phosfate | (no subject)

Current Mood: cranky

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Finished Gema, who was much improved by the addition of her face and hanger. Also finished hilariously inept Hello Kitty out of the mascot pattern book Sanrio released in April. I would like to blame its ill-fitting limbs on the instructions' being in Japanese, but anyone who's ever seen inside a Japanese instruction book would instantly spot this as total bullshit. Let's just call it primitive art and move on.

cageyklio gave me a spiffy 70s pattern book at MediaWest, and I am going to attempt the Alice in Wonderland. With some adaptations. Like the bitchin' bear-sized white tennis shoes I found at Hobby Lobby.

The management would like to apologize for the lack of anything interesting in Ann's life.

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Picture ~gema?

Will do. Have to get it developed. Still in 20th Century.

I bought the pattern book. I've never made a plush type thing in my life. We shall see how it turns out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31724&item=8110746287&rd=1

The temptation is strong, despite the fact that my previous forays into bead art have failed miserably as I do not have the patience to deal with hundreds of tiny pieces for something larger than the size of a pinky ring.

I've looked at that one, too. I have the same misgivings. Just gluing on Gema's little black eyes was an exercise in chasing tiny objects as they ricocheted around the room.

I like the book a lot. Most of the patterns are really easy once you get past tracing and cutting out the pieces. (Pay particular attention to the page at the back that shows you how to use tape instead of pins. It'll save your life.) You don't have to turn anything inside-out, and you can blow the pieces up on a copier if the small sizes make you wacky. The character selection is excellent - Kitty's extended family, Usahana, Tuxedo Sam, We Are Dinosaurs, Purrin, and a bunch of others.

I'm finding that good wool felt works much better than craft felt - it doesn't stretch, takes all kinds of stitching, and you can't see through it.

I just ordered an Aranzi-Aranzo book from Kittypaw (she's only just started taking PayPal). Can't wait to see it! Her prices are high, but with shipping she's cheaper than Amazon Japan.

I meant to ask you, do you sew by hand?

Also, I'm resisting the temptation to try out Aranzi-Aranzo stuffs...as it will just sit around as yet another book of something crafty that may or may not get done this lifetime.

I will, hopefully, not sit on the pattern book once I get it.

And thanks for the tip on wool felt. Who knows, maybe you'll find a horribly deformed Kitty in your mailbox someday...would go well with Gollum.

I sew by hand. Most of my stuff is small and shaped funny, so it's easier. Also, I am afraid of the sewing machine.

The A-A books are great. The junky-on-purpose style means it's really hard to fuck a project up, and they're suitable for all sorts of variations in fabric, improvised parts, etc. I made a cup-and-saucer set out of upholster fabric, and bitched at it because the handle was all lumpy looking...then looked and the photo again and realized it was supposed to be.

I would love a horribly deformed kitty. Perhaps I can interest you in a raspberry Purrin...

I would love a horribly deformed kitty. Perhaps I can interest you in a raspberry Purrin...

Oh, God. I can see this getting out of hand. And your Mom thought Japanese butt she hasn't figured out yet was bad...

Is there a particular kind of thread you find works best with felt? I suppose I could get a few different kinds and see how it all turns out. But I didn't know if there was anything that struck you as, "Man, I wish I'd known about this when I first started" types of things. :)

DO NOT USE INVISIBLE THREAD! I know it seems like a good idea, but it's basically fishing line, and it will slice its way through the fabric in time.

Just yer regular cotton sewing thread will work fine. On most of these guys, you'll only want to use one thread, which is kind of a pain in the ass if you're used to doubling and prone to needle-dropping. And teeny stitches are your friend, but if you use the good felt it'll hold just fine.

Mmmmm teeny stitches. I'm a fan of stitches of variable size. ;) And I'm also a fan of doubling, which you mentioned, so I'm sure that will drive me nuts.

Alas, the mascot book has not arrived, yet, so it will have to wait until I get back from my as-of-now-still-on business trip. Hopefully it'll be here by then or I will be angry at eBay Seller Type Person.

Hm. Maybe take a single strand of embroidery thread and double it?

Mascot took for-friggin'-ever to arrive when I bought mine. My new Aranzi book turned up yesterday, and was worth the price just for the diagram of the monkey saying, "OH MY GOD!" as its head is being stuffed. Poor monkey. This book also contains a fish, two tadpoles (one with legs, one without), and a burglar.

To quote

gkkstitch, "Fuckin' Japanese."

eBay seller says I should have gotten it (Hello Kitty Mascot Book) by now. >_< Claims to be resending it this morning. >_< Hopefully I'll get it this week. >_

I am always interested in your life, AnnLarimer, even hen you talk about things I don't understand like, uhh, anime.

*kiss!*

Is that Quentin Tarantino?

*mek!!*

It is Morrissey. Though I think all that would be necessary to make it Tarantino would be to swap the size of the quiff with the size of the chin. :D

No, no, this is interesting. Your plushie-making posts are entertaining and helpful.

I like the sound of a hideously inept Hello Kitty. Strangely enough.

I would most like it if it had one giant, perhaps subtly greenish eyeball.

I like the way you think!

What?

Oh, that was my eyeball talking.

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