8/10: Wyatte the 1/2 & 1/2 Bear

This shirt and trouser combo jumped out at me when I visited the volunteer office. I really wanted to be the one to create the bear but saw the requester wanted a 1/2 & 1/2 bear, something I hadn't been shown how to do yet. I was assured by Carol at the office that I would be able to do it, so I left with this outfit and the shirt for Mike Bear.

Between helping to care for my mom after her strokes and the fear of starting something new, it took me awhile to get going on the bear but once I started it I did enjoy making it. I took several pictures along the way so I could remember how to do it when I make another 1/2 & 1/ 2 bear. 

front pieces cut

The bear is basically made with shirt as the top half and the pants as the bottom half. That means taking the two front pieces and the two back pieces, cutting them in half, extending the pattern for the seam allowance, cutting them all out and then sewing them all together so they match up. Then the rest of the top half is made with the shirt fabric and the rest of the bottom is made with the pants fabric.

Back Paw

Front Paws

I was fortunate to discover that the pant pockets were made with yet another fabric so I used that for the paws on the arms and the legs and the inside of the ears. There was a seaming detail on the pockets that I was able to incorporate into the paws. Sadly not enough of that detail to add to the ears, although I tried!

This bear was fun and challenging to make. I did get a little surprised when a well-worn pocketknife fell out of one of the the pockets when I started in on the project. I saved it and put it in the back pocket of the final bear. I think his lovely wife will be glad to know it was with him all this time and is being returned in his pocket, just where it belongs.

The rest of the story ... When the family came in to pick up their bear, they were told the story of the found knife. The wife said they had scoured the house trying to find it since it was a favorite of his. They were very happy to know it was with his clothing and not lost at all. Just waiting for the right time to return. This story is one that reminds me why I make these bears. Families care.