My creative space

I am joining in with Thursday's My Creative Space at Kootoyoo.

Clockwise from top left (including a tiny heart - can you see it?):

• Instructions
• Arms and legs
• Assistant's hands (Would anyone like to borrow him? Please?)
• Body
• Hair

Poor Dolly. She has only just been rescued from the Hoppo Bumpo Bermuda Triangle of Craft. (Some more productive crafters have seen her before and would know exactly how long it is since the last stitch was completed.)

Based on one of the beautiful Wee Wonderfuls patterns, Dolly is made from felt and has an embroidered face. As you can see she would rather benefit from arms, legs, hair and some clothes! I really like this pattern - the instructions are very detailed and the construction methods straighforward. (Aside from the the full-time care of two marauding preschoolers, there is really no excuse for not having finished her quite quickly.)

When Dolly is finished I am hoping to send her off to the Uthando Project. This wonderful organisation collects handmade dolls to send to children living in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. In this region 1 in every 3 children live in poverty and 1 in 5 has lost one or both parents to AIDS. The dolls are used to encourage play and help with the expression grief and loss. If you are interested in more information, do take a look at the project website.

Thank you very much Kirsty for hosting My Creative Space. Its great fun seeing what everyone is doing. To see who else is showing their creative space (or to join in), head over here.

Owen

After conducting a survey amongst Argy and Bargy, it was decided that Owen the Alien was really either a teddy or a gingerbread man. A couple of ears and a cross-looking mouth later, it turns out that he is indeed meant to be a bear.

Under sufferance, Owen is modelling trim from Meet Me At Mikes. I thought he needed a little colourful something. He says its too girly; that he would prefer a bow tie. Though if push comes to shove, he has grudgingly said that he would wear this particular trim on lederhosen. Apparently some bears do wear such things, though Owen doesn't strike me as being particularly Bavarian.

I think it will be easier to sew the bow tie.

Update: Owen went off to join the other Softies For Mirabel at Mikes this afternoon, looking like this.

Close encounters

Meet Owen. As in ... should I be owen up to having made this?

Owen was last night's project. He's made from wool blanketing and silk ribbon. He was supposed to have been a teddy or a cat or maybe even a mouse (I find these things become clearer when you see how the ears have turned out). But when Mr Hoppo Bumpo looked at him, he muttered something about alien. Then imagining that he was assuaging my injured feelings he said "I'm sure it will turn out OK. Some toys do just have gormless expressions".

At that point Owen was tossed into a corner. (Even though I concede that at the wrong angle he does appear a little other-worldly).

Poor Owen has a history of abandonment. He was originally destined to be something else altogether. Like a ribbon embroidered woolen baby blanket for Argy. Some four years ago.

Anyway, if Owen turns into something that won't scare a small child, then he is destined for Softies for Mirabel . Let's hope that I can get him past Mr HB's stringent softie quality control.

Elsie

Elsie models outfit inspired by Pippijoe's Daisies

Meet Elsie.

She has been trying to avoid standing too close to the cushion that I made earlier this week. She's a little embarrassed; feeling that someone has made a bit of a fashion faux pas.

Its understandable. Who likes bumping into another person (or cushion) wearing the same outfit?

I have assured Elsie that she is carrying off the look better than some inanimate stuffed object. I'm not sure why, but she looked a little offended.

Anyway Elsie (who is a distant relative of Edward the elephant) is off to Mike's soon. She thinks she will be more comfortable around other softies. She's also hoping that one day, there might be a little person, who is willing to give her lots of cuddles.

Its safer than hanging about here ... she may be tossed on the sofa and sat upon.

Placemats and other softies

Its been a very bleak day today.

After venturing to the park with Argy and Bargy this morning, I made a firm resolution to stay indoors for the rest of the day. This afternoon's project has been to start work on a soft toy.

I have only made two softies before. The first was when I was about 9. He was a frog made out of a very 70's brown stretch leatherette fabric. I was proud of him and he went to school with me. Not only did he end up getting grubby in the playground, but he contracted some kind of vinyl-itis and started to peel to reveal that he was no more than a jersey frog after all.

The second softie was made in a sewing class in Year 7 at high school. She was a black swan. And rather two dimensional. This particular softie was probably quite passable as cushion or a slightly padded placemat. (I'm telling you, it was very flat).

So when I decided that I would like to do something for Softies for Mirabel, I clearly needed to purchase a pattern. I wanted to ensure that my "creation" was less Bride of Frankenstein and more cuddly toy. If my Elsie elephant (distant cousin to Edward by Audrey and Maude) looks vaguely three dimensional, she'll be packed off to Mike's as soon as she's completed. So far, she's looking good.

Let's just hope she's not mistaken for a placemat.