It’s not like I don’t have way more projects on my list than I can get around to but lately I’ve been looking at some simple bear patterns to use up leftover Cuddle fabric from quilt backs. I use some of the leftovers on doll quilt backs but there’s still a bin with leftovers just waiting to be used.

I kind of made a mistake today when I was talking to Mo about wanting to learn to make a bear … before I knew it, she’d chosen a piece of red Cuddle fabric and was insisting we give it a try.

I told her we wouldn’t be able to finish it during this trip but that we could get it started and we chose a simple hand sewn pattern from this book.

We printed the bear pattern and traced it on template plastic. Mo helped me pin the Cuddle fabric so I could trace and cut the pieces.

All ready to hand sew … she had a bit of trouble understanding why hand sewing wasn’t as fast as sewing with the machine.

I also told her that Gram didn’t have the stuffing we needed or any black felt for the eyes and nose and we’d have to wait to get that.

I worked on hand stitching the bear in between our other activities today and finished the body of the bear after she went to bed. I still need to stuff it, sew the ears, and either sew felt or embroider the face… no telling how that will turn out!

She also wants the bear to have a flowered neck scarf like the one in the book …

I’ve also seen an even simpler free pattern that is sewn by machine and I might give that one a try too. The instructions are free at this link but you have to sign up for her newsletter to get the bear outline.