Three baby quilts

 Here are three baby quilts I have made in July. 

A star for sweet Charlotte

A long doggy themed quilt for sweet Hattie and Micah.  I made two of these. I forgot to take a picture of the 2nd one though. 

Len's Bear

 Most of the time I never know the person whose clothing I am working with. I knew Len and his beautiful wife Darlene. They are such wonderful people. Len passed very suddenly this past summer.  It was great shock. I always pray for the family while I work with their loved one's clothing. When I started working, I could only think of what a kind, caring and happy person Len was when I would see him at family events and holidays. 

Darlene contacted me to make a bear for their granddaughter who was very close to Len. She gave me a sweatshirt with a beautiful face of a wolf on it. Their granddaughter had two pictures of the two of them and Len was wearing the wolf sweatshirt in both pictures. He must have really liked that sweatshirt. 

 The pattern I usually make would have cut into the wolf's face and distorted it.  I suggested a pattern I had never used before.  I enlarged the pattern to 125% to showcase the wolf's face and got to work. I am so very happy with how Len's bear turned out. He is so huggable. 

When I make bears, I love when the person's clothing has a mark or a stain on it. Len's sweatshirt had a yellow mark on one sleeve. I'm not sure if it is easy to see, but it's on the left ear. 

The pattern I used was from Funky Friends Factory. 

Greg's Bear

 A quilting friend requested a bear for her nephew Greg who had recently passed away.  Like most of the bears I make, I don't know much about the person whose clothing I am working with. My friend said Greg was a great outdoorsman and loved being outside. From his clothing, he enjoyed truly being in nature. My favorite piece is his right foot. His shirt said "Wife is Good." I had several pieces that had that saying. I just had to incorporate one in Greg's bear. I thought it was so sweet of him to have shirts that said that.

I was given a variety of pieces from his clothing. My friend was making a quilt and wanted a bear to go with it. I love the combinations and variety she gave me. I am so happy with how this little guy turned out. I hope he helps his family through their grief. 

Heather's pillow and pocket bear

 A family member saw Heather's bears I had made last month and really wanted a pillow and bear made for her son.  She only had one article of Heather's clothing so we had to get creative.  I really wanted to make her a pillow and a bear. So we came up with making a pocket bear. It couldn't have worked out more perfectly. I had enough to make both. 

Heather was so loved by her family. I could tell when they talked about her. As with most of my bears, I never get a whole lot of information about the person whom I'm using their clothing. As I work on each item, I think about the person and hope my work helps them in some way. 

Harry's Bears

 Harry's daughter in law asked me to make 4 bears for her husband and family members. I was given four men's shirts.  I love when the article of clothing is worn or stained in some way. I know that sounds odd, but it tells me a little bit about the person I'm working for. It also makes me think the loved one receiving the bear may have a special memory that caused that article of clothing to be worn in that way. 

I don't know much about Harry, but I could tell by his shirts, that he was a hard worker. One shirt had paint splatters all over it and was thread bare in places.  I think it was his favorite painting shirt. I love that.  The other shirts were beautiful flannel shirts and worn in places as well.  

These four bears were such a joy to make. I hope they help the family with their grief. 

Heather's Bears

  Heather's sweet niece asked me to make two bears. One for her grandmother and one for herself.  In a brief conversation with her niece, Heather was a special person who was very loved and admired by her family.

 Heather's bears were made from a very soft robe and night gown and a T-shirt.  Heather's niece asked if I could embroider on the feet and the front of the tummy. I asked my good friend Cyndi Jo to do the embroidery work. She did a beautiful job. Her work really adds to the bears. 

I try to use as much of the clothing as possible. I used a piece of lace from the neckline and placed it around the neckline of each bear. I also used the straps of the nightgown to make a bow above the ear on the bears. The clothing label was added to the back of each bear as well. 

The fabric used for the nightgown and robe was so very soft. It made each bear so soft and huggable. I hope they help Heather's family with their grief.  I always say how honored I am to make bears for people.  I truly mean it.  I am always so touched families trust me with their loved ones clothing.

Morgan Renee's Bear

 My friend asked me if I could make a bear to wear a baby's onsie. The baby's name is Morgan Renee. She lived a very short time but was so very loved. Morgan Renee is my friend's granddaughter. 

I used a very soft fabric to make Morgan's bear. I wanted it to be extra cuddly for her mom. Morgan was born in the spring of 1998 and passed three months later. Her Mom held onto her onsie all this time. 

 There are no words for losing a child. Especially so young. As a person who has experienced a similar type of loss, I'll admit this was an especially hard bear to make since it was so close to my heart. Most times I focus on the family member left behind and pray the bears I make help them with their grief. I felt this with Morgan's bear, but I felt this one on a more personal level due to the losses I have had.    ` It doesn't matter how much time has passed; the loss of a child is always there. 

I used a very small button to make a belly button and sewed a smaller heart on the bear's foot since she was a little one.

 I am so honored to have been asked to make this bear. I hope it has helped Morgan's Mom to heal a little.  

                                 With a tiny belly button and a tiny heart on the left foot.

                                                    All dressed and ready to be cuddled.