The best hug is a Bear Hug

This teddy bear was born from my love of collectible Teddy Bears (their realistic design, distinguished expressions, signature hump on the back) and my disappointment at their lack of cuddliness (scratchy natural fibers and very firmly stuffed). I sought the aesthetic of a 100-year old jointed bear, but with the softness and snuggleability of my favorite bear from the 1970s-80s. I did much internet sleuthing to find the perfect old-school, honey-colored faux fur. I tried a few different patterns, and landed on the excellent Wasley pattern by Hampton Bears, designed by Lynda Hampton. But I still needed to make a few changes in pursuit of my ideal bear. So, I made the head bigger, the snout longer, the feet shorter, adjusted the neck and practiced sizing and placing the dark amber glass eyes and fashioning the pearl thread nose to create an earnest and pleasant expression. For the stuffing, I used organic Kapok fiber, which is sustainable and particularly pleasant to hug. I experimented with how much stuffing to use and where to concentrate it for best effect. I added recycled poly-pellets in the feet, hands and bottom to give weight in all the right places. For the pads of the hands and feet, I found a lovely, rich wool felt. My bears come in three sizes, find the right bear for every occasion!