This is my first Mother Bear for the Mother Bear Project. To honor Mother’s day, I knit it over Mother’s Day weekend, 2014.

The Mother Bear Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children, primarily those affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations, by giving them a gift of love in the form of hand-knit and crocheted bears.

Thank you to Barb and Tracie from The 2 TWO KNIT LIT CHICKS Podcast for inspiring me to join in the Mother Bear Project effort.

I used Berroco Comfort worsted weight yarn. Next time I will use a different yarn with a stronger, less splity ply. I am pleased with the softness of the bear -- “Comfort” is a good word for this yarn -- quite cuddly.

I grafted the hands and feet (which is optional -- no grafting necessary in the pattern) and seamed the top of the head. Next time, I’m going to try a provisional cast-on so I can graft the head as well. (I’m one of those crazy people who enjoys grafting).

I have fallen in love with the Mother Bear organization and this project, and I plan to knit many more bears.

Each bear uses only a fraction of a skein of yarn -- in addition to this being a loving, worthy cause, the bears are stash busters!

Now, whenever I look at my stash, I see bears waiting to be born. :)

If anyone has links to good tutorials for embroidering the face, please let me know. I’ve looked at a few but could still use some help.

Lee
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