Bearing burden of pain
"The people who need a bear must deeply miss the person that passed away," she says, adding that she wants to make every bear unique.
Inspired by the clothing that her clients send, every bear is not just a toy, but represents a precious memory with deep love for the deceased.
Even when some clothing is not easy to sew, she has never asked clients for alternate material, because she "thinks the selected clothing must have a special memory or meaning to the owner".
Every time she sews, she will imagine what the owner of the clothing was like by considering their story, or their relationship with the client.
Although she seldom talks about these things with clients, in some cases, like Li's, Xiao cannot hold back her tears when people share their stories.
"She is a very brave and strong woman, whose husband is a real hero. … I am not good at comforting people, so I can only show my respect and blessing through my craft," Xiao says, adding that, although the characters stitched on the back are not so neatly sewn, she wants the bear to be distinctive.
