The Artful Bear
The Artful Bear
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    • Home
    • Creating an 'Artful Bear'
    • Shop
    • Gallery
    • Contact Me
    • Events
    • Vintage Up-cycling
  • Home
  • Creating an 'Artful Bear'
  • Shop
  • Gallery
  • Contact Me
  • Events
  • Vintage Up-cycling

The Creation of an 'Artful Bear'

From the Fabric..

Tootsies are Finished..

Bear Parts are Made..

Fabrics used are of the highest quality German mohairs (usually Steiff Schulte and Helmbold) and Alpaca; with Harris Tweed and Liberty Fabrics also used.

Bear Parts are Made..

Tootsies are Finished..

Bear Parts are Made..

Smaller bears are entirely stitched by hand; but our larger boys and girls are sewn either using our Vintage Singer or our Janome semi-industrial machines.

Tootsies are Finished..

Tootsies are Finished..

Tootsies are Finished..

Foot and paw pads of each bear are stitched by hand to give the best shape possible; (personalisation, if required, is added prior to making the bear).

Then the Fun Begins...

Bit by Bit they Emerge..

Tootsies are Finished..

My creations are stuffed by hand with the finest polyester and virgin wool fibres; and weighted to ensure a lovely 'presence' when held.

Being watched....

Bit by Bit they Emerge..

Bit by Bit they Emerge..

Constantly watched by my 'audience' of little handmade creatures (currently blue tits, wrens and mice) that live in the sewing room with me.

Bit by Bit they Emerge..

Bit by Bit they Emerge..

Bit by Bit they Emerge..

Limbs are jointed to the body; and then the 'soul' of the bear emerges when the eyes are added.  The face is then scissor sculpted to shape......

Features are Added

Following our Heart!

From a Few Basics..

Finally the bears features (his nose and mouth) are embroidered by hand to finish off his personality.

From a Few Basics..

Following our Heart!

From a Few Basics..

I pride myself on being 'back to basic' - with only a few essential hand tools (other than our sewing machine) being used, some of them my late Dad's.

Following our Heart!

Following our Heart!

Following our Heart!

Didn't Confucious say "Love what you Do, and You'll never Work a Day in your Life"....well, I DO work hard, but I am certainly Following my Heart!!

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  • Creating an 'Artful Bear'
  • Vintage Up-cycling

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