Welcome to Bear-Antics & friends! 

It's amazing what can be made by hand with a length of thread or yarn, and I want to share with you the joy of creating an article with either a crochet hook, knitting needles or a tatting shuttle.  Having enjoyed needlecraft of all varieties since a young child, it was late 2007 that I saw, and fell in love with, thread crochet bears and animals. I soon became an apprentice member of the Thread Artist Guild, and have since progressed to becoming an Artist member.

The bears are mostly one of kind, three inches and under in size, and crocheted in thousands of tiny stitches from quality 100% mercerised cotton thread, or acrylic mohair yarn.  Because they are handmade, it is almost impossible to create two identical bears, as each take on their own personality. They have silk embroidered facial features, and black onyx bead eyes.  Filled with natural cotton fibre they are five ways thread jointed, fully poseable, and stand unassisted.  Please view the photo gallery to see my creations.

My miniatures are made with the adult collector in mind, and are not suitable for young children as they contain small parts.

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The dolls, mainly from the 1960's, i.e. Tiny Tears, First Love, have been rescued from attics, toy cupboards, charity shops, and e-bay.  I have spent many enjoyable hours restoring them to somewhere near their former glory, by knitting or crocheting new outfits for each of them.  Most have been 'adopted' and are now in loving new homes as treasured keepsakes.

The 'upside-down' doll (Miss Muffet, Red Riding Hood & their grandmas), knitted 15 years ago for my granddaughter Kirsty, was played with a lot but is still like new as you can see from the photos.

One of a kind

Thread Artist Bears & friends

Handmade by Ann Franklin