For all of the different products that can be bought in shops and online, sometimes it is more satisfying to take a hands-on approach to shopping. A number of stores offering the chance for visitors to create their own items, and at the same time learn a new handicraft, have popped up across the city. The Global Times recently visited a few to find out the score.

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Bearly adequate

Teddy Bear Family is a teddy-themed store in Tianzifang (No 23, 248 Taikang Road, 6473-0645) where the chance to create your own huggable friend attracts hundreds of people, young and old.

As soon as you step into the shop, housed in a three-story shikumen (stone-gated lane house) building, you are surrounded by the furry creatures. There are teddy bear paintings on the wall, teddy-shaped wooden chairs with teddy-shaped cushions, and on display is the private teddy-bear collection of the shop owner.

The highlight is getting the chance to build your own bear, which costs 138 yuan ($22.25) including materials and tutoring. This type of bear has limbs that can rotate 360 degrees.

With a special machine, customers can fix the limbs on to the bear themselves, then stuff them with cotton.

"There is trick when filling in the cotton. To make the bear neat, one should start with the limbs," Cui Linlin, a staff member, told the Global Times. After stuffing the bear, staff provide a needle and thread to sew the bear closed. To individualize your bear, you can embroider your name on its hands and feet.

There are also kits for families to make together. Costing 268 yuan, they come with two large bears and one small bear, with the limbs pre-attached.

"We have all kinds of customers coming to our store, including couples and families. As the shop's name indicates, we want to make everyone feel at home here," said Cui.

Cui told the Global Times that they are going to release more types of bears and bear clothes in the future.

Silver success

Located in the M50 creative zone in Putuo district, One Piece (Room 105, Blgd 8, 50 Moganshan Road, 3360-2995) lets you make your own silver jewelry, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets.

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There are three big tables in the studio, each with a professional teacher who will guide you through the process step by step, from the design to the final piece.

Customers first get a packet of silver clay, which is grey and soft. Lu Wenwen, a teacher at the studio, told the Global Times that the silver clay is 80 percent silver powder.

"We use this material because it is very easy to engrave, and thus suitable for learners," Lu said.

After shaping the clay, the piece is fired twice in an oven at 150 C. Once cooled, customers can engrave patterns on it before it is heated again at 890 C.

Finally, the piece is polished by staff.

The DIY set can be booked online for 199 yuan.

Polyclay playtime

Newly opened this year, Shanghai Oriental Ceramic Art Promotion Center (second floor, 719 Yan'an Road West, 6502-0101) offers visitors the chance to get stuck into making a range of items with polymer clays, or polyclays, which can be moulded and then hardened into a range of objects.

The studio is filled with shelves of colorful items including ball pens, pots, key rings and breast pins made from the substance.

A customer tries out pottery making at Shanghai Oriental Ceramic Art Promotion Center. Photos: Courtesy of the stores

Ji Yun, a teacher at the center, told the Global Times that the first step is to knead a block of the polyclay to make it malleable. Tools can then be used to carve it into shape and join different parts.

"Sometimes our hands are not strong enough to compact together two pieces adequately to prevent them from falling apart when they are fired," Ji said. "Hence the tools."

The clay is then heated in the oven at 200 C for 30 minutes. It is then allowed to cool.

The center also offers decorations for the pieces such as bells, strings and pedants.

Other DIY options include glazing white porcelain cups and pottery.

Ji said that all the clay is brought from Yixing, Jiangsu Province, a city that is famous as the capital of pottery.

The center also organizes two-day cultural tours to Yixing.