Lynda asked me to make four bears from a quilt made by her great-grandmother.  Two were to be given to the newest generation in her family, cousins Finley and Thomas. The other two are to be tucked away for future babies.

Lynda wrote a letter to Finley.

Dear Finley, I had this teddy bear made for you from a very special quilt. The quilt was made by your great-great grandmother, Della Hart Smith, for your great-grandmother, Mary Lynn Perkins, who had it on her bed when she was a girl. She then gave it to me for my bed when I was a little girl. Over time, it became too fragile to be used, so it was lovingly packed away, and there it sat for many years. A few months ago, I found it while unpacking some boxes after moving. I took it out thinking that surely it could be used again in some way. A few weeks later, you were born, and I thought of the most perfect way the quilt could have a new life – as a teddy bear for you. There’s so much love built into this bear – from the hands that made the quilt, from those who slept under it throughout the years, and from my friend who made the teddy bear – which is now yours to love and enjoy!

The fabric of the quilt was so fragile I asked Lynda’s permission to intervene with some embroidery over the areas that ‘popped’ open when the bears were stuffed.  I love what I do~!

Every bear that I make has a story. Not all, but most of the bears are memories of someone who passed away after living a long and quantitative life.  Will and Andrew, two very little boys, won’t have the opportunity to create memories with their father.  He died in October 2015 in a vehicle accident.  No words can bring justice to this sweet family for Will, Andrew and their mother.

As children brothers Justin and Tyler found comfort in their blankets at home, in daycare and on vacations.

The ABC blanket was made by Justin’s grandmother when he was about 3 years old.  It was well loved and worn.  Last year his new puppy decided it tasted good and chewed a huge hole in the middle of the blanket.  There was enough left over to make a bear.

Last year Justin became a daddy at age 23.  I was able to make a ‘baby’ bear from the remains of the ABC blanket.

Tyler (now 21) decided he didn’t  need the bottle anymore when he was 10 months old but he picked up his light green thermal blanket.  When he was 4 years old one day Mommy accidentally set it too close to a lit candle and it caught fire.  Tyler decided right then, “Mommy, I a big boy now and I don’t need it anymore.”  He thought it had been thrown away but Mommy had stored it in a safe place.