Monsters again

It is interesting to note how many of Joseph's helpers have said "oh, your monsters have always been my favorites" when I've shown them what I'm working on right now.  If I trust young and hip college students to gauge the market, I'll make a lot of these.  Well, they seem young and hip to me.  I'm not sure the aspiring special educator subset of the college population is exactly the hippest, or is destined to have the greatest slice of the disposable income pie, but when has that ever mattered to me.  They are all young and smart and creative and I value the opinions of these women.  I'm working on getting good photos to submit with my applications for summer shows.  With official retirement looming, I'll have time this spring to make preparations for more shows this summer.  Yippee!!

Penguin

I found the pattern on pintrest. From "The Purl Bee."  Here is the address for the pattern.  The original made the penguin from really cute cottons, but mine, of course, is recycled sweaters.  I was cutting out sheep today, so I had the white and black felted sweaters out already.   I made some little changes in how I put the pattern together--I sewed the center panel onto one side of the back before I sewed the head seam, and I sewed the wings on differently, just 'cause I didn't look at the directions when I got to the point of sewing on the wings...

 The pattern is really great because the penguin has good balance and he (she??)stands up pretty easily.  Also, I just like the shape of the head and neck.  Some of that can be controlled with wool felt by how you stuff, but some is up to the cut of the original pattern. 

New birds for Eco Flora

I like how the nests turned out.  You can see the clothes pin the
bird has for "feet."  That makes it so he or she can perch comfortably
just about anywhere!

Valintine trinkets

Just made these--an old spool, a bit of wire, and a thick wool felt heart.

I think I need to make a mommy a daddy and two boys to represent the whole family. Big red for the daddy, big pink for the mommy, and two little red for the two little boys.   No I'm not going to make them for the cats and the dog....   They look sweet on the kitchen window.

Happy New Year

My sewing machine is waiting for a part--and I foolishly ordered the lowest priced part I could find on the internet and I believe it was a scam.  So I reordered from a company I've done business with in the past and filed my paypal complaint.  All part of doing business online. 

Meanwhile, I'm cleaning and organizing.  Hoping to make sense of the disarray that surrounds my sewing machine.  Looking forward to spring and summer outdoor shows.  Loving this new crafty/artsy life I'm creating for myself.

Wookie Wookie Christmas

I was planning a star wars theme gift for some special boys using the patterns from this Etsy Shop.  I finished Yoda.  Darn cute!  Buy her patterns.   I started Chewbacca, but didn't have the right yarn.  Since I'm too stubborn to BUY yarn, but wanted to find a good sweater to unravel, I kept my eyes open.  Low and behold I found the PERFECT sweater last week.  It is an old wool mohair blend.  It is a truly hideous sweater that I can only imagine a very old man wearing.   I ended up sewing my Wookie instead of crocheting him.  I may or may not make the bag from the Chewbacca pattern-I think he is sweet without the bag  as a generic wookie.  And if he is a generic wookie I can make several and these dear boys can have a little wookie party.  With Yoda supervising. 

Black Bear Cubs

I love these guys.  They are made from a vintage coat.  I debated long and hard before I cut the coat, but the lining was worn beyond repair, and to get the coat into wearable shape was a bigger project.  Besides, I could just see what great bears the fabric would make.  I'm not disappointed.

I've just scaled the pattern I'm using up a bit and down a bit so I can make a mama with 1 or 2 cubs.   These are about 10 inches long from nose to backside.

  I wish I had an unlimited supply of this fabric.  I may make the mama cub pattern out of something less precious to be sure I have the size difference right before I cut anymore of this fabulous nubby black wool!

It is hard to get a decent photo of something black...