Catch-up post!
(And I made some ACTUAL GARMENTS and they turned out OK, so I'll post about those later. Very exciting. But first, gifts!)
I made Cation Designs' awesome all-purpose plushie pattern in Very Serious Bunny and Stoic Doggie as Christmas presents for my niece and nephew.
I absolutely love this pattern. It's ingeniously drafted: One body pattern + various switchable ears, paws, and expressions = 7 different animals. It took an afternoon to make each, mostly because I couldn't get the hang of the ladder stitch -- lame, I know. After several tries, I wound up just topstitching the opening closed with matching thread.
To the review:
Pattern Description:
Cation Designs' free All-Purpose Plushie Pattern, downloadable as a PDF.
Pattern Sizing:
One size with switchable parts
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
They looked more or less like the pictures on her blog, so I was happy.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, absolutely.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
It's a really simple, quick make with lots of options -- one body pattern + ears, paws, tails and noses to make 7 different animals. Easy to sew, adorable, and small enough to make with scraps.
If I could do one thing over again, I'd splay the ears and paws a bit wider before sewing everything together -- they tended to tighten up when I stitched (as you can see from Mr. Bunny's legs -- although I don't think the recipient minded).
Fabric Used:
Bunny: Wool dyed with purple basil
Doggie: Wool dyed with dyer's coreopsis
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I topstitched the opening with matching thread instead of using a ladder stitch.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, absolutely; it's a quick, easy, fun make, and perfect for gifts.
Conclusion:
Mr. Bunny went to live with my niece; his new official title is Dora-the-Explorer Watcher. Mr. Doggie went to live with my eight-month-old nephew, who named him Baa.
**********
I also made this pencil roll for my mother-in-law.
She's in assisted living and uses a wheelchair. A couple of years ago I made her a Kindle cover (just a padded envelope, with a snap), but when we went to visit, she was using it as a sort of clutch to carry around pens and pencils and change and stuff.
So I thought I'd make her an actual pencil roll. I used quilting fabric and batting, stitched three pockets and added two long pieces of ribbon at one end so she could roll it up and tie it.
She does a lot of journal-writing, crossword puzzles, and Sudoku, so I added a small blank book, pens and pencils, a pencil sharpener and eraser.
She liked it (that's the word, anyway), so yay. I hope she can use it.
**********
And also, finally, I made catnip fleecy blankets for the kitties at our local shelter. No pictures, but they're super-simple:
Next up -- I made stuff by Alabama Chanin! And Drape Drape! Which should be interesting, because I just spilled coffee on my keyboard and the p doesn't work anymore.
(And I made some ACTUAL GARMENTS and they turned out OK, so I'll post about those later. Very exciting. But first, gifts!)
I made Cation Designs' awesome all-purpose plushie pattern in Very Serious Bunny and Stoic Doggie as Christmas presents for my niece and nephew.
 |
| Serious! Stoic! |
 |
| Bun bun and doggie tail. |
To the review:
Pattern Description:
Cation Designs' free All-Purpose Plushie Pattern, downloadable as a PDF.
Pattern Sizing:
One size with switchable parts
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
They looked more or less like the pictures on her blog, so I was happy.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, absolutely.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
It's a really simple, quick make with lots of options -- one body pattern + ears, paws, tails and noses to make 7 different animals. Easy to sew, adorable, and small enough to make with scraps.
If I could do one thing over again, I'd splay the ears and paws a bit wider before sewing everything together -- they tended to tighten up when I stitched (as you can see from Mr. Bunny's legs -- although I don't think the recipient minded).
Fabric Used:
Bunny: Wool dyed with purple basil
Doggie: Wool dyed with dyer's coreopsis
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I topstitched the opening with matching thread instead of using a ladder stitch.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, absolutely; it's a quick, easy, fun make, and perfect for gifts.
Conclusion:
Mr. Bunny went to live with my niece; his new official title is Dora-the-Explorer Watcher. Mr. Doggie went to live with my eight-month-old nephew, who named him Baa.
**********
I also made this pencil roll for my mother-in-law.
So I thought I'd make her an actual pencil roll. I used quilting fabric and batting, stitched three pockets and added two long pieces of ribbon at one end so she could roll it up and tie it.
 | |||||||||
| Not the best picture, I know, but here's how it looks when it's tied. |
She liked it (that's the word, anyway), so yay. I hope she can use it.
**********
And also, finally, I made catnip fleecy blankets for the kitties at our local shelter. No pictures, but they're super-simple:
- Acquire fleecy blanket remnant from Jo-Ann's.
- Cut into rectangles.
- Sew right sides together, leaving opening at one end.
- Trim and clip corners and turn out
- Add a little dried catnip. How much depends on the size of your blankie; probably not more than 1/8 cup.
- Tuck opening edges under and topstitch all the way around, using a short stitch and clipping loose threads so kitty isn't inclined to pull them out. (5a: Watch kitty FREAK OUT when s/he realizes you're sewing with catnip.)
- Place on any available surface. Watch kitty go nuts/nap.
Next up -- I made stuff by Alabama Chanin! And Drape Drape! Which should be interesting, because I just spilled coffee on my keyboard and the p doesn't work anymore.
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