Teddy Bears

Betty Williams
Hand made teddybears

I started making bears over 20 years ago when i had to nurse my mother for several years. A friend was in the faux fur and sheep skin trade and got me very dense fur which was wonderful to work with. I used to sell them at agriculturl shows with my friend and in those days a 24 inch bear sold for about £20. After my mother died i packed up all my toy making gear and trained to be a masseur and osterpathy eventually having my own clinic and school of massage and osterpathy.

When i retired several years ago, and having moved more than once, i needed something from the attic. there i found a box marked cut out bears i took this down and found bodies and arms but no heads or legs , another hunt found the missing parts and several boxes of different coloured dense faux fur.

I decided thast it was time to go back to bear making. I realised that many people hand joined the bear making league so what could i do that was different? I love music - so it seemed the best idea - to create musical bears i also people to recognsie my bears which are very traditional. I know teddy bears did not originate in England, but mine are made in the heart of Devon so the rose of England became my trade mark and you will find a little rose behind the right ear of all my bears made since 2003. A lot of love goes into each bear and i hope that this love will be passed on with each bear after all:-