Plush giraffes

I made these giraffes from a japanese craft book called "Animal Mascots"



They're made from wool felt with drawn on spots.

Wren from The Artful Bird

Long time, no post, I know...But I have been busy.



Here is the wren pattern from the book, "The Artful Bird". I painted the bird with fabric paint and tried to make it look like a Splendid Fairy Wren from Australia.



The body was surprisingly quick to put together. The wire legs took some effort and so did sewing the tail and wings to the body. My fingertips are a bit numb after that. All in all it was a very satisfying project.

rock die.

Here it is.

chickens!

Three little hens here courtesy of Ikat bag patterns.



The instructions were very good and the pieces fit together just right. I had my chickens lined up in an assembly line and they only took about 2 or 3 evenings of sewing. I used all felt instead of fleece.

experiments with dye: shibori inspired

In preparation for a larger project that I have in mind, I decided to test out some dying with a tutorial I found here.



I tried the "kumo" style within some glass marbles used for vases and rubber bands.

While researching different style of shibori, I cam across some videos on youtube that are really fascinating. They show people from the town of Arashi, Japan tying intricate patterns for fabric that will then be used for yukata and kimono. Really impressive. Be sure to look it up.

Wiksten tank, take 3

I was a busy bee this weekend. Here is my latest wiksten garment, the tank in Joel Dewberry modern meadow, lake herringbone.



Making this tank again reminded me of how thoughtful the finishes are on the wiksten patterns. I'm really hoping she'll come out with others.

Lisette Portfolio Tunic

This top is from the new "Lisette" line from Simplicity patterns (2245). I made this in a cotton shirting that I treated myself too. It's really light and has a nice drape. It'll be great for the summer.



Next time I think I will try the no pocket view. The pockets are cute, but not that usable unless you use a heavier fabric. Also, I don't want to use the pockets and add bulk.



Normally I'm not a fan of raglan sleeves. I like things a bit structured. However, they work on this top. Maybe its the neckline detail that adds that je ne sais quoi? maybe its the cuff. I'm just saying, give 'em a chance.



A nitpick: I had to seam rip the neckline where the two button loops are due to there barely being room for the loops. Be careful if you make this top to make sure your loop isn't caught in your neck stitching.