I have been an avid collector of teddy bears most of my adult life and have my own personal collection of bears collected over many years.
One day, in the Summer of 2005, having given up my full-time employment in Marketing, I decided I needed a hobby to occupy myself. I had always been keen on sewing and crafts and as I loved my teddies so much, I decided to try my skills in bear making.
I purchased some tools, a pattern and some mohair and created my first ever bear.This was the start of my new hobby which quickly turned into an obsession and "Alida Bears" was born.
I began to adapt and create my own unique bears using only the best quality mohair, glass eyes and traditional cotter jointing methods. One never creates any two bears exactly alike and I now enjoy the pleasure of producing one-off bears and dogs which are unique and totally handmade and I just love experimenting with different types of mohair and styles. My bears and dogs have gone to good homes worldwide including Australia, America, Canada, Japan and Europe as well as the UK home market of course.
In February of 2010, having made lots of mohair teddy bears and dogs, I began to seek yet another way of enhancing my skills and that would compliment my teddy bear making. This drew me to the relatively new craft of needle felting. I now not only offer a variety of OOAK (one of a kind) needle felted, jointed, miniature teddy bears to my customers, but also a variety of different OOAK miniature needle felted animals. Take a look - hope you like them!
All the bears and animals currently listed on my website are also seeking new homes. I am sure you will love them and take good care of them. After all, they are the "collectables" of the future!
So why no adopt a bear (or animal) today!..
Alida Sunderland
Please Note: Alida Bears are collectors teddy bears and dogs and are therefore not suitable as toys for children.
