I have always liked making things – out of paper, cloth, or any old scraps that came to hand, be it pieces of wire or string, beads, acorns or feathers.

Of course, you have to find all these things, pick them up, and store them somewhere for who knows how long, because you never know what would come in handy one day for whatever purpose...

And so this not altogether serious attachment to all sorts of little things had been with me all my life – until one day I discovered a way to bring together everything I liked, all my abilities, and all the trifles I had amassed over the years in one occupation: making Teddies.

This discovery made, there was no way back. And so, one by one, my Teddies appeared – each with his own personality.

My first Teddies saw the light of day in Moscow, where I had been born and brought up. Nowadays, I live in the UK, near Reading in Berkshire.

But still, each new Teddy Bear is shown first to my children. Their verdict is always the most impartial. Next to be roped in is my husband, who chooses names for my Teddies – his choice is mostly very apt.

And another thing has never changed: the whole process, from the stage when the future Teddy only exists on paper as a pattern, to that wonderful moment when I can hug the newborn creature, is a very great pleasure for me.

And then there is someone else in our household who shows genuine interest: our cat.

She is just as partial to trifles as I am, and I strongly suspect that deep down she fears possible competition...


Sasha K.