Vintage Mink Bears by Kathy Myers: Custom Teddy Bears from your mink stole

Custom Teddy Bears from your mink stole

August 29, 2019

UPDATE

regarding my Custom Teddy Waiting List:

To my surprise I had so many people request to be added to my Custom Teddy Waiting List that my current waiting list has become much too long ... we are looking at years rather than months at this point. Of course, I do not expect that everyone on my waiting list will actually send me their minks to be transformed into one of my teddies so I may get caught up sooner than I imagine ... but until then

I AM NO LONGER ADDING ANY NEW NAMES TO MY CUSTOM TEDDY WAITING LIST.

After I (hopefully) finish the custom teddies on my current list I will be going back to making ONLY my Artist Mink Bears. Sorry I will no longer be making Custom Mink Teddies. At my age (I'm a senior) I have many new designs of my own that I want to create before the arthritis in my fingers forces me to stop.

You can see my Custom Work Schedule by clicking here.

May 8, 2017 UPDATE:
My doctor verified from x-rays of my hand that I am starting to get arthritis in my fingers so I will be limiting the number of Custom Orders that I accept each year ... I need to have more time to make my one-of-a-kind creations while I am still able to sew (I also have a closet full of minks that need to become teddies or other animals).

All of the photos on this page are custom teddies that I created from

family heirloom mink stoles or coats

1: PATTERN ONE (traditional arm position)

2: PATTERN TWO (arm position that can sit like a puppy)

Because I typically have a backlog of Custom Orders I have limited my Custom Teddy Pattern to my most requested pattern: It is a 11 inch teddy (standing). I offer two versions of this pattern (the variations are the position of the teddy's arm) :

1. Pattern #1 is a traditional style

2. Pattern #2 has an arm position where it can sit like a puppy.

Cost per teddy: $350

(I have Etsy and ArtFire shops that quote the same price)

It take me at least 30 hours to complete one teddy since there is a lot of hand crafting and sewing. To see the "step-by-step" process of me making a teddy please go to my Step-By-Step Process page.

Typically custom requests are for one or two teddies ...

but if you want several (3 or more) teddies from your garment I will offer you a discounted price of $325 per teddy.

This teddy is an example of my "Pattern 2" option where the teddy's arm are positioned
so the teddy looks so precious to be displayed in this forward sitting position
(I think it is very much like a puppy would sit)

These teddies are a good example of my "Pattern #1"
which is more traditional arm placement
as you can see, the teddies sit in an upright position with their arms by their sides.

I always make the teddy paw pad from the mink lining.
Sometimes I have a special request to make a "sitting pad" with the name embroidered on the lining and/or the labels.

Question and Answers:

These are some commonly asked questions ....

Do I need to see your mink stole before I can estimate how many teddies I can make from your mink stole or coat?

Yes, I actually need to see your mink stole or coat to give you a good estimate of how many teddies I can make from your mink. I need to see the condition of the pelts and how the garment was constructed to see how much of the pelt is actually useable for teddy construction. Making a teddy can be quite stressful on a pelt but to ease that stress I : line all of my teddies with cotton lining and I hand sew the majority (if not all) of the teddy. While my method is very time consuming I find that I get the best results with my detailed hand crafting.

Do I work only with mink? You are not sure if your family fur stole is mink.

I prefer to work only with mink but there are some furs that look very much like mink that will give me very similar results. If you are not sure if your fur is mink then you can simply email me some photos and I can usually tell from the photos if your fur can be transformed into my teddies.

Can I complete your Custom Teddies in time for a special occasion?

Up until this year, 2016, I did used to try to re-arrange my working schedule to meet special date requests ... but this year I decide that it was much less confusing and more time-effective if I completed my Special Request Orders on a First Come, First Server basis. Starting in 2016 I am now posting my "Custom Order Work Schedule". So if you have placed an order with me you can go to this page to see where your order is on my work schedule: you will find a link to my Work Schedule page on the right side of my Blog ... or just Click Here.

Why does it take so long to complete each order?

The first reason is that it take at least 30 hours of detailed hand-crafting to complete just one teddy bear (here is the link to see my Step-By-Step teddy making process). To be honest the main reason is that I have been a full-time Teddy Bear Artist for nearly 30 years (since 1988) and my hands have suffered from that many years of constantly sewing leather by hand. While I now try to sew the less important parts of the teddy on the machine I will never never sew the all important head any other way than by hand. And now that I am a "senior citizen" I just work much slower ... so slow that I think that I must be "semi-retired" but I have no intention of ever fully retiring from my little teddies, at least not as long as I can still cut, sew and stuff. My collectors have told me my that teddies are worth the wait.

If you decide that you would like for me to create a One-Of-A-Kind Custom Heirloom Teddy (or Teddies) from your family's mink stole or coat ... please email me so I can send you my address since I do not list it anywhere on this Blog or my Website:

myminkbears@aim.com

Do you need to pre-pay for your teddies when you send me your mink stole/coat?

No, I will send you a Pay Pal invoice once I have completed your order and you have seen the photos of your teddies. Invoicing though Pay Pal is the most convenient way for me to do my bookkeeping and you are can pay through Pay Pal even if you are not a member but if you prefer not to pay online you can send me a check or money order.

If you decide to send me your mink stole/coat please include a note with:

1. Your contact information (name, address, & email)

2. What you would like me to create from your mink (how many teddies and which pattern you prefer ... yes, if you want more than one teddy you can request both patterns. Or if you want the Mother-Daughter set, let me know)

3. Let me know if you have any special requests. For example, a sitting pad made from the lining that includes the name embroidered in the lining and/or the labels.