Wednesday, September 23, 2009

hey, Mikey!



(Let me say a huge THANK YOU for the prayers and well-wishes for my flu-riddled girlies. They are doing MUCH better, no fevers, and now they are bored and stir crazy, always a good sign. H1N1 seemed pretty much like any other flu, 'cept maybe higher fevers and shorter lived. Michael and I are still feeling well, so thank you, Lord!)

Here's my version of a boy Molly Monkey. I've seen several really nice ones in the flickr pool, including ties and overalls and tennis shoes, and one kind reader even took the trouble to send me the instructions for a boy monkey she did herself!

I tend to be girl-centric with my crafting, for obvious reasons, but as it happens my beautiful niece, Erin, is having a baby boy in October. Here was the perfect opportunity to develop the Mikey Monkey I've had patiently waiting in my brain almost since I made the Molly Monkey for Thing 2.


I had a lot of fun coming up with these tennis shoes. I modeled them after the Converse-like shoes I drew for Robyn's baby announcement. Michael saw them and said, "Tennis shoes...with a shirt and tie?" But that's just how Mikey rolls. Oops, I think I still see some purple disappearing marker on the shoe. I was on a tight deadline, as usual.


Close-up of his shirt and tie. These are Erin's nursery colors, and the I think the tie fabric is also included in the baby quilt that her talented mom (my sister Leigh Ann) made her. I love love love the colors Erin chose for the baby's room. It's all robin egg blues, browns, greens, with touches of yellow and orange.


Here's Mikey without his newsboy hat and shoes. Since he'll be in the baby's room, I went ahead and sewed the hat and shoes on after this picture, so they wouldn't get lost. His linen short pants look a bit like jodhpurs to me. Which was unintentional, but I don't mind it. Maybe he is a polo player.


I cut a hole in the back of the tie to turn it more easily, so of course I had to glue a label over the slit. Fancy Monkey is an exclusive line of designer ties for equestrian newsboy monkey types.

To sum up, in order to transform the Molly pattern to a Mikey pattern:
  1. I altered the Molly beret to get the newsboy hat,
  2. added a tie and collar,
  3. divided the torso to make a waistband for the pants,
  4. switched the socks to legs and the legs to pants,
  5. and made the tennis shoes.
Of course you could skip the tie and collar completely and give him a t-shirt and jeans instead. There's a lot of possibilities.

If there is some interest out there in having the new Mikey pattern pieces so you can make boy versions from your Molly pattern without the guesswork, let me know. I can make the new pattern available in my shop at some point.

On a sour note, a fellow crafter informed me recently that she saw my Molly pattern on a craft site being passed off as their own design. She had the same experience with them with one of her own designs. They had indeed made .gifs out of my pattern pieces, deleted my text, and placed their logo on everything, including a photo image taken by me. Pretty cheeky. I guess that is the peril of a free pattern and the honor system. I've contacted them and requested them to remove it, but so far no response to me, although they have removed the offending page. I also recognized some other 'borrowed' tutorials there, some Martha Stewart images among them. That seems a little foolhardy. If you've posted a free tutorial, you might want to check it out.

33 comments:

  1. What a dapper and handsome fella! So totally cute!

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  2. I think they've removed the pattern now (I clicked on the "own design" link and it went to a 404 http error).

    I looove Mikey! He's so cute, and I would definitely love a tutorial on making him. He'd be perfect to go with that Molly I made for my Mum.

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  3. Larissa. I want that doll. I need that doll. Um, I mean, Asher wants and needs that doll. I'm just sayin'. So, so adorable.

    And hey - you have truly arrived to have your designs ripped off like this. Congratulations!

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  4. y'all, thanks for the mikey love! Erin seemed to really like it too! Yay!

    Kaye, thanks for the heads up on the link!

    Robyn, that's a true compliment from you! Yesss... And I had to laugh at the congratulations. I guess I'll look at it that way.

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  5. love it! totally want the pattern!

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  6. hooray! i have three boys and i am sooooo excited for the boy version. i made my oldest two boy molly's but they were naked. i need to make my baby a mikey monkey now.i love him... and you too for providing the cute pattern!

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  7. First I must tell you how fantastic your Mikey design turned out! Those shoes and the tie are absolutely adorable.

    And someone had alerted me that site in China was using my elf clog pattern, too, but it had been taken down when I checked again this morning. I'm so glad we have supporters across the net that are looking out for us!

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  8. I would love a tutorial of Mikey! It would be so cute for my boys room.

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  9. The monkey is too cute! :)

    How inappropriate of that website to steal other's patterns and pass them off as their own designs.

    I even noticed that they have an Aranzi Aronzo pattern on the site from the book "Make Cute Stuff."

    Unbelievable!

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  10. Love the Chuck Taylors and tie. Too cute!

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  11. Jenny, I was actually on your blog, writing you a comment to alert you to the elf clog swipe, then when I tried to find the link, it was gone. So I didn't post my comment. So at least they are wising up. Thanks for the compliments too! :-)

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  12. Ah yes...immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But it's also really annoying.

    Sorry you got your pattern ripped off. I often wonder how some people can live with themselves.

    On a happier note, however, I would love love love some patterns/instructions/tutorials what-have-you on your Mikey. I was planning to make a niece and nephew (twins) some twin monkeys but have been doubting my sewing ad-lib abilities. That would take some extra headache out of my Christmas sewing.

    Thanks for all you do, Larissa!

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  13. I tend to be a little girl centered in my crafting as well, but I'm in love with the boy-tie-wearing-converse-wearing monkey! :)

    On the note of the copying issue, I see MS projects passed off on blogs as the owner's tutorial/idea ALL the time and find it a bit irritating. :) As a previous seller/designer of boutique clothing on eBay I find that it's unfortunate common practice of stealing creativity.

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  14. I would love Mikey pattern pieces! BTW, I bought the Bunny Binky Baby pattern from you a while back and just finally got around to making it. I LOVED making it and it turned out super cute. :) I'm giving it to my niece for her 1st birthday. I'd update my etsy comments but I already left some awhile back before I actually made the doll.

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  15. My, what a handsome monkey. Just love him!

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  16. Your Mikey turned out great! Love the tie and the tennies. Glad to hear the girlies are feeling better!!

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  17. This is so cute!! Just found your blog and it is great!! Such talent! Thanks for sharing!!

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  18. Marissa, thanks for the BBB love!

    Patsy, welcome to the blog!

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  19. Love your Mikey! He is super cute. I have already made three Molly's and had so much fun. Now I just HAVE to try a Mikey! Thanks Larissa!

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  20. Yeah! this monkey is wicked cool. If I don't ever get around to making one, I know I will at least make the shoes for something.

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  21. I would love to have a Mikey pattern. I have a new little boy and am looking for crafts for boys - this is perfect.

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  22. He is so cute, you are so creative, thanks for sharing with us all, I know how much time the blogs can take. Mine is just a little and it takes time. Love the monkeys!

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  23. Love Mikey, he is very cute & cool :)

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  24. That is some kinda cute! I am in love with the tennis shoes and hat!

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  25. Would love to see a Mikey pattern. I haven't yet tried Molly (plan to!) and have a friend who is monkey crazy when it comes to her little boy.I would love to be able to make him a Mikey!

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  26. thanks so much for mikey!!! i just finished a molly (err..."peaches" according to my 4 year old :) & have an order in for a "molly" from my soon to be 8 year old little girl. my 7 year old buddy was feeling a bit left out!

    now he is so excited to get a mikey!
    thank you!!!
    gigi

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  27. Ummm, I LOVE this... I'll be linking!

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  28. I just saw your site for the first time, and I'm interested in knowing if you ever put up the Mikey pattern. Thanks :)

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  29. Hi, Alejandra! Welcome. Yes, Mikey is available as a PDF pattern in the shop: mmmcrafts.etsy.com

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