Tarkheena Crafts

Memory Bear

“Papa Bear” is a memory bear made from upcycled clothing or other textiles coordinated with faux fur, minky, or fleece. Memory Bears are an ideal way to remember a loved one who has passed on, or create as a special keepsake from a favorite blanket or outgrown outfit.
If you commission a memory bear, you send me the garment or blanket that you want to remember, and I work with you to chose coordinating fabrics. I am sure to incorporate buttons and other garment details whenever practical.
Obviously the most important criteria is that the garment or blanket you choose is meaningful to you, but ideal options include button-down shirts in cotton or flannel with relatively small patterns. Woven and knit fabrics are both useable, but T-shirts with large text or logos may not be a good fit for this project. A large men’s button-down shirt should provide enough fabric for 2-3 bears.

Papa Bear comes in two sizes: about 9 inches, and about 12 inches. He has safety eyes and nose and may optionally include a pocket on his back. Pattern by Fostering Sewing
Standard prices begin at $65 for a 9 inch bear and $80 for a 12 inch bear.
Email Me to get a custom quote for your project. Please be sure to mention what type of garment or blanket you hope to use and include a photo if practical.

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Wendel the Snow Owl

Wendell the Snowy Owl lives near the North Pole. He makes his home in the grasslands where there are few trees - but plenty of voles and lemmings for his hungry family! Sometimes Wendell, tiring of the cold and featureless tundra, ventures far afield, looking for adventure. He hasn't made it south of British Columbia yet, but hopes someday to visit Hawaii!
While proud of his distant cousin Hedwig, Wendell does not personally wish to pursue a career in mail delivery.

Wendell is about 8 inches high. Pattern by Choly Knight. Owls may be commissioned in a wide variety of colors and fabrics, beginning at $45. For an extra $5 your owl may be partially filled with rice or cracked corn, allowing it to be warmed in the microwave and used as a heating pad.
Email Me to commission Wendel or a wing-mate.

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Pokemon

Whether your favorite is Pikachu or Charizard, Eevee or Snorlax, Bulbasaur, Lapras, or Dratini, a pokemon can be sewn to order for you!*

Pokemon patterns are 8 to 12 inches high depending on pattern. They are sewn from the highest quality minky or fleece available in my area.
Disclaimer: I do not have patterns for all possible pokemon. Please see Choly Knight's site for patterns I have access to.
Unfortunately the closure of my favorite fabric stores in 2025 has made it harder to source specific colors and textures in remnant amounts, and I may have to increase the price for certain pokemon if the fabric it needs no longer exists locally.
Pokemon also vary greatly in sewing complexity, so prices start around $50 for Charmander and top out around $85 for Lapras.
Email Me for a quote on your own favorite pocket monster.

* Available Pokemon as of 2025: Pikachu, Dragonite, Legendary Birds, Charizard, Arcanines, Eevees / Eveelutions, Mikmikyu, Squirtle, Snorlax, Gengar, Mew, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Vulpix, Dratini, Dragonair, Lapras, Jigglipuff
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About My Prices

If you are anything like me, you may experience a bit of sticker shock when you browse the prices for my custom plush creations. You know that a cute, decent plush can be purchased for $25 or less practically anywhere, and wonder why you would pay 2 to 5 times that amount for one of mine.

This is a very valid question!
For many of us, there is little reason to buy a hand-sewn plush if you can get the exact plush you want at Target. My own children have plenty of Squishmallows in addition to their custom dragons, Pokemon, and memory bears. So why would you buy one of mine?
Either

1. You personally value artisan made, heirloom quality crafts
2. You cannot source the item that you at the quality you want from a mass retailer

Mass-produced plushes can be sold for a few dollars because of the huge economies of scale at every step from fabric to labor to shipping. Mine are made one at a time from fabrics purchased a yard (or less!) at a time. I shop sales, but my materials still range from $10 to $45/yard. Every piece is individually cut and then hand or machine sewn. A medium plush can take anywhere from 3 to 8 hours to cut and sew.

Teens get paid $15/hour or more to flip burgers and serve chicken sandwiches. And you know that if you hire a kitchen remodeler, furnace repairman, or plumber, you will pay closer to $100/hour. I am valuing my own time at about $20/hour, and don’t attempt to calculate shopping for materials, advertising, or trips to the post office.
To go back to the fast food example, I love Chick-Fil-A as much as the next person, possibly more. But I also occasionally splurge on a filet mignon from a good restaurant at 5 times the cost. Sometimes it’s worth it. I’d like to think that my custom made plushes and memory bears are sometimes worth it as well!
When you Email Me to commission a plushie, I will take plenty of time to be sure that I understand your requirements and desires. If necessary I will email your photos of available fabrics or of similar plushies to the one you are comissioning.
And, of course, I will let you know my price. Before I begin your project I will ask for 50% up front. You pay the remainder at shipping time.
I accept cash, Venmo, and Zelle. I do not accept PayPal.
Actual shipping costs are paid by the customer. Pick-up or delivery may be available in the Beaverton, OR area.

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Neck Dragons

DJ is a Neck Dragon, a weighted, rice-filled plush that may be warmed in the microwave to provide soothing heat around your shoulders or anywhere else. DJ loves hugs, video games, and chocolate ice cream, just like me!
DJ and her kin come in endless colors and varieties. There are western and eastern species which can be winged, spiked, horned, or fuzzy. Even Dratini and Dragonair can make an appearance as a neck dragon. Your imagination is the limit!

Neck Dragons are made from minky, faux fur, or fleece and filled with about 2 C of plain rice in addition to plenty of regular stuffing. They may be warmed for 1:30 in the microwave. Total weight is around 1.5 lbs.
Prices start at $45 and top out around $65 depending on accessories like wings, spikes, horns, etc.
Email Me to comission a neck dragon!

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Custom Creations

Please, Email Me if you would like to comission something you do not see here. From Mr. Tumnus to a fuzzy platypus that zips into its own egg, from farm animals to jackalopes to cats and bigfoots, I probably have a pattern for it somewhere.

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