Memories are made of this!

I made this photo tutorial so you can see how to sew my Melody Memory Bear Sewing Pattern ~> scroll down for step-by-step photos!

Now you can use this pattern to transform your child’s clothes into an everlasting keepsake –

How cool
is that?

 

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I have taken step-by-step photos to create a photo tutorial to show you just how much fun it is to sew your own Memory Bear!

*** PLEASE NOTE – this in ONLY a PHOTO TUTORIAL ***
The FULL PATTERN IS NOT included here.

It is NOT A FREE PATTERN!

I have made this photo tutorial so people who have purchased my Melody Memory Bear Sewing Pattern can SEE how to sew this memory bear! (I wanted to explain this so you are not disappointed if you have found this page via a search engine and not from the link in my memory bear sewing pattern)

 

First choose some fabrics:

STEP 1

You can use one main fabric from a single item of clothing for most of the pieces and use another contrast fabric for the EAR and FOOT PAD PIECES… but I prefer to create a ‘patchwork’ effect by using…

lots of different items of

pre-loved baby clothes!

Prepare the fabric pieces:

STEP 2a

To line the pieces, trace all the pieces (including all the ‘reversed pieces’) onto the smooth (NON-STICKY) side of the iron-on interfacing. Roughly cut out the pieces adding about 3mm (1/8 inch) around them. Iron the interfacing pieces onto the fabric of the clothing items, with the STICKY (GLUE) side facing the BACK of the fabric.

 

STEP 2b

Cut the pieces out accurately on the traced lines.

SEWING THE HEAD:

STEP 3

Sew the FACE PIECES together from A – B.

* I have used a dark pink thread in my photo tutorial so you can see my stitching but I recommend using a matching thread or plain white if you have lots of different fabrics.

TIP: Clip all the seams very well if you use interfacing because it creates a lot of extra bulk in the seams.

 

STEP 4

Pin the FOREHEAD PIECE to the FACE PIECES, matching point A.

TIP: Use lots of pins so the pieces won’t slip as you sew this seam.

STEP 5

Sew the FOREHEAD PIECE to the FACE PIECES with the FOREHEAD PIECE facing down so you can smooth out any ‘wrinkles’ in the FACE PIECES as you sew.

STEP 6

Fold and pin the FACE PIECES with the fabric right sides together and sew the face darts as shown on the pattern markings.

EYES:

STEP 7

If you are using craft eyes, insert them now.

EARS:

STEP 8a

Sew the EAR PIECES together in pairs, leaving the straight edge open.

STEP 8b

Trim the seam allowance of the EAR PIECES to 3mm (1/8 inch) and turn the EARS right sides out.

*Do NOT stuff the EARS!

STEP 9

Pin the EARS to the FACE PIECES, using the pattern markings to guide you with the placement.

*Line up the edge of the EAR with the face seam
( see the black arrow in the photo below).

BACK HEAD:

STEP 10a

Sew one of the SIDE HEAD PIECES to the BACK HEAD PIECE from D – E.

STEP 10b

Sew the other SIDE HEAD PIECE to the BACK HEAD PIECE from D – E, on the other side.

HEAD:

STEP 11

Sew the FOREHEAD&FACE PIECES to the BACK HEAD&SIDE HEAD PIECES with the EARS in between.

STEP 12

Fold and pin the SIDE HEAD PIECES with the fabric right sides together and sew the side head darts as shown on the pattern markings.

* Put the HEAD aside while you sew the BODY.

BODY AND LEGS:

STEP 13

Sew the TUMMY PIECES together along the center seam from F – G.

STEP 14

Sew the INNER LEG PIECES to the TUMMY PIECE from H – J.

BACK:

STEP 15

Sew the BACK PIECES together from L – G.

STEP 16

Fold and pin the BACK PIECES with the fabric right sides together and sew the back darts as shown on the pattern markings.

STEP 17

Sew the OUTER LEG PIECES to the BACK PIECES from N – O.

STEP 18

Sew the TUMMY&INNER LEG PIECES to the BACK& OUTER LEG PIECES at the bottom from P – G – P.

STEP 19

Sew the TUMMY& INNER LEG PIECES to the BACK PIECES& OUTER LEG at the sides from R – S on each side.

FOOTPADS:

STEP 20

Pin and sew the FOOT PAD PIECES to the INNER&OUTER LEG PIECES, matching point R and P.

ARMS:

STEP 21

Turn the body and legs right sides out. ***THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP!*** Pin the INNER ARM PIECES to the TUMMY&BACK PIECES, matching point U, S and T.

(PLEASE NOTE* The INNER ARM PIECE does NOT
reach up to point W on each side!).

STEP 22

Sew the INNER ARM PIECES to the TUMMY&BACK PIECES with the INNER ARMS down.

TIP: This is a hard seam to sew, so use lots of pins and take it slow!

STEP 23

Turn the body and legs wrong sides out so the INNER ARM PIECES ‘flop’ out of the TUMMY&BACK PIECES, at the sides.

***DON’T MISS THIS VERY IMPORTANT STEP!***
It makes it much easier to pin the pieces together correctly!!!

STEP 24

Pin and sew the OUTER ARM PIECES to the TUMMY, BACK & INNER ARM PIECES matching points W, U, T and W on the other side.

STEP 25a

Fold and pin the OUTER ARM darts closed between V and W (fabric right sides together). Continue pinning the TUMMY and BACK PIECES together between W – X.

 

STEP 25b

Sew TUMMY and BACK PIECES together from X – W and the OUTER ARM darts closed from W- V.

JOIN THE HEAD TO THE BODY:

STEP 26

Pin and sew the head to the body at the neck seam. (Pin the FACE, SIDE HEAD&BACK HEAD PIECES to the TUMMY&BACK PIECES.)

TIP: I find the best way to do this is to turn the HEAD right sides out and position it ‘inside the body’ so you can pin the pieces together at the neck seam, and sew them with the fabric right sides together.

STEP 27

Pull the HEAD back out of the body so the PIECES are wrong sides out again. Pin and sew the bear closed at the back from Y – K on the BACK HEAD PIECE continue on to Z on the BACK PIECES, leaving the gap open for turning.

STEP 28

Turn the bear right sides out through the turning gap. I like to use a wooden chopstick to make sure the seams are nicely turned.

STEP 29

Stuff the legs, arms then the head area really well. Stuff the tummy area last.

TIP: Make sure the nose and face area is stuffed well so that it makes it easy to sew on the NOSE PIECE and embroider the mouth.

STEP 30

Sew the gap on the BACK PIECES closed with a ladder stitch.

STEP 31

Cut the NOSE PIECE from felt and pin this in position.

Sew the mouth and hide the starting and finishing knots under the felt of the NOSE PIECE.

1. Sew the mouth, beginning by securing the thread with a thick knot.
2. Sew into the nose under the NOSE PIECE (to hide the knot!) and come out at A.
3. Sew in at B and come out at C. Keeping the tension firm but not too tight, sew in at B and come out at D.
4. Making sure you keep the mouth stitches rounded, sew in at B and out again at A.
5. Finish off with a knot.

STEP 32

Sew the felt  NOSE PIECE in place with matching embroidery thread and a blanket stitch.

Your Memory Keepsake Bear
is ready to LOVE!

 

Come join the fun on Facebook!

I LOVE to see how your Funky Friends toys turn out!

When you’ve made your own Memory Bear Keepsake Toy you can come show them off ~>

Post a photo on my Funky Friends Factory Facebook page for me to see and YOU could win a FREE PATTERN!

 

Till next time,

Happy Sewing,

Pauline