My sister has four young children, one seven, two six and one five years old. Three boys and one girl. Usually I buy gifts for them throughout the year, with a few last minute finds during Black Friday. This year, gift ideas did not jump out at me. I asked her if she wanted me to get them savings bonds. She said to get them Walmart gift cards and they could have fun picking out their own gifts. I decided to send them cash, and also decided to make an elaborate money holder. A fleece softie of my own creation. I have to say I have more respect for those fleece softie makers. Trying to make a cute or fun face and body is harder than I thought. I did get inspiration from seeing a picture of the
McCalls pattern M5826 called Creature Dolls for the first two shown today.
I first started with freezer paper and folded it in half. Then drew half of a body. Changing my mind several times.
Cut it out and open it up. You can fold it back up and cut/trim it some more. I wound up trimming more around the underarms and body so I had room to sew around it.
Find some fun fleece and put right sides together, then pin template to wrong side of fleece. Then as best as you can sew around template trying not to sew on top of the template. You can crunch the paper, it doesn't hurt it when you need to turn and some of it goes under the sewing machine's arm. I do a lot adjusting with needle down and lifting the foot to straighten the fleece. It is stretchy so I try and go slow adjusting all the way. Leave 2 to 3 inches not sewn on the side for turning and stuffing. I found out the hard way this locations works the best because you need to stuff real good in the arms and legs, and you can't do that if there is a hole in it for turning. After sewing cut around sewing line leaving a generous 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch.
Before turning make sure you clip all around it up to the sewing line.Don't clip the opening where it is not sewn. Make sure both pieces of fleece get clipped. The figure is all curves and curves need clipping!
I made a face using off white polar fleece with felt pieces for eyes, nose and mouth. I craft glue the pieces of eyes, nose and mouth before sewing. The placement of pieces can give different looks. The yellow piece is going to be the pocket for the cash. I wish I had red, which would have looked better. I wound up trimming the face, but be careful, it's like trimming your own bangs, before you know it, you wind up looking like skeletoR.
Stuff good and plenty with polyester fiber and then whip stitch the opening shut. I sewed by hand the face and pocket to the body because I still don't have this system down to its most efficient sewing steps and I just wanted to sew around the pattern first before cutting. I made the one on the right (blue and green) first. Don't assume your second one will necessarily be better. I do have a girl to sew for and I already know pink cheeks will be used. I will update the post with pictures of the next two. Looking at the fleece pattern, my imagination is already going wild with ideas. Working at the office during the day makes it hard to take good pictures. It is dark, dark, dark, by the time I am ready to take pictures. My apologies for the dark pictures. My choices were underexposed or overexposed. I thought underexposed suited these monster-like figures better. ($20.00 will be put in pockets. They should be able to buy some fun Legos with that much.) I had to borrow some cash from hubby to take the picture.
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| Don't hate me because I'm so scary looking. My creator made me this way. |
In the picture above, our young football star has the misfortune of being the keeper of secrets. Creepy? Yes! Ever wonder who makes the toys for the island of misfit toys? Looks like I would be one of them.
My girls... pictures like these make me so happy. The years when doing this to yourself and thinking you are so cool are fleeting. (I could be very wrong about this.)
Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year! But the days start getting longer, whoop, whoop!
May you all be blessed with good health, sunshine in your heart and the amazing ability to forgive everyone for their idiot behavior!
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