Only by Loving Hands

By Valerie Rogers

At a recent teddy bear show, I met a young

couple who were experiencing original artist

bears for the first time. 

The couple innocently asked me, "Where

do these bears come from? Are they made

by machines or by hand?"

The answer seemed simple at first. "Yes! All

teddy bears are made by hand."

A perplexed look came over the new collectors'

faces. They had not realized all the hard work

involved in the process of making bears.

After I explained the countless pieces of fabric

parts and finishing steps connected to creating

a collectible teddy bear, the couple continued

to be amazed. 

Even manufactured bears are assembled by hand

before they are introduced to sewing and stuffing

machines. 

Machines aid the assembly process but can not

replace nimble fingers, sharp eyes and the tender

care of the assembler.

Finishing touches, again by skilled hands, complete

the detailing process of each teddy bear.

Many teddy bear artists sew their bears completely

by hand.

This is especially true for miniature bears because

small bear parts can be lost under the sewing machine’s pressure foot!

Amazed as I was over the relatively simple question,

the more I thought about bear making process, the

more involved the conversation became.

Bears evolve from the brain of the talented artists

and flow through to their hands. Cutting and sewing

begins. The final product becomes a signature bear.

Next time you pick up and give your bear a hug,

check it out. Count all the pieces that were cut

from a flat piece of material then sewn together

to complete the marvelous creations we call teddy

bears! 

Praise the teddy bear artist too, for the love and

complexity of design they pour into each creation!

So next time you hear someone say, "It's just a teddy

bear", the best way to share your love for these fuzzy, mystical, magical creations with them is to explain how

truly unique each collectible teddy bear really is!