Tucked away in the Oxfordshire village of Minster Lovell is a little shepherd’s hut where every Minster Lovell Bear is individually made by hand.
It is a small workshop rather than a factory or production line, and that is exactly how I like it.
Handmade from beginning to end
I began making bears in 2019 and, over the years, have developed my own recognisable Minster Lovell Bears style while continuing to use traditional teddy bear-making techniques.
My bears are made using cotter-pin joints, glass eyes and hand-stitched noses. I use careful weighting and facial shaping to create their expression and character, meaning that no two ever turn out exactly alike.
I work with beautiful materials including mohair, velvet, vintage linen and carefully chosen pre-loved fabrics.
Made slowly, not mass produced
A handmade teddy bear takes time.
There are many stages between choosing the fabric and adding those final stitches, and I enjoy every part of that process. Tiny changes to the position of the eyes, ears or nose can completely alter a bear's expression.
That's one of the pleasures of creating bears individually — I can allow each one to develop its own personality rather than making identical copies.
A little piece of the Cotswolds
Minster Lovell is a beautiful Cotswold village, and I am very lucky to be able to create my bears here.
My shepherd’s hut has become very much part of the Minster Lovell Bears story. It is where new designs are tried, commissions are carefully created and new heirloom bears gradually come to life.
Visitors can also come to my shepherd’s hut by appointment.
Whether you are looking for an unusual gift, a traditional teddy bear or simply something handmade in England with a little more character, I hope a Minster Lovell Bear is something you will keep for many years.
You can discover the bears currently available by visiting the Minster Lovell Bears online shop.