This is my giant bag of scraps from all of the sewing I’ve done since moving here (so about a year’s worth of scraps). Olga knows that anything in this bag is fair game for her to play with, sew, or snip, so she spends a great deal of time rummaging through it, and then begging me to make something for her. This week she wanted a kitty. She’s been talking about kitties for AGES, and we’ve even talked about getting a REAL kitty soon, but for now, a fuzzy scrappy kitty will do.
The pattern is from one of my favorite sewing sites, put together by a very talented Japanese lady (and translated rather strangely in parts, so some general sewing knowledge is required to decipher some of the instructions). This kitty is actually made from an odd-ball bath towel we’ve had for a while, and which I had already put in the give-away pile. We stuffed the body and head with scraps from the scrap bag.
Olga picked out a couple of buttons (thank goodness I haven’t packed my button jars yet!) and I added some whiskers using vintage six-cord (a very heavy weight thread). And there it is, a sparkling new friend that didn’t cost a dime to make.
Sewing, Toys
If it moves and makes noise, it’s A-okay with Gavin. Today we stopped at the bookstore to pick up an order I placed last week, and to find a book about “hiss” snakes that Olga has been asking for. Gavin stopped at the train set table that is set up in the kids books section, and had such a great time playing with the trains, helicopters, and cars that I had to peel his hands off the bridge trusses to get him out of the store. We did pick out a new locomotive to bring home and add to our train set, which the kids set up as soon as we got home.
This dream of mine, Toys
My kids finally have their mama back. Deadline is over, and now I can play. Last night I peeked in the box of icky yarn (ie acrylic, weird, and unidentifiable fibers) and pulled out a few tiny balls of yarn to make finger puppets for the kids. I also pulled out a book I’ve had for a while, but never knit much from. It’s Knitted Toys by Fiona McTague, and it’s full of really cute projects, though they all require a lot of sewing up. I’m more of the "knit it in one piece, circularly, with short-rows, gussets, grafting, and anything else that will help me avoid sewing up" type. I don’t really mind the sewing up part, I just think the other way looks a little more professional, and tends to be sturdier, especially with children. But I followed the pattern exactly for this one.
I cast on for the "bunny" finger puppet while watching anime (R.O.D., if you’re wondering–that’s Read Or Die–and I’m still not sure what’s really going on, even after six episodes) and managed to knit up the body and all the ear pieces. I finished the ears, arms, pom-pom tail, and face embroidery this morning, all the while being badgered by Miss O, who hovered asking, "Are you done?" and "Is that to me?" and "Are you making my bunny?" But she did make up for it all when I presented her with the little fuzzy thing and exclaimed, "Ooh, thanks Mommy! You made me a bunny! I yike my Bunny, she’s so cuute!" Then she proceeded to show Little G the bunny and tell him all about how nice it was.
Bunny has been "following" Miss O around all morning, so I must have done okay. If I had to do it over, I’d embroider the face and sew the arms and ears on before I sewed up the back seam. I might try to pick up stitches for the arms, too, rather than knitting them separately.
*Edited 21 May to add second picture.*
Toys
When Fabulous Farm Femmes over on the MaryJane’s Farm forum said these girls looked like they should be in a band called "The Artists Who Were Formerly Nekkid," I nearly peed my pants.
Toys
Three finished, and one waiting for hair and apron.
Toys
Some nekkid dollies. Eyes are old shell buttons. They all get their elbow and knee joints next.
Toys
Miss O’s second birthday is fast approaching, and so it is time to make birthday presents. Thus, Naughty Dottie was born. E’s gramma Dot (who everyone affectionately called Naughty Dottie) passed away a few weeks ago, and to commemorate her sense of child, I decided to name this little dolly after her. Her body is muslin, her dress is cut from an old dress of mine, apron is embroidered cotton stitched to a small vintage square of filet crochet. Her pantaloons were a shirt, and they have a little lace from my "old lace" stash. She has old mother of pearl button eyes, llama wool hair, and embrodered and sewn facial features. I love her, of course, and hope she will help my daughter remember to never completely grow up.
Toys
Frannie, over at the Mary Jane’s Farm Farmgirl Connection has generously offered to teach a group of us gals to make rag dollies. I couldn’t wait to get started, so I embroidered a few little aprons for my "girls." Fabric is unbleached muslin. I just used regular old DMC embroidery floss. Went to WalMart today to buy some other dolly making stuff–some cotton osnaberg (like a loose-weave muslin), more muslin (unbleached and "tea dyed"), a bit of burlap (never worked with it before–don’t know if I’ll like it), and stuffing. Also scored some $2.00/yard poly/cotton for cowboy shirts. Yay!
Embroidery and Needlework, Sewing, Toys
