meet Kaley

This is Kaley Kitty. She's all packed up and waiting patiently to go home. She has been feeling kind of sick lately, but the nice doctors and nurses are all helping her to feel better.

It's a good thing she has Mrs Buttons to keep her company. Sometimes you have to wait when you are at the doctor's office and Kaley gets bored, but Mrs Buttons is always very patient. Also she knows how to play Tic Tac Toe and Rock Paper Scissors.

Sometimes doctors expect you to sit around in your underwear while they listen to your chest and fuss over your port! Silly doctors.

And when you stay the night at the hospital, you get to wear a funny gown that has ties and snaps. Kaley always forgets which goes where, but she has lots of help.

She always remembers to take her comfy socks with her to the doctor's office and the hospital. The big people must really like it cold in there. These socks keep her paws extra toasty. Also they might have magical powers. She is pretty sure they make lollipops appear in nurse's pockets.

 

Kaley's crossbody overnight bag holds extra tape and gauze for her dressings, in case she needs a change. There's also room for her spare frock and shoes. And for Mrs Buttons too.

Kaley Kitty has gone to live with a beloved small person, Madi. Cats are her favorite. I know Madi will take very good care of Kaley while she is getting all better. And I know that Kaley will give lots of hugs to Madi while she is getting all better too.

We love you, Wises big and small.

mushroom quilt. wish me luck.

I made the plan.

I ordered the fabric.

The walking foot has arrived. I hear these are a good idea when machine quilting.

So. I should have everything ready for my first for-totally-reals quilt. I have pieced many things. But I've never made a quilt with the batting, quilting, binding and everything. It's (in theory) a twin quilt for one of my girls. They both need a lightweight option to add to their duvets when it is very cold or in summer to use instead of their duvets.

So. We'll see how this goes. All I need to do now is shove this project under my craft table for a few months until the guilt overwhelms me, and then I'll be ready to start.

transition doll

I made this doll a while back when I was transitioning away from the Pippi pattern and I don't think I blogged it. I wanted to make a pair of friends instead who are BFFs but verrry different. Like a lot of good friends are! In case you can't tell, this one is the mismatched, arty, outspoken, messy one of the pair.

I tried something a bit different with her face by filling in her eyes with embroidery. I like it.

I finished her and then other, more urgent things came up and I lost my momentum completely. But I like her. She needs a black pair of converse and a feather boa to complete her outfit. She and her neatnik, prim, girly, quiet, bookish friend will have to live in my head awhile longer, but they may come out to play again soon.

updated the tooth pillow tutorial

I recently updated the basic tooth pillow tutorial and uploaded an improved PDF pattern to go with it. My process to make them has changed so much since I first posted the tutorial long, long ago that the photos didn't even go with the instructions anymore. Now it has (hopefully) much clearer steps and diagrams, and an improved shape. Go here to view the revamped tutorial.

Still hoping to come through at some point with a retail pattern that includes a much improved floating mouth pocket, ballerina tutu, fairy crown/wings, marshal getup and policeman's uniform. Crossing my fingers. School started a few days ago at my house and oh my word today was long. So long. With the whining and the groaning. Tomorrow will be better.

T.O.U.C.s (Tomatoes of Unusual Color)

My sister Leigh had a birthday. She loves to sew. And I am of the opinion that one can never have too many pin cushions, so I took the opportunity to make some for her out of shot cotton scraps and felt.

They are easy and quick to make. I won't reinvent the wheel here because there are many great tomato pin cushion tutorials already available. I looked at this one and this one. Mine are in three graduated sizes, so if you'd like to make them here are the pattern measurements:
Large 10 x 5 inches
Medium 9 x 4.5 inches
Small 8 x 4 inches

Before stuffing I filled the bottoms with rice to give them a bit of heft.

This is after stuffing and closing, but before I added the embroidery floss and felt leaves. Be sure to stuff yours tightly. Nobody likes a deflated pin cushion. When you think it has enough stuffing, put in more.

A long doll needle is very helpful to add the floss along the sides. To make the felt caps I just drew a quick star on my felt with disappearing marker. Do you remember how to draw a star? You know, like this:

Then I just kinda made the leaves a bit longer as I cut it out. I think the MS link has a template if you would rather use that. I didn't take a picture of the tomato unders, but I also added a smallish circle of felt to the bottom that I cut out with pinking shears. 

Go ahead and make some in crazy colors. They are fun to have around.