Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Experiments in softies

Can I tell you about Grocer.

Grocer is an experiment, kind of like a little detour on the way to another softie.

I made Grocer on Sunday after shopping for necessary white goods, and he came together in just an afternoon and an evening. I did not measure a single thing, I simply tipped out the wool tub , picked up an old country road skirt and got started. (but I have worked on that gusseted head shape before ).


This is sooooo not me...... I am anal. No, really apart from the whole Librarian thing , I am seriously anal, I am not good at winging it. I draw, and sew , then redraw and sew, then start again and redraw some more - Remember the 13 elephant heads for Parsley and Beet?
I blame Sooz really, she is off there being all organic and creative and making spectacularly beautiful things as she strives and experiments and learns - she blows me away.


So, Grocer was meant to be an experiment...... and experiment in leg / bum joiny bits, and experiment in neck / head joins hidden by collars and an experiment in turny up feet fold bits - really just a set of disjointed parts,


But somehow along the way Grocer became more than the sum of his experimental parts and he became himself.


Thanks Sooz !

it helps that he some of that roguish charm that we, more mature ladies, like in our softies!

74 comments:

  1. Grocer is a wonderful looking chap - and very dapper with his coat and handkerchief. I am, as always, amazed with your idea and skill.

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  2. Oh he's adorable! So so cute! I love his name as well.

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  3. Grocer is VERY handsome indeed and he loks soooo happy to be more than the sum of parts??!!!! Happy New Year Jodie, you are off to a fabulous start already (well apart from the oven thing)

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  4. OMG He is gorgeous...and yes I'm a mature lady! (At least in years ...perhaps not behaviour wise )

    Your skill and creativity is awe inspiring Jodie.

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  5. Oh Jodie! He is so adorable!

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  6. My goodness what a handsome being Grocer is. Absolutely right for us "mature" ladies. Gosh and to think a melted chopping board helped to inspire him....vbg.

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  7. He looks like such a dapper gentleman. How charming. Your skill and ability outweighs ANY kitchen disasters.
    Ab

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  8. He's so gorgeous! I imagine him with the gruff English accent of an elderly gentleman.

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  9. he is lovely, looks like a real gent!

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  10. He's gorgeous a real gentleman, he's very upper class if I may be so bold. You truly are amazing at the "things" you create.

    Bev

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  11. I fell in love with that muzzle in the first picture! He's very handsome!

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  12. He's so adorable, Jodi. Who needs a blue plastic chopping board anyway (although I hate my oven and might try your replacement strategy myself!)

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  13. Mr G is one handsome devil. You should wing it more often, you crazy, wild crafter! Imagine who else is lurking in your imagination..??!! Buther, Baker...Candlestick Maker??

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  14. I'm in love, he's gorgeous! I'm partial to a bit of roguish charm, and his coat is to die for. Well done you!!! I'm surprised you used blue fabric, I would've thought you'd shy away from blue for awhile. LOL
    It's my birthday today, so can Grocer please send me some birthday kisses?
    Kelly :-)

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  15. He is very suave - what a handsome fellow. Continue the experiments I say!

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  16. Super super duper clever work Jodie!! He is fantastic & pretty sure i have that Country Road skirt too - nice to know what else to do with it other than straight to charity when it reaches it's end. Gosh, what skill you have.
    I just posted a blog about a 1946 pig softie i found at the National Museum (ACT) as my inspiration (read: ability) & leave these amazing ones to the likes of you.
    Love Posie

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  17. Oh nothing wrong with being anal, i'm oral, chatter chatter chatter, can't you tell?? Love Posie

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  18. I think it's total bullshit that I had anything to do with it, but hell I will take any slice of credit for this masterpiece - those hands!! those hands are totally killing me! I do like the head very much, and all the other bits, but the hands. Man, you see? You just have "it". You are an artist mate, there can be no denying it when you make up shit like this. I love him and I want him.

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  19. Oh he is a handsome bear isnt he. He sort of has that Mr. Fantastic Fox charm about him doesnt he. Love his blue jacket too! I think you did very well for "winging" it!

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  20. I'm so happy that I got to meet Grocer in person..... and so bummed that I didn't think quick enough to hide him under my skirt and run off with him! I need a man with a bit of rogueish charm.

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  21. I think that this experiment worked a lot better than the cutting board in oven number. Who doesn't love a bit of rogue charm and when you have had enough of the swagger up on the shelf with him - why didn't I think of that before

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  22. Very dashing in his blue tweedy button jacket! Amazing softie skills Jodie!

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  23. as usual by the time I get here- all the obvious things have been said. he is great, gorgeous, love the name, love the details etc etc etc but to say nothing about him would be... well, rude. he is fantastic!! Love the fabric choices

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  24. What Sooz said. Totally.

    Except the taking credit part. Because you know, I had nothing to do with it. And well, all the softies I've attempted just don't come out how I intended.

    So really, it's just the bit about the hands/paws/feet. They slay me in their edible adorableness.

    And that nose is just totally smoochable. But man, he looks like he'd get into fiendish trouble.

    Reminds me a bit of the actor who plays the Fox character in the remake of Ocean's 11.

    Ok, I'm going to stop talking now.

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  25. He's quite the big spunk, then, isn't he

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  26. Nice - the little hankie in the pocket is the icing on the cake! x

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  27. it's beautiful! I also want to be able to create a character so pretty ... all mine!

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  28. He's really cool! I can't believe you just rustled him up in an afternoon. I am struggling to move beyond the flat 2D toys to make 3D shapes.....

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  29. LOVE HIM! And you've reminded me of a very fine cat I had many years ago named Grover...pitch black from head to toe, except for a very few white hairs on his chin.

    I think you do very well, just "winging it"!

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  30. "leg / bum joiny bits, and experiment in neck / head joins hidden by collars"

    I do love it when you get technical! I love his blue jacket, it's fab! Now if I was just small enough to fit it...!

    If this is you winging it... you should definitely wing it more often. With all the experience you have it should be easier for you anyway.

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  31. I looove him! He makes me think of a character in Richard Scarry's BusyTown! (My personal faves)
    BTW, Thanks for visiting my blog. It makes me feel like I've spotted a celebrity!
    WendyBee

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  32. Absolutely charming!! With a tiny Derby type hat he would even be called Dapper!
    Yvette

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  33. Grocer looks like the handsome, quiet type. I especially admire his tiny pocket handkerchief. Well played, Grocer.


    PS-I love your blog and all of your amazingly adorable creatures and sewing wonders. Seeing them always makes me smile. I'm now crazy for selvedges, as well. That dress you made is just...phenomenal...not to mention the CHAIR. WANT.

    PPS-I found you through my dear blog pal, Eleanor (from the Comment Box) who met you at the craft fair in Melbourne last year. Lucky me to benefit from your meeting!

    XX E

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  34. Oh Jodie - as a mature lady I have to say I LOVE Grocer! I totally agree with Sooz, his hands are just fab but I also love that little hankie in his pocket.

    You are so clever Boss. I mean, anyone else might never have recovered from the big blue roast fiasco but you have wiped that entirely from our memories with this feat of softie artistry.

    Nope. Can't remember a thing about the molten blue chopping board. Or the wrecked cooker. Or your brief outing as the Ballarat Poisoner.

    Very clever.

    I see what you did there.

    xxx

    p.s. word verification 'siceo' - is this how your family felt after eating the blue plastic infused roast?...that I've completely forgotten about ;)

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  35. Grocer is fabtastic Jodie - strange name, but fab looker!

    But now I have been distracted by Missus Moogs comment and can't concentrate.............

    Nope, sorry, still sniggering........

    Locket xx

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  36. gorgeous! he's a cute little dude!

    corrie:)

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  37. wow he is great you are very talented, you were really in the zone. I'm not sure I could do such a great job with a pattern! Good on you.

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  38. Very debonair Jod!! He could be the next James Bond boy!!

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  39. Happy New Year jodie. I love Grocer, and his organic birth - organic works well for you.

    Monda
    x

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  40. Oh, I love him so! How amazing too, to discover your talents in spontaneous-no-measure crafting. Love his nose too, such lovely stitchy goodness that nose. :)

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  41. Grocer is absolutely gorgeous. I love the "wing it" approach.

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  42. i'm going to say (in my best scouse accent, as in from liverpool!), he's well cute!!

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  43. May I be so bold and ask if Grocer is a dog or is he a generic sort of animal? Not that it matters in the least! Grocer is very handsome!

    Nice "on the fly" project. Keep up the good work!!

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  44. You know, when I hear the word experiment, I am thinking Frankenstein-like results. This is seriously not in that ball park. Too good.

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  45. He has such personality! The collar is perfect. He looks like he is ready to have a conversation with me!

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  46. He's perfectly gorgeous, with personality to spare. Way to be spontaneous!

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  47. Grocer rocks! You'll have to 'wing it' more often. :)

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  48. He is definitely a rogue. Well done

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  49. Grocer is wonderful :) If I 'wing things' it always ends up a huge heap of mess!

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  50. Grocer ROCKS! I love his name and expecially that he is all buttoned up with a hankie in his pocket. Great job 'wingin it'.

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  51. Awwww, he's so cute! I LOVE his NOSE!!!!

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  52. Grocer is such a cutie and I love his outfit! What a cute guy!
    Micki

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  53. You had me at 'gussetted head'!

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  54. This is why your creations are so spot on- you actually plan and think ahead and keep trying at something when the first incarnation of your idea doesn't work- I have a pathological aversion to my quickunpick, and tend to give up when I can't make the reality in my hands look like the vision in my head.
    Creative and persistant! Qualities that make your blog so well loved! Susan

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  55. i love this guy! beautiful experiment x

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  56. Phew! I should have left a comment yesterday when I first saw him.

    I really like Grocer. He has an excellent shape. (Just like our fine selves...)

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  57. Wish I could just whip up something like that! You're so imaginative, it must rub off from being around littlies!

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  58. Oh! he is soooo cuuute! and I did laugh till I cried reading about the chopping board. You sure do fill me with joy. Too funny.

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  59. Grocer is simply superb!! I enjoyed having a special cuddle today with said supermarket boy!!!

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  60. Very cute, if you round off the ears, shrink the arms and legs and round the body you've got the start of a guinea pig!!
    S

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  61. And does Grocer have a story? I love your softie stories. His handkerchief is a charming touch.
    Perhaps he works in a grocery.

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  62. Gee whiz your talent is really amazing, I just ADORE the wee Grocer!!

    He is so, so darn cute:-)

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  63. He is completely DIVINE! I love everything about him (what's NOT to love???), well done, you are so talented. Grocer is ridiculously cute.

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  64. If Grocer talked I'd bet he'd have the voice of Sam Neil.....!

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  65. He is so cute ! I love his toes !

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  66. He's gorgeous! Almost as handsome as Fantastic Mr Fox!

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Hellloooooo !!!!