First Try at the Baby Binky Bunny Pattern

When I first got this pattern a few years ago, I COULD NOT cut out even circles of felt for the eyes  to save myself.  I seriously thought of buying one of those expensive cutting machines.

I finally bought cut felt online so I could make some bunnies.  Did I look up the exact size I needed for this pattern? No. Instead I bought $25 worth of felt and not one is the right size.  Who does that?  Me.  Yup, I was back where I started when I bought the pattern, cutting my own circles. 

After embroidering two sets of eyes on my not-so-perfect felt circles, I found a blog post from Make It Cozee about using wax paper to cut better felt circles.  Next time...

 Reviews online for this pattern abound, but they are short and sweet lacking details on the nitty gritty--what worked really well and what could have worked better.  The rest of this post is a wordy but hopefully helpful list for someone else who wants to try the pattern.

•  The pattern is well-written with clear and easy directions.  It is, however, on the expensive side at $11.95.  There is an additional pattern for a bib, booties, and carrot that will bring the cost up to a whopping $17.00.

• The directions have you stuff the limbs after sewing them on.  I've done enough stuffies to know how to work around stuffed limbs.  If you are new at this, go with the directions and stuff the limbs after turning the bunny right side out.

• Get some nice felt for the eyes or use a flannel or fleece with iron-on interfacing for stability. My felt was too thin.  I ended up using a double thickness on the second one I've started.  Also, use fabric glue or spray adhesive on the felt pieces to hold them in place for easy sewing.

•  The next two photos show some of the issues I had with the eyes--all my own fault.
•  My first set of circles were too big because I just cut the edges off a scalloped circle.  Use the size in the pattern!  The first picture below shows the wrong size and the second shows the right size.
•  I tried a fancy stitch to sew on the eyes in the first photo.  I find small circles difficult to sew to begin with and should have stuck with the straight stitch.  The second photo below shows the double thickness of my thin felt hand-stitched in place.  I like this  much better, but I should have gone with a matching thread so as to not highlight the fact that my embroidery was not centered well.

Close-up of poor bunny #1

Beginnings of bunny #2

• The felt nose, which was my idea, might have worked if I had embroidered it in place.  (I have $25 worth of felt to use up!) However, embroidering the nose entirely as in the second bunny close-up is easy and looks great.  

• I  used fleece for the diaper which turned out to be too thick for the tabs.  The working snaps I put on get around the fact that I could not top stitch the tabs in place.  Looks okay, though.

•  I like the snap as a substitute for the button or embroidered dots on the diaper. You only need to put on the snap top because the tab is top-stitched in place.

There you have it!  Got to finish up this second one for the July baby that's threatening to make an appearance soon.

The Pillow Sham Substitute

I have a love-hate relationship with pillow shams.  I love the way they look when professionals set them up for photo shoots, but hate the work to get that look on a daily basis.  I've resorted to  putting an extra set of pillows in the shams and throwing them in the chair at night.  To avoid this "pillow sham", (yes, it was a really bad play on words, but I couldn't resist it) I made what others now call a bed scarf for a pillow cover.

This is easier to take on and off and somewhat camouflages the fact that our pillows are different.  I like a smaller one than Brian.  

yup, that is a tree stump in the garden quilt

Why a tree stump in a "garden" quilt?  The quilt-along had 12 blocks and I needed 22 as the project grew and grew.  I know most people would not be showcasing a tree stump but, I actually have some amusing memories of digging out tree stumps in our yard.

As for the squirrel below, I do have squirrels in the garden, but cannot say I have fond memories of these beasts.  I once found one dragging my entire bird feeder across the street.  

The End of the Hat-Making Binge--I Promise! Recycled Jeans Hat

I got my most cooperative model to pose for me.  Never complains and always has a smile. 

She was one of my very first sewing projects.

What does it mean that the rag doll's head is almost as big as mine?  I always knew my head was a bit on the small side, but this is a whole new level of feeling inadequate. 

 I used some fabric from the old jeans pile.  A denim hat needed jeans-kinda buttons which I got from--where else?--the Snap Source online store.  Yes, they sell these tack buttons as well as snaps.

I could have used snaps that look like these buttons,

but I wanted to try the tack buttons, something I've not used before.  Aren't they beautiful? 

The tack part looks fine on the reverse side.

This does eliminate the possibility of adjusting size, but I don't need to adjust the size.

The random assortment tack buttons package included all these different designs and metals.

No, I'm not getting paid in any way for gushing endlessly about the company.  I'm just having fun with their products.

No more hats!  Well actually, there is that tulip petal hat that sewing muse Sandra did.  I'll wait at least a week to do it. Be sure to stop by Sandra's to see the hats she made.  Her models are adorable... in a...kind of....well,...different way.  I have it from a good source that she bribed them with baked good. 

Making More Room on the Sewing Table

I pinned an idea for using one of these clips to hold an iPhone charging cord.  That worked out really well, so I thought I'd try the clips for holding some of my sewing table clutter. 

And, there you have it!  Neat and convenient.  Lovin' it.

Still Playing With The Ponytail Hat Pattern

 Ta-da!    I'm on a bit of a hat-making binge.  This one is cotton with fusible medium-weight iron-on interfacing instead of the heavier fabric I used the last time.

 Will you look at those snaps, bubblegum pink pearl.  The Snap Setter people are gonna make a fortune off me.  This is like shopping for penny candy except it's eye candy.  At least the snap are not fattening.

Reversed to the other side, the hat is a lovely white with green dots.

I experimented by making a slight change in the back of the brim.  I rounded off the tips of the fabric just a bit. I'm not great at getting nice points. Rounding it off just a little made it easier for me to sew and turn. 

Sadly, I've run out of interfacing and will have to break down and clean the house for the rest of the day. 

Ponytail Hat

Sewing Muse Sandra is doing a hat which reminded me that I bought a hat pattern I needed to try. 

It's a reversible ponytail  bucket hat.

front

Back with regular snaps instead of the magnetic ones the pattern calls for.

Other side!

The pattern directions call for magnetic snaps that are sewn in so they don't show from the outside.  I love my colored snaps and want to show them proudly.  Besides, my snaps were easier for me to put on and already in the house.

My purchased pattern is froFrom Winnie and Clem, and you can find it here:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/104042408/pony-tail-bucket-hat-pdf-sewing-pattern  
They also have a smaller size bucket ponytail hat pattern for sale.

 As it turns out, there are numbers of ponytail hat patterns out there--winter, scrub, baseball, and bucket hats.  Some are even free.  Here are a few of the free ones:

Winter Hat/Scarf,Mitten, Fingerless Glove AND a pocket pattern: http://www.instructables.com/id/4-in-1-Hat-Scarf-Fingerless-Gloves-Mitten-Pock/

Cute Vintage Ponytail hat:  http://blog.bramcostpublications.com/files/5/8/1/7/6/276039-267185/1149_pony_tail_hat_PDF.pdf

Blog tutorial to change a bucket hat to a ponytail hat: http://eatcraftsow.blogspot.com/2011/11/tutorial-wednesdaythe-ponytail-hat.html#.UZjOnZymX7M


If those don't work for you,  here are a few patterns for sale: 
Ponytail Scrub Hat:  http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/accessory/ponytail-pouch-and-mens-scrub-hat-/25244

OR you can get All 7 of her Surgical Scrub Hat Patterns:  http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/121082965/all-seven-surgical-scrub-hat-sewing?ref=market

Winnie and Clem also have a Baseball-style Ponytail Hat Pattern for Girls and Women: http://www.etsy.com/listing/113008080/morgan-cap-pdf-sewing-pattern-reversible?ref=v1_other_1

Another Finish: The Garden Steps Quilt

Yay!  I finally finished Clover and Violet's Garden Steps Quilt. It has taken so long that the date of 2012 I so confidently embroidered in the corner block is now a bold lie.

I used one of the quilting stitches on my machine to do the front of the binding.

This method of binding (fold in half, sew to the back, and flip to the front) is new for me. For some reason, it seemed daunting.  As it turned out, it was so easy to do that I finished cutting, sewing and pressing the fabric strips AND sewing on the binding in a matter of hours. It sewed the binding on entirely by machine, front and back.

Better late than never, right?