The Shy Seahorse

Seahorse Pattern and Instruction
Finished project approximately 7'' tall

Materials Need:
10'' x 10'' fabric for body
5'' x 5'' felt
Black embroidery thread
Sewing thread to match fabric
Stuffing

Assemble
1.Cut out all pieces from chosen fabric using the template provided. Make sure to cut a mirror image of the body pieces.

2.Tack the back fin to one body piece. Hem the top of the pouch piece and tack it onto the belly. As shown above.
3. Pin and stitch belly piece to body from points A to B. Check seams

4. Pin body pieces right sides together. As shown above. Starting at the opening slowing stitch all around, backstitch at the start and finish. To turn corners place the needle down into the fabric, lift the foot, spin the fabric in the desired direction, release the foot down and continue stitching.
5. Check all seams and clip curves. Turn right side out, fill with stuffing. Close opening with ladder stitch.
6. Embroider the eyes using 3 strands of floss.

Final thoughts
The seahorse makes a perfect safe toy for little hands especially if a noise maker like a small bell is inserted into the stuffing before it is stitched closed.
 Only the male seahorse has a pouch. make a pair one with a pouch and one without.
Seam allowances are included. Use a short stitch length. I used a 2mm length.

a foggy morning

the view from my studio this morning.

the fairy and the goblin

my daughter is a big fan of the Rainbow Magic Fairy books, it inspired me to make for her a fairy and goblin. the goblins face was a challenge with many failed attempts before I had an ah moment just before I fell asleep one night. 

a coiled snake

The pattern for this project was taken from this book. The book listed it as an intermediate skill level, I was curious to learn more about the construction of the tight spiral so I had a go at it. its  not as difficult as it first appears.  the main body is a donut shape cut in half and then stitched together again. the instructions in the book are straight forward however there is no mention of clipping the curves before turning right side out which surprised me considering this project is all curves so I went ahead and clipped. the hardest part was not sewing but stuffing the snake.

Crossstitch Bookmark

Bookmarks could be considered outdated and redundant by many especially if they have totally embraced e-books but for me who goes back and forth between the two bookmarks are relevant and necessary.
The following project is easy and quick even for a beginner and depends on what is available in your scrap fabric basket.

Materials needed:
scrap fabric
fusible interfacing
small cross stitch* ( no larger than 5x5cm)

1. Gather fabric scraps, cut two pieces to measure 5x5cm and one to measure 4x4cm. Arrange and stitch to cross stitch top and sides. Cut another piece of fabric 13x8cm  and stitch to cross stitch bottom.
2. Cut backing fabric and interfacing 8x18cm iron on the interfacing onto the wrong side of the back piece. I used a  light weight fusible interfacing.
3. Place front and back pieces right sides together and stitch around the perimeter of the bookmark leaving a small opening for turning right side out about 2cm.

 

4. Trim corners (as shown above) and  turn right side out. To do this I use a chop stick starting at the bottom I pull the fabric over the stick until its turned right side out. Next I push out the corners using the end of a  small paintbrush.

5. Stitch around the perimeter to close the opening and create a border. Begin reading.

 

*Cross stitch image from 'Molly Makes issue 31 'Hit the Jackpot' p77.

making

Just over a year ago I discovered the craft magazine 'Mollie Makes'. It quickly became a favourite of mine. Each new issue is full of wonderful news and projects to try and as a bonus each issue comes with a small kit project. Until now I have just been collecting the little kits in a box, but not anymore. This past week I have been busy making a sausage dog, a sardine keyring, a felt fox brooch, a retro felt doll and a  small cross stitch rose just to name a few. Each kit has been a delight to make teaching me new ways to approach craft projects. I have one more kit left  a crochet bow. I have never crocheted before so this will be  most challenging. I am so looking forward to the next twelve issues.

Fruit in Felt

The felt fruit were made in December. The pear and apple slice patterns came from 'Soft Toys' by Sara Gerlings. The strawberry pattern is from 'Stitched Whimsy' by Heidi Boyd and for the orange I used a simple wedge shape 6 times to create the round shape.  I also made a banana but could not find it this morning to photograph. The pattern I used for the banana is from 'Stuffed Animals' by Abby Glassenberg.
Wishing you a creative new year.

Lady Emu

Lady Emu going for a walk. Materials used felt, fake fur and fleece.

Decoration

We started our Christmas decorating on the weekend. There is a little bit of Christmas scattered around the house from the tree to the little Lego Santas.

Sewing Spheres

It started as an exercise in sewing a sphere using  five wedge shaped piece. It quickly evolved into this.

Cat girl

just in time for Halloween.

Dinosaur

A year ago my son asked me for a dinosaur. I had never made a dinosaur before and really had no idea where to begin but not to disappoint I had a go. That first dinosaur was a disaster after a couple of hugs its neck began to flop to one side and the legs could not hold itself up. However he loved it and eve n took it to preschool the next day. I on the other hand saw it as a  failure and since have been working on perfecting my dinosaur. Fortunately  along the way I discovered 'Stuffed Animals' this book is wonderful because it takes away all the guess work, thanks to  its 52 lessons.
In my most recent attempt at creating a dinosaur I used two of the lessons from this book. Lesson 11 eyelids and lesson 44 cutting a hole to attach limbs. This method of attaching limbs is strong  and neat and in my opinion perfect for making toys for small children.
I like this dinosaur way more than the first one I made a year ago but best of all my son tells me its his favourite.

Under the Sea Mobile

the inspiration for this project came in the middle of summer when it was hot and thoughts of cool water swimming were floating around in my head. the actual making of course could not begin until the children were in school and hot summer days a sweet memory.

remnants cannot be returned

I love searching through the remnant bins, its a treasure trove of beautiful fabric that no one wants because its not enough. Even the store does not want it anymore, that's why the tag states 'remnants cannot be returned'. Well what do you do with say 30cm of fabric? I make cushions. They cost only a few dollars, and if say after a month or a week  I get tired of the new cushions no big deal, back to the remnant bins I go. There is always some new waiting for me.

Little Miss.

A rainy day perfect for staying indoors and finishing this Little Miss.

In my Garden

Zinnia (giant cactus mixed colours), grown from a seed packet. Type of plant Annual.

In my garden

pink roses

In my Garden

A tricky plant to photograph well. Canna lily.

under the sea

Marina Mermaid and her pet seahorse.

In my Garden

 

A few years back, one early spring day my father in law came over with two sticks and asked me where I would like them planted. 'what are they?' I asked. 'Grapes' he replied, 'oh ok plant them by the fence' I said, and so he did. One of the sticks has grown and I have trained it up and along the fence. The best I hoped from this vine was to pick some leaves each summer for stuffed vine leaves but something ate the leaves before I did so that hope was gone. Yesterday however I think we stuck gold, my son and I sampled  grapes from this vine and they were the sweetest grapes I have ever tasted.