Ladybird,

Many moons ago, I had a free pattern posted on a craft and sewing blog called Whip Up.  Sadly, Whip Up is no longer live, which, after double checking some of the links on my blog, also means the pattern for the ladybird is also no longer live. 

There's been a long absence for me from blogging, reasons for which I'll go into in my next post, but for now, I'm going to add the ladybird pattern here, it was a popular pattern and is also one I've used myself a few times when I've done teaching sessions, its small, simple, quick to do, doesn't require a huge amount of materials and can all the sewing can be done by hand.

pattern skill rating : easy

sewing bee...

Here in the UK, everyone in the crafting world is currently going Great British Sewing Bee crazy (for what it's worth, I am Team Lauren), although I suspect the rather easy on the eye Patrick Judge may have a little something to do with it's popularity!

Anyway, in celebration of all the sewing machines which will no doubt now be being purchased, here is my contribution to get people sewing.  In the Sewing Bee, they are making clothes.  In my humble opinion, sewing clothes can be quite complicated, so if you are new to the craft, here's a simple little project to try which encompasses a handful of techniques, a sewing bee softie...

You will need :

selection of fabric : black & yellow (I used fabrics with sewing related prints!)

selection of craft felt

toy stuffing

2 small buttons or beads

sewing thread

embroidery thread (I used Pearl Cotton 8)

paper, pencil & scissors

pins & a needle

Step 1 : First create 2 squares of fabric, (8x8cm) by patch-working together 3 strips for each. 

Step 2 :  Draft yourself a pattern for the Bees body by drawing an oval shape onto the paper that is roughly 6.5cm tall and 5cm across.  Cut out and pin the template to the first of the fabric squares and trim to size.  Repeat for the other piece.

Step 3 : Pin the 2 fabric ovals, right sides together, sew round the edge to join (either by hand using backstitch or on a sewing machine), leaving a small gap for turning it back right side round.

Step 4 : Through the gap, stuff the bee, tuck in the fabric edges and then stitch the gap closed.

Step 5 : Switch to the embroidery thread and add eyes by attaching 2 small circles of craft felt with a tiny button or bead in the center.

Step 6 : Make yourself another template, this time a wing shape (mine is kind of like a flower petal) and cut 2 from the craft felt.  Stitch into position with the embroidery thread.

Step 7 : To finish off, after the wings are attached, take the needle up through the middle of the bee and tie a loop in this thread so you can hang your bee up.

And that's it, all done.  A quick bit of sewing and you've practiced pattern drafting, patchwork, sewing, applique and embroidery!  You could make lots and create a mobile, and even nip over to Whip Up for the Ladybird project I posted there, both insects are about the same size so will work great as a pair.

A tail of two rabbits,

It's the school holidays here in the UK, which also means I get very little time to work in between all the other parenting stuff.  The offshoot is there's very little to blog about, hence the quietness here!

Until the other day, I'd promised the kids a comic each, and during the hour (it felt like an hour!) it took them both to choose one, I went browsing amongst the sewing magazines and discovered...

Sew Hip, issue 32 - September 2011, has a pattern extracted from my book in it!  I knew there were a few projects placed by the publisher as features, but didn't know what, when or where.

It's the baby Rabbits that are featured, along with their personalised tails.

Although the dates still look odd to me being a Brit.  As the book publisher is American, the dates were stitched with the month first, followed by the day.

If you do buy the magazine and make a Rabbit, remember to join the Countryside Softies Flickr group and post what you've made.

The eyes have it...

I tend to do the eyes on all of my Softies the same.  A circle of felt attached with a very small (1/4" wide) button.  In the book, at the back there is a list of resources, and these are the buttons which I use,

But, there are a number of ways to stitch the eyes if you don't have any of those buttons to hand...

A small circle of felt attached with an embroidered french knot, 

also a small circle of fabric again, attached with a french knot will work, although to prevent the fabric from fraying, I'd dab some glue or fray check on the edge.

Another way is to embroider the whole eye.  This one is made by satin stitching a circle (I drew a border with an air erasable pen first), then sewing a french knot in the center.

Similarly, you can stitch a circle using darning stitch (seen in more detail here), and again embroider a french knot in the centre.

The stitched eyes are also safer if you are making a Softie for a child as there's nothing to come off and be swallowed!

I tried one with a bead, but it kind of stuck out from the base fabric a little too much.  Hopefully these ideas will be helpful if you find the buttons hard to get hold of.  Let me know if you can think of any other ways!

Don't forget to leave a comment on my previous post to win a copy of the book.  And follow the rest of the blog tour, 

tuesday 26th april - i heart linen - Rashida has made toadstools!

wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter - that's today

thursday 28th april - plush you 

friday 29th april - allsorts

Title's too long to write...,

  It's the Countryside Softies, book blog tour, book giveaway, live web chat, plus retro Owl post!

Have you been following the tour?  So far it's been to Australia, USA, USA again, the UK, back to Aus, the off to Finland.  Today it's my turn, so, let's get down to business ::

1. Have you got the book?, if not, you can get it either from here or a signed copy direct from me on Etsy.

2. Leave a comment on this post by midnight (GMT) on Friday 29th April, and you will be in with a chance to win a copy.  You can also win a copy at every stop on the book tour and don't forget there is nothing to stop you commenting on every post so you go into every draw.

