Crafty stuff: Monkeys, kitties and cakes OH MY!
"RIGHT this way, folks!"
First up was an owl I made some time ago. No pattern, just a quick little critter I made on a whim.
"WHAT!? I'm just a whim!?"
Yup, a fleecey fantatastic whim. You're a big hit, too. You should be happy.
Here, have a snack.
The tea cup and tea pot are from THIS book. I love that stretch gloves now have a USE (I have long fingers and those stupid gloves never fit right and they're not warm, so they're pretty much useless). And I could make a pretty foul color useful, too.
The cupcake was from a free pattern I found online.
This shows I need to work with this pattern a little bit more. The "cupcake" on the right was my first shot at it and it really doesn't look like a cupcake at all.
But if you roll it onto its side, it's a pretty fancy looking LIGHTBULB! I'm tempted to make a few more and string them together with cord and hang them up over the little cubby area where I house my critters.
Still hungry?
Maybe these two chaps will share their cake with you.
The cake is from THIS pattern kit. Disgruntled Kitty and Encephelant are from a book I have but I don't remember which one (without looking it up) so I can't link it here. It's one of the Japanese craft books I have (I'm not at home right now so can't look it up).
Speaking of elephants.
Mickey elephant. So named because his ears are way too small (more like mouse ears!). He's like a reverse Dumbo! He's also from the "glove" craft book (linked above). I was happy I could use some of the shank buttons I have in my stash. I find shank buttons hard to use on sock monkeys (where the head isn't its own piece) but with these glove critters, the head is its own piece so you can position the eyes easily and get them sewn on before stuffing and attaching. WIN!
Also from the "glove" book.
The doll on the right is a glove critter. She still needs a name so I'm taking suggestions. She could also use a pair of shoes but I didn't really like the pattern in the book (it's just finger tips converted into little boots but they don't fit her feet well enough for my liking). I also need to work on the dress pattern a bit. It had to be enlarged from the one provided in the book and it could use a dart/closure in the back (cut out a V in the neck line then pull it closed with snaps). I had to tuck the neckline back for the photo (to hide how crappy it is).
The smaller doll (Jackie) is from one of the Japanese craft books I have. She's felt and fabric (the purse and boots are kind of like pleather but softer) AND is the subject of the painting I'm currently working on (no pics yet) along with her zebra pony, Xerxes. Her dress also comes off (has two tiny snaps on the back) though she's too much of a lady to show you all that! Jackie also gives you an idea of the size of Disgruntled Kitty and Encephelant (ie small!).
And these two fellows are also from the "glove" book.
Monte (left) and Cecil (right).
Cecil was finished before the actual Cecil died and was give the name after the fact. Hence the doll's more vague likeness to the actual Cecil (and how he's smaller than the Monte doll--they aren't to scale!).
The Monte doll was made with the intention of looking more like Monte. Hence the exaggerated "manchu" whiskers and giant green eyes (those are really great shell buttons I found in my stash--I was happy to find them!).
I think this pair will make nice bookends for the urn we'll have their mixed ashes in.
Now, to lighten it up a bit.
"You do know Easter was yesterday, right?"
Yes, I know.
Chicky Baby is part of the Monkey Army I was planning to make. Obviously she's NOT a monkey. But she is made from a pair of the holiday socks my mother in law always gives me (and I don't like wearing because they make my feet too hot!).
I'm very happy with Chicky Baby.
She has one of the best faces I've ever sewn. In case the photo doesn't do it justice, the nose is a button, the teeth are felt and the cheeks are scraps of left over stretch glove. The white part of the ears is just cotton fabric.
(I managed to get all four of Monte's paws and Chicky Baby's cheeks and tail--not picutred--from ONE glove. And I still have a few scraps left over)
And last but certainly not least, back to my roots.
Or-Or is also part of the Monkey Army. He's made from Halloween knee socks, hence the extreme extremities.
But the face takes the cake (or should I say candy corn?).
Such a happy cyclops!
I debated giving him fangs but Or-Or's such a happy soul fangs just seemed too aggressive. I'm really happy with the tiny button nostrils. I'll have to use them more often.
I think I'm now all caught up showing off my fabric critters. I'm hoping to start working on a pair of elephants (from the "Softies Kit" I linked too). I have a remnant of blue fleece that's begging to become an elephant. And hopefully they'll be done around the same time as "Jackie and Xerxes" the painting I'm slowly finishing up.
Thanks for eyeballing my critters!