Monday, April 9, 2012

Furbear

I'm Back!...again. Winter was well here in Maine, we've had light temps and some snow. It was a good thing for me since I fractured my kneecap three days before Christmas. Thus the biggest reason for no blogging. I 've felt like I was hibernation for the last four months but all is great now especially since the warm sun of spring is shinning on me.
I promised myself I would get something out of storage each day, and each day I have. I've found more and more items that I have completely forgotten about and surprised myself many times. "Oh, so that's where that was."
Anyhow....this is one of my fur coats I had in the kids closet of the mobile home. I thought it was the one my mother gave me but it is one I picked up along the way.


Too bad it was in such poor shape because it was a thigh high coat and I really like the length.
Alas, not to let some creature go to the trash in vain, I decided I'd try to make a bear out of it. So off we went.

Taking the garment apart was a challenge in itself, I'm assuming this was a well loved coat since it had been altered and tailored from its original shape to a shape that was an obviously short statue lady.

I am amazed at how many pieces of fur went into making this coat, no wonder you had to be near rich to purchase one and no wonder furriers got so much money for each item.
This is what I made, this was an idea I had obsessively floating around my head for months. A teddy bear. He ended up alittle too small for a adequate judge of how fur works. Since there was very little room for turning each piece to the right side, the original seams of the fur was stressed and  I had a hard time keeping the parts together. 
He's cute and I'll keep him for myself since it was the tryout model. I love the over sized feet.
 So funny,
it reminds me of the squirrel from caddy shack. C&G Design
(or was it a groundhog?)
Words and photos by Dawn, C&G Design.

8 comments:

tina said...

Welcome back! What a great use for the old fur coat. I bet that teddy is ever so soft. Hope your leg is healed now.

Jean Merriman said...

OMG, I am the one now saying "So that is where Aunt Eva's fur coat went to"!!!!!!!! I have looked and looked for that coat. I must have given it to you!!!!! When I first saw it and what you said about you thought I had given it to you but no it was not, I am thinking it sure did look like the one Aunt Eva left to me. Then, thank you so much for doing it, you showed the initials. E M A ` Eva Marie Adams!!! So, I guess I did give it to you. Absolutely no memory of doing that since I have tried countless times to figure out what in the devil I did with it. Aunt Eva DID love that coat very much. She put it in storage with a furrier every year for 9 months. I do not know when she bought it but she had it back when it was not a sin to wear fur. She died on July 29, 1970 (familiar month and day) and she had it years before that. She bought it from a furrier in Boston. I think all of you kids except for Terri-Lynn have some memory of Aunt Eva. She live in Portland and was my great aunt, Nana's aunt. It was the WARMEST coat I have ever had on. Aunt Eva was a very short woman, under 5 feet. She also was a diamond among gems and jewels. Cute as a button and as sweet and caring as they come. Always had nylons with seams on and a dress and pumps on her feet. Always wore a hat with a feather when she went out. She was always considered the "mother hen" of the whole Adams family. I know I have been very long winded today but that coat sparked many memories.

Debbie said...

Well as I live and breath!!! I can't believe my eyes!! Not only are you back, but you are back with a wonderful hand made teddy bear!! I saw the photos of the legs Dawn and I honestly thought they were from a store bought bear that was broken and were being used as parts for your bear! Fantastic job! I think he's adorable! What a wonderful task to take on....but it is so YOU Dawn!! Yay!!! Is it a she or a he? Have you named "it"? Apparently that's what collectors do with their bears. I sold one, years ago, on Ebay (an antique) and the guy wanted to know the name of the person I got it from. The previous owners name was Richard and that became the bears name! Welcome back my friend and I look forward to many more blog posts from you!! Your mom will be thrilled!! Yeeha!

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

What a great new life for the fur coat. Cute teddy bear. Love that Jean has the story of the coat owner too!

Skeeter said...

Long time no chat girl. Welcome back and so sorry to hear about your knee but glad it is better to the point of your getting back in the swing of things. Cant wait to see updates on the kids and all....

Love the bear and yes, you so need to name this beauty!

Debbie said...

Hey Dawn.....Where are you girl? Miss your posts!

Debbie said...

hey Dawn...where are you girl?

Debbie said...

Miss you blogging....how about once a week???