3. All the book winners will then move onto a separate draw to win the Robin Softie.

4. If you have got the book, please do join the Countryside Softies Flickr group and post your creations.

5. There's also the Lucykate Crafts... Facebook group as another way of keeping up to date with design news etc...

6. This evening (as in easter Sunday), I will be here online from 9pm (GMT), see down at the bottom of the blog, there is a Wibiya bar, click the 'join chat' icon and sign in, this will open up a chat room box which is where I will be (not literally, but you know what I mean)

Don't worry about me being a 'billy no mates' for my web chat.  When I say I'll be here live, it will involve sitting by the computer with my feet up, a bit of sewing on the go, a (large) glass of Pimms and an easter egg with the chat box open.

Talking of sewing, remember my hankering for all things retro, Lucienne Day-ish, and the fabrics which I bought?  Well, here is the result.  Taking a motif from the atomic design era,

and we have eyes,

add a little embroidered cross hatching for a crest, 

and we have an Owl.  A retro Owl.

Although once I'd finished, I wished I'd used greens and browns instead.  Guess that's my sewing for this evening sorted!

Well, if you're around later, I'll see you for the crafty web chat, if not, the there's the rest of the tour to follow, continuing tomorrow with the lovely Manda...

monday 25th april - treefall design 

tuesday 26th april - i heart linen 

wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter 

thursday 28th april - plush you 

friday 29th april - allsorts

When is an Otter, not an Otter?

When I was designing the patterns for the book, on the whole they came together very easily.  I guess my 12 years with Coats Crafts UK came in handy here.  There is a knack to putting together a project which is intended to be made by other people, and when I'm doing the sewing part, in the back of my mind I'm making note of how straight forward it is on the basis of if I'm finding it hard to work, then I need to think of a simpler way.

It's not that I'm dumbing down the projects (which, as an aside, I did find the recent 'dumbing down of quilting' debate really interesting, that's a blog post all in itself, maybe next week when the kids are back at school), it's more a case of designing in a way that can be easy to explain in words, in a way that appeals and looks achievable to both novice and more experienced sewers, and in a way that brings each animal to life with a quirky character while retaining some realism.

The Otter was the one I struggled with the most.  It was because of him, the decision was made to code each project with a guide (easy, moderate, slightly tricky).  He's 'slightly tricky'.  Not because the Otter is hard to make, it's just he has more separate body parts, so there is more to join together which means it'll take a bit longer to complete.   When I first began designing him, I went for a horizontal body position,

which once I'd finished, decided didn't work.  He just didn't look Otter-like enough, his face was too narrow which made him look too ratty.  This version has been living on Lucy's bed ever since.

The second incarnation in an upright position, I felt, worked much better.

Have you been following the book tour??

So far, at Whip Up there's the pond pattern, a lovely review from Bari J (how pretty is her blog??), and interview with me by Scott at Blue Nickel Studio's where I use the words 'numb nut', you'll have to go read the interview to find out why, and today there is a very sweet review at Fat Quarterly.  Don't forget to leave a comment on the blogs taking part to be in with a chance of winning a copy of the book and also going through to the draw for the Robin softie.

Follow the rest of the tour here ::

friday 22nd april - ric-rac 

saturday 23rd april - syko 

sunday 24th april - lucykate crafts (that's me, web chat 9pm UK time)

monday 25th april - treefall design 

tuesday 26th april - i heart linen 

wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter 

thursday 28th april - plush you 

friday 29th april - allsorts

ps, I'm going to try and do a trial run of the web chat this evening (as in UK evening), so if you're around on Twitter later, I'll be after some volunteers! 

Pond pattern,

The book blog tour starts today at Whip Up, with a brand new and exclusive free pattern to make the pond which will go with any of the Riverside Softies from the book.  So hop on over there, all the instructions and templates are on my guest post.

Next stop for the book tour tomorrow is...  the wonderfully talented Bari J.

Blog book tour...,

The book had it's UK launch on Monday at the London Book Fair, so I guess it's time to go global with the blog book tour! 

monday 18th april - whip up 
tuesday 19th april - bari j 
wednesday 20th april - blue nickel studios 
thursday 21st april - fat quarterly
friday 22nd april - ric-rac 

saturday 23rd april - syko 
sunday 24th april - lucykate crafts (that's me!)

monday 25th april - treefall design 
tuesday 26th april - i heart linen 
wednesday 27th april - sometimes crafter 
thursday 28th april - plush you 
friday 29th april - allsorts  

At each stop along the way, there is a book giveaway, plus all of the book winners will then go on into a separate draw and win this...

the Robin Softie from the book.

As the tour is running over Easter, I'm doing Easter Sunday and am (if it works, am going to have to give it a trial run!) hoping to try something a bit different.  At 9pm BST, see the Wibiya bar down at the bottom of the blog ↓↓↓, there is a 'join chat' section.  Click on that and a chat room box opens up.  I'll be online for a live webchat to talk about blogging and writing a book, so pop by if you have any questions (or Easter chocolate to share!)

