HOW TO FIX AND REPAIR ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE TEDDY BEARS 101 | JOHN PAUL PORT *secrets from the expert*

Teddy Bear Repair straight from the expert! Do you have a vintage or antique teddy bear that needs a typical repair? You came to the right place with this video from John Paul Port and Rachel Hoffman. DIY Teddy Bear Repair Workshop - join our good friend John Paul Port in this in-depth seminar showing you some of his favorite and most used techniques, tips, and tricks for repairing teddy bears. This workshop was filmed for the March 2021 Virtual Doll Convention - now available for all to enjoy and learn from.
JOHN PORT'S RUBY LANE SHOP: www.rubylane.com/shop/the-port-collection
RACHEL HOFFMAN'S DOLL SHOP: www.rare-dolls.com/

[@maggie5736]

I learned so much. Thank you. I have several old bears who needed a home. They are in rough shape so I waited to see your tutorial. I love my worn bears.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

You are so welcome!

[@chrismont5475]

Thanks John & Rachel From Rebecca Calgary Canada

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Thanks for watching Chris!

[@lillychevalierfox]

John Paul you are as patient as a surgeon!

[@Juliette402]

Thank you, John! I really needed some technique for eye replacement. This was really great and I learned so much?

[@catalinaquijano6477]

I literally got up outa bed to go get my 42 year old bear and clutch him close because he need repair, and it’s now time to get it done. Thank you for sharing all this valuable information! My Pot Belly Bear 🐻 and I appreciate it! 💖💖🧸

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

You’re very welcome!!

[@nonainman5647]

Thank you John. I had no idea how to repair a bear. This will change what bears I add to my collection. Old old bears I find can possibly be added to my collection and I can practice how to repair them. This was unbelievably wonderful. Thank you so much.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Excellent!

[@angiedavey1195]

Thank you so much, I learnt a lot.

[@gregoryalexander4418]

Excellent video I learned so much I'm not a sewer I would have some else repair my bear. I do have a bear that has dry rot . I don't think it can be fixed but I bought antique baby clothes and I put those on just to keep it in place .Thank you Rachel You're putting this video out It's always a pleasure to see John.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Thanks for watching! We are so glad it was helpful. Good luck with your upcoming bear projects!

[@rickyhell4440]

thank you so much, experts sharing their secrets helps so many more people preserve the past ! i have so many plush toys that are 50+ years old because I have been buying and repairing them for years :-)

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Thank you so much!!

[@yorkshirel_a_s_s]

Thank you so much for this valuable resource, I have been repairing vintage./antique bears for some time but wanted to further my knowledge, I especially enjoyed your tips and the paw pad information

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

You're very welcome!

[@tinydesigns4394]

Thanks for this video. I’ve been researching how to repurpose vintage furs into bears and the eye 👁 information is really useful! ❤️and the cleaning tutorial is awesome!

[@Fancylooks]

I loved this complete lesson, thank you

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wantingoneangel8976]

Rachel, WOW:)!! I have learned so much and I have taken notes:)!! John Paul Port is very talented and a good teacher:)!!! I unfortunately do not have very good sewing skills, my Late Grandma on my Mom's side showed me how to sew holes and they always come apart:(. However, maybe I am just doing it wrong. My Teddy Bears are not antique and are in good shape, at this point. However, I have a Raggedy Andy Doll and he is in bad need of repair. I want to get him repaired, but I just do not know where to go in my area. And I so agree with John Paul Port about "moth balls". My Late Dad had a Fabric Store and the moth balls smelled so bad!! I so agree moth balls they smell toxic. Also, sadly, Although I do NOT smoke, I live in an apartment and my downstairs neighbors do smoke. I hope that will not affect my Teddy Bears because sometimes I can smell the smoke. Also, I have a Mohair Bear, a 1999 Lincoln B. Bearington Boyds Bear, but I do not see any bugs on him, but he is not antique, just vintage. I really like the tips on how to clean the bears and use the flea combs as well as a plastic comb. Also, I was wondering, I have a product called Clean Boss, which has all natural ingredients, how does John Paul Port feel about this product for cleaning teddy bears? And what bar soap did John Paul Port use for his cloth to clean the teddy bears? I was wondering if he used Ivory Soap because it is all natural? Rachel, Thank John Paul Port for this very informative video on how teddy bears are repaired:)!! And thank you Rachel and Eric for filming John Paul Port's tutorial:)!!! And I want to add that my Late Grandfather who was born on June 13th was also left handed like John Paul Port:)!!

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Big big hugs! Thank you for your wonderful comments. 🧸💖🧸💖

[@chrismont5475]

Wonderful Information on Bear Repair thanks a million , Rebecca Calgary, Canada. Would like to see your final bears that John has repaired.

[@lianapalumbo8457]

This was fantastic. Thank you so much. I have an old bear that I've wanted to stabilise, I guess is the right term, so I'll be watching this over. Love from Australia xx

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

We’re so glad to hear that you learned some helpful tips and tricks!

[@TheSeptemberRose]

I have painted the back of the clear glass eyes with gold nail polish...it works really well !

[@grimlen_named_Moss]

This was super helpful . I haven't yet needed to do repairs on a antique bear. I have had to repair modern day bears made to look like the antique ones replicas? I do love the style of the old bears they have so much soul to them. I'm on the hunt for at least one bear to have and care for.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

So glad this was helpful! Thank you so much.

[@gabrielabasilio523]

Que paciencia.❤❤❤amo los ositos de peluche antiguos.

[@joym9189]

They are soo cute. Thank you

[@ukdollydee]

very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

You are welcome, thanks for watching. 🧸🧸

[@elizabethpeebles1200]

So helpful. How does one get in touch with John?

