How to Sew a Memory Bear | Sewing Pattern Review

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I think that this is one of the hardest things I have ever made. Not because of the sewing skills that this required, but because of the emotions associated with this project. This is how to sew a memory bear.

Less than a year ago, I blogged how to make a diaper cake and centrepieces which I made in celebration of the arrival of baby Luke. They turned out really well.

Since then, at less than a year old, Luke has sadly lost his father. In honour of his father, I made baby Luke a memory bear.

What is a Memory Bear?

A memory bear is a teddy bear constructed from clothing. In this particular case, it is clothing from a passed loved one. It can also be made from favourite articles of clothing which may no longer fit or have worn out. The fabric may be too worn out to wear, but still has some life left in it.

For Luke’s memory bear, Luke’s mother gave me a pair of Luke’s father’s pyjamas. They consisted of a grey long-sleeved top and some buffalo plaid pants. While you can make a memory bear out of only one piece of item, having 2 coordinating items gives you options in terms of contrast.

Memory Bear Pattern Source and Review

Any stuffed bear pattern will work. Many manufacturers have stuffed animal patterns, including bears. I used a free pattern that I found online called the Joyful Bear. You can find that pattern and instructions here.

The Joyful Bear sewing pattern contains 15 pattern pieces. Oddly, the instructions refer to the pattern pieces by number, yet the pattern pieces themselves are not numbered. Once the pieces are printed, I recommend going through all the pieces and numbering them. You’ll have to read through the entire pattern in order to determine the numbers for each piece.

The pattern also recommends which pieces to cut out as contrast pieces if you are using two different fabrics. I labelled these pattern pieces specifically as well. For Luke’s memory I chose to do the belly in a contrasting fabric as well – this was not indicated in the pattern.

I would definitely say that this is not a beginner sewing pattern. There are numerous curved seams to sew and the assembly may not be as intuitive as you would think. Pattern pieces contain letters to help with the assembly, but the instructions are not consistent in terms of mentioning which letters are to be sewn.

While this is a good, basic bear pattern that is free, it requires a bit of patience in assembly as the instructions and photos are not always clear. Sewing stuffed animals can be a bit fiddly and so clear instructions would be beneficial.

That said, it was still manageable. There were just a few instances in which I had to stop and think about what the final product was supposed to look like in order to ensure I was sewing this correctly. The first time you sew any pattern can be somewhat hit and miss.

The memory bear came out much bigger than I thought and so it used a lot of stuffing. You can use poly fibrefill (you will need a lot!). I also supplemented with fabric scraps – I certainly have a lot of scraps with all the sewing I’ve been doing lately.

Compared to the Joyful Bear photos, I stuffed my bear more and so he looks rather plump. My finished memory bear is 14 inches tall and 12 inches wide.

Memory Bear Modifications

Prior to stuffing, I personalized the memory bear with some HTV on the feet. I used flocked vinyl to do the personalization as I really like the fuzzy texture of the vinyl. Read my post on flocked vinyl here.

I didn’t want to use buttons for the eyes since Luke is still an infant and buttons could be a safety hazard. While you could embroider the eyes, I chose to add circles of flocked HTV as the eyes. I think it turned out well.

Applying the flocked vinyl to the memory bear is definitely much easier to do when it is not stuffed.

Luke’s Memory Bear – The Final Product

As mentioned, Luke’s memory bear turned out bigger than I expected – although I wasn’t really expecting anything. I love the 2 tone aspect and it does look pretty cute.

It was quite emotional for me to make this bear as I knew Luke’s father and knew how much he loved little Luke. I’m so honoured that Luke’s mother entrusted me to make this memory bear for Luke.

I can’t tell you how much I admire Luke’s mother. Her grace and strong faith is truly remarkable and is a testament to all.

I’m so happy that Luke will have this keepsake of his father. This is something that he can hang on to for a very long time.

Want to remember this pattern and review how to sew a memory bear? Be sure to save this to your favourite Pinterest board.