We couldn't let our anniversary go by without some Polka Dot cuteness.
It has been great working with Jen on this collaboration of little bears and we are all so happy with the results.
We spoke to Jen about why she loves collaborating with other brands and how the process works.
"Collaborating with other makers is absolutely one of my favourite things. I love getting an inside glimpse into the way others work through ideas, run their business, and ultimately see the reflection of their fresh perspectives in the PDC toys we’ve made. The process, while more labor intensive, always seems to create extra special pieces whether when working along side my mother -who taught me to make teddy bears when I was 11, while in Art School studying photography, or collaborating with brands like Misha and Puff, Apolina, RudyJude or... MamaOwl. Sometimes a new vantage point is what we all need to see our own work in a brand new way."
As Jen said the process is very labour intensive and we asked her to talk us though how she made them.
"These special pieces are all about colour. We always sew, embroider, and lovingly make each bear by hand, but in this case there was A LOT of hands on time dyeing all the component to make something altogether fresh for Mama Owl. First I hand dyed the mohair (which is woollen fibre woven onto a cotton backing in Germany- it’s one of only 2 looms left in the world making this kind of natural fur!) in small batches in my gigantic kitchen sink.
I mix the colours and run loads of tests until I think I have it just right, then the whole bit of yardage goes in. We draw, cut, sew, stuff, join, and then I embroider each bear. Meanwhile the knits were being made in Peru by the small group of sewers and knitters I’ve collaborated with for the last 7 years. Once they arrived in the studio, I hand dyed each of these lusciously soft mini alpaca knits in one of three colours- again in small batches working to get just the right rich tones."
Finally, we really wanted to know what she thought about the final pieces - we so wanted her to love them as much as we do.
