Bear Cold Pack Buddy

This Bear Cold Pack Buddy sewing project and shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareABear #cbias #CollectiveBias

What is it about a teddy bear that brings comfort? Maybe it’s the softness and the the cuddly body that’s easy to hug. Maybe it’s the fact that a teddy bear is something familiar and portable that can be there even when mom or dad are not. My kids all have a favorite bear that they have loved since infancy. Their bear is the safety net for bedtime and trips. But there’s one other time that my kids (and all kids!) need comfort– when they have an ouchie.

When my daughter was small, I made her a special bear that I kept in the freezer for times that she had an ouchie. It was soft, yet cold, and provided comfort for small hurts and bruises.

Now that my boys are older and understand the concept of the Ouchie Bear Buddy, I’ve had to make three more. After all, it’s not uncommon for them to get hurt playing with one another, making more than one bear buddy a necessity.

Want to sew your own Bear Cold Pack Buddy?

Please note: To keep the bear soft, this bear buddy is made from cloth. It is not ideal to use for messy or bloody ouchies. Due to the rice inside, the fabric may only be spot cleaned. I use it primarily for bumps and bruises or instances where kids just need an extra cuddle and love!

Supplies:

• 1 fat quarter
• Fusible interfacing scraps
• Felt scraps
• Coordinating thread
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Hand sewing needle
• Dry rice
• Bear head template
• Optional: Cricut Explore Air or Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Standard Grip Cutting Mat

First, let’s talk about where to get the bear head template. I used my Cricut Explore Air to create a bear head template. By using the Design Space and Cricut Access, I created a bear head that is approximately 6″ wide. I cut out the bear head using card stock and am using it as a pattern.

If you do not have a Cricut Explore Air, print out a bear head image to use as a pattern. This site has several cute bear head images!

-Fold the fat quarter in half, right sides together (this means printed sides together). Pin the pattern to the material.

-Cut the pattern out on the fabric.

-Repeat this with the fusible interfacing.

-You now have two bear head fabric pieces and two interfacing pieces.

-Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to adhere the fusible interfacing to the wrong (BACK) side of each bear head fabric piece.

-Grab the assorted felt scraps and cut out different face elements. I hand drew all of these below with a pencil. You can add as many or as few face elements as you want! I did a nose, ear pieces, and eyes. Use felt, not cotton, to cut these out. Cotton will fray once it’s sewn to the bear head. Felt will not.

-Pin the pieces to the front of one of the bear heads.

-Use a zigzag stitch to sew all the pieces to the head. It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect! I’m not winning any awards for my applique, that’s for certain!

-Grab the hand sewing needle and thread. Use the thread to make a mouth shape coming down from the nose.

-Place the two bear head pieces right sides together and pin.

-Sew the two pieces together, using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Make sure to leave at LEAST a 2″ opening at the bottom in order to turn and fill the head.

-Turn the head right side out and push out all the seams. Iron the fabric if needed.

-Fill the bear head 3/4 of the way with dry rice.

-Use the hand sewing needle and thread to stitch up the opening.

Place the Bear Cold Pack Buddy in the freezer until it is needed. Keep it in a plastic bag if you are concerned about it getting yucky in the freezer.

Do you have a little one who is attached to a trusty bear? All children deserve a favorite teddy. Friday, September 9th, was National Teddy Bear Day. For the second straight year, Snuggle® launched the #ShareABear Campaign to donate 5,000 teddy bears to children in need. You can share your own #ShareABear stories on social media or on Snuggle®’s facebook page and in the Snuggle® Bear Den. The Snuggle® Bear Den is a great place to find special Snuggle® offers and prizes.

Purchase Snuggle® in the varieties of Snuggle® PLUS SuperFresh™, Snuggle® Exhilarations® Cherry Blossom & Rosewood™, and Snuggle® Blue Sparkle® in liquid and sheets at your local Walmart.