There's A Mouse About The House

Melly & Me is one of my favourite softie designers. Their designs are so quirky and fun and from a softie making perspective, have helped to develop my sewing skills immensely.

I found this pattern online recently and was asked to make one for a customer using some bright and bold fabrics. After an initial glitch with the printing of the pattern (I didn't enlarge it enough and didn't realise until making the teeny tiny limbs) this curious mouse came to fruition. Enormous ears, a curly tail and inquisitive eyes, such a little cutie. Or not so little actually as you can see along side my machine. This softie did take a few hours to make but as always I choose to hand stitch the details like the tummy patch and sew around the ears three times which requires a bit more time.

Want to make Mabelle the adorable Mouse? Pop over here for the free pdf where you also receive three other Melly & Me softie patterns.

Creative Tuesday

I'm very lucky today to have a whole child-free day in which to sew. While I haven't stopped since about 7:30 this morning, I don't have any finished softies in front of me. With market preparation it is all about the assembly line so these seven half finished hedgehogs should in theory be seven finished hedgehogs by late tomorrow. I'm taking my time to make sure my sewing is perfect and to prevent the need to do any unpicking. Unpicking stitches in faux fur is definitely a form of torture.

 

And here's my little collection of soon to be completed pears. Assembly lines everywhere!

 

Weekend Projects

The Perth Upmarket is only four weeks away and with a couple of committed to projects, I wanted to finish these this weekend to allow me to focus solely on market prep.

The first project completed was my contribution to the Handmade Cooperative's Pillowcases for Oncology. I used Heather Bailey Lindy Leaf for the main fabric and a bright pink trim for the ruffle. My focus was to create a colourful pillowcase suitable for a girl of any age. This pillowcase, along with many others, will be passed on to the charity, Pillowcases for Oncology, at the end of the month.

This weekend's second project is part of a Facebook showcase with a Circus theme. I used the Retro Mama pattern, changed the embroidered eyes and added a pom pom trim hat. I love the fabric too, perfect for this showcase theme.

 

 

Where did January go?

So it's almost the end of January and I feel like the last few weeks went by in a blur. There were play dates, zoo visits and lots of family time riding bikes and growing vegetables. I squeezed in some sewing and got a few more business related things set up for the year ahead.

This was my view last week though.

Not bad isn't it? My husband and I spent five days at Maca Villas and Spa in Seminyak, Bali and it was a wonderfully relaxing stay. Five whole lazy days filled with delicious meals, mojitos, spa treatments and a little shopping, it was a perfect holiday. We missed our girls like crazy but I won't lie, the break from changing nappies, preparing food, washing up and saying the same thing repeatedly during the day, was a nice change. This was our first holiday in nearly five years and we are already planning to return as a family in the near future.

It's a good thing that I took time out to re-charge the batteries as I have a few sewing projects in the coming weeks. I need to finish the Pillowcases for Oncology drive organised by the Handmade Cooperative. After this I am participating in two showcases through Facebook, the first is a circus theme while for the second one I plan to release my new Easter bunny softie. I am also thrilled to have been accepted for the third time to have a stall at the March Perth Upmarket. My last two experiences at the market were really positive and I'd like to continue with what works for me and my business. Upon confirmation of my place at Upmarket I started one of many lists, what materials do I need, what/how many items shall I make and how to spread everything out over the coming five weeks to complete it all comfortably. So I predict my evenings will be spent cutting out and I'll squeeze my sewing in during the day. I plan to offer 3-4 different additional softies for this market so hopefully they will be well received. I also recently purchased a couple of clothing patterns to add to my collection as well as some fabrics so fingers crossed I can find some time to make some skirts and dresses too. Then there are birthdays, the TSL Dolly Drive and our eldest daughter starting Kindergarten.

Despite crazy busy February approaching I still plan to share some posts, updates and inspiration along the way. I recently signed up to Twitter, yes quite possibly one of the last people on earth to do so, but I'm going to try and embrace another social medium as the 'reach ability' of Facebook decreases. Now I just have to actually tweet something lol

Donate a Doll

A few days ago I lent my support to the Facebook page TSL Dolly Drive 2013. Their goal is to provide 1000 dolls/softies to children around Australia who are currently spending time in hospital. This page quickly gathered support from numerous handmade softie and doll makers as well as people who were keen to take up the craft and make their first cuddly creation.

Image courtesy here

I plan to make two softies. The first will be a doll from a pattern by Revoluzzza. I bought the book, We Make Dolls, several months ago but haven't had a chance to make anything from it so this is the perfect motivation to do so. I also plan to make a boy friendly softie, I'm still deciding between my Spaceboy or perhaps a little ninja.

Do you want to help? Well, it's easy, simply offer your support through the TSL Dolly Drive Facebook page, find a pattern and get sewing. You'll find additional information on their page as well as some patterns to get you started. My advice for making a doll/softie for this drive is:

1. Consider the boys. Let's ensure there is an even dolly-superhero ratio.
2. If you are making a softie intended for a young child, remove all potential choking hazards including buttons and small felt/fabric pieces that may come loose. Use fabric that can be surface cleaned with ease and won't shed (ie fur)
3. Double stitch all seams for strength and durability.
4. Perhaps include a little note with your softie telling the recipient a little bit about their new friend.

If you are keen to make a dolly, here are a few of my favourite free online patterns to use:

1. Ruby Doll courtