Wow! Thank you so much everyone who left a comment on my giveaway! So many of you – and such wonderful softie ideas – I would certainly never have considered a dragon or crocodile – though I have been thinking about a fox for an autumn issue of my magazine. I will definitely be creating one or two of your suggestions over the coming months.
For the moment though, I have a confession to make. I have been away playing – visiting Rosie in Bath – and so I have not yet worked the random number generator and counted down to the winner. I promise I will do so before Friday, and let you know the lucky recipient of the little blue cashmere bunny who will have to wait on my shelf just a little while longer before setting off to his new home.
Inspired by everyone’s ideas, before I went to Bath, I had a good sort through all my softie patterns to remind myself of my earlier creations… and came across the Angel Pigs softie pattern that I designed for Christmas 2011. I’d always meant to tweak the pattern slightly and create some Flying Pigs – and now seemed like the perfect time – what do you think?
I must admit, I think they’re rather cute! And the little blue pig is standing on a bundle of Cath Kidston fabric I treated myself to whilst in Bath. I think they’d make a great present – perhaps for a teenager who has actually tidied her room when asked – pigs will definitely be flying if that happens too regularly!
If you’d like to make your own Flying Pigs, then the Angel Pig pattern works absolutely fine, though I’ll publish the tweaked version in the July issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine.
Back on Friday with the results of the bunny giveaway!
by Helen on March 19, 2013
Wow!! I think this was the best giveaway ever! I have the most amazingly inventive and imaginative readers – thank you so much for all your suggestions for naming my little green bear. I only wish I could give everyone a prize. Sadly I can’t – so I visited the random number generator website, entered my numbers and pressed the button …. and the winner is ……
Helen Jane – and the little green bear now has a name as well as a new home for Easter – his name will be “Moss”. Well done to Helen Jane (I have emailed you) and thank you to everyone else who entered. The pattern to make your own little bear just like Moss will be in the April issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine – out on Thursday 28th.
And if you are still looking for a cute softie friend to join your family this Easter, then I still have two little knitted bunnies seeking a kind new home …… Blossom and Poppy (at either end of the line up) still need kind new homes …. you can find them listed in my Etsy shop.
by Helen on March 14, 2013
My friend Jacqui – this is her ….
is an amazingly talented designer and illustrator – but also ridiculously camera-shy!! You may remember that Jacqui and I have collaborated on a range of Sewflapdoodle patterns for Bustle & Sew – my all-time favourite is the one she created for her little dog Lionel and Ben ….
Simply adorable!
And now Jacqui is setting out on a new venture – her own online shop offering her artwork as printables – there will be bunting, cards, invitations, (all can be personalised) as well as her very own paper doll designs. Her shop isn’t quite ready yet, but in the meantime she’s giving away her printable St Patrick’s Day bunting and placecards when you join her free newsletter….
If you’d like Jacqui’s St Patrick’s Day bunting, then please just click on the image above to join her newsletter (she promises never to share your email address with anyone else) and your free printables will be sent to you straight away.
by Helen on March 12, 2013
You might meet a little black baby bear!! At least that’s what everyone has been calling that naughty Miss Daisy. Ben is feeling much better now, and the simple expedient of removing his collar has stopped her pulling and twisting his neck. I don’t think he’s very likely to run away while we’re out, and if we did become separated (1) everybody round here knows who he is and where he lives; and (2) he is micro-chipped.
Meanwhile, as well as black baby bears, here at Coombe Leigh we have other colours too …..
A new pattern for the April Bustle & Sew Magazine. I’ve never created a bear softie before as there are so many wonderful bear-makers and designs out there – but these little creatures are, I think, some of the easiest to make you’ll find. Once I’d worked out the pattern pieces and sewn the trial version, each bear took me about 2 1/2 hours – and they’d be wonderful little gifts for special people. They’re not jointed so their limbs don’t move, but for me simplicity was everything – as well as cute appeal of course! There’s a bit of a bear theme developing for the April issue … I’ve also finished a new and very simple stitchery also featuring bears ….
This little couple have launched their sky lantern (balloon) for a lifetime’s luck and hope that their happiness will last forever. This is a really simple design and would be great for a beginner – or just a couple of hours stitching for the more experienced. I do hope you like them both.
