A wardrobe can hold far more than clothes. A favourite shirt, a familiar dressing gown or a much-loved dress can instantly bring someone to mind, which is why deciding what to do with a loved one's clothing can be so difficult.
If you don't want those special pieces to remain packed away, one option is to have them transformed into a handmade memory bear.
Choosing clothing for a memory bear
At Minster Lovell Bears, I work with many different suitable non-stretch fabrics, including shirts, dresses, dressing gowns, uniforms and other treasured garments.
You don't need to choose the most beautiful item. Often, the piece that was worn again and again — and that you most associate with that person — makes the most meaningful bear.
Several garments can sometimes be combined, which is particularly lovely when different fabrics each hold their own memory.
Keeping the little details
One of my favourite parts of making a memory bear is deciding how to use the original features of the clothing.
A pocket, button, embroidered detail or distinctive piece of pattern can sometimes be incorporated into the bear rather than disappearing when the garment is cut.
Those small details can make the finished bear instantly recognisable to the family.
Not just for bereavement
Treasured clothing doesn't always have to be connected with loss.
Baby clothes that you can't bear to part with, a special dress, a meaningful uniform or fabric connected to an important occasion can also be transformed into a keepsake.
Every Minster Lovell memory bear is individually handmade by me in my shepherd’s hut workshop in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. There is no production line and no two bears are ever exactly alike.
The result is a very personal way of giving treasured fabric a new life — while keeping the memories attached to it close.
If you have clothing tucked away and are wondering whether it could become a Minster Lovell Memory Bear, please get in touch. I am always happy to discuss the fabric with you before you decide.