Teddy Bears by Karen, Essex, ON

Karen has enjoyed creating teddy bears for many years now - it was about 15 years ago when I made my first bear. I can still see that bear in my mind. He was a caramel color, synthetic fur and fully jointed. He sat on a shelf in my sewing room watching me sew.

I was selling my bears at my friend's gift shop, when one day she gave me her mink coat and said she would like to see what a mink teddy bear would look like. It was a little frightening to cut into a $3000 coat. I was thrilled to see how they turned out. I then started searching for more treasured fur coats. Since then I have turned over 80 fur coats into cherished heirloom bears. I have shared many hugs and tears when they see their bear or bears that once were Grandma's coat.