Just some crafty talk (and pics). Feel free to ignore if these types of posts aren't your bag.
I've been busy lately. I had a particularly productive long weekend.
First up, I finished a project I've been slowly working on for quite some time.
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I bought some pre-printed fabric from Spoonflower earlier this year and finally got BOTH dolls done. Meet Heidi and Sherman, looking so cute with their embroidered tattoos.
Woot! Let's hear it for finishing a project!
Next up I finished part of a commission. I was tasked with making a total of 5 sock monkeys. Three were needed as soon as I could get them done and the final two could wait a bit (the pair are for yet unborn babies--so I have time to get them done).
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I call them Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Super original, I know.
The buyer said they were all for babies so they had to have baby safe eyes (no buttons). See, that's why babies just plain suck. They just want to gnaw on everything and try to choke themselves to death. Dumb ole babies! Yeah, I prefer button eyes but the baby safe ones are ok, too (though they're more freaky looking that buttons, at least to me).
Since they are gifts for babies the needed baby accessories so I whipped up some bibs. I was surprised how darn simple a bib shape is. Now, if I was making these to give myself, I would have gone to the store and bought a real baby bib (and probably booties) and dressed the monkey in usable stuff. But since they are for a commission (and the buyer was hemming and hawing about what he wanted) I didn't go to the extra work/cost. These bibs are super cute and "free" versus having to charge the buyer for stuff I would buy (and then have them get twitchy at the final cost). I would have also added diapers but I didn't have the best supplies for that (not enough nice wool blend felt in white and no diaper pins--I like using real diaper pins--which are also not baby safe--see babies really do ruin everything!).
These are all from extra large sized socks so they're nice and big and were a joy to sew up (especially the tails--I love a super long tail but on the smaller sized monkeys they can be a PITA to turn/stuff without blowing out seams and having a hissy fit).
I'll get around to the final pair (for this commission) at the end of the month. The buyer mentioned he might want more (for more baby gifts) so I could stand to make a nice bit of crafty money from these monkeys (for the record, the X-Large are $35 each and Large are $25 and would include one small handmade accessory like the bibs--costs go up the more accessories I make or if I get actual baby usable items and add to the piece).
But enough monkey talk. I'm ready to get moving on the MAJOR commission.
The Giant Squid.
The fabric arrived yesterday and I got it washed and ironed last night.
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Two fabric pics.
Those pics don't do the colors justice AT ALL! I had to get a quick shot in my kitchen where the lighting is crap for photos (it was too late to get some nice outdoor lighting pics).
The yellow is MUCH brighter (a pretty lemony color) and matches the yellow pieces of sushi spot on. The yellow is for the main part of the squid (4.5 yards) and the sushi fabric is for the undersides of the tentacles (2.5 yards). Since this is my first go with the GIANT version of the pattern, I added an extra half yard to each fabric as a CYA move. I quoted the yardage costs at 4 and 2 and feel confident that will do the job but I like to have wiggle room (and I'll gladly keep the extra half yard of each fabric--I'm in love with the sushi fabric, it's even better than I hoped).
The fabric is now draped over a bed in one of my spare rooms ready and waiting for me to begin cutting. But first I need to dust up my floor (my spare rooms don't get used a lot) so nothing gets dirty when cutting. I can't wait to get into the nitty gritty of this project.
That's some of what I've been up to. If you want to really geek out on crafty stuff you can always check out my crafty blog.
(but be aware, I will be sharing more Giant Squid pics as I have them--I'm documenting the hell out of this project)
OH, and I even bought some super cute flannel fabric with the intent of making another medium sized squid. And if this Giant Squid goes well, I'll probably make a second to display at Art All Night (this "anything goes" art show in my neighborhood--I showed off my conjoined twin monkeys there years ago and they were a hit).
Ok, now I'm done rambling.
I've been busy lately. I had a particularly productive long weekend.
First up, I finished a project I've been slowly working on for quite some time.

I bought some pre-printed fabric from Spoonflower earlier this year and finally got BOTH dolls done. Meet Heidi and Sherman, looking so cute with their embroidered tattoos.
Woot! Let's hear it for finishing a project!
Next up I finished part of a commission. I was tasked with making a total of 5 sock monkeys. Three were needed as soon as I could get them done and the final two could wait a bit (the pair are for yet unborn babies--so I have time to get them done).

I call them Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Super original, I know.
The buyer said they were all for babies so they had to have baby safe eyes (no buttons). See, that's why babies just plain suck. They just want to gnaw on everything and try to choke themselves to death. Dumb ole babies! Yeah, I prefer button eyes but the baby safe ones are ok, too (though they're more freaky looking that buttons, at least to me).
Since they are gifts for babies the needed baby accessories so I whipped up some bibs. I was surprised how darn simple a bib shape is. Now, if I was making these to give myself, I would have gone to the store and bought a real baby bib (and probably booties) and dressed the monkey in usable stuff. But since they are for a commission (and the buyer was hemming and hawing about what he wanted) I didn't go to the extra work/cost. These bibs are super cute and "free" versus having to charge the buyer for stuff I would buy (and then have them get twitchy at the final cost). I would have also added diapers but I didn't have the best supplies for that (not enough nice wool blend felt in white and no diaper pins--I like using real diaper pins--which are also not baby safe--see babies really do ruin everything!).
These are all from extra large sized socks so they're nice and big and were a joy to sew up (especially the tails--I love a super long tail but on the smaller sized monkeys they can be a PITA to turn/stuff without blowing out seams and having a hissy fit).
I'll get around to the final pair (for this commission) at the end of the month. The buyer mentioned he might want more (for more baby gifts) so I could stand to make a nice bit of crafty money from these monkeys (for the record, the X-Large are $35 each and Large are $25 and would include one small handmade accessory like the bibs--costs go up the more accessories I make or if I get actual baby usable items and add to the piece).
But enough monkey talk. I'm ready to get moving on the MAJOR commission.
The Giant Squid.
The fabric arrived yesterday and I got it washed and ironed last night.


Two fabric pics.
Those pics don't do the colors justice AT ALL! I had to get a quick shot in my kitchen where the lighting is crap for photos (it was too late to get some nice outdoor lighting pics).
The yellow is MUCH brighter (a pretty lemony color) and matches the yellow pieces of sushi spot on. The yellow is for the main part of the squid (4.5 yards) and the sushi fabric is for the undersides of the tentacles (2.5 yards). Since this is my first go with the GIANT version of the pattern, I added an extra half yard to each fabric as a CYA move. I quoted the yardage costs at 4 and 2 and feel confident that will do the job but I like to have wiggle room (and I'll gladly keep the extra half yard of each fabric--I'm in love with the sushi fabric, it's even better than I hoped).
The fabric is now draped over a bed in one of my spare rooms ready and waiting for me to begin cutting. But first I need to dust up my floor (my spare rooms don't get used a lot) so nothing gets dirty when cutting. I can't wait to get into the nitty gritty of this project.
That's some of what I've been up to. If you want to really geek out on crafty stuff you can always check out my crafty blog.
(but be aware, I will be sharing more Giant Squid pics as I have them--I'm documenting the hell out of this project)
OH, and I even bought some super cute flannel fabric with the intent of making another medium sized squid. And if this Giant Squid goes well, I'll probably make a second to display at Art All Night (this "anything goes" art show in my neighborhood--I showed off my conjoined twin monkeys there years ago and they were a hit).
Ok, now I'm done rambling.