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Thursday, April 28, 2011

making up

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everyone meet betty! she is my $88 singer simple sewing machine i got a few years ago.  ironically, there is nothing "simple" about her except for her color scheme: a beautiful and crisp red white and baby blue i just couldn't say no to. other than that, she is quite high maintenence. she and i have been on bad terms ever since she decided to eat a whole spool of thread with her bobbin and i had to spend three hours disassembling her insides and then another eight trying to piece them back together.

anyway, with the weather being all crazy, i was feeling a little crazy too and decided that me and homegirl needed to put the past in the past and have some serious girl time.

our project:
 martha stewart stuffed menswear bunnies.

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my first attempt

 considering i free-handed the whole pattern (my printer and i are also on bad terms and i am a TERRIBLE artist) i am suprised that it looks this good.  although the ears may be two different shapes, one arm may be higher and longer than the other, and i kinda decided to quit while i was ahead and didn't add legs or a face... let's not be upset over such details right now and just rejoice in the fact that this actually resembles a bunny!

peter cotton-fail?
i think not!

one more (fingers crossed) attempt and i think my girls will have cute little bunnies to tote around...
and i can stop using bad puns.

9 comments:

  1. I think that's great! :) It gets better as you go, don't worry. One of the first things I made with my machine was this little bunny when I was pregnant. I was all caught up in the hormones and the desire to make everything for my baby. My bobbin messed up as well and I said a lot of bad words and almost threw my machine across the room and called my mom at 1 in the morning crying about it... it was a mess. I wanted to throw it away.

    I'm really glad I didn't, though, because she really likes it a lot :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecupcakerygirl/5668330368/in/photostream That's from over a year ago. She's a lot larger than that bunny now. Everytime I look at it I remember how little she was, and how much I wanted to quit sewing. haha! :)

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  2. thanks for the encouragement cindy and for sharing that sweet photo! i am not a good seamstress, but i am working on it. i really want to be able to make nice things for my girls.

    your bunny is precious! it's funny because that is the kind of body i am trying to figure out how to make. i took martha's pattern and made it somethng else entirely, whoops. the crotch area on hers looks a bit stuffy to me, i like the hanging legs much much better <3

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  3. Doll making takes practice, you will get there. I like free styling designs anyway. Doesn't have to be so prefect, sometimes they are much better when you don't try and make them so "perfect". I make up patterns all the time, all rabbits I have made are made up.

    For fun, let your girls draw a big doll/bunny and then use that as the pattern. They will just love to see their art work come to life.

    Just love your bog, I vote on the daily. (twice..he he..I use my husbands cookies too)

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  4. I stumbled across your blog and you're inspiring me to break out my sewing machine and learn how to use it!! I'm slightly intimidated. Love all you pictures and am feeling the need to buy a vintage pillow case dress. happy friday.

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  5. thanks for rooting me on (in my sewing and on circle of moms)! i love your dolls and i guess i set the bar pretty high for myself when i see the things you and cindy make!

    i love the idea about bringin the girls drawings to life. right now all haley draws is flowers, grass, suns, and popsicles... and after trying to sew on arms and legs, i think petals would be a complete nightmare but i am definitley gonna pocket that challenge for a rainy day <3

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  6. I have a Singer named 'Sally'. She used to be my best friend but then she went through an eating thread stage too, just like you Betty. After a short trip to visit mr sewing machine doctor she is my friend again. I just hope we stay on good terms. I hate fighting.

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  7. i think you have a good thing going! i love the sweet blue floral ears with the crisp white bunny.

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  8. ingrid! betty and sally can totally be friends... i bet they'd get in all sorts of mischeif together. i really think betty is drunk half the time i am sewing with her ;)

    thanks tasha! i wanted something simple and clean. i had two linen skirts (that i cant find at the moment- but one is white linen and one is natural) that i plan on using for the bunnies, once i perfect the pattern. i want to give one a bowtie and one a bow in her hair.

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  9. that is really cute... funny "making-up" with your sewing machine...

    mine and I were on a break for similar reasons... stupid knots and bobbins. I might ask her out on a date at nap time.

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