Wow, I'm not exactly sure how it happened, all this sewing this summer, I hadn't really intended to do so much, but you know...I love it. Apparently, with all of the sewing happening around here the kids are beginning to catch the sewing bug as well. They've been asking about sewing something themselves all summer. They remember how much fun they had making their doll beds and quilts last summer and wanted to try it again.
So, I promised them after we got back from our vacation that we would sew. I asked what they wanted to make and the consensus was stuffed animals. These guys really do love their stuffed animals and probably, aside from make believe fairies, play with those toys the most!
I them each draw a picture of what they wanted their stuffed animal look like...
And asked them to pick their fabrics. Once that was done I did my best to trace their designs onto the fabric, asking Violet and Henry if I was doing a good job as I went...
Violet and Henry both drew their eyes and faces onto their fabric with fabric marker before we began to sew. I also used heat n bond to adhere the stripes on Violet's elephant ears before she sewed them on. Once the prep work was done I drew marks for starting and finishing with air soluble ink and had them sew along the traced lines of their designs.
I still had them sit on my lap so that I could help redirect fabric if need be and so that I could control the foot pedal. But, really, for the most part they did all of the moving of the material and sewing themselves. I think next time I will surely need to move the machine to a lower table for them to give it a go on their own. Henry took particular care in lifting the presser foot and turning his fabric on the turns, I was quite impressed.
After the sewing was done I helped them to turn their animals right side out and we all stuffed together. Henry requested some beans in his doll so it's nice and floppy.
And Violet was adamant that her elephant/s trunk be a "real trunk". After brainstorming for a little while we decided to use an orphaned sock for the trunk which I hand sewed on as I thought it might be a bit too difficult for her to sew on herself.
I think we worked pretty well together to come up with some pretty fantastic look a likes to their drawings!
These guys love these stuffed animals so much!
Especially because they made them!
I love how each stuffed animal was perfectly designed for being carried around dangling by the side of it's companion...
And some fun parts, like a movable trunk...
And an accidental tiny butt!
And the face on this guy just kills me!
What great joy to be able to play with a stuffed animal that you made yourself, right!
Hooray! Okay so, I wonder what they'll want to sew next.
