This little wool Birthday Bear pattern is sentimental for me. Several times in the past years I’ve thought about sharing it, but held back for this reason or that. When I found the zip-lock bag with bear bits and hand traced pattern this past month, I decided it was time to share it. Given this is my birthday month, this seems a perfect time.
A little background—Shortly after moving to New Mexico, my crafty self wandered into the lone quilt shop: a warehouse type building packed with modern cotton quilt fabrics I had no idea what to do with. Tucked in a corner was one small turn-table with rolls of wool meant for rug hooking. This was the only material in the shop I could relate to. I bought an assortment of browns, blues, and purple. I don’t recall if the idea for these little bears came while in the shop or after. I drew up this little bear pattern to suit the small amount of wool I had. The little bears earned their name as Birthday Bears because I gave them as birthday gifts that year.
The pattern templates are left as I drew them a decade and a half ago, with the exception of the lettering for the piece names. This would have been about the same time I wrote Fanciful Utility. I originally made this template for me, not to share. So, bear with me on this on.
Don't Paint the Cat 