Coming from a long line of spinners and weavers dating back to the 1700s, it was no surprise that my retirement project turned out to have a lot to do with knitting and sewing. I quickly became the designer and creator of the wonderful World of Tweedies, which was established in 2005.

My bears and paperweight mice (pictured above) come with a rich pedigree and are multi-award winning, including one award from British Heritage Craft. 

They are original, quirky and colourful and I am particularly proud that every Tweedie is created from 100 percent British wool cloth and yarns, supporting two family run businesses, using fleeces from native bred flocks.  

Both Jamieson’s Spinning Ltd. on Shetland and Trefriw Woollen Mill in North Wales have been family run for five generations. The colours and textures of the various cloths echo the moods and diversities of two very different landscapes;  purple mountainsides, blues of mountain lakes, browns and greens of peat covered moorland and the darkest greeny blues of stormy Shetland seas.

Also, no cloth is ever wasted.  After cutting out, the scraps are then gathered up and used later to stuff those ever expanding tummies.

Tweedies always make people smile wherever we go as they are happy bears with cheeky expressions. But be careful with them as their personalities are as big and bold as their ears and there’s often trouble in my workshop cupboards.

Will you make someone’s day by giving them a Tweedie to love?  There are so many characters eagerly awaiting their forever homes and you simply won’t find them on the High Street.”

I am able to create bespoke Tweedies up until the end of October each year and after that it is stock bears and mice only up to the second week of December. However I’m always happy to change hats, scarves and names, if so wished. 

Details of all Tweedies, their availability, prices and how to order etc can be found on our website www.tweedies.biz Alternatively you can text message me or voicemail me on 07917 264237