What is the difference?
Customers often ask me what is the difference between the 2 styles of memory bear that I make. Here’s a graphic to outline the basic differences, I’ll tell you in a lot more depth below. I have laid this post out as Calico Bear first and Charlie Bear second. So if you are here primarily for Charlie Bear please keep reading…
Calico Bear
is not just the first bear style I started making but also the first style of keepsake I ever made. It is a classic pattern. Beautifully rounded arms and legs, and a nice plump body and face.
Calico bear is jointed which means the arms and the legs are attached with threads that run through the body. So they can move. The buttons that you can see on the limbs are where the thread goes to the outside of the limbs. They add a nice extra visual feature to the finished appearance.
If you would like to pose your bear so that he or she has their arms raised you can do…
As Calico Bear’s is quite plump there is plenty of rooms on the arms legs and body to display your clothing and all the details on it.
I often feel that Calico Bear is more suited to baby clothes due to the rounded shape compared with Charlie Bear, but it all depends which style you personally would like to have.
Charlie Bear
Charlie bear is made to my own pattern. I created the pattern so it looks jointed ie the arms and legs stand proud of the body. But they are actually sewn on.
Because the limbs are sewn on, the process of making this style of keepsake bear is quicker so I am able to sell it for less than the Calico bear. It is however made to the same high standards, and it also has a felt nose and smile to add character.
Charlie Bear has much slimmer arms and legs than Calico, and a slightly slimmer body. The face is pointed and the ears have folds to add detail.
I made the foot pads a rounded off rectangle shape. I love this shape and it means there is plenty of room to embroider the personalisation that you would like.
The pattern for Charlie Bear if you would like to make your own keepsake is available in my Etsy shop just CLICK HERE
Ordering Information
To make you a keepsake bear from baby clothes I will need 8-10 babygros or an equivalent amount of clothing. I can work with any clothes from hats to cardis to dresses to socks and trousers. I say babygros as a guide to the quantity of fabric I need in order to make your keepsake. When you send me your clothes let me know if any particular item is really important to you and I will endeavour to place it in a position where as much of it as possible is on show.
To make you a keepsake bear from adult clothing one shirt or t-shirt is enough fabric. However using more will add interest to the finished keepsake and the more items your keepsake is made from the more precious memories it will hold for you.
One final word
Keepsake bears are created using the clothes that you send to me. They have black plastic safety eyes and are filled with polyester toy stuffing. Keepsakes are not toys as they cannot be CE tested and often have large areas of handstitching.
Some photos
I love showing photos of keepsakes I have made. Here are a few of each type of bear.
Charlie bear with hairbow
Charlie bear in blue
Isla’s girly Calico
Calico Bear – a baby clothes bear
2 brothers Calico bears
A Charlie bear
Charlie Bear – a celebration of travel
Thank You for the paterrn. I found a job during this difficult time. I wanted to ask whether to stuff a bear to weigh as much as newborn baby? THANK YOU again Barbara
Hi Barbara, I have made birth weight keepsakes in the past, but I do not do it any more. I stopped in part because they feel more reminiscent of door stoppers than real babies, and also because they are extremely difficult to get a good finish on. If you want to do it then get some steel shot or plastic pellets from a bear making company, then stuff most of your bear. At the last minute weigh the bear, see how much weight you need to add, then put the weights in a sealed package of some sort eg a sealed plastic zipper bag. Pull out the last few lumps of stuffing, insert the bag of weights, then push back the stuffing you took out. Also put the stuffing hole near the bear’s bottom not it’s head so the weights don’t pull it over.