Rowena Rabbit

I received a lovely letter this morning.  The picture that came with it actually tells the whole story.

 

Naomi chose the Rowena Rabbit pattern to make a doll for her little girl.  It was her first ever attempt at making a soft toy.  She says the pattern and instructions were easy to work with  and she's happy with the result.  I think the purple Rowena looks stunning.  Most important of all is that her daughter adores the rabbit and has a new treasured friend.  

When I see pictures like this, I'm keenly reminded why I'm a toy designer and maker.  It's not about stuff, it's about creating joy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/106092413/teddy-bear-rabbit-pdf-sewing-pattern

More Bunnies on Wheels

This week some more bunnies on wheels were completed in class.

This is Alet's bunny.

And this cutie was made by Lena.

Easter Bunny Parade

This week half a dozen completed bunnies from our Easter bunny project came rolling through the studio.  It is lovely to see how everyone interpreted the pattern in their own way.

Hannelie's Rabbit

Tharina's Rabbit

Phillys' Rabbit

Gerda's Rabbit

Annemarie's Rabbit

Rachel's Rabbit

Colourful Week

We had a colourful and productive week in the studio.
I finally sorted out that tangle of embroidery floss, and made some real progress on the bunny.  If he would just stop messing with the floss, I might get a bit more work done!

Chairs for teddy bears and dolls arrived.  They are made by Fred of Cloth Characters, and Nerina made the adorable little matching cushions.  A chair with cushion costs R 50.  The chairs are are about 32cm tall, 15cm from the ground to the seat, and would be suitable for teddies and dolls in many sizes.  Hurry up and order while stocks last!

And this is how far I got with the lizard.  I'm real pleased with my progress.  Now I just need to figure out the legs, and it wants real eye catching eyes...

Bunny on wheels

Since the beginning of the year I have been planning to make a bear on wheels. I had something very traditional and old looking in mind. When I sat down to draw the design this week, it morphed into an Easter bunny! I guess it’s the season… Another thing I seem to have no control over is the amount of clutter I gather around me while I’m working. In the picture attached you can see the story of my week; little porcelain dolls that arrived in the mail, baby bird donated by my sister, some tiny bears commissioned by a collector (I’m going to finish them some time soon!), embroidery floss I’m going to get around to untangling some time… and in the middle of it all the plan for bunny-on-wheels. You can also see the smaller prototype made out of chocolate coloured velvet. When I’m working on a new design I like to make up a smaller sample in short pile fur to check the proportions and fit of the pattern pieces. Apart from being a bit heavy in the seat, this bunny is doing fine. I will start putting the mohair sample together over the weekend.