Dodo Continued

Fabric i have chosen to do my Dodo's legs with. Needle and thread, glue stick and fake fur fabric, (op shop, inside of a jacket). This was cut into strips, glue stick on the wrong side of the fabric, then wrapped around the legs starting from the toe tips and up.
Glued into place. I will keep wrapping until i have the thickness that i am happy with.
Underside of beak. The beak is going to be in a red vinyl fabric. I will stretch, pin, draw where i want to cut, then using a fabric glue and needle and thread put it into place. I will be trying to make this as smooth as possible where it needs to be but at this point i can also start to add character, smile lines and facial creases and tucks, things that will bring it to life.
This is the right way view of the Dodo.

Dodo Continued

Dodo continued. The weights have been added to the inside back of the body, right near the base of the tail. This is the two tail pieces i have decided i want them to look like.
This is the tail and wings sewn and shown one piece of each stuffed. Do you notice how it gets more rounded once the pieces have been stuffed? Important to remember when drawing out your item that you are making. You need to visually flatten things out in order to get the finished shape you want. I am happy with this so far.
Wing and tail positioning. The Dodo is nicely balanced now and stands quite well even though the legs and feet are skinny.

The Dodo is balanced on his toes. The next thing i am going to do is cover the feet and legs, then i will be making the beak skin, followed by the body skin, then covering the wings, and the tail then assembling it. Keep watching, i hope you are not bored with it, it still has quite a way to go before it is finished.

Must Go To Blog

Just click on this picture to go to Cart Before The Horse I promise you you will be there for hours! I really Love the husband and wife team and the work they are doing. Really lovely stuff.

Sunshine Award

I have just been given a blogging award, a Sunshine award from Two Succulent Sisters Thank you ladies! is awarded to bloggers whose creativity inspires others in the blog world. This is a really big compliment i just love to show what i am making so i am happy that people like to read what i write.

Now, part of the award is to pass the award on to others who inspire us. So here goes...

1. Vintage RicRac This lady is incredible, i love her stories, her creations, and her patterns. She has done what i aspire to do one day.

2. Moncherry Her creations in drawing, woodwork, crafting is just delicious! She always has super things she has made and posted about them.

3. The Civil War Bride Quilt This is a blog that i covet and hope to get the pattern for one day... The ladies on this blog all share their wonderful blocks made using this pattern. I would love to make quilts and this is THE quilt for me...

Thanks again for giving me this award, and i hope you all have a look at the blogs i have nominated.

Dodo Continued

Continuing the Dodo. This is the view from the underside, the leg tops pinned on ready to sew and stuff.
This is the wings, ready to turn out right sides. They will then be top stitched to create chanells to represent feathers.
This is the neck.
The neck and head pinned on.
The Dodo was top heavy but the problem will be solved by adding weights to the tail end. (shown here in just being held by a pen at the moment). All i have to do is undo the seam in the back and place the weights in between the layers of stuffing then sew the seam back up and it will be balanced enough to stand on it's own as shown. So far i have not had to buy anything for the Dodo yet, using just what i happen to have at home. The wing is pinned but not stuffed or top stitched yet, and i still have to make the tail feathers. That will be the next thing to do tomorrow, as well as sew the pinned head to the neck, and the neck to the body. I will do that after i have added the weights as they may need adjusting in the placement to keep it balanced.

Dodo

Back View. This is the start of the Dodo. The legs are coat hanger wire, taped together with my trusty duct tape, and the body is the cardboard templates that i will be using to make the actual pattern pieces out of fabric later.
This project is working from the inside out, the body will be made out of calico with the skin in the fabrics i am using draped and sewn on after. Basically this is the form of the piece.

Cardboard and taped all ready for taking apart and turned into fabric pattern pieces. The body looks a bit square because in cardboard there is no "give" this means that the final product will be much rounder because fabric is more pliable.

This is the head and beak pattern pieces.
All pinned and ready to sew.

This is the head and beak all sewn, ready for the next step of the skin. I will be doing the body and the wings tomorrow, and then the legs. finally they will be assembled and the outer and final skin covering added.

The Dodo

This is my image board. I have on it pinned pictures from the net on the subject i want to make next. The cloth doll club i belong to (A.C.D.A.) is having an Alice In Wonderland and Mad Hatters Tea Party Challenge next month, and i have decided i am going to dress up for this, as the Red Queen, (Pics on that outfit after this!) but first i have to make something for the challenge. It took me a couple of days to decide, first i was going to make Alice, then i thought i might do the Rabbit, then maybe the Cheshire Cat, (cos i love cats) but then i decided to do the Dodo. A couple of reasons for this, My husband and his family are from Mauritius and whilst they are over here i thought they might like it to take home with them after. They always like my things that i make.
The Dodo is an extinct bird that became extinct before the invention of the camera and was native to Mauritius.

