A warm welcome awaits you at our spacious, comfortable house with modern
en suite facilities; situated in a rural village 15 miles from Lincoln
Cathedral, 5 minutes from the sleepy Lincolnshire Wolds and Tennyson country,
and 10 minutes from Hornscastle, a country market town of great charm and
noted for its many antique shops. Our bear-making courses are held here, as
we are fortunate in having large rooms with plenty of light. We even have a
"bear making studio" with two big windows, large tables, and photographic
equipment.
We moved here in June 1998 and have been planning, decorating, planting
and of course making bears, almost ever since! Minting is a small village,
about 2 miles from the A158, and our house stands on a large plot with more
than an acre at the back. On a clear day you can see the Cathedral from the
windows at the front.
Bear Bits is well known for its varied range of high quality bears, each
with a lovely face and beautifully trimmed muzzle. In order to develop our
range we have come up with many innovative designs, overcome technical problems,
developed techniques, and gained specialized skills. Prior to becoming full-time
bear makers we were both teachers so have considerable experience in passing on
skills and providing for different levels of ability. We used to teach Science,
including biology, and constantly use our skills of observation, evaluation,
modification and assessment to not only improve our own designs and skills
but also help others to improve theirs.
We specialize in providing courses for small numbers (maximum of 6 enthusiasts
at a time) in order to ensure plenty of one-to-one tuition. From collectors with
little or no bear making experience to serious addicts - we aim to cater for all.
Our objective for the two-day course is to enable you to create an artist style
collector's teddy bear and time will be spent on finishing techniques including:-
different fillings; jointing methods; facial shaping and sculpting; neat embroidered
noses. We hope that we can pass on our enjoyment of bear making and help you to develop
a more professional finish at the same time. Our courses are organized along the lines
of a "bear making house-party" where you can concentrate on your interest, amongst
"friends" and away from the distractions and demands of "home".
By making a complete bear you cover all aspects of bear making and have a new
addition to take home to your hug. One of the joys of small numbers is that we are
able to tailor a weekend course to individual requirements and you can work at your
own level, be it Beginner, Improver or Advanced addict!
The following are included in our standard "Make a bear with Bear Bits" course:-
- All materials needed to make a 12 - 15" mohair teddy bear
- Course folder - including notes/information etc.
- Pattern and making details to take home for reference
- Coffee/tea/soft drinks & biscuits plus light lunches - if you stop for them!
- An informal Saturday evening dinner and get together - approx. 8.00pm onwards
- The course will run Saturday 9.30am - 5.00pm-ish; Sunday 9.30am - 4.00pm-ish.
- The total cost of the course is £190 for 2008
- (for 2 nights B&B here (Friday & Saturday), at the Florins please add an extra £55)
This course is suitable for all levels of ability i.e. Bs, Is, and As. We ask you
to let us know what stage you are at before you come, and then send your list of
possibilities so that we can plan accordingly.
If you definitely want to develop particular skills and can cope with the possibility
of not taking home a complete bear; the following options may appeal. The cost to do an
option will be the same i.e. £190 for 2008 for the weekend:
1. Head to Head
In this option you concentrate on heads and develop your ability to give your bear a
unique expression. During the weekend you make up more than one head and explore the
possibilities of:- changing the size of the eyes and their position; embroidering the
nose in different ways, using threads of different thickness; styling the mouth; sculpting
using both sewing and trimming the mohair with scissors; changing the size of the ears;
position on the head and how they can be sewn on. Sculpting the head using needle and thread.
This option will provide more practice
in each of the above skills than you would by making one complete bearand can be adjusted to include just what you want.
Suitable for: -
Improvers - who can improve all aspects involved in giving bear "a good head".
Advanced - who can refine their expertise in all the areas mentioned above and gain
real insight into perfecting the "look" to which you aspire for your bears!
2. All Change
This option concentrates on personalizing a pattern in order to give a bear the bodily
features that you want him to have. It includes how to alter the length and shape of arms,
legs, feet etc. and how to adjust the size of the pads accordingly. How to change the shape
of the head by altering the muzzle and/or the head gusset. How to make your bear with different
colour inserts to the muzzle and body - this leads towards designing your own panda or jester
bear. It can also explore the possibility of changing the proportions of your bear. We have a
photocopier here so that you can keep your original designs, cut pattern pieces from copies and
thus keep a track on development. You need to be able to draw out, cut out and machine fast in
order to make up pieces of your prototype and evaluate the results.
