Sewing

So I found a koi design I think will look pretty cool embroidered, and I’m excited to do it.  Just two problems: It’s a fairly large project, and I’ve never done that kind of embroidery (cross stitch really doesn’t count here).  I tend to prefer jumping into a more complex project rather than starting with a “beginner” project (I still haven’t knitted a scarf, I started out with gloves!), but it seemed like a good idea to at least try the different stitches before committing thread to fabric.  I looked up different stitches to figure out which ones I would want to use.  Then I sketched a small drawing that included elements that could use those stitches, traced it, and transferred it to a fabric similar to the one I intend to use (cotton duck). 

Here’s Namir!  He’s a plush leopard and my first attempt at sewing a stuffed animal.  (I used the Funky Friends Factory Larry the Lion pattern, but for some reason I’ve never been a huge lion fan, so I left the mane out and chose a print fabric.)

I’m not entirely happy with the result, but I’m not entirely unhappy either. 

As a tiny kitten (and she was particularly tiny), Neko had a cat-shaped toy about half her size.  She loved to beat it up . . . until the day she kicked herself in the face trying to do so because she’d grown so much.  So when I was trying to think  of things Neko, and possibly other adult cats, might like to play with I remembered that toy.  It needed to be something not too wide so it could be hugged, long enough so the cat’s kicks would land where they were intended, and not be too complicated – if you’ve known any cats you’ve probably noticed that often as soon as something is complicated to make or if you spend more than a certain amount of money on it, they don’t want it.