Favourite clothes of loved ones who have passed away are coming out of the cupboard to be recreated into teddy bears that can be hugged and treasured.
Sharon Poindgestre loves to sew – her mother and grandmother were sewers – and her sewing room is stocked with materials and patterns collected over the years.
Then she began making teddy bears from clothes that friends had kept after their parents had passed away. Sometimes up to 10 pieces of clothing would adorn a bear, while several bears could be made from a favourite item, sharing the memories between them.
Since then, the Richmond School teacher aide has turned her bears – and rabbits and dogs – into Shazza’s Cozy Creations.
“It’s just been something I offered to a few and then I decided to take it a bit further and offer it to more people.
“I’ve got patterns galore! I’ve always loved sewing – it’s my happy place.”
Sharon says that many people hang on to clothing because it reminds them of their loved ones, but it is usually hidden away in boxes or cupboards. Sewing it into something like a teddy bear can bring those memories back into the home to be seen and held every day.
“You might miss that person and want to hug them or want a hug from them, and if it’s made out of their clothing, you feel you’re still hugging them even though they’re not there.
“Sometimes you look at a piece of clothing and remember mum or dad wearing it, and it brings back those memories.”
A Facebook page has been created for Shazza’s Cozy Creations, where people can arrange to have their loved one’s clothing turned into a bear or another keepsake.
