Crafter Disaster
There are some days when we just shouldn’t craft.
I am having one of those days today and here you can see the results. I started making a prototype for my cat doll based on a teddy bear pattern that I found in a book. I though it would be a good idea to use a proper pattern to get an idea for the body and balance (due to my past experience with very unbalanced creatures) and then work out my changes from there, however I knew that the cat’s nose should be shorter than a teddy’s so I went ahead and did that.
So it got to the stuffing stage and I was quite alarmed to see that it didn’t really look like a cat or a bear at all but it looks remarkably like E.T.! Oh dear. Perhaps that Daniel Harris article that I linked to yesterday is playing on my subconscious.
Thinking that some ears and some more features would improve this fate for the poor creature I started to embroider a cute kitten nose in a soft pink embroidery thread, but the needle started pulling through the stuffing from inside it’s head.
So now it looks like E.T. with snot blowing out of his nose. Scrap this one and start again.
But I remain cheerful because I read my horoscope in this morning’s paper and it was as follows: “Don’t give in today to discouragement, disillusion, pessimism or disappointment, because then you won’t be ready to receive the unexpected assistance and quite surprising help already on it’s way to you.” How apt! Now I just have to keep an eye out for some kind of surprising help. Maybe it’s that packet of tim tams in the cupboard.
With how much the beautifully completed animals do on ebay see if you can sell this one at Bargain Basement pricing!! They sell pretty wierd stuff on ebay sometimes.
Don’t scrap the poor little guy! I think if you put the eyes closer together it would look more like a kitty. I don’t know about those big arms though!
I often find tim tams to be a divine source of inspiration! Everything just seems so much more lovely while you’re tucking into a tim tam!!
Lipton flavoured tea. I had caramel today. It was delightful
I kind of looks like a bird
I haven’t a clue about what tim-tams are, but I’m sure they have a very helpful attitude! I thought your ET looked more like a cute, if slightly awkward, little chick. Hurray for good attitude, Claire!
I don’t know if it will help or be surprising, but it’s on the way 🙂
The eyes look good, though… 🙂
Instead of scrapping your creature, stop looking at it as a cat and see what it does become if you simply continue working on it with no expectations. I think you can save this creature.
i think it looks like a bird to. unstuff that arm, poke the stuffing back into it and make it a duck
clairei wish i could show you the prototypes i have gone through to get to a final monster, you would fall on your knees and laugh so hard.
e.t. kitty is a good learning experience, i have had the same issue with doing embroidery after the stuffing, what a riot.
anyhoo…i am jealous of your tim tams, my good friend who is living in australia at the moment introduced me to a Tim Tam Slam…mmmm.
r
Don’t forget that its also Friday the 13th! I took my patternmaking very slowly an d carefully today and I’m only doing a simple dress… I’ve got some ideas for you generally though. Firstly, what is that fabric you are using for the toile? From the picture, it looks like a drill, which has no give and will make shaping and stretching very difficult. Also, are you clipping your seams and pressing them properly? I know its just a toile, but it makes such a difference and allows you to see where the real pattern problems are, rather than the sewing problems. I hope they help….
i love tim tams! I’d forgotten all about them. My mum’s neighbour brought a load back from a trip to Australia and gave my parents a couple of boxes. i’d say tim tams are just about all the surprise help you need 🙂
it looks like Classic Pooh to me.
When my 3 year old came into the room she said, “Momma what a cute baby duck, oh how cute!”See all is not lost. Mmmmm I miss Tim Tams……
You are too funny! I like the “snot” picture! Your horoscope for today is quite serendipitious!
Today my fortune cookie read, “You will be called upon to celebrate some good news.” Perhaps I should go play lotto?
Best of luck with your little creatures!
I think it looks just fine! The good thing about prototypes is that you learn so much from each one you make. The stuffing-snot is hilarious…
If you added a bill, it could pass as a duck from my backyard. I think he’s cute.
piglet?
http://www.sue-pearson.co.uk/product.php?id=451
🙂
Don’t give up! It’s a cute er… something or other!
What are tim tams?
i like the snot bits! 🙂 gives it character!
Oh, thank you for acknowledging this, Loobylu.
Kids love pictures of poo and snot and the like. I like this doll, the snot is an elegant touch. (really!)