The tour starts at Whip Up with a brand new tutorial, something extra to go with any of the riverside Softies from the book, so look out for that on Monday.

10 signed copies...,

now up on Etsy

which means if you are in the UK, you can have your book now rather than waiting until May!

First 3 orders will also receive one of the handmade conkers as a free gift!

Dragonflies...

In celebration of National Craft Month, the Dragonfly from the 'Countryside Softies' book is up as a free downloadable pdf pattern on the Stash Books blog!

I've also set up a Flickr group, please feel free to join and post any projects made from the book there.

The wanderers return...

FedEx have just visited...

The last time I saw this box was in May 2010 when I first posted it off to America.  This isn't everything, some has stayed behind for exhibition purposes.

Also arrived...

My author copies of the book.  I will have some of these up for sale on Etsy shortly, once I've signed them!

The year of the book,

I hope everyone has all had a good christmas.  We've had a busy time, lots of traveling and visiting, and also lots of snow.

2011 is a big year for me as in April my craft pattern book comes out. I think, business wise, that has to be the most exciting and yet nerve wracking venture I've undertaken so far.

Swan pattern from the book

When I submitted the proposal for my initial book idea, I was so pleased when it was as well received as it was.  Given the passion I have for designing and making Softies, it's easy to assume everyone else will feel the same way, which left me quite anxious when putting together the ideas for a full book of Softie patterns designed from animals of the British countryside to an American publisher!

The whole process has been a very valuable experience, one which I'm sure I will be blogging about often.  Out of all the chapters in the book, it was the 'how to' part which became the most difficult to break down.  I was reminded of this the other day, by Abby Glassenberg, who also has a book out, and is posting on her blog a fascinating series all about the mechanics of creating a Softie.  The issue I had with the instructions was whether to have a section at the beginning which covered all the construction techniques, or to keep this information within each individual pattern.  I chose to have a section at the front, to avoid unnecessary repetition.  This does mean that if you were to make anything from the book, there is a little cross referencing to do, but as many of the processes are used over and over, once you've sewn one Softie, it all starts to make sense.

Writing a craft pattern book is all about making choices.  I chose the write my book in a certain way, whether or not my choices suit everyone, well I guess only time will tell once it comes out and begins to get reviewed.

Happy New Year!

How not to write a craft book,

I always thought that after writing a book, I would be able to offer lots of advice and words of wisdom about making the leap from craft blogger to author, but in all honesty, the best I can do is tell 2 tales of what not to do.

 

(my design file for all the book ideas & patterns)

Tale 1 ::  During the writing process, there are a number of deadlines that come up.  Almost a year ago, I was just finishing off the first chapter which included all the basic instructions, materials and how to's, and have previously hinted at what went wrong.  Yes, I lost it all.  Something in the region of 10,000 words.  Cue a fair amount of swearing and looking for something to kick (I think it was the bin).  On the bright side, I did feel that second time around what I wrote was much clearer and an improvement on the first draft.  Since then, the Apple Time Capsule that failed has been repaired (free of charge I might add as it was a know fault), and I now have that first copy back but haven't yet dared to read it.

Tale 2 ::  As I was heading towards what they call the package date, ie the point at which everything had to be with the publisher, it dawned on me that I was going to have to sort out posting what was months worth of handmade softies over to America to the C&T Publishing offices.  I spent an hour with the 'post mistress' in my local post office packing up the box, checking and double checking paperwork, and deciding on the safest way of posting the parcel.  It was such a relief to have got to this point with the book, I left the post office and cried.  That relief was short lived.

At about 6 o'clock that evening, I had a phone call from the main sorting office to tell me the paperwork was incomplete.  How could that be?, I spent ages asking questions and filling in forms.  Turns out the person I had relied upon knowing what they were talking about, was obviously misinformed herself.  Great.  We filled in a makeshift additional invoice over the phone, and I was told the parcel would still go via UPS and was given a tracking number.  The next morning, I contacted UPS only to be told they had no record of the parcel, and it was still with Parcelforce.  Parcelforce said it was with UPS.  For 3 days, no-one could tell me where the parcel was.  For 3 days, I thought that was it, everything had gone missing and I would miss the publishing slot.  Finally it appeared on the Parcelforce online tracking system.  In New York.  It was actually supposed to be in California.  At least it was somewhere instead of untraceable.  I got drunk when I heard from my editor that it finally arrived.

Countryside Softies,

Thank you for all the book well wishes.  I don't quite know where to start with it all, there's so much to tell!  

There are 28 patterns in the book, lots of ways of personalising them by making family groups and adding embroidered wording.  A couple of sneaky peeks,

 the Otter,

ⓒ Stash Books

and the Duck, which comes with patterns for a chick finger puppet and egg.

ⓒ Stash Books

I loved designing and making every single pattern in there, and am so happy I've been able to share this news with you.  Now you know why there have been periods when I temporarily disappeared from the blogging world!

ps, I've changed the blog layout and colours so I match my book cover, it was clashing slightly!

I have a BIG announcement...

I will be back later this week with more news about this, but for now...

my book!