It is estimated that 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in loss from miscarriage or stillbirth. Unfortunately, all too often those individuals feel alone because of the stigma that continues to surround miscarriage and pregnancy loss. In 1988, October was proclaimed as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and the first observation of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day occurred on October 15, 2002.
Each and every person who has suffered a loss, regardless of whether it was a 6 weeks or 40 weeks, now has a story to tell. Earlier this week in the Twisted Needle Facebook group, I shared a bit of my own story and how 7 years later I am still grieving. I was finally able to channel some of those emotions into sewing a memory bear with fabric from Round 24. I was also incredibly touched that so many of you chose to share your own stories with myself and the TNT community.
I realized that many of you also wanted to create something to honor the memory of someone you have lost. Whether it be a child, parent, dear friend, or other important person in your life. While I could not find the exact pattern I used for sale anymore, I put together a list of memory bear patterns and have included the links below. If you know of any others that you or someone else has made, please send me the information and I will continue to keep this post updated.
We all process grief in different ways, and while nothing can truly take away the pain and emptiness, I hope you find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone.
Funky Friends Factory 12 inch bear
The bear pictured was made using cotton lycra and the pattern pieces were interfaced with a medium-weight interfacing to provide stability.
The print on the fabric is a poem and reads:
'Since Heaven has become your home I sometimes feel I'm so alone; and though we now are far apart you hold a big piece of my heart. I never knew how much I'd grieve when it was time for you to leave, or just how much my heart would ache from that one fragment you would take. God lets this tender hole remain reminding me we'll meet again, and one day all the pain will cease when He restores this missing piece.'