Old Country Bears by Nikki Willan

Welcome to

It all started on the day I was born.  My uncle Jem bought me my first and favourite bear, Teddy Edward.  Ted has since been a constant companion, my first day at school, many childhood bumps and bruises, a few teenage tantrums and his greatest role yet, the move with my husband James from Kent, England to Los Angeles, California.  Ted has been a wonderful friend through it all.  

A few months before we were due to leave for the States, my mother-in-law (an avid vintage teddy bear collector) took us to a London teddy bear fair.  I had never before seen anything like it.  Three floors of stalls selling bears of all different shapes and sizes, accessories and mohair.  My love of all things fabric drew me to one particular stall selling supplies, a rainbow of mohair and teddy bear kits.  Suggesting we buy a few, James thought it might be a great way to stave off the initial shock and loneliness of moving to a new country, the rest is history.... 

So as I settle  down with the familiar tones of BBC America for home comfort burbling away in the background I start the usual task of getting down to business.

Firstly, checking emails, followed by updating OCB's Facebook page, a little tweet and finally the bears themselves.  

From  a few finishing touches to a new pattern or perhaps mohair to cut and sew, there is always plenty to do, while Sally my calico rescue cat looks on from a pile of mohair spread out on the dining room table.  Occasionally she will raise a sleepy head to check all is in good order and the worker is still going strong.  If I am lucky she will grace my presence with an inspection on the progress of the day's work and after some non negotiable input, she turns her back and nestles by the window for an afternoon of people watching and cat naps.

Designed and handmade by myself from the finest mohair, my bears are unique and are a fusion of traditional vintage with a modern edge.  All Old Country Bears are made using the classic 5 jointing method, stuffed with natural bamboo fibre. The german glass eyes help bring great personality to the bears along with their big paw pads, usually made from ultra suede or high grade wool felt.  The identity tags I always include on my bears are made from Cornish tin supplied by St. Justin (please see links page for website).  The tin ingots were lost in the shipwreck of the steamer Liverpool and lay at the bottom of the ocean off Angelsea for just short of 140 years.  Despite the marine growth covering the tin, once clean they discovered the tin to be completely preserved and with no impurities.  It was as as bright and pure as the day it was cast in 1863!

All of my bears are unique one of a kind and are created in a non smoking environment and under the watchful eye of Sally.

Browse, shop, email me but above all please enjoy.

Nikki.