This is the fabrics and things i will be making the Dodo with. wool coats, fake fur, coat hangers, and red vinyl as well as an assortment of buttons and brass fittings. As usual i will be using my trusty cardboard and duct tape for making the pattern pieces.

Olympic Mascots Finished

Here they all are, from left to right you have, Sumi, Miga and Quatchi.
Miga
Sumi
Quatchi.
They are all on their way to Renee's' house right now, ready to surprise the kids at school tomorrow.
I am so happy that i was able to pull it off and finish them on time. I hope they will like them.

Olympic Mascots continued

Sumi body cardboard template.
Made into 3 dimentional. I have added a body gusset base.
Dress, this will be pinned and sewn onto Sumi.
Feathered feet in progress.
Sumi, ready for the finishing hand stitching.
This is what i will be doing for the rest of the afternoon after lunch. All the mascots have hand stitching left to do on them.I am looking forward to seeing them all finished.

Olympic Mascots continued

This is the last of the Olympic Mascots i am making, This is called Sumi. I have just finished the head. It is now 4.30am and i need to go to sleep cos i have a doctors appointment at 8.30am.
I am happy with what i have done today, considering i started on this project yesterday at 9am so i have been on it constantly for about 18 hours. Thank goodness for Vitasoy Chocolate soy bean milk substitute, i have drunk a litre of it today and that has kept me going.
I will come back to this after some sleep.
I hope you have enjoyed what i have done so far.

Another Giveaway

http://alittlebitbiased.blogspot.com/ another new blog Read her lovely story of how she came to be, really lovely, and then enter whilst you are there.

New Blogger

http://jandiinstitches.blogspot.com/ Jandi In Stitches. has a great give away, just click on the link to know more, I have just found her after she posted a comment on my blog. A cool blogger.

Meggie

This is Meg, she is my Cat of the Day today, laying down on her back on the computer chair.

Olympic Mascots continued

This is what i have been doing today, I started and finished Quatchi, and re sewn Miga in the correct colours. I will also need to add the belly button too.
I have to sewn on the limbs and head but being black i will have to do it tomorrow.
I will be starting Sumi tomorrow too. Looking forward to seeing how i am going to do that.

Olympic Mascots continued

Miga pattern is now ready to go, i am happy with the size 50cm tall. I only finished 1 ear, 1 leg and 1 arm. Only pinned the limbs too, but you see the point.
I have started designing Quatchi, the tallest of the three mascots,
I am still having fun.

Giveaway

Doesn't this look divine? Would you like to have a chance of winning one of these things? then just click on the picture and it will whisk you to http://parkcitygirl.blogspot.com/ where the Giveaway is happening. Go there Now!

Olympic Mascot

I am very excited, Last night Renee asked me if i would like to do some crafts, Of course i said yes, i am always up for a new project, This is for her class room on Monday, they are doing about the Winter Olympics and she asked if i would like to make the 3 mascots. Well i had not seen them until that moment and i said i would be happy to give them a go. I will be making them with fabrics i have on hand, but for the working out phase i will use alternate fabrics.
The first one i am making is Miga. Cardboard templates as is my usual way of doing things.
Head, body and arms and appliqued belly. Neat stitching and colour cordination not a factor at the moment, that will happen on the final draft. This is just the first phase, the drafting part.
Attaching the foot to the leg.

Leg done.
I will be working on the ears, the hair piece and the face applique next, stuffing it and then assembling it. Once that is done i will be adjusting the cardboard pieces for the next step.
Loving it all at the moment.

Wedding Gifts

My daughter has been down for her final dress fitting this week and we also finished making the thank you gifts for the wedding guests.
labels were designed and printed onto Matt Photo Sticker A4 Sheets and printed out. they were then peeled and stuck onto the candles, twine was wound around and then placed into the little bags.
One thing we have been told is to record and take notes all the time because the time goes by so quickly. Her Auntie from Mauritius has made her veil, and it is just adorable, It was just the best feeling to have her and her daughter here with us to celebrate this special event.

Tilli

What is in the paper, under the table?

Hi Tilli!!!

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing you all a Happy Valentines Day from my daughters cats, Leigh and Wiss.

Alice In Wonderland

These are what i am making now, both patterns are designed by Karen Shifton This pattern is called Wonderland Pincushions and they are made of felt and are about 5 to 6 inches tall.

This pattern is called Tea Party Pincushions and the sizes range from 5 to 9 inches tall. I have had both patterns for a while now, but only now decided to use them.
At A.C.D.A. we are having a Mad Hatter Challenge in March and i think they would be great for that. they will also be going to my swap partners after that. I think all sewers like pincushions don't they?