Memory bear sewing pattern

Sewzy has five memory animals: a bear, a bunny, a cat, a dog and an elephant. Each one comes in ten sizes, from a 6 inch bear you can make from one baby onesie to a 24 inch bear cut from flannel or a blanket.

How many shirts does it take to make a memory bear?

One adult shirt makes a 12 to 16 inch bear. A 20 or 22 inch bear takes two shirts or a dress. Here is the table from the pattern, with the clothing each size takes. The amounts are the same for all five animals.

Memory bear pattern from a shirt or other clothes

The memory bear pattern is a PDF in the Sewzy app, as a letter-size file and an A0 file, and it is made for sewing from a shirt. Shirts, dresses, sweatshirts, flannel, denim, fleece, baby clothes and blankets all work. Anything stretchy, like a t-shirt or a onesie, needs iron-on interfacing on the back first so it keeps its shape. Use a second garment for the contrast pieces, the foot pads and inner ears.

Wash the clothes first and press them flat. Cut along the seams to open each garment out, then lay the pattern pieces on the flattest parts.

Making it special

Place a pocket, a button placket or an embroidered logo where it will show, on the tummy or the back. Keep the collar label and stitch it inside an arm. Small details like these are what people notice when they hold the bear.

Is it a beginner project?

The memory animals are marked intermediate and take about 4 hours. The guide is written in seven parts: prepare the garment, cut, head, face and ears, body, arms and legs, then join and finish. If you have sewn a simple plush before, you can make one.

As a gift

Memory bears are made for remembrance, and also for happier keepsakes: a baby's first year of clothes, or a graduation shirt. Use safety eyes only for older children and adults; for a baby, embroider the eyes.