Minkitzbaeren

Claudia Schlue

Her passions lead
to her success.

Bear artist Claudia Schlue and her husband Holger, together formed Minkitzbaeren in 2001.

Their business name came to be by the combination of their two cat’s names; Minka and Moritz.”

The Schlue’s live a charming house with five cats in northern Germany in the municipality of Stuhr, near Bremen, which is in the middle of nature.

“The forest borders our house property and we often have deer and squirrels visiting our garden,” said Claudia.

She stays busy sewing bears and tending to her garden, which is a passion of hers.

“I have a large herb garden, many berry bushes, fruit trees and there are full flower beds coloring our garden. I had to give up the vegetable garden for lack of time.”

The focal point of her garden is a fishpond, which has now developed into a biotope.
“I can hardly imagine a more beautiful and idyllic place to live."

Claudia’s grandmother taught Claudia to knit when she was a child. “I found access to handicrafts, later I embroidered and did patchwork”.

There was a time when her health was not good and she needed some comforting to do. To help her feel better she bought herself a teddy bear, “maybe because as a child I never had one.”

That bear inspired her.
“I thought that I could actually sew a bear myself.”

Golden Winter Moon

Autumn Love

Percy Pumpkin

Bunny Danilo

Eireen und Bunny Benthe

Ladybug Spring

There were no bear making courses for Claudia to attend.
She bought a book and sewed her first teddy bear.

“After the first teddy bear, the so-called ‘teddy virus’ had caught me. That was at the end of 1999.”

A short time later she discovered a teddy bear magazine and found and exhibition in Hanover.

“There was a cutting and design course offered, which
I unceremoniously registered for.”

“There I met Eleonore Unkel-Schäufelin, with whom I then did many more teddy bear courses.”

Claudia created bigger bears, it was already clear to her that her passion would be to create small bears.

Later in her bear making journey, she studied with Rotraud Ilisch, Linda Benson and Jutta Michels.
“It was and is important to me to learn new techniques and try out many new things. I don't want to stand still;
I want to keep evolving.”

Sizing down from big bears to smaller bears began in 2005.
Her bears measure between
2 to 3.5 inches tall (5-9cm).

Besides bears Claudia makes other animals; rabbits, pigs babyfants, geese, dogs, hedgehogs, mice, penguins and reindeer.

“I always enjoy designing something new.”

Claudia has her own sewing room, a quiet space to create and design new vignettes.
She has a sewing machine and an embroidery machine, but Claudia does not use them to sew her little bears.

Mrs. Autumn

“My bears are entirely hand sewn. The two machines are used to make the decorations for the bears.”

Claudia’s bears are characterized by their child-like facial expressions.

“I like to work with a white muzzle inserted and the ears are always rather small and set low. I always trim the muzzle area to give it a special expression. Paws and soles are sculpted.”

All of her bears and animals are made from high-quality materials, and she uses different types of long pile fabrics.

All have German glass eyes and most all are 5-way jointed. The noses are hand-stitched and “I like to felt areas of the face to give them expression. My bears and animals are filled with sheep's wool and steel granulate.”

“I am inspired by nature itself, and love to stroll through decoration shops.
I like to present my bears and animals with a decoration completing a vignette.

Seasonal themes inspire her too. “I make a lot of the vignette decorations myself.”

“I find a beautiful moment when a bear or animal is finished and looks at me!”

Over the years, Claudia has exhibited at various fairs in Germany then in 2012 the first online shows began, and my sales increased and my little bears travel all over the world which makes me very proud and happy. And it  shows me that my bears seem to please all of my customers. Many friendships have developed with my customers.”

Claudia no longer exhibits in local bear fairs. “I do miss the contact with artist  colleagues and collectors in Germany.

Babyfant Little Lavinus

Fisherman Matze

December Joy

Dustin Pumpkin Hat

Little Mouse Timmy

Bunny Peppino

Minkitzbaren has been featured in various magazines over the past few years.
“These articles can be read on my website.”

“I've taken part in several competitions in Germany with my miniature bears, including 1st place at the Euro Teddy, won 2nd and 3rd place with my bears at Ted Worldwide.”

“I've been sewing bears for over 20 years now. Bear making takes up a lot of time which is good. There is very little time left for other hobbies like reading or knitting. Nevertheless I don't want to miss a day of bear making.

For me there is simply nothing more beautiful and with the bears I have experienced and achieved a lot. I'm so thankful for that."

Claudia has a website where she present her latest creations, is an exhibitor in Bright Star Online Teddy Bear Shows, sell on the Tedsby platform and is active on Instagram and Facebook.

Minkitzbären
Claudia Schlue

Reindeer Sally

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