G is for genetic

Some giraffes are rainbow.... they are just born that way.

I just might be the local “crazy lady”

Today I knelt in the front yard in the damp and took photos of beautiful felt

I “helloed” two neighbours, one postman and a walking dog .

No one batted an eyelid.

Motivation

At home today I have been doing deals with myself.

If I get all the pattern pieces drawn and tidied up, I'll have morning tea.

Once I get all the text added to the pattern pieces I"ll have lunch.

Once I edit (again) the pattern instructions and print them.....

I can sew something fun !

One - Hour softie

This idea has been kicking around for ages, so this morning it was out of the sketchbook and into the real world. I figured it might be a nice tutorial to share, because it is such an easy project

I have put all the pattern pieces over on scribd as a PDF, you can download them or print them straight off. All you need is a felted jumper and some good quality felt scraps !

Actually you could use pretty much anything for the background fabric - I was just going for a cosy woolly feeling.Cut two bodies from your felt jumper or other fabric.

Cut out the pieces for your character and pin them in place

Pin , Pin , Pin, Pin , Pin

To sew your pieces on, line one edge of your sewing machine foot up with the edge of the felt and then move your needle position ever so slightly to the left. (See photo above)

Sew everything down. This really doesn't take long at all - changing threads for the different colours is a pain but you don't have to do that unless you really want to - or are an anal librarian like me. Add a few embroidery details like eyes and a mouth.

Tie your threads off at the back, pin your front and back sections together with right sides facing and sew around (leaving a gap for turning)

Turn him out the right way and stuff stuff stuff.

Sew the turning gap closed. Don't be too stressed about neatness - wool is the most forgiving fabric ever!

Ta - Dah...... A cute softie in just one hour !

So if youwant to , you can go and download the pattern for this guy and his friend the nurse...

(They are so quick and easy you might even consider making one for the
Softies for Mirabel campaign,
now in its third year and going strong !)

and just because I am a total boof head...I left out a pattern piece for the face. The faces are simple circles measuring approx 8cm or 3 inches across....

(slaps own forehead)

An evening noodle

It is almost the end of the school holidays here and I spent the day at work yesterday , just getting the groove back and doing a bit of preparation.

This little hoodie had been bugging me all day so I was happy to finally get to it last night. It transformed somewhere along the process into more of a duffel coat but I am loving it.

The little triangles are vinyl and the cord is actually plaited DMC thread because I had no black piping cord.

The coat is made from a felted jumper, and of course now I have two more to make for the other boys.

Questions :

The little purses previous are from a Nicole Mallalieu pattern. At first I nearly died when I saw all the instructions , but that is because every little thing is explained. The pattern is really really good. Nicole also has the bigger frames and I am very tempted by the largest one.

Would I have tried them without a pattern - No way Jose!

OPTIMISM - Kids looking in the fridge just in case something they may want to eat has miraculously appeared there in the time since they last looked.

and another one bites the dust !

And another one down and another one down and another one bites the dust !

YEH!

I made this with a felted jumper. It is the same pattern as the previous post but the handles are attached to the body of the bag first and then sewn into the bottom seam. (does that make sense? ) No magnetic clasp for this one as I have fallen out of love with them lately. The bag I made for myself a while ago has a large magnetic clasp - so large in fact it is hard to open and my pulling at it has started to tear the lining - yes I can fix it but I can't be bothered. Bigger is not always better Jodie !!!

I have also been toiling away at "The Big Project". I have quilted a mass of this fabric - probably more than I will need- It is the same fabric as the bag handles - lovely patterned black - the photo has just washed it out a bit.

I want to say a huge Happy Birthday to Annie - pop on over to her Flower Garden and wish her a happy birthday- she might just give you a slice of cake....

Poppy !!!

Hello ........

I'm Poppy and I am still full of pins. Jodie went Op-shopping all morning and left me like this. She came home with some new shelves and had to rearrange the whole sewing room to fit them in.

Then she went to buy fabric for my dress.......buy fabric? Have you seen this sewing room-she could clothe a nation with the fabric in this place.

I may never get finished....she has unfinshed things everywhere. Remember Beaker ? Well his wife still has no face and no front legs. I'm gettin' worried...................................