Susan Bates - Designing the “Bear Hugs” Patterns for StitchableCards

Photo credits for moodboard: Bear sitting by Mark Basarab, Bear Cub by Janko Ferlič, Yellow Flowers by Christos Gavriel, Honeycomb by Jonas Hensel, and Butterfly and flowers by Su Kadi on Unsplash. 

This set of designs began with the theme of ‘bear hugs’. Bears are often seen as representing strength and power, probably because of their sheer size. They can also be seen as a symbol of wisdom. Perhaps it is this, plus their connection to the natural world that provides us with these beliefs. 

I looked into when the term ‘bear hug’ came into use and it seems to have been around about the early 19th century. Bears are very protective of their cubs, but they can also be very affectionate, bestowing huge hugs on them. By noticing this behaviour in bears the term ‘bear hug’ found its way into our culture and is used to describe an affectionate embrace from someone who wraps their arms tightly around you, creating a protective cocoon. So a bear hug symbolises emotional and physical safety and is a warm, comforting gesture of affection or support.

To kick this set of designs off I wanted to depict a mother bear hugging their cub in a protective bear hug, as it fits so well with this theme. The soft pink background and the two hearts add to the warm cozy vibe of this design. You could make this into a card to send to a friend who is in need of some moral support, to show them that you’re thinking of them and that you’re there for them.

For the circular ‘Stitchables’ shape I wanted to design a cute little bear which perhaps looks more like a teddy bear than a real bear. When I was a child myself and my sister had a whole family of teddy bears to play with, with clothes that my mum had made for them. I still have a couple of the bears at my mum’s house, sitting on the bed in the spare room. This bear looks a little bit like one of my childhood teddy bears, so I must have channeled some memories of them when I was sketching out this design! The heart and flowers add a whimsical touch to this sweet design and make it extra cute.

When thinking of other imagery to include in this design set I thought about the wider picture, such as what bears eat and where they live. An obvious link to bees is honey - so this design features a honey bee. My bee has a smiley face and a rounded body, giving it a cartoon style, which will appeal to children as well as adults. The flowers in the background tie it in with the other designs that include floral elements.

As we know, bears live in the woods, but they also venture out onto grasslands too. Wild flowers often grow in this habitat and you’ll also see many butterflies fluttering amongst them. In this design a butterfly hovers amongst the flowers, creating a pretty, colourful design. The pale blue background suggests a warm summer sky and a feeling of harmony.

So, to sum up, this set of designs features bears, flowers and bees, so you should find something that inspires you to stitch them up. I hope you enjoy these designs!