PAGE 6 · VISITING THE SMOKIES IN COCKE COUNTY, June, 2004
Pamela's Little Darlin's
will win your heart
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©2004 NPT SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Knudson's are Pamela and Bill with Bill's crafted fur pet dog that requires no food or out door walks.
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(Editor's note: this article on Cocke County artisans for the Visiting the Smokies features artisan series is present ed by the folks at Treasures of Appalachia.)
amela Knudson has been making lovable little creatures since 1990. She started with a flop-eared rabbit wearing a striped green dress and bloomers. "Her face didn't come out very well… too serious and sad." Said Knudson. "But I figured out how to fix it, and was explaining my thoughts to my friend Cathy who said, 'Good. Practice on mine.'
"So I left my bunny alone and made her one... with the improved face. Cathy took it to the grammar school where she worked and showed it around. Before long I was getting calls from other teachers, and PTA members wanting me to make them one as well. I made 30 of those bunnies!"
Pamela branched out with other barnyard animals made of muslin and broadcloth, wearing clothing made of vintage looking fabrics. "I've always liked the look of these old fashioned fabrics," explained
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Knudson, "Calicos, checks and stripes with the muted colors. Nothing flashy or gaudy."
Her friends convinced her to take her creations to a craft show and set up a booth. "What a disaster! I didn't sell a thing. It was so discouraging. But I persevered, did another show… a better one, and sold quite a few. From then on I've been making a living by creating my little babies."
In 1996 Pamela decided to try making a doll out of fur. Her husband Bill wanted a dog, a real dog, but that didn't seem wise at the time. So Pamela decided to make him one that would be as lifelike as possible. She went out and bought a piece of the longest, shaggiest fur she could find and worked in secret, while Bill was away or asleep. "He wasn't perfect, but he wasn't bad for a first effort." Explains Pamela, "and when I looked into that cute little face, he just touched my heart, and I knew I was hooked. I've been working primarily with fur ever since."
She started with stock patterns from fabric stores and modified them as she learned more and more about their construction. She wanted to bring a unique character or
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personality to each one. In 1999 Pamela decided to take one of the Teddy Bear making classes offered at the local Jo Ann Fabrics store. Bill went along when she went to sign up. As they looked over the display of patterns and example bears, Bill pointed out that Pamela had made most of the designs already and he liked the modifications she had made better than the originals. The store staff overheard them talking and Pamela ended up teaching the class she went in to take.
Along the way Bill, her husband of 18 years, was diagnosed and treated for cancer. He survived, but needed time to recuperate. They decided that the beauty and serenity of Cocke County would be a much better place to do this than their former home of Wayne Michigan, which Pamela describes as, "covering a mere 6.3 square miles, yet no one knew each other. Not like around here where everyone knows everyone and all are so friendly! We love it here." They purchased 4 acres near Douglas Lake and have been slowly improving the house and setting up for some livestock.
Both Pamela and Bill love animals. They have set up a chicken coop and are raising Bantys. Bill is currently working on fencing in a 1˝ acre pasture. "The experts tell me that this is what we'll need to allow one cow and one goat to graze." Explains Bill. When asked if the cow is for beef, he responds, "Oh no! Doris will be a pet."
The lower level of the Knudson's home serves as Pamelas new studio where she continues to create her collector quality Darlins and teaches classes. "I'll teach classes to small groups here, or I can come to someone's home and teach a group there." Said Pamela, "And we're hoping to offer larger classes with help from Treasures of Appalachia and Holloway's Country Home. Holloways has space for a dozen or so students at a time. Pamelas 'Darlins' continued to evolve. "I stayed with synthetic furs for a long time. Then I was asked to cut down a fur coat to make a Jackie-O hat and jacket for one special bear. It was a way of remembering someone they'd lost.
"Since then I've worked more and more with mohair, beaver, even mink." Said Pamela, "I use German glass eyes for most. Occasionally someone wants a bear for a child, then I use the plastic, washered in safety eyes and a synthetic fur. They're all fully jointed, most are weighted so they sit properly. I put 15 to 18 hours of actual work into each bear."
"I didn't set out to make collectible bear art," said Pamela, "it just worked out that
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way. I'm picky about my work. Nothing leaves my studio until it's just right. When it tugs at my heart strings and begs me to keep it, I know it's ready to be adopted. Sometimes, it's hard to let them go."
Bill and Pamela are active members of the Newport/Cocke County Chamber of Commerce. Pamela also serves as the Accounting Chair for the American Cancer Society's Cocke County Relay For Life. This is an A.C.S. fund raiser for cancer research. It will be held at the Cocke County High School track on June 4th from 7:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The funds are raised by teams of people who take turns walking the track for one hour per turn. Sponsors pledge money to the team members for each lap they complete. They also have items for sale and a silent auction.
"There is no admission fee or cost of any kind for spectators, "said Bill Knudson, "and the first event is the leg where cancer survivors and family members of cancer victims walk as a way to commemorate and honor all cancer victims. Even if people don't have money to donate, just coming out to watch and be a part of that means a lot to us."
For details about Pamela's work log onto: www.DarlinBears.com, or call (423) 623-7846. You may also see her work at the Treasures Of Appalachia gallery at 3892 Hwy 321 in Cosby. Pamela is happy to do custom work, just call her to discuss your project.
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Reprinted in the Tuesday, June 8th issue of the Newport Plain Talk, page 5
With the following pictures added:
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