Monday, May 11, 2015

What I've been up to

I got a custom order a while back, a referral from a previous customer.  She wanted a set of 8 bears made from some of her late father's things -- a denim shirt, a tan t-shirt and a plaid fleece blanket.  She has 3 siblings, and they each have a child, so everyone would get a bear.

I got them cut out and stitched pretty swiftly, then craft shows intervened for a bit.  This past week I finally got them closed up and threaded, and I didn't think I would survive the threading process.

Putting the bears together involves a large doll needle, hemp cord and a pair of pliers, but generally it's not too bad.  Right now I'm hoping to never work with fleece again because even though it cuts and sews easily, it was nearly impossible to thread because it doesn't act like fabric, it acts like fuzzy plastic sheeting.  You can poke a hole in it, but the hole won't expand like it does with fabric.

There was much pulling and hauling and swearing.  But they're done, and I think they came out well.

The original referring customer also wanted another bear, from a sweater of her dad's.  I actually had some of her original accent fabric left from her first bear back in December, so I mixed that in.  I think he looks snazzy with his argyle body, plaid trim and black bow tie.

Last but not least was another bear from a former co-worker.  She and her husband have a place in the Pocono Mountains, and this was her favorite sweater that she kept up there.  At least it was until her husband washed it.  Now it's a chocolate brown teddy bear with a snowflake on his belly, who will sit on the mountain house couch and remind him never to do laundry again.

I'm dropping them all off tomorrow, if I can figure a way to get 10 bears packed up and onto the train.  Forecast says rain; my fingers and toes are crossed that it won't happen until later in the day.

1 comment: