Personal Information I was born in 1948 in Billerbeck, a small town in the northwest of Germany, and have studied to become a teacher for handicapped children. I have been married to Dieter Schroer for 28 years now. We have four children: Maja 27, Anna 24, who is a bear-maker too, Jan 21 and Josef 18 years old. I have worked as a teacher for handicapped children till Jan was born.

We live in a small village together with our youngest son and our animals: cat Lucy, rabbits Mr. Data and  Clover, Winnitouch and Vilthuril  and the haflinger horse Marita .

I was always fond of drawing and doing crafts. I make puppets and nativity figures and have made a lot of dolls. In 1987 I made my first teddybear as a gift for Josef. Rather soon I became a professional bearmaker. Most of my bears are sold by private orders, but in the moment I don't take new orders and only work on the lots I already have.

I never specialized my bearmaking as I always tried to make new things and I am proud that all my bears that got prizes or nominations are very different .

I have done many bearmaking classes and have put my experience in a book "A bear of my own - professional hints for better bears and own patterns" in 1996. It was very successful in Germany, so I made an English version " A bear of my own - manual for bearmaking and designing"  which is  published by Hobby House Press .
On April 29th at "Teddybear Total 2000" in Hennef, I could finally release my CD-Rom "Teddies, Bären und so weiter..." . In June 2001 I presented the English version of this CD Teddies, bears and all that.... in New York.

In January 2003 I taught my first online class.

 

Rotraud Ilisch Antoniusstr.11 D-48249 Dülmen Deutschland / Germany Telefon 02594 81745 baer.und.co@rotraud-ilisch.de

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