Handmade Memory Bear: Bereavement Keepsake Sewn from Your Clothing

Handmade memory bears made from your loved one’s clothing. They can be made to preserve the memory of a loved one passed on or as a keepsake of special clothing or events like baby or wedding outfits. 
I will deconstruct the clothing you provide and create an 18 inch bear from it. My memory bears are  weighted in the bottom with plastic pellets to help them sit up. This adds 4-6 oz. to the weight of the bear making it weight approximately 2lbs when finished. If you do not want this please request for it to be left out. 

HOW TO ORDER:
       1. Choose your options and place your order. Leave all customizing details in 
          the personalization box.
       2. Once the order is placed, I will send you the shipping address for sending the clothing.
       3. Prepare and send clothing to the sending address (below)within 3 days of 
           placing the order. Contact me if this is a problem, as I am flexible on this.

HOW MUCH CLOTHING:
Adults clothing : 1-2 pieces make 1 bear
Children's and baby clothing: 6-7 pieces make 1 bear
-Sizes make a difference, so you may need more or less fabric. Example: 1 large adult shirt will make 1 bear. 6 pieces of newborn clothing will barely make a bear. Please ask if in doubt. 

ACCEPTABLE CLOTHING- 
YES- Cotton, cotton blends, flannel, polyester, polyester blends, stretchy denim, seersucker, T-shirts, sweatshirts, button downs, light weight jackets, robes, and light weight sweaters. 
NO- leather, sequins (a few may be okay), see through items, swimsuits, fur coats, and under garments. 
Please launder clothing if needed prior to shipping.
PLEASE ASK if you are in doubt.

SHIPPING: 
Shipping cost for sending clothing to me is the customer's responsibility. Shipping of your completed bear is included in the price. Shipping cost for return of scrap fabric is the customer's responsibility. This must be requested; if it is not, I will discard leftover fabric.
Large orders will ship in multiple shipments. For example, if you order 6 bears, you may receive 2 shipments of 3 bears.

MESSAGES:
I know it is scary to send these precious items away. Please know that I will take good care of them while I have them. 
I SEND MESSAGES WHEN:
-your clothing is received
-your is ready to start
-your order is finished
-if I have questions while making your bear I will contact you

**You are welcome to message me throughout the process but PLEASE keep this to a minimum. The more time I spend on answering messages the longer the wait for everyone waiting. Thank you for understanding.

MY PROCESS:
Each memory bear is unique and special to those who have trusted me to make it. It deserves as much time and attention as needed to make it a treasured memory to hold onto for years to come. For this reason I can not give an exact completion day. I will not rush the making of any bear.
There are 8 steps in the process of making your item. They are not all completed at the same time because I work on several orders at a time in different stages of the process. I can not predict how long each order will take to complete because I do not know what I am working with until that order starts and I see what has been sent. 
When I open your package the first thing I will do is evaluate the fabric and come up with a plan for the order. I welcome your ideas for this part so please include any notes in your package that will help me create your vision. I will contact you if needed during this step of the process. Different fabrics need different preparations; this amount of time varies depending on what has been sent to me. The amount of embroidery that is requested can significantly change your completion time so please factor that into the wait. Once the item reaches the sewing stage it is getting close to finished. Sewing is the fastest part of the process but there is always a line at the sewing machine and this is where I spend most of my day. Completion time is only an estimate.
I will do my best to get the order shipped as quickly as possible because I understand the importance of this special purchase and how eager you are to receive it. 
Once your order is placed you are being added into my order queue your order will start when I reach your name on the list. You should send your clothing as soon as possible or you could be moved further down in the queue. I have a waitlist for orders year round.   I can give you estimated start and finish dates but please understand it's an estimate.  When it is your order's turn I will contact you and let you know that I am starting the prep work on your order. Your order will be worked all the way up to the sewing phase of the project. I do keep several orders prepped and waiting to be sewn at a time. When your item is finished you will be contacted again with pictures and tracking info.
Please remember the time frames I provide are estimates based on the number of orders ahead of yours. If you're ordering multiple bears, do keep in mind that it may take longer to complete your order. 

***If you have a specific date by which you need your order, please ask if this is possible BEFORE ordering. I can not cancel your order after it is placed. 

Please do not assume that the time frame etsy sets for your order is correct. Their system does not calculate the difference in time needed to complete an order of 6 bears and an order of 2 bears.  If you have any questions about time frames please ask before ordering. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and support!

 *All bears include a headband or bow tie unless stated that you don't want them.

*Left over fabric will be discarded unless requested back in the personalization box. Customers are responsible for shipping charges related to the scrap fabric. You will receive an invoice for the charges through email once your order is complete. You will have 3 days to take care of paying the invoice or the scrap fabric will be discarded. I do not have room to keep it longer.

IMPORTANT: Returns and refunds not accepted. please contact if there is a problem.  No cancellations 24 hours after purchase. 

** This item is designed to be a keepsake. It is not a toy. Children should be supervised when handling the item.

**All items are made in a SMOKE FREE, DOG FRIENDLY home. in the winter months we do use a wood stove in the basement. My sewing studio is in the Garage.

*To see more examples of my memory bears join my Facebook group County Corner Sewing.