Townsman, 1991-11, Page 111
Patti's interest
in bears leads
to business
Patti Hendriks loves teddy bears,
so it seemed logical that this self-pro-
claimed jack-of-all-trades use her con-
siderable creative talents to design
her own brand of cuddly bruin. The
former graphic artist, originated PM
Bears two years ago, but said the
enchantment actually began while
honeymooning with her new husband
in the British Isles five years ago.
While there she bought a lambskin
teddy which precipitated her quest for
"the bear", she says. Now collector
bears of every size and shape adorn
Patti's lovely country home, located
outside Brucefield, west of Seaforth.
It was after a request from a
friend, who had started a specialty
store, that Patti actually began making
the bears herself. "She approached me
to see if I would be willing to make
something to kind of flesh out the
inventory in the beginning. I had read
somewhere that if you are going to
begin a new craft, you should start by
making something you like, so I
picked up a pattern. That's how Char-
lie started off," she says, in reference
to the first PM Bear made.
Patti Hendriks has designed a multitude of uniquely individual PM Bears, from
farmer, to Sherlock Holmes to Romeo and Juliet.
Since then, business has grown
and Patti's endearing creations are
now offered on sale at Originals in
Stratford, Primrose and Panache in
Seaforth and The Country Spire in
Russeldale, near Mitchell.
She can usually be found at the
area craft shows displaying her work
while garnering new ideas and tech-
niques from other craftsmen to
improve her product.
Though her PM Bears are much
in demand Patti says they are strictly a
hobby to her. "I think if I had to create
every day I would hate it. I have seen
some teddy bears that people make
that are all the same. That to me is too
much like factory work. I like to see
that each of my bears is a little differ-
ent than the one before."
PM Bears arc indeed unique.
Like everyday people, PM Bears have
individual personas. A Huck Finn
fisherman, Hans Brinker, Susic
Snowflake, a Canadian mountic and
Sherlock Holmes are just some of the
characters that Patti has transformed
from simple stuffed toys. Her bcars
are ballet dancers, sports enthusiasts,
tradespeople, babies and clowns. As
well, Patti has completed several sets
of Romeo and Juliet teddies for the
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TOWNSMAN/NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1991 9