Teddy Blog

Crocheted teddy bears are some of the least expensive teddy bears since you can make them yourself. Yarn is relatively cheap compared to other materials when it comes to making teddy bears. Anyone can learn to crochet, patterns can be downloaded free on the internet, add some yarn, a crochet hook, and you will be ready to make a teddy bear. Over the years parents who found themselves strapped for money at Christmas, Birthdays, or other Holidays, would crochet teddy bears for their children. The teddy bears were a gift the children appreciated and the parents felt better knowing their children had a present on the special holiday. Today the internet is full of web sites offering crochet patterns for teddy bears. Several teddy bear artists include crocheted teddy bears in their offerings.

Since the teddy bear began, teddy bear artists have used their imagination to create teddy bears from cloth, yarn, plaster, plastic, glass, and metal. The crocheted teddy bear can be even more precious to a child when it is created with love. If you are interested in making your own crocheted teddy bears, check the sites below to see what they offer or what links they have to other sites where you can download patterns.

The web site http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa032997.htm, has a few crochet patterns to choose from. An adorable pattern for a teddy bear in bunny clothes is available as well as a bear angel ornament, Chenile bear and Little Bear. The site has many crochet patterns. Visit, http://www.home.inreach.com/marthac/teddy.html, and you will find crochet patterns for teddy bears and clothes for teddy bears. At the internet site, http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/dolls.htm#bears, you will find teddy bear patterns. Check http://www.mielkesfarm.com/teddy_pat.htm for a pattern of a sweet 4″ crocheted teddy bear.

In general sites offering crochet patterns will usually have a pattern or two for teddy bears. If you are not into crocheting your own bear but would like to have or give a crocheted bear check the following websites since they make and sell crocheted teddy bears.

A teddy bear artist specializing in making crocheted teddy bears has a pair of adorable, soft, cuddly, teddy bears for sale at: http://members.aol.com/iicouchpotatoes/crochetteddybears.html. Professional crocheter Laurie Jean Karluk makes and sells crocheted clothes for teddy bears at her site http://www.ljkbears.com/.The site http://www.aokcorral.com/uniqueteddybear.htm offers unique crocheted teddy bears, including holiday teddy bears. Links to sites offering crocheted teddy bears can be found at: http://www.craftsitedirectory.com/teddybears/.

Teddy bears have traditionally been our best friend. The teddy bear protects us from the monster under the bed, comforts us when we aren’t feeling well, never tells our secrets, knows all of our faults and loves us anyway, is a constant companion, and is a participant in all of our adventures. It is a proven fact that teddy bears given to a sick, hurt, or abused children will help them heal. Perhaps just the act of having a warm friend close chases away a feeling of loneliness or helplessness.

No matter what your teddy bear is made of, the fact is he may be the best friend you will ever have.

Have you hugged your teddy bear today?

Teddy bears, teddy bears everywhere. Teddy bears are the most popular of all toys. Cute, soft and cuddly, they have a way of comforting us when we are lonely, ill or afraid. Teddy bears listen to our opinions without argument, hear our problems without attempting to solve them, and understand when we need a hug. Over the past 100 years there have been a few teddy bears that have reached celebrity status. These particular teddy bears have been so popular they are recognized by their first names!

Winnie The Pooh comes to mind when we mention famous teddy bears. He was created by A.A. Milne with much inspiration from his wife Daphne, and his young son, Christopher Robin. The idea of Pooh began with a trip to the zoo where Christopher Robin Milne fell in love with a small black bear. This prompted Milne to write about the adventures of Christopher Robin, his teddy bear Pooh, and their friends. Today you will find Pooh everywhere. There are Winnie The Pooh clothes, bedding, animated cartoons, web sites and, of course, the teddy bear himself.

