Teddy Bear Artist

Cobweb Cottage by Barbara Allen

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http://www.cobwebcottage.co.nz

My name is Barbara Allen, and I live with my husband in the beautiful New Zealand countryside, surrounded by dairy farms. I love the peacefulness of the farming life around us, where the changing seasons are marked by the farming events that are happening around us; calving and lambing in late winter, silage and haymaking in early summer, etc.

I have been making Cobweb miniature bears since 1999. I prefer to use vintage rayon velvet for my bears, but also occasionally mohair if the style of bear suits it. I like to use cotton flock for stuffing, as it is a more natural, old-fashioned fibre, plus steel shot and garnet granules for weight.

My velvet bears range in size from 2" to 4.5", some are traditional in style, but I also enjoy making fun, character bears. I feel that when making a teddybear, it is really important to make a face that is instantly appealing, and I put a lot of thought into my bears faces.

Recently I have become fascinated with needle felting and have written a book called Needlefelting Magic, to show people how to make beautiful teddybears using needlefelting, which is such an easy craft to learn. I teach workshops on needlefelting and have a range of supplies and kitsets available, as well as my book.

I hope you have fun browsing my teddybear pages, and I would love to hear from you if you have any comments.

Please visit the Artist web site regarding product image copyright.