Long Armed and Legged Memory Bear Made from a Work Shirt

  

 

Memory bears are great items to help remember a lost one by using pieces of clothing they used to wear.  Given as gifts to babies or children or a cute memorial items for someone to have out in sight, but this bear was one of the most emotional ones I've made and was literally designed to be used a true therapy item.  There was a younger woman having a very difficult time getting over the very recent and unsightly loss of her husband, and instead of cuddling with the shirt all day long her sister suggested to have a bear made out of it with very long legs and arms so that she could hug it and it hug her back.  After a very emotional conversation and a few prayers, I got to working rapidly to make up this adorable long legged bear to start helping this lovely woman start healing from her loss.

 

 

 

Here was his very worn flannel lined work shirt.  You wouldn't think it would be hard to cut up a shirt that isn't your own but after hearing the stories behind the shirts or sweaters or other items, I can't help but take a moment to reflect on the life that will be represented with what I'm about to transform it into.  The two sisters had a few very specific requests for bear like very long legs and arms.  The woman wanted some of the flannel to show throw in places, she wanted one of the pockets on the tummy to be able to hold special items, and to use some of the seams from the shirt to outline the face.

 

I found a basic pattern online and modified it to create the shape of face the ladies requested and laid out the pieces on the shirt to cut them out.

 

This is the cute little fella I came up with.  I was able to use the flannel for the inside of his ears, his nose and the ends of his arms and legs. 

 

I reused buttons to create the eyes and the pocket on the tummy turned out great.

 

A little view from the back to see his nice round back.  I could machine sew all the arms and legs to the body but had to hand sew his neck to the body after stuffing it all.

 

I was even able to get the label from inside the shirt and put it on the back.

What an absolutely amazing project that I was asked to make and doing things like this for people just rejuvenates my passion for my work!