by katie | Dec 10, 2012 | Blog
This teddy bear in was a bespoke order from customer who wanted to give her grown up daughter something extra special for Christmas. With each bespoke order I discuss with the customer how they would like the bear to look, colour, material, pattern etc. For this one her daughter loves the countryside so we went for a tartan pattern using wool yarn to create that traditional country feel. To put a contemporary twist I used a non-traditional tartan pattern and bright but warm colours. After initial ideas from the customer I did further research into tartans and colour palettes. I really pleased how the colours work together, try contrast well to enhance the tartan.
by katie | Dec 10, 2012 | Blog
These two teddy bears were a commission for a lady who wanted a pair of teddy bears for her two grandchildren who are both under three years old. She wanted to give them something special for Christmas that they would cherish for years to come. They are both made from Tencel using a twill weave and contemporary tartan pattern. To make them look like a pair I used the same yarn for each but changed the composition of the tartan and proportion of colour. To make them even more personalised and special to each child I embroidered the first letter of their names on to the bottom of the foot.
by katie | Nov 29, 2012 | Blog
Tencel yarn is what most of my teddy bears are made from. I use it because it is incredibly soft, strong and comes in a gorgeous range of colours. Tencel is made by Lenzing Fibres and is the brand name for lyocell. It is a man-made fibre made from wood pulp cellulose. It is a very environmentally friendly fibre, fully biodegradable, and is produced using a ‘closed loop’ system, which means that the solvent used is continually re-used minimising pollution. The trees used to make Tencel are grown in sustainable tree farms on land which is not suitable for crops or grazing. Tencel is said to be as strong as polyester, as soft as silk, as absorbant as cotton and as cool as linen. This makes a versatile fibre, great for a wide range of products, from clothing to home accessories. It’s softness, strength and environmentally friendly production makes it an ideal fibre for my teddy bears.
by katie | Nov 21, 2012 | Blog, Showcase
I am very excited to be able to say that I am now on the Made By Hands of Britain website. It will be a great place to sell my teddy bears and bespoke, made to order teddy bears too.
I was honoured (and surprised) when Gillian approached me and asked me to be a part of Made By Hands of Britain. It was great to know somebody had noticed and like my teddy bears. It has definitely given me a boost in confidence.
by katie | Nov 19, 2012 | Blog
I have been asked a few times now why I make teddy bears. many weavers make scarves, throws, cushions etc. But I don’t. This is something I have been thinking about because I don’t normally have much of an answer. I don’t make the usual items because I want to make something special and stand out as an individual with a unique product. Making teddy bears is something I have always wanted to do, I found courses but they were always so expensive and in difficult to reach places. While at uni I gained the confidence to make a teddy bear myself, with my woven fabrics. The shop bought teddy bears I have at home each has a special memory attached to it. They remind me of a special place, event or person. I make teddy bears because I want to make a product that is treasured, that is going to be special to my customer, not something that will be worn for a a while and eventually discarded. Weaving the fabric for the teddy bear and being able to put a letter/initial/date on the makes each one truly individual.
I also love the fact that I am making a traditional product, using traditional techniques and processes but my use of colour, yarn and weave makes it a contemporary product.
by katie | Oct 13, 2012 | Blog
I have made my first sale! Arthur was bought through Perrynelvill.com just after I was shown on Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution. I didn’t think I would sell any. I have faith in my bears, they are a great product at a reasonable price, as far as I know there is nothing else like them for sale. To be able to sell them I knew I would have to make people appreciate them, realise how much work actually goes into them. I guess the programme did that.
