Hello! It’s Cassie. Last weekend, I hosted a surgery bear-making party for the 7 Cities Crafters.

My infant son recently underwent surgery at CHKD and while we were in the waiting room, a nerve-racking experience to say the least, a volunteer approached us with a basket of wonky-but-charming handmade bears. She encouraged us to take one for our son, who at 3 months wouldn’t appreciate the gesture, but the generosity touched us – that people are compassionate enough to craft something for a child they’ll never meet.
Volunteers make the teddy bears for the children undergoing surgery at CHKD. Each child (or parent) is allowed to choose his/her own bear and for children who undergo multiple surgeries, it’s a souvenir they can look forward to collecting. It’s like getting to choose a plastic ring after a dentist visit.
So on that rainy Saturday night, we brought some leftover fabric to the table and started crafting.

Kristen and Agnes did most of the sewing, while others cut and stuffed.

For safety reasons, the faces must be drawn on with fabric marker. The later it got, the more creative the bear faces became. Each bear is one-of-a-kind with different fabric combinations and facial features/expressions.

Thanks to everyone who came! Enough was made to brighten the hospital experience for 20 children.