Suitable for: -
Improvers - this option provides experience in altering or modifying a pattern. If you
can work fast, you should be able to take home a completed bear.
Advanced - Most designs "evolve", i.e. they are based adjustments made using previous
knowledge or experience. We have a wealth of experience and knowledge and so can help you to
"boldly go" where you might not have gone before!
3. Landing on all fours!
The aim of the course is to help you develop the skills needed to design a pattern for a bear on all fours. It’s taken us a long time to develop our highly successful designs and we’re sure that you can appreciate that it would be commercial madness to present course members with one of our current patterns! However, we start you off with one of our early attempts. There will be a chance to study pictures of real bears; discuss relative proportions, body shape; advice etc. but you modify the pattern to produce a bear that stands on all fours and evaluate your results. This option also covers the asymmetric or double neck joint. Progress depends how successful/critical you are and you may not be able to complete your bear while here. However, you will be well on the way and we do offer “après course” support!
Suitable for: -
Advanced only and you need previous experience on altering a pattern.
4. Make a Big Bear - 22 inches !
We’ve previously restricted the course bear to 12-14 inches as this size can be made from start to finish during the weekend. This has both pros and cons - course participants gain insight and experience of all the techniques needed to make a medium sized teddy bear but are unable to use longer pile or dense mohair or work on a larger bear that takes more time to both sew and stuff. If you would like to make a large bear using expensive mohair with help and guidance at hand, this option is the one for you!
There is a price supplement to this course to accommodate:
More fabric, longer and possibly dense pile fabric, filling and larger joints.
Unless you are capable of working incredibly fast (and are prepared to finish your bear at home), it is essential to have the pattern pieces drawn out, cut out and mostly sewn in advance (NOT the head or foot pads which you would do so you have “ownership” of your bear) by our accomplished machinist.
Stuffing all the parts of a large bear takes a lot of time - we recommend that Bill stuffs the arms of your bear in advance so that there is less for you to do over the weekend.
Your bear can have a large, deep growler placed in his body when it is stuffed. You can write your name and the date on the growler as a permanent record.
Consequently there is a supplement of £40 to pay if you wish to do the Big Bear course.
Suitable for: -
Improvers
Advanced
5. Panda option !
We have been frequently asked for a course on pandas. This option is really a modification of All Change and combined with input on realistic bears however, the latter is only necessary if one wants the result to look fairly natural as opposed to caricature. Pandas are usually made using contrasting colours and ideally the fabrics should be of similar pile density, finish and length; for the course we will use the conventional black and ivory fabrics.
The aim of the option is to enable you to produce a pattern for a panda by introducing different colour inserts in the appropriate pattern pieces, adding seam allowances where necessary and adjusting shape and proportions to produce either a realistic or personal look. We can provide a 12-14” pattern suitable for modification but if you want to really want call the panda your own you should consider bringing a pattern for that size, together with a teddy bear made up using it that you can refer to when necessary. You need to be prepared to alter the pattern, make prototype heads, bodies, limbs etc. (and not necessarily take each one through to a complete bear! )
It’s likely that you won’t finish your panda while here but we do offer “après course” support and are only a telephone call or email away.
The option includes:
Studying pictures of real pandas
Studying various interpretations of a panda
Becoming familiar with how to introduce different coloured inserts into pattern pieces
Altering a pattern in order to achieve different shapes and/or proportions
Enough black and ivory fabric to make a 12-14 inch panda (prototypes are made using remnants).
Suitable for: -
Improvers - but you must have a good working knowledge of pattern pieces, be prepared to experiment and be able to work quickly.
Advanced - i.e. you have already tried out altering pattern pieces but need help with refining your techniques so that you can cope with intricate detail such as sewing in the eye patches and more accurate proportion and shape.