Paddington Bear is quite famous in his own right. Paddington was created by Michael Bond, a British writer who wrote his first book about the bear in 1958. ” A Bear Called Paddington” was the first in a series of books about Paddington Bear. In 1967 Bond’s books became so successful that he was able to quit his job to become a full-time writer. Paddington is the sort of bear with his paws settled firmly on the ground. He has a great sense of right and wrong and tends to get involved in everyday situations. No wild adventures for this bear. He gets involved with human situations, but he could never be human because as he tells everyone it simply wouldn’t work. Paddington bear has also been depicted as an animated cartoon and has been made into a huggable teddy bear.

Rupert the bear was first introduced as a comic strip in ‘The Daily Express’, a British newspaper. Rupert was introduced by artist Mary Toutel on November 8, 1920, and he still appears in the same paper today. Mary was forced to stop drawing the cartoon in1935 due to her failing eyesight. Alfred Bestall took over the job and continued drawing and writing about the adventures of Rupert for 35 years until his retirement in 1965. Since then various artists have taken over the task. Christmas of1936 it was decided that the previous cartoon strips be put together in an annual book and a tradition began. Rupert is popular with children and has become a star in his own right through animation. He is a popular cartoon.

It would not be right to end this article without mentioning two other bears of note. Yogi Bear, introduced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1957, is a very pesky but lovable cartoon character who has been a teddy bear a time or two. Yogi is famous for his schemes to swindle campers out of their pic-in-ic baskets in Jellystone National Park. Smokey The Bear has been responsible for the prevention of forest fires. He has been teaching adults and children about the dangers of forest fires for over 60 years. Smokey has also been a teddy bear.

The leading soft toy manufacturer in America is also the oldest. GUND was founded in 1898 in Norwalk, Connecticut by Adolph Gund. GUND was one of the first companies to design and produce teddy bears in the early 1900’s. A young Russian immigrant, Jacob Swedlin, took a modest job at GUND in 1907. Swedlin bought the business in 1925 when Adolph Gund retired. The business was sold to Swedlin for a token sum with the understanding the name would always remain GUND. Jacob passed the company on to his daughter Rita Raiffe and her husband Herbert in 1969.

The Raiffes continued producing high quality plush toys. Under their direction the company began using its under-stuffing technique, the heart of the world’s most huggable plush toys. Bruce Raiffe, Herbert and Rita’s son, joined GUND in 1977, became President in 1993 and Chairman and Chief CEO in 2004. Jim Madison, the first non-founding GUND member, became President in 2004.

GUND has been responsible for the beginning of many innovations, safety standards and manufacturing processes in the toy industry. Swedlin introduced the concept of industry licensing with cartoon characters like Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Popeye, among others. GUND was also the first to manufacture a musical toy that was modestly priced. GUND has always been devoted to product safety and set an important industry standard by devising a way to attach eyes securely to stuffed animals to prevent them from being pulled out and swallowed by small children.

The famous GOTTA GETTA GUND advertising campaign in the early 80’s made GUND a leading consumer brand. Today the company produces an extensive collection of unique characters and licensed plush toys under the GUND and BABYGUND brands.

25 YEARS OF SNUFFLES.

In 2006 GUND created the 25th Anniversary Snuffles. Snuffles has always been a part of the GUND collection coming in various sizes and colors. The 25th Anniversary edition was created in a pale blush soft fabric with a white crescent moon on his chest. A faux leather tag declaring that he is a 25th Anniversary edition with the words “Celebrate Love With Snuffles” makes this a special gift to give and receive. In addition to the Snuffles Anniversary edition, this cuddly bear is also available in a traditional color of white with a brown embroidered nose and warm deep brown button eyes in four adorable sizes: 6 1/2″, 8″, 10″ and 13 1/2″.

You see the name of GUND on teddy bears everywhere. GUND is the most popular name when it comes to plush, stuffed teddy bears. They have some very unique and interesting teddy bears you can find anywhere. Although you are unable to order teddy bears directly from the factory their web site will direct you to the nearest store or site offering GUND teddy bears for sale

Visit, www.gund.com to see the many teddy bears and teddy bear collections they have to offer. You can find a GUND distributor near you on this website. You just GOTTA GET A GUND!