Some real life

Yesterday morning Granny Boo passed away very peacefully. She simply drifted off , which I think is a damn fine exit after 103 years .

So for the next little bit its all about the family and arrivals and the guests and the catering and the details. Next Tuesday we will all be here, gathered to say Goodbye and to share her stories, and our stories.

I did wonder about telling you, but you know what, you're my friend and I wanted you to know.

I'll see you soon.

Today

I heard a strange noise,
and had to battle with the scary black thing. The scary black thing was very tough, but I wrestled it and I chased it and I dragged it through all the flowers...until I won.

I didn't even know I was so brave.

Merry Christmas (No, really)

I thought it might be nice to share this tutorial, so you have time to whip up a few for Christmas.

See, I'm always thinking about you guys- always. It has nothing at all to do with the fact that I am doing boring not blogworthy craft at the moment and having nothing to show. Nothing at all.

To begin you will need to pop over grab the pattern pieces document . Cut everything out and iron some medium weight interfacing to the pocket bot body piece and the head side piece.

hmmm, this photo seems to be mising the felt pocket and the felt cover for the base... Brilliant start Jodie !
Sew a line of stitching ¼ inch from bottom of pocket-bots body. (This is a guide for later) and yes you are welcome to sew it as crappily as I have done.
Fold the little felt pocket toward body on fold line and pin in place, no idea why we need the fold really, the felt isn't going to fray, its just that anal thing kicking in again. Sew pocket in place close to the edge of the felt - do not sew across top of pocket ‘cause then it wouldn’t be a pocket !
Fold body piece right sides together and sew centre back seam.
Stand it up and admire it Place your plastic circle(this can be templastic or a bit of old ice-ceam container, whatever you have on hand) in the middle of your felt base. Run a gathering stitch around the edge of the felt circle by hand
Pull your gather stitch to ease the fabric closed around the plastic circle. You may like to run your thread across the back a few times to secure it and keep it all nice and tight.
Fold up the bottom of your bot, using the stitched line as a fold guide and hand sew the covered base to the bottom
Pop a few tablespoons of stuffing pellets into your bot. You may find it easier to make a little cardboard funnel for this. (They go everywhere!) Fill the remainder of the bot with stuffing, until the body is quite firm (I am serious , I mean firm)
·Pin the back of the bots head to the head strip ( right sides together) and sew around, matching the dots on the pattern. Repeat for head front.
Don’t panic if your strip is too long - Just trim it off leaving enough to be able to sew the gap closed.


Turn right sides out through gap in bottom. Mark with pins where you would like the eyes (fiddle around with this, see what you like best)
I used little scrapbooking brads, opening out the little pins at the back to secure in place, but you could easily embroider some eyes.

Add your antennae (a handbag foot) in the same way as the brads, opening out the pins inside the head

Pop it on your finger and using a funny voice, go and talk to your family. Ask for a cup of tea-they won't be able to resist!

Stuff firmly and sew the gap closed.

Now you just have to hand sew the head to the body.
Tuck a small ¼ inch of the body in at the top and sew the head on.

The hardest bit of this will be deciding what to put in the pocket- Personally I think a little message, sharing the joy of the season, is required.

"Dearest Sister in law, if you find an excuse to get out of cleaning up again this year, those crunchy bits in your pudding will not be coins"

If you want to print out the instructions-albeit in a slightly different format, I have made it available to download as well .

Go on share the love !

Little Red

I don't mind, you know, going to grandma's.

but the basket of treats just hasn't been the same since Grandma joined weight watchers.

Some things..

grow slowly

(how absolutely zen of me...next thing you know I'll be writing grateful posts )

and just so know - grateful posts are fine...just not me. Although I am grateful for every millilitre of dog wee that occurs outside the house.

in the buff

Nude, naked, hairy, spiky - in all his glory.

Baxter is finally a pattern

and the first 5 people to purchase him online from Ballarat patchwork will get another of my patterns absolutely free . (chosen at random)

How cool is that ? Of course if you miss out you can check out the stockist page and visit one of the lovely shops listed there, or you could even ask your local craft emporium to get it in for you. (hint hint).

Tomorrow I have the day off, and I thought of putting my to-do list on here to make me more productive - but I'm kidding myself. I am a craft-sloth at the moment it seems, so I'll probably just hang upside from my branch, blink a few times and pass wind.

Don't look at the tights

because these were the third set of legs I have made, (having tried a grey/white stripe and a red/white stripe) and of course these were the ones where I forgot to tell myself to be extra careful and match up the stripes....so they are embracing the wonk a bit.

but you can look at the shoes with their little Hook and Eye faux lace up thingo's, cause they are pretty cute.

(Just so you know- no amount of cute little doo-dads is taking away from the fact that all I can see is those bloody mismatched stripes.)