New Avenue Crew is a block party of bears created by me, Debora Hoffmann. I design, sew, and finish each bear from start to finish. My artist bears are for adults and older children due to their glass eyes and other small parts that are not child-safe.
As I was growing up on a street called New Avenue, I spent many happy hours drawing and creating with my hands, and I had many companion teddy bears and stuffed animals. At the age of 13, I designed, sewed, stuffed, and finished two small teddy bears. I wish I still had them today!
My fondness for art led me to earn a fine art degree in college, and I also had a growing interest in teddy bears, beginning with antiques and then artist-made bears. This led me to make a few bears from synthetic fur and patterns from a book when I was in my early twenties. But this didn't satisfy my desire to make bears with a touch of the traditional German teddy bears I loved, such as early Steiff and Bing bears.
In the New Avenue Crew studio in 2000
As I was growing up on a street called New Avenue, I spent many happy hours drawing and creating with my hands, and I had many companion teddy bears and stuffed animals. At the age of 13, I designed, sewed, stuffed, and finished two small teddy bears. I wish I still had them today!
My fondness for art led me to earn a fine art degree in college, and I also had a growing interest in teddy bears, beginning with antiques and then artist-made bears. This led me to make a few bears from synthetic fur and patterns from a book when I was in my early twenties. But this didn't satisfy my desire to make bears with a touch of the traditional German teddy bears I loved, such as early Steiff and Bing bears.
Herr GrΓΌnhosen
In summer 1996, I took a bear-making class by a German teddy bear artist and discovered that I enjoyed working with mohair fur fabric. Soon after, I designed my first teddy bear pattern and made the first New Avenue Crew teddy bear. I have been making bears in my spare moments ever since while working my "day job" in the advertising industry.
Me with a stack of mohair and alpaca fabrics
I enjoy working with the fur and fluff as much as time allows. I love the feel and finish of mohair and alpaca, so I create my Crew members from the finest materials: mohair, alpaca, glass eyes, antique shoe buttons, wool felt, and Ultrasuede. My favorite part of making my bears is watching a bear's personality emerge as I work on its face. And I receive such joy when someone adopts one of my bears. Thank you and bear hugs to all who love and purchase my creations.
—Debora