A Giveaway: The Three Bears Sleeping Bag PDF Pattern

I thought that with Christmas rapidly approaching, I might do a giveaway of my Three Bears Sleeping Bag pattern, just because these beds make such a lovely gift for small (and even not so small) children. Just say hello in the comments to enter (or make a suggestion on the conundrum below if you happen to have any ideas). I'll choose three entries to receive a copy of the PDF pattern, so do make sure you leave a way of my contacting you, if it isn't easily discoverable online. As you'll see further down in this post, these sleeping bags are good for any kind of creature and I've also written a post to help you solve any fitting problems for irregularly shaped animals, entitled Unwieldy Antlers and Other Sizing Issues.

So, to the conundrum I mentioned above: I wondered if you have any memorable gift ideas for marking a big-round-number-birthday? When my husband celebrated his thirtieth birthday, I gave him a box filled with thirty pebbles, each with one of his best qualities, or one my favourite memories of him, written on in silver ink. To celebrate Nell's first birthday, I created a book for him that told the story of her first year with us, which he loved (there is nothing quite so good as giving someone a gift that leaves them watery eyed!). I'd like to do something similarly personal to mark his fortieth birthday which falls just after Christmas, but I don't feel like I've settled on the perfect idea yet. I've been thinking of making a photo book with a few photos taken from each year; making another handmade shirt (just one though, not forty, with a birthday message stitched somewhere inconspicuous inside); asking my children to reshoot spelling out a message throwing body shapes; or doing some other variation around the stitched lined paper theme, but I'd really love to hear any of your own creative ideas that you might have stored up for marking someone's birthday in a special way as I'd love some inspiration.

Anyway, back to the sleeping bags! I thought you might like to see some of the amazing sleeping bags others have made from this pattern. It's so much fun seeing them all lined up together; the same, but also completely unique, each with their own creature nestled inside that's special to someone somewhere in the world. The bag above is made by Nicola Berry (whose child has exactly the same bear as my own daughter, which features in the photo at the top of this post!). Here are some more lovelies from my Flickr pool and sent to me via email:

From left to right, sleeping bags have been made by Julie Bridgeman; Bridgid Todd; Nicola Berry; Chris Best; Elizabeth; Wendy Rabung.

Although it's called the Three Bears sleeping bag pattern, it seems that it's less often bears that reside in the beds; when I was looking through my Flickr pool I noticed that monkeys feature very heavily.

From left to right, sleeping bags have been made by Julie Bridgeman, Katie B, Stacey Pinique, Julie Bridgeman

And here are some other creatures in their bags:

Jamie Seifert, Libby Dillard, Katie Allcorn, Mysedan1, Katie B, Chris Best, Lila James, Sally, Heather, Julie Bridgeman, Stacey Pinique, Jamie Seifert. 

Aren't they all glorious! And below are some close ups of the incredible detail people have added to their sleeping bags - the hedgehog is paper pieced (even though it looks so perfect that it actually seems like it's printed). The embroidered flower on the pillow blows me away - I would love to put my head on that if it was bear-sized.

Julie Bridgeman, Wendy Rabung, Bridgid Todd, Noemilopez91

As per previous roundups, Heather Ross fabric features heavily and rather magnificently (the fabric used on the second photo down in this post, as well as the trio below are all made from Heather Ross designs). I still rue the fact that I've never had any of her designs in my stash - an anomaly that I can't make sense of.

I think that's it for now. Thank you to everyone who has made things from this pattern and shared photos with me (irrespective of whether it's appeared here!) - I absolutely love seeing them all and hope that you don't mind that I've shared your sewing here.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment saying hello or make a suggestion on the conundrum I mentioned earlier in the post and I'll announce a winner soon.

Florence x

UPDATED: This giveaway is now closed. Thank you so much for your lovely comments and ideas. The winners are: Teresa Stanulis, Sarah-Lou and Winter Tree - I'll email your patterns to you today. Thank you so much for taking part. x