Something New: Berta

I am a bear maker. But I am also a collector. Which is really fortunate, because I means I can supplement my collecting costs with the making of my own bears!

I was lamenting the price of some gorgeous specimens recently... (if I could just win the lotto...), when I wondered what it was about a bear that particularly drew me to it. I think it's the face.

I have a great respect for detailed paws and fancy armature - those are bloody tricky techniques! But at the end of the day, the reason I decide to add a new bear to my collection is always because of it's face.

So following this line of reasoning, I thought I'd see what happened if I made a bear with my full attention to it's face, but with a one piece body like that of my flop-about-bears, allowing for a faster process and thus a more affordable product.

Berta is the result!




She has one joint in her neck, which allows for her to be posed with her head facing over her shoulder - one of my particular favourites - or facing forward. She has all the expression and detail to her face that I would give any of my bears, but the rest of her is a simple, floppy body with turned out feet, bell shaped arms and just a slight back hump.



By not having to sew, turn, joint, stuff and close seams on limbs, I've managed to cut about 2hrs off the finishing time. And at the moment time is EVERYTHING to me! :P

I'm really interested to know what you guys think? Would you accept a bear like Berta into your collection, or is she not quite up to standard without a jointed body?