - perhaps explaining why there were holes near the joint edges in Bernard's coat!)  Two of them defied all my efforts - my arthritic fingers could not cope - so in the end, I had to resort to seeking help from one of my gentlemen neighbours.  Even he had a problem  (which did make me feel slightly less useless!)  He had to resort in the end to using a small hand saw to separate the two layers of cardboard discs by cutting the pins so that we could get the discs out of Bernard. The pins had broken while he and I had tried to twist them undone with our respective pliers and other tools.   In so doing, two of the discs - which are made with very thick cardboard, which had hardened over the years of being in place - were damaged beyond photography!  You can also see the paw pads which had been removed: they, too, were as hard as I suspected and definitely needed to be replaced.   (In all, the removal of the cotter pins took the two of us nearly two hours from start to finish, because we were both anxious not to damage Bernard's remaining coat any more than it had already been).

Once this tricky operation had been successfully completed, Bernard was immersed in luke-warm soapy water to remove the dust that he had accumulated, and spent the night soaking in the bath.

 Next morning, Bernard's pieces were firmly wrung out, carefully shaped and hung up  on the clothes maiden in my work room. His head is in the middle of the back row, next to the body:  his two legs are in the front, and his arms are on the right of the photograph, one behind the other.   You can see that he is a Big Bear!

This seems to be an appropriate point at which to end this post - the next installment will follow shortly, and will probably be handled by Cy Bear.  He does like to be involved at least once in the Bear treatment reports!

Hope everyone is having a good week!  We're looking forward to a Bank Holiday this week-end, the last before Christmas!  Where on earth has this year gone?

Good night - and God Bless!   Isobel

Pooh and Brown Bears' Happy Ending

Evening everybody - it's Cy Bear back again.   Was wondering when it would happen, but Isobel has been so busy recently, that blogging has had to take a back seat.  However, I can now tell and show you what has happened to my good friends Pooh and Brown Bears - both recent Patients in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing # 79124185).

Pooh Bear is now happily living with his original Friend, MrJA-B and his young son MA-B.  We thought you'd all be interested - so here are some pictures for you to see.

MrsPA-B took the photographs with her Ipad (whatever that might be) and sent them to Isobel.  One of the reasons for the delay in our not letting you know about them before is that it's only this evening that we've (and by that I mean Isobel, of course) figured out how to transfer them here to the blog!  Anyway, better late than never.

"I do love you Pooh Bear - just like Daddy did!"

The caption under this photo was provided by MrsPA-B, and it's so lovely that we felt it should be incorporated here.  (We have got full permission to do whatever we like with the photos, and a copy of this post will be sent to the family after we've published it later!)

After being introduced to the new Pooh Bear,  young  MA-B decided that he needed to be shown round their garden - and the first place they went to was the nearest Hydrangea bush:

Now, we must not forget Brown Bear must we?  Well he was reunited with his Forever Friend MrAA-B and his fiancee MsL (their wedding is later this year).  Apparently, it was MsL who actually saved  Brown Bear from being thrown away because it was feared he was not worth saving.  I mean to say - what a good thing MrsPA-B knew Isobel and had asked if we could have a look at Pooh Bear.   When MsL heard about us, it was speedily decided that  the two Bears would come together to the Clinic.    Brown Bear was not in nearly such a state as my other friend.  MsL is already great friends with Brown Bear - as this photograph proves!

And as I believe they say in all good stories - they all lived happily ever after!

I must say it was such fun having these two Bears staying with us, and I've missed them since they went to their respective homes.  However, it was not long before we were able to get on with treating Bernard Bear, who arrived at about the same time as the other two.   Isobel has been able to treat Bernard Bear now - and he went home to his Forever Friend earlier this week.

Another small Bear, known to us in the Clinic as TJ Bear  arrived here about 10 days ago.  He didn't need as much work done to make him better, and he is going home tomorrow.  His Forever Friend, MrsEJ had always called him Teddy until he met us - but it gets so confusing when so many Bear Patients are called Teddy or Ted.  So, when they met, Isobel told TJ's Friend that we would be calling him Ted Johnson (TJ Bear for short).  It makes telling the stories of their stay in the Clinic so very much easier.  Their treatments will be described in the next couple of posts - coming shortly.

 Isobel meanwhile, has also been busy putting new titles on all 57 toys and slippers now on offer in our Etsy Shop (www.Etsy.com/shop/coldhamcuddlies) and also doing something called "tagging".  Apparently we'd not been doing it as well as we could, and having been given some great help by our friend LauraC - for whom the Golden Yellow Slippers were made, you may recall  https://www.etsy.com/listing/152976020/yellow-rabbit-slippers-novelty-gift-men?  they got done over the past three evenings.  It takes a lot of time to do it properly, and we're hoping that all this work will result in lots of Cuddlies finding their Forever Homes between now and Christmas.

So - with that thought, I'll end this post.  Lovely to be back with you all again - and here's to the next time!  Cy Bear