6. Blank Sheet of Paper – You need to have been before or be very experienced !
Designing a teddy bear from scratch - yes, you start with an A4 blank sheet of paper and probably go home with bits of your bear though not necessarily connected! It’s essential that you are competent in all the basic techniques of bear making, are familiar with different pattern pieces and can sew quickly in order to make prototypes and evaluate them.
7. Air Brushing – Maximum 4 people each time !
We will have various systems here so you can try all (e.g.Copic system with can or compressor plus different airbrushes) - develop skills and accuracy through practice, work with pale mohair, tipping and shading/accentuating bits of bear. You will leave with more skill and knowing which equipment most suits your needs.
8. Lim(b)-itless !
This is the idea of previous course members who wanted the chance to spend a weekend exploring the possibilities of arm and leg design. There will be the chance to design straight or bent limbs with a variety of shaped pads; the pads could be embellished by quilting, trapunto, colouring etc.
Suitable for: -
Improvers - but you must have a good working knowledge of pattern pieces, be prepared to experiment and be able to work quickly.
Course dates
Courses are offered on the following dates: -
We have proposed dates for the options simply as a guide. If you would like to do a different
option on a particular date, please enquire and we can see whether we have had any similar
enquiries - or ask if others are interested. We set the option for a particular date as soon
as we have deposits from 2 participants. Sorry, but we can only run 2 different courses at the same time
- March 8/9 2008 (2 places left) Make a Bear, Blank sheet of paper and Big Bear
- May 10/11 2008 (3 places left) Airbrushing and Make a Bear
- June 14/15 2008 (1 non-residential place left) Make a Bear and Advanced design
- July 12/13 2008 (2 places left) Make a Bear and Pandas
- September 20/21 2008 (2 places left) Make a Bear and Rabbits!
- October 11/12 2008 (1 place left) Make a Bear and Pandas
Please note that the course dates are proposals and could possibly be changed to help you!
If your partner would like to come along too, there is a lot available in the surrounding
area. For example, there is a quality golf course nearby but we have enough land behind the
house to practice your drive at the Florins! In the next village, there is a fishing lake.
We even have a snooker table and dartboard on the site! For the technically minded we have
up-to-date computer, photographic and printing equipment in order to produce our own catalogue,
adverts etc. It is even possible to learn more about any of these aspects while here as we can
adjust the course to individual needs. B & B for your partner would be £55 for two nights and
to join us for dinner on the Saturday evening, please add £20.
We can be more flexible! On our calendar, the fortnight before each fair is sacrosanct
(due to the need to make our stock) and we could not contemplate running a course at those
times! However, we would be happy to run a course for just two of you - so - if you've got
a similarly minded friend, feel free to suggest two or three possible weekends and we'll see
if we can come up with one to oblige! If you live near enough, "home tuition" might be possible.
Rates vary according to the distance that I have to travel and the amount of time spent with you.
For the latest fair dates, please refer to the news page.
All that you need to bring (apart from your weekending gear) is a sewing machine, pins
and small sharp scissors. If you already have specialist items such as long needles, then
please bring them too. We would also love to see any bears that you have already made. (If
you haven't got a sewing machine, let us know and we might be able to help.)
A nonrefundable deposit of £50 is required to secure a place on a weekend course, and places are offered
on a first come, first served basis. B and B could be with us; We have two twin-bedded rooms with en-suites and another with a
double bed. Details of local accommodation will be sent with confirmation of
booking. If you come by train, it might be possible to meet and take you to Lincoln Station, but not whilst the course is in progress on Saturday or Sunday. The
balance is due a month before the weekend of your course. If for any reason you have to cancel after the balance has been paid, and we are unable to fill your place, we regret that we will be unable to refund it. We will send you the first part
of your course folder (including details of how to get here) once the balance has been paid.
Please send your deposit - payable to P.J.Ashburner - to: -
The Florins
Silver Street
Minting
Horncastle
Lincolnshire
LN9 5RP
Please email or phone to check for spaces on the course before sending a deposit.
Plus any aspects of bear making or a bear business that you would particularly like to
cover AND DO REMEMBER to state which weekend/s you would like to come!
If there is anything else that you would like to know, please do not hesitate to ask.
We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your interest.
Jean and Bill Ashburner - August 2002