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

His email is [e-mail]

[@galeholt3757]

Very interesting and educational...learned a lot. My stuffed treasure is a tiger..no I won't tell his age..Tennessee

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Glad you learned a lot, thank you so much!

[@kerriefranks4564]

Hello, I have bought some bears through ebay, I particularly love bears with growlers. Two were listed with working growlers and both arrived with growler broken. Not sure if the tossing around of the postal service has broken them, but would you kindly provide a video of how to fix or replace the growler please? Thanking you in advance. Kerrie

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

That is awesome!

[@ROSANNAHARVEY]

My old teddy is stuffed with straw which is breaking down. He now has limp arms and a wobbly nose. How should I re--stuff him? I'm in the Uk. Any advice would be welcome.

[@evekankam6744]

That was brilliant,thank you.May I ask a question,when you said about a bear having dry rot ,can you put it on a shelf with good bears or does it spread to other bears? Thank you

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Good question! I will ask John next time we chat.

[@annporter7359]

Hi Rachael ❤ do you have any teddy bear videos specifically to English bears.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Yes I do! Search bears on my channel and you’ll find a lot with John Port.

[@patriciahooks4090]

Where could I find vintage brown thread for the repair of a Zotty bear nose?

[@heatherwells9291]

I've just got an old bear that needs serious help. My question is how safe is it to reuse the old stuffing which appears to be straw. Does this need to be changed to modern stuffing which does not feel as solid.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

It's fantastic that you're taking the time to restore an old bear; these items often carry so much sentimental value! As for your question about reusing the old straw stuffing, the safety depends on a few factors. Old straw stuffing can sometimes harbor allergens, mites, or even mold. In some cases, it may also become flammable over time. If you want to maintain the bear's original feel, carefully inspect the straw to make sure it's in good condition. You may want to consider airing it out and possibly sterilizing it. If the straw seems degraded or if you have any concerns about its condition, it might be best to switch to a modern, hypoallergenic stuffing. While modern stuffing might not feel as solid as the original straw, it would be cleaner and safer for long-term enjoyment. Thank you for being a wonderful caretaker to a piece of history! Keep up the great work.

[@michelleturner5508]

Can I do anything with the fur on a slightly bald bear. thank you

[@donnahardey2683]

I have a Steiff teddy with his button still attached. He is about 12" tall. I believe I figured out that he is from around 1909. He has lost a lot of his wood wool or excelsior stuffing and is very saggy, he has several bare areas in his mohair, and he was kissed a lot from his original little owner causing his sweet little bare nose to be very dirty. I have made a lot of bears and know how to construct/deconstruct them, but am not sure that I want to try to do all that he needs done. Do you still do repairs?

[@coolbluelights]

This is going to sound weird, but I saw an old episode of Mama'a Family, the 80s sitcom where the main character was fixing the hair of a teddy bear by stabbing something into its head to repair the bald spot. is this needle felting? I have a 41 year old teddy bear I've had since I was a baby and he's lost most of his hair. would that be a way to fix him?

[@cmscustoms4400]

My teddy bear from my childhood is deteriorating and losing a lot of the patching. Do you have a website or email I can send you pictures? Please help!

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Hi! We don’t but there’s lots of great bear repair people online, give it a google search and you’ll see several reputable companies in the first results.

[@alenaabakumova1525]

😊💜💜💜💫

[@scot4u]

Do you have artsilk used for merrythought cheekys

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

No we don’t. Thank you so much for watching!!

[@mrluckyuncle]

Can you recommend someone who could do a teddy bear restoration for me?

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

I can’t recommend anyone in particular but there are some wonderful teddy best repair places that show up on Google.

[@maryclementine5316]

I have a teddy bear that needs to be fixed I don't know how to send it to you or if you'll allow people to send your teddy bears that need to be fixed but if y'all do can you please tell me how to do that because I have a teddy bear that needs to be fixed it's very important to me

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

For your treasured teddy bear repair, I recommend searching for teddy bear repair professionals online. There are many specialists who offer these services, and you'll likely find someone who can carefully restore your bear to its former cuddly glory. Just type "teddy bear repair" or "teddy bear hospital" into your search engine, and you should be able to locate a professional who can provide you with instructions on how to send your bear for repairs. Remember to check their reviews and perhaps even reach out to them with a picture of your teddy bear to ensure they can assist with its specific needs. Your teddy bear sounds like it holds a lot of sentimental value, and I hope it will be restored beautifully.

[@billyeward8058]

My bear voice box doesn’t work despite new batteries. He said prayers so a new box would not b the same….suggestions? Only sentimental value.but treasured.

[@cruznorai]

My Felix needs to be repair. I put him in a dryer when I cleaned him. I didn't know this would ruin him. The nose is decolor. The fur looks burn & the thread is coming out. 😥 I tried fixing the fur but is too burn. I wish I could send him to you to fix him.

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

Oh no! We hope you can find a repair person or able to fix it from KZbin videos. Take care!

[@Fairy-door-78-86]

When you buy an old bear that is quite smelly and filled with straw how can you kill off any potential bacteria or creepy crawlies so your house isn't infested ? I have three stinkers !!

[@RachelHoffmanDolls]

I like to put them in the freezer for a couple of days.

[@Fairy-door-78-86]

Thanks so much ! @@RachelHoffmanDolls

[@hatchikopark8834]

This Video is so great and I just feel so happy watching it you clearly know your Stuff and its just so nice listening to u. Im very grateful for ur tipps THANK YOU🫶🙏

[@hatchikopark8834]

This Video is so great and I just feel so happy watching it you clearly know your Stuff and its just so nice listening to u. Im very grateful for ur tipps THANK YOU🫶🙏