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My name is Maxine & I live in the U.K.
I've been creating teddy bears & other animals since 2014 after I recovered from a period of illness where collecting teddy bears lifted my spirits.
Collecting bears gave me the inspiration to create my own & I have never looked back.
I come from a fine art background & am in love with combining texture & colour.
It’s extremely relaxing to handsew for me & bearmaking is great therapy!
I get so excited & find such joy in creating these special soft sculptures, especially the way in which my bears have a life & mind of their own. I have a picture in my mind of how I would like a bear to look but the bears dictate which way they want to go with this & I just follow. This part of the process is what I love the most - when the bear or critter says hello! Do you like me? This is me, Mrs Bearmaker & this is how I want the world to see me!
I don't have any one particular style, I just go with my mood. I may wish to create a big soft bear in gorgeous Tissavel/faux fur or a smaller bear or critter made from tactile viscose, mohair or vintage fabric.
I often pair furs together & use antique fabric for a beautiful look & touch. I do like to weight all my bears & critters with steel shot for that extra realistic feel & hug.
My creations are all made with much love & heart & are OOAK/5 or 6 way jointed. Their patterns are designed by me & are never used more than once. This makes them true one of a kind artist creations.
I enjoy designing unique outfits for my bears or necklaces that suit their character.
Every bear of mine is handsewn, I never use a sewing machine. The whole process of bearmaking for me is a blessing from start to finish.
I hope you like what you see!!