Sometimes, things have a way of happening, and without knowing it, it was a special memory in the making.
We are a homeschooling family, so the public library is a really fantastic resource for us. Just a few weeks ago, as we were about to check out our books, I spied an interesting looking book on the "New Books" shelf: Sewn Toy Tales by Melanie Hurlston. Gave a flip through, didn't think too much about it and borrowed it.
When the children and I had a proper look through back home, the children and I thought it would be interesting to try making one. When I said I was game to try making a toy (I have never made stuffed toys before and I didn't know if it would be successful) all my children started choosing which design they wanted! Worse, they began naming their special toy.. and you know when a kid does that, you just got yourself into a promise you can't back out of. ;P
If you follow this blog, you will know I'm a Learner, and I want to impart that love for learning to my dear children too. I started learning to sew around 3 years ago when my fifth baby girl was about 1 years old. See the little pinafore I made here. Baby no. 6 can wear it now! :) And from there, I went on to skirts, culottes, dresses because I want my girls to dress modestly and it's really hard to find modest clothes these days.
So, from sewing clothes, march 2013, I took the plunge with stuffed toys. :)
From all my sewing projects, I have accumulated quite a sizeable cloth stash. It was wonderful that I could use these (some are scrappy cloths). The children had a really fun time choosing which cloth combination they wanted for their toy. It was a very "by the way" art lesson. I think they didn't even think they were doing any thing "schoolish" but I had the chance to guide them and show them some finer points of design and stuff like that.
I'm glad I started with the Triceratops! The frills were tricky, and sewing the toy into a "bag" was tricky but I'm glad they turned out ok! Turns out, the dinos were the easiest of the animals my children picked. Actually only one child wanted the Triceratops but since I was cutting cloth, I decided to cut cloth for two toys.(Yes, that's why there are 7 toys in total!)
Meet Trixie and Derrick!
Trixie: The Close Up.
Next came the Giraffes! For my two sweetie little girls. The all pink loving no. 5 (4 yrs old) decided to go with the pink cloth, the moment I showed it to her. (For no. 5, I shortlisted the choices for her. ;) )
I happen to have matching scrap cloth that's the blue version of the pink cloth so that was the natural choice for the sister giraffe.
These sister Giraffes are Sally and Sarah. :)
no. 1 son loves Cordouroy, like me! So he choose lots of Cordouroy for his toy. Honestly, I was surprised that my no. 1 (now the macho 13 year old who is totally in to cycling now) even wanted a toy. haha. Turns out it's more for sentimental reasons: he wanted to receive something that mama made specially for him. Awww....
my no. 4 (7 yrs old, pictured below) said something similar to that effect too. He said that mama always sews for the girls. The toy will be the first thing I sew for him. He absolutely loves his mouse and has been thanking me profusely for making it . Awwww.....
Three sets of mousey arms and feet. (Mice that have long arms and short feet. yeah.)
Yes, as I was sewing the arms and legs, no. 4 was sitting by me, watching. He began singing a Character First! song that he had learned about Thoroughness which has a line that goes "pay attention to the details, details." Looks like he was thinking about that lesson when he saw me working. :)
I have learned this from my many cake decorating adventures (and many times, mis-adventures, heehee) that baking the cakes can be rather dreary but putting the whole project together and seeing it take shape and when the final product is out.....oh it really gives me a rush. :) A happy sense of accomplishment.
So it is the same with making the toys. The cutting of cloth is painful and tedious. Sewing many arms, legs, hooves, ears, whatever body part.... it can be quite tedious.
But when it's the time to start assembling them together and it starts to look so nice, it's totally exciting! :)
Tummys with arms and legs.
The Three Mouses! "It", Andy (no. 4's all natural coloured mouse) and Angelina. Aren't their noses too cute?
And the whole funny farm together!
The friends on Facebook love how the toys turned out and I have received many requests to make more to sell. haha...I am absolutely happy that they have been so well received and I know I am sitting on a lot of undeserved good will from kind folks out there. We have as a family been looking out for home business opportunities but this toy "potential" business is really quite time consuming. My first priority is still to the children. We are looking for things we can do that can be a blessing to folks but also be able to fit our homeschool schedule, not take too much time away.
However, after talking to dear hubby, we decided that the toys might be possible during the off peak periods of our school cycle. Yaay! I am thinking of setting up another FB page to put up stuff that we make to sell, as and when we make them. If people were to be so kind as to buy them, just know that all proceeds go into funding our homeschool endeavours. (A child's piano lesson, a new pair of shoes, a new set of school books,... )
Here they are with their respective owners! <3
Lots of love from mama to her precious arrows.
I had to include this pic too. Baby and her two cutie little teeth!
Happy memories. Thank you, Lord. <3
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