Sunday, March 29, 2009

Bee-Bah Bee-Bah Emergency tutorial

The emergency is an impending little boys First birthday.


What started out as plan to make a little soft car, grew into a personalised ambulance.
Someone recently told me this was an organic approach to creating.....OK......I just think its cause I make it up as a go along - but organic sounds good doesn't it???

I took a few slap-dash pics as I went along, thinking that I might want to make a few more variations, so if you would like to join me, I present you with the ambulance - a - long!


Draw your idea of a car, truck or bus as seen from the side. Don't get too technical.
With fabric right sides together cut out 2 of these shapes. These measurements include the seam allowance.


Iron some vliesofix, wunder-under or double sided adhesive to the WRONG side of your feature fabrics (i.e the wheels, crosses)

Peel of the backing and iron them into place on your ambulance shape. Leave a little gap around the wheels when you iron them in place - this will get taken up in your seam allowance.


I ironed some stabiliser to the back of my ambulance shape as well to help my stitching sit on top. Sew your pieces in place.

This white piece measure 3 1/4 inches x 13 inches .

add to each end of this a piece in black measuring 3 1/4 x 6 inches. This is the centre panel or body of your ambulance.



With right sides together (yes I stabilised the strip as well), start pinning your strip to the ambulance. Start with the white fabric just above the front wheel. The idea is to have the underside of the ambulance black (so it shows the dirt less).. Really , the whole idea of a white toy is totally stupid and I know that but hey....I'm being organic! (No really I just like red crosses on white)

Keep pinning



Once you have pinned all the way around to the next black piece gently turn the ambulance right sides out.
Now you can mark on some ambulance (or car) features with a water soluble marker. I added doors and indicated where I needed the front bumper and windscreen to be.

Sew those details on and remove the water soluble marker.

The windscreen, is a photo printed onto ink jet printable fabric, vliesofixed into place and covered with a piece of thin clear PVC.

Now simply pin and stitch the strip to the right sides of both sides of your ambulance.

Make sure you start at the same point on both sides and the centre panel so you don't go skewiff.
Sew all the way around , leaving the join in the centre of the two wheels. As you can see the black is a bit long - I was just guessing and I do like to overestimate.
Trim off the excess, leaving at least a 1/4 inch for turning under.

Clip clip clip those seams - I know it is a pain in the butt - but it really does help....

Turn out through the gap in the bottom, stuff and close the gap with a ladder stitch.

The siren/lights thingo is just a rectangle of felt, stuffed and hand-stitched to the roof.


Hmmm, I wonder if he would also like a bus ?
Wouldn't a rocket be cute with a little face looking out a round window?
Herbie the Love bug for newlyweds? .......
A bus with photos of the whole family?
Ok. I'll stop now.

69 comments:

  1. The photo really makes this piece. I'll have to try it out some day!

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  2. wow this is super duper cute Jodie!! your other ideas sound wonderful too a rocket a love bug yes yes go on you know you want to....!!!!!

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  3. You never cease to amaze me.

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  4. OMG comment........I just don't know how you keep coming up with ideas..........go girl.......

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  5. and you did this while simmering?!

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  6. Super cute Jod - he'll love it.

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  7. Too cute.
    I love it!!!
    Andi :-)

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  8. Completely ingenious and very organic darling!

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  9. Totally brilliant! Lucy xxxx

    P.S so much for being in a slump!

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  10. I'm thrilled about this ambulance....and especially by the driver. What a great idea and you even shared it - how sweet of you :0)

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  11. that's such a lovely idea - i bet the boy in question loves it!

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  12. Thanks so much for this tutorial! Is so easy to follow and so fun!
    Thanks!

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  13. I am yet again rendered speechless. It doesn't happen often, you know.

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  14. This is just great! You made me smile as I read.

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  15. Love it - think we need one or a couple around here - the girls would love them ( so would my ambo volunteer husband!) Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Its absolutely ace! The cute photo is such a great idea. Love to have a crack at your tutorial - the boys would sooo adore this. Though after our tour of a fire station this morning, I'd be afraid there might also be complicated requests for a turntable ladder appliance and a pumping apparatus!!

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  17. Thanks for sharing this idea, you are so clever and creative and make some great things.

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  18. You really do have some fantastic ideas! It looks great.

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  19. Very cute ambulance! I love the bus idea!

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  20. Oh my goodness!!
    This is the best idea! I am off to the fabric stash as we speak.

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  21. See. This is what happens when you leave things to stew!

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  22. That is adorable! My DS is a caraholic! I bet your son will LOVE this! :)

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  23. love the photo idea...how cute is that...
    i made some caravans with the same sewing idea...and yes it is a very good idea to pin and mark as you sew the centre panel...i have gone of course a few times begin in a rush and not pinning...

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  24. Slow simmer? Doesn't look that way! The ambulance driver looks rather serious. Hope he wasn't impaled with a needle.

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  25. Very cool!!! We know so many little boys, so I'm always happy to find a sewing project that suits a little guy.

    Posted a link on Craft Gossip Sewing Blog: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-softi…gift-emergencytutorial-softie-ambulance-for-a-gift-emergency/2009/03/29/
    --Anne

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  26. Oh, if only I had the patience/time/creativity/ability - our little 16 month old LOVES ambulances (and buses). I'm sure your recipient will adore it, especially with his photo on there.

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  27. Oh fab!! You are so very clever and that little chap is going to love his new toy :-)

    xxx

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  28. Ooh, ooh, the rocket, definitely the rocket... ahem, not that I'm an under 5 year old... but still!

    You clearly simmer well! Must be the wine added..!

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  29. A very cool idea. My grandson is only 3 weeks, but they grow fast. I will have to try this. Thank you!

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  30. That is so very cute! I am sure you will make many more wonderful things for your little one!

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  31. Thats a very cool idea! I also like your idea for a herbie the lovebug with photo for a newlywed couple. So cute!

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  32. Love it. So do we take it you are now off simmer and onto a rolling boil again with your crafting...vbg.

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  33. I don't think you ever lost your mojo! Great ambulance!
    Where do get the PVC from?

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  34. you, my friend, are an absolute genius. genius. it's frightening.

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  35. The bus with everyone in the family would be a big hit with my four year old! I just may need to try it. Thanks Jodie

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  36. that is adorable and thanks for sharing.you are sooo clever!!..any chance of a plane? kaz

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  37. That is DARLING! I am so impressed that you managed to come up with this so fast-wow! I'll be linking.

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  38. Super cute Jodie - looks so squishy and huggable :-) Thanks for sharing the How-to!

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  39. Great one Jodie, it certainly beats mine http://snailblazer.blogspot.com/2008/04/softie-swap.html

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  40. Fantastic! You are amazing and oh-so-clever. This gift is sure to be a hit.

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  41. BRILLIANT! you brilliant thing

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  42. I love it! Such a great idea, you're so clever!!

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  43. This will be one of those toys that never leaves the child's hand, and they'll have to pry it away at bathtime.

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  44. This is so cute and so creative! Love it!

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  45. So freakin' CUTE Ms. RicRac! And I REALLY love the little family bus idea -- what a fabulous idea!

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  46. This is every boy's fantasty come true. It is just darling!

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  47. Oh, Jodie, is that not the cutest thing EVER? I love it! And what a perfect gift. Thanks for the tutorial, too- so easy to follow! You're a creative genius :-)

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  48. That is wonderful. I'm sure he will love it.

    Do you mind if I like back to it?

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  49. I love love love this! SO CUTE!

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  50. I love it... and a rocket would be very cool. So much inspiration Jodie. You are amazing!

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  51. I am impressed by your ability to be organic and at the same time organised enough to take photos. Those two things live in different parts of my brain. Love the result, lucky kid.

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  52. WOW!!!! This is 'organic living' at its best :D
    That little boy is going to be SO impressed. Very inspirational!

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  53. Jodie, is there anything you can't do? This is fabulous!

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  54. What a fabulous idea. I could just imagine a bright blue rocket with yellow stars on it and a red edging for the windows. You make such clever creations and I am sure the one year old will be a lucky little boy to receive such a special gift from you.

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  55. Jodie, I have an issue, maybe you could help me. I tried to do a car starting from this tutorial,but i can't sew the edges all around without the fabric to fold. I pinned first the two sides, but couldnt work with the sewing machine, after that i sew it by hand to make them stable. My car is a disaster. How can i do it right?

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  56. This is fabulous! What a perfect present for a little boy!

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  57. Pretty desingns! Unusual and sweet

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  58. Hi,
    Your tutorials are awesome. I am planning to make an ambulance and I shall post the snap :)

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  59. Very cute!
    & I did this with a Rocket ship & a face looking out of the window!
    See here...
    http://fell4ucraftystuff.blogspot.com/2009/05/brandons-toys-my-kitchen.html

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  60. Thank you very much for the tutorial and pattern. I have constructed a model that tries to look like something you teach in your blog.Lo I posted on my blog. Can you go to see my ... "his" ambulance.
    Thanks again and greetings

    my blog http://poquitoapoco-loly.blogspot.com.es/

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Hellloooooo !!!!