Free Form Sewing

That's what I'm calling it because I didn't use a pattern. I just laid the fabric out, drew on it, cut it out and sewed it together. I'm happy with how he turned out.


He is for a friend of Wren's who is throwing a super hero party.


Of course, you can see the influences from here, here and here. It was great fun letting the creative juices flow, using what I've learned and seen, but trying to make something of my own.


Violet really wanted to be a part of the photo shoot.

Christmas Gift List, Halloween. Wow, It Must Be Sept.

I'm starting on Christmas gifts. Here's what I'm doing so far.


This portable doll house for Violet from UK lass in US.


From mmmcrafts. I've just got to make these for the kids. I'll do a boy version with removable pants for Wren.


I really like this double sided cable scarf from Sweater Surgery.


This is what I want to make for Violet's Halloween costume from Wee Wonderfuls. Wren's costume idea changes weekly, so I'm not sure what that one is going to be.


Last year he was the Prince from Katamari. I also crocheted the Prince for him from a pattern I bought from anapauloli on Etsy.

Things have been extra busy here. Wren is starting kindergarten next week and Violet is going to preschool. It feels like the end of an era for me, life is never going to be the same. It is going to be all about school for the next 15 years or so.

I've been at home with my kids since the beginning and this is a bit of a hard transition for me. On one hand, I'm thinking about all the time I'm going to have for myself. On the other hand, I'm really going to miss Wren. He is going to be in school for 6 hours a day! That is 30 hours a week! Violet will only be going for 5 hours a week, so she will keep me company. I think she will miss her little buddy too though.

Ta Da!

This green bunny was given to Violet's now 3 yr old friend yesterday. The two of them were giving the bunnies shoulder rides around the park and pushing them in the swing. Super cute!





I made a couple of changes with green bunny. I thinned out the arms and legs by decreasing earlier and attached the arms a tad lower than at the neck. The ears are a big difference, I made them wider and attached them facing out. I used felt to make green bunny's face and attached it on with permanent fabric glue. I found it is hard to embroider much detail directly onto the crochet stitches.

To make the bunnies, I used this basic amigurumi pattern from Crochet Me and just adapted the arms and legs and made up the ears. If anyone would like me to go into more detail about my changes, please let me know and I'd be happy to!

It really doesn't take long to make, it is only single crochet stitches in the round. You can take this pattern and make what ever you dream up.

A Look At Blue Bunny

This is Blue Bunny, my first amigurumi. Violet loves Blue Bunny. I look at Blue Bunny and see all the things about it I want to change. It has pretty wonky ears, and I tried so hard to get its face just so.

Well, now is my chance. I'm going to make one as a gift for one of Violet's friends. I will keep most things the same, I'm just hoping to make it better.

Once I've finished, I will post the pattern for all to use.

Forced to Craft

I came home with this book from the library the other day. It is very cute, set up like a comic book of instructions on how to make all these cute useful things like tissue holders and water bottle covers. The book is narrated by two rabbits named White Rabbit and Brown Bunny.

Wren got a hold of the book and informed me that he wanted me to make everything for him right now. And specifically he wanted me to make him one of the rabbits, right now. Telling him it wasn't actually possible for me to make them all for him, right now, was not getting through. Desperate to stop the demands, I started searching for a way to appease him. I spotted some terry cloth that had been in the closet for quite a few years, it was finally destined to become something. A rabbit, right now!


Here you have it, White Rabbit!


White Rabbit with a shirt made from one of my socks.



I really like how they turned out. Although, the terry cloth was a little hard to sew through, especially at the arms and legs where there were four layers. I was worried for my sewing machine! I made Violet one and used corduroy for the body, which was much better. Luckily, they came together pretty fast and Wren has been appeased. For now, at least!

Dot - Prototype #1

Here it is! My first attempt at turning my sketch into a real toy.



Here is the sketch again, for comparison.



I think its pretty good for the first try. Although, she looks more like a cross between Humpty Dumpty and an M&M than what I'm going for. Wren said it looks like an astronaut, I can see that. Actually, his vision is closer to what I want the finished toy to look like.



I am pleased with how the face came out though. I was reading FutureGirl craft blog and read about her method for tracing a picture on to tear away stabilizer and then embroidering over the top. Brilliant! I used tissue paper from our stash of wrapping supplies and it worked great.

Alright, back to the drawing board, I need to write down my thoughts for changes before they get lost in the chaos that is my mind.

Meet The Bunnies

I have finished them! It is actually a coincidence that these are going to be for Easter, but the timing will make it more fun. Wren spotted them at the Wee Wonderfuls Store while I was roaming around looking at patterns. I'm pretty sure that he was describing this bunny when he was telling me that he does not like skinny dolls with long arms.



I do have the same sentiments as Roxanne at Craft Addictions though. These are from me, not the Easter Bunny!

Bunnies! One Down, One To Go

Well, almost done! This is the Big Footed Bunny, another great pattern by Hillary Lang over at Wee Wonderfuls. This is the second thing I've made using a pattern written by Hillary. The first being the cute make along dolls. The patterns are very well written and easy to follow. It has been a while since I have sewn and I was able to pick it right up with these thorough instructions.

I think I am actually going to have the bunnies finished for Easter!

Spring! And Some Craftiness

I couldn't help myself, the blossoms are here!

These yellow flowers are on a small bush in our yard.



These lovely pink ones are across the street.



Here is Wren playing in our soon to be garden box. We really need to get the kids a sandbox!

I had a great time yesterday at the CRAFT magazine release party. Pictures and details can be found here. I'm partially in one of the pictures, the one with the red shirt making pantyhose flowers. I'm sitting next to my friend Lissa who joined me on the outing.

There are so many great projects in this issue. I've been wanting to make bean bags for the kids, and there is this great article on how to make the cutest Japanese juggling toys.

There are also instructions for a nice wrap around skirt, beginner or advanced. This can help me on my way to a funkier wardrobe!

Bad Hair Day!

Not me, the doll.

I am following instructions from this book I found at Knittn' Kitten.


I totally remember that kitchen witch! I think my mom made one.

It says to "take desired yarn and wrap around the head: stitch here and there to keep from slipping." I think I'm following the directions correctly.



"Cut yarn 12" long. Tack to the center top of head in bunches of 6."



Doing it this way doesn't cover up the hair I wrapped around her head, and I don't think I did that part well enough to have it show!

After a bit of searching, I have found this very visual tutorial. I'm going to start over and try some of these techniques.

The hair will have to wait though, because this weekend I'm starting on some bunnies for the kids for Easter and I'm heading over to the CRAFT magazine release party at Twisted.

Work in Progress

This doll is from Toys to Sew by Claire Garland. She's quite the long and lanky girl, but I managed to get all of her into a picture!

The pattern seemed easy enough, just a body, arms and legs. But the instructions stopped short of explaining exactly how to attach the appendages to the body and there isn't a picture of the bare doll anywhere in the book. I managed well enough with the arms, but attaching the legs was a different story. I uttered repeatedly "I have no idea what I'm doing!" while trying to wrangle the long legs and attach them to the torso. I think they turned out looking alright. I just hope they hold up to a bit of tugging and flinging around.

Now that I've got her sewn up, I get to give her some personality! Her hair will be the biggest challenge. There are also a lot of fun patterns for doll clothes in this book, some of them using parts from your children's old clothes. Great idea!

I was all ready to make one for each of the kids, but Wren informed me that he only likes dolls with short arms and soft bodies and ones that wear little pants. Now I know!

A Present for Lane

I have been wanting to get some practice sewing dolls. This guy would actually be called a softie, or a plushie. He's a green monster with long limbs. I like the dolls and things that I have seen with elbows and knees which look to me like a line sewn across the limb. I stuffed the arms and legs and sat down in front of my sewing machine. As I was trying to figure out how I was going to get this puffy limb under the foot of the machine, I realized that it might have been easier to stuff the end, sew across, and then finish stuffing the rest. I managed by pinching down where I wanted to sew and then shaking the heck out of the limb until it would fit. I'm not sure how it's supposed to be done. I mean, that could be the correct method. I can just imagine the directions "shake arm vigorously until desired thickness".



I think he turned out pretty cute though. If he were mine, I would name him Clyde. But we will have to see what Lane names him.

Which brings me to something that I've thought about a lot, giving a name to a creature I've made for someone else. It's very common, the creators name the object they have created, even giving it an elaborate character bio. This may help with endearing someone to buy it. It could also be fun. But I often wonder if it takes away from a child's experience of being able to fantsize and create their own name and elaborate story. Or it could be the start of the story that they can expand. I usually leave the creatures unnamed. In the case of my own children, almost everything ends up being named after themselves. So narcissistic!

Where I make dolls

I saw these dolls at Wee Wonderfuls and had to make them. They are part of a Make-a-long Story and are named Olive and Archie. Those are cute names, especially Olive, but my kids name everything after themselves. I was going to make Wren's with brown hair, but he insisted on 'yellow'. I think he identifies himself as being a blonde. Wren picked the 'fire shirt' and Violet chose the sun pattern from Kaffe Fassett.



They were placed here by the kids. Open cupboard? Nice place to put these dolls. Maybe they are picking out something they want to bake?



These were so much fun to make. It was my first try, I love it. Now I want to sew everything! Toys, clothes, pillows, the list goes on. Where am I going to find the time?