As regular experts on The Repair Shop the Teddy Bear Ladies are well loved. Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell share their knowledge, passion and skills about repairing teddy bears and many other cuddly toys with the viewers. Rye Arts Festival was thrilled to host them this year as part of a tradition of Repair Shop stars in the line up of talks. The afternoon before their talk about the process of restoration, their role in the show and their stories for children Bartie Bristle, I met them in Rye to find out about their journey together.
How did you first meet?
Julie: We got together at the end of 2006.
How did you get together? ( this question caused a great deal of hilarity)
Amanda: Julie had opened a teddy bear shop in a little village in the New Forest not far from me and I heard about it. At the time I was designing and making my own teddy bears so I decided to take a little trip to the teddy bear shop and see if they might stock my bears. I turned up totally unannounced: Julie had only been open two weeks and I walked in with my basket of bears
Julie interjects: And a rabbit!!
Amanda: She always does this to me! I did my spiel and Julie replied “Well we don’t sell rabbits.” Thus began a wonderful working relationship and deep friendship.
Julie: I was trying to come across as really professional but inside I was really scared. It was all so new to me.
Amanda: Julie agreed to stock my bears but there was a condition. She said she wanted me to go into the shop each week to demonstrate how I made the bears.
Julie: I wanted people to understand just how much work and expertise goes into making a bear. I wanted people to see why it costs so much and by seeing the process I felt they would. So our working partnership began and flourished.
How did the shop evolve?
Julie: When Amanda was doing her demonstrations people used to ask if we did repairs as well. That’s when the business started to change. It naturally morphed and changed into our caring for the treasured bears and cuddly toys of our clients instead. The lease came up for renewal and we saw the chance to move to a studio at my home where we worked on the repair side of the business and the shop was no more. It was the best thing we did because we could totally focus on the repairs and not worry about stocking a shop.
How did Bartie Bristle, the main character in your book, come into being?
Amanda: Not long after I started to work with Julie she showed me a drawing of a bear that was to become the brand for our designer bears. I made a bear to match her drawing and Bartie Bristle was born.
How did he get his name?
Amanda and Julie: The answer is in the book!
Do you still take on private repairs?
Amanda and Julie: No. Our lives changed when we began filming for The Repair Shop. We had a waiting list of over six months and we cared a great deal about our customers and didn’t want to let them down. We could see that the show was causing us to extend the repair waiting-time for our clients and we felt very responsible for the work that we do and for the bears in our care and felt that we were letting people down.
Julie: We felt that our journey was changing and we thought through the medium of the show we would be able to inspire people to have a go. We have had people come up to us at talks and say, “Thank you, you gave me the courage to have a go myself and I am loving it.”
(A change of tack with the questions)
Tell the readers of Rye News three things about yourselves that they might not know
Julie and Amanda (answering at the same time): We are both Christians.
Julie: I am a grandma and have four children.
Amanda: I am a survivor of breast cancer and Julie supported me through this tough time.
Julie: I love country life. I live in rural Gloucestershire.
Amanda: I am completely opposite – I love being near hustle and bustle of the town.
You are on a park bench and you can talk to anyone alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Amanda: I would like to talk to David Bowie about his ability to change his persona and the reason why he did so.
Julie: Emily Pankhurst – I have always had an interest in the suffragettes and would love to hear the passion and conviction first hand.
Your bucket list: have you something that you really want to do?
Julie and Amanda (answering in unison): We want to go and see the Pandas in China. We feel there is a TV programme in this – “Julie and Amanda meet the Pandas.” Watch this space.
What’s the best advice you have even been given?
Julie: Be true to yourself. This can take many years because you really have to know yourself first. That’s learnt through a lifetime of mistakes and learning from them.
Amanda: Follow your heart. I feel that Jesus is helping me to make the right decision. And we have followed our hearts. Throughout our careers we have had so many people say “You will never make a business out of mending bears.” But we followed our hearts and proved them wrong.
What would you put in Room 101?
Amanda: (I have waited a long time to answer this question) Sticky bloomin’ labels put on things in shops.
Julie: Pomegranates
On Thursday morning, September 19 they visited Rye Primary School and gave a talk in assembly. The children in Year one had proudly made special bear bunting which you can see in some of the photos. After the assembly they spent some time with Year One in their classroom.
Mike Boyd was the excellent interviewer and Stephen Kember from The Repair Shop, who gave a talk last year at the festival, came to meet the ladies and enjoy their talk.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Tony Ham .
How wonderful to follow your heart ! I am a lover of teddy bears myself, and an artisan . I am planning to open an online shop in mid-October, selling handcrafted fashion and millinery for teddy bears and friends such as foxes, cats, bunnies, squirrels.
All the very best to both of you.
Florence