Introducing Milo

Milo is the first official bear pattern I have designed for Jacqueline’s Bears. This affectionate, endearing bear was designed to complement a beginners bear workshop that would have been held in May 2020 at Duttons for Buttons in York, had the vast majority of the world not been in lockdown at the time. This workshop would have been part of Duttons for Buttons Heritage Workshops. Although this beginners bear workshop, along with all the heritage workshops were postponed at the time, we decided to launch the Milo kit anyway. After all there could be oodles of folks eager to have-a-go at making their very own mohair teddy bears. And there were!

When I designed Milo I needed a bear that would fit the cute-ability box but also be the kind of bear a beginner bear maker would feel confident at having a-go with. As a beginner bear maker myself, way back when, I remember so well struggling with pile direction. Not just on facial features, but also limbs and body. So often a slight tweak in wrong/right direction would totally change the character of my bear (not always for the better!) So ratinee mohair was the perfect choice as there is no pile direction. The mohair pile runs in all directions, giving your bear a slightly scruffy but OHHHH so endearing look.

I did include pads. I know many beginner bear patterns don’t but I took the executive decision that with comprehensive instructions they wouldn’t cause too much of a problem. The instructions were written with the beginner bear in mind, taking the maker through each stage of bear making process, step-by-step.

Reversing pattern pieces can be very confusing at first and cutting pieces incorrectly hear breaking for the beginner bear maker. Therefore, every element of the pattern is included, with the correct orientation. Milo is also fully jointed with traditional cotter pin joints. I figured that you can’t really have a traditional 1920’s style mohair bear without cotter pin joints.

Milo kits contain all the specialist materials required to make a bear, including plastic pellets for the tummy and John James embroidery needles. I wanted folks to feel that they could crab a cuppa, read the instructions and immediatley start making their bear with confidence.

Milo is 23cm when standing and made from dense, 20mm light gold ratiné 100% mohair, with taupe ultra-suede paw and foot pads and 8mm black glass eyes. He has a hand embroidered nose and mouth in black cotton perle. Milo is 23cm when standing and 17cm when sitting.

The original Milo had an antique rose coloured, 100% silk waistcoat with mini 4mm buttons and a special kitty charm. Bramble Wood Bear waistcoats are OOAK making them all originals. All accessories are individually designed and handmade by Jacqueline, to complement the character of each bear. This waistcoat is not part of the Milo kit. However, you can learn how to make waistcoats and other accessories for bears at one of Jacqueline’s workshops

Milo is not a playmate for children. He is a collectors bear and not a toy, therefore not suitable for children under 14 years. Milo will bring oodles of joy to grown-up teddy bear fans. A definite must-have for any collector. Like all the bears made from Jacqueline’s Bears the bears in the Bramble Wood Collection are all OOAK. One-Of-A-Kind. Consequently, making them totally unique. Milo is a classic 1920’s style bruin. All Bramble Wood bears are similar in size yet have different combinations of mohair and paw/foot pad fabrics. The exact presonality of each bear comes to life with the positioning of their eyes, ears and the hand embrodiery of the nose and snout.

Jacqueline runs 2-day, mixed ability, small group bear & bunny making workshops, in various venues, at scheduled times throughout the year. Do come and join us!