More adventures in felt

The success of the felt bear has inspired another project. This time I have made a little felt doll.

I have no idea where the idea for this doll came from - I just decided I wanted to make one! She has a felt body stuffed with polyester stuffing. She is 14cm (4.5in) tall.

  Her hair is 1-ply acrylic boucle (bought from a miniatures site a very long time ago).

Her dress is Tana Lawn Liberty fabric with a pink satin ribbon.

Not bad for a prototype! With a few tweaks I hope to get it right....

Ah well, time to stop experimenting and start making some things to sell! The inspiration is lovely but sometimes I wish it wouldn't all turn up at once! 

Adventures in felt

For some time, I have been thinking about making bears in different fabrics. This week, on Thursday to be precise, I suddenly decided that I would give it a go. And since I have a rather substantial felt hoard this seemed the ideal experimental fabric.

Here is the outcome of my experiment. 

He came out really well. Yes, I am surprised by that! It always takes me by surprise when things work out first time! 

I particularly like the visible seams (blanket stitch) as it reminds me of old, well-loved bears who are missing their fur!

This bear is not one of my smallest - he stands 10cm (4in) tall - but I didn't think the felt would let me make a teeny one! 

He is thread jointed and buttons secure the thread. His nose is hand embroidered and he has black glass boot-button-style eyes.

I think this little bear needs a scarf or possibly a bow. Then he will be ready for a name...

Meet the bears... Wedding Bears

I've been so busy with Folksy listings, procrastination and other things that I seem to have been neglecting to give the bears the attention they deserve!

So, it's more than time for another "Meet the bears" feature so here goes...

This time I'd like you to introduce you to The Wedding Bears.

They don't have names as they were made as a commemorative gift for my brother and his wife. It was meant to be a 1-year-anniversary gift but that didn't happen, for various reasons, so it became a Christmas present instead. 

The groom's ribbon tie is the colour of the cravats and waistcoats worn by the men at the wedding and the base is covered with material from one of the cravats!

 

The photo album is a Dateman Books album, personalised with pictures from the wedding day.

Oh, and I forgot to say that they are all miniatures. The bears are about 5cm tall and the album about 4cm. 

These are photos of the non-personalised album that first gave me the idea. The attention to detail is beautiful; there is even a piece of translucent interfacing paper between each photo page just like in a real album.

I was really pleased with the Dateman miniature album and with the overall composition of this piece. My brother and his wife were thrilled too and have a lovely personal souvenir of their big day.

Online selling

I promised to let you know what I'd been up to once motivation returned. So here goes....

I have started selling on Folksy! Yay!

I was going to post this when I had finished the slightly tortuous job of listing all the items I've made. 

But I have made a sale! Only a small one, but a sale is a sale. 

So, since the shop is out there already, I can't really hide it from you anymore, can I?

So far there are notebooks...

...hairclips...

 ...and bracelets.

I'll let you know when I've listed the other bits and pieces. And I suppose there should really be some bears on there somewhere....

I'd really appreciate it if you could visit the shop and let me know what you think!  

Here's the link to my new Folksy shop.

Apologies for absence

Well, it's been a month since my last post and to be honest I have very little to report! For that, I feel the need to apologise.

I could blame the cold that led to the rather trying cough that's been hanging around for a ridiculously long time.

I could blame being rather busier than normal in my 'day job'.

Sadly, that would not be entirely truthful. The cold did knock me back more than I would have liked and I have been busy. But I must admit to it being something else.

I have to put it down to procrastination.

There. I've said it. "I have been procrastinating".

I am quite prone to it actually. I can usually find something I'd rather do: wasting time on the Internet; sorting out my fabric collection; looking through craft books for 'inspiration'.

But I know that I must be avoiding something pretty spectacular when suddenly I 'want' to clean out the fridge, defrost the freezer or sort out the drawers under the bed in the spare room.

These dizzying heights of procrastination are reserved for special occasions: essay writing, application forms, tax returns. And it seems I must lengthen this list and add 'listing items for sale on Folksy'.

Which I know is totally ridiculous. Unfortunately, knowing that something is ridiculous and doing something about it are very different things.

This week, I seem to have turned a corner. Perhaps it is the new month, who knows. I just hope I am over the worst of it, as I have finally made a start. A small start admittedly but a start nonetheless.

Normal service is now expected to resume. I'll let you know how I get on...