Monday 8 February 2010

A softie day......

Sunday (and Saturday night) turned into a completely softie day here in my little sewing studio.

I have a number of exciting new ventures which I can't tell you about yet.....but at least here is the beginning of one of them..

You might remember my doll making from before and thus eventually the Pipples arrived.

Well, the softie-maker in me was still not happy, not completely fulfilled - I wanted to make a softie with character, using all the lovely fabrics that I have stashed away......
So Sunday was the day for it - I started by looking through some vintage teddy and soft toy making books, then sketched a rough idea of what I wanted and drew a pattern and made these little chaps here....
I experimented with their faces, I liked the open eyes better and the effect I got from using the free-motion embroidery foot on my machine. But, the softie in my head needed to be bigger.....so I looked at my Lucie Attwell books for a bit of inspiration and decided to make a Pixie...... at least that was the idea! He looks a little scary I think!!I think it's the eyes!! And maybe the mouth!So then I went back and made the first ones a bit bigger! The idea was to make the prototypes out of any old fabric until I found the right shape, and then to let loose on the lovely stuff!!! Hmm!!
The lovely soft furry fleece was calling me!!! I made the next one out of it!!
The only thing I can say, is that I have learned that the fleece will be lovely when I get the pattern right!!!! (DON"T mention the arms!!!!!!) I wanted them a bit longer, I said a bit longer!
However, how cool is it that he can do this?!!He looked a little fed up so I made him a friend to get away from the pattern! A little oblong friend.Then I had a cup of tea, and a biscuit or two......and, not one to give up, I tried again. This little chap looks more or less exactly as he had in my head. He's called Olivier, after Lawrence, and because he's Olive Green. I LOVE him!! Okay, maybe the arms are still a little long but he's very cute. So that's how I spent my Sunday. Hope yours was good! Obviously, being me, I am now addicted to making these creatures and I made little Olivier a friend, just so he had someone to talk to, you understand. OOooh and I named them - meet the Luvvies!!! (They have a love heart on their front and another little one on their tush!!!)

12 comments:

  1. Geez Tanya, that's what you did with your Sunday. I did the ironing and made a ham. Feeling like a huge under achiever now.
    I get easily freaked out by softies, love the materials used and the name is fab!
    We're all on tenderhooks waiting for the Pipple re-name!
    XX

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  2. Tanya, I've gotta ask - how do you fit everything in?! I don't think I could make one in a couple of days, let alone the amount you've made!!

    They're fab - I especially love Olivier.

    x

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  3. I love oliver luvvie...oooo trying saying that without your teeth in, go girl, your on a roll, fantastic xx:)

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  4. So adorable! And the fed up one. I want to call him "Hurumph". I think he's Scottish to tell you the truth. And while the open eyes are very cute I think the line eyes give the first one a lovely thoughtful look to him!

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  5. I love the luvvies -- they are adorable -- and you told the story of making them in such a fun way -- made me smile inside and laugh outside : )

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  6. These guys are so unbelievably cute. I love the way your mind works.

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  7. They are sweet. I love the heart on the outside. Just waiting to have secrets shared with.

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  8. gorgeous! I love the folded long arms too!

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  9. I giggled when I saw the guy with his arms folded. He has so much personality.

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  10. I love them, the green combination is my cup of tea, Clever girl! Fantastic fabric! xx

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  11. That sounds like an amazing Sunday to me! Cute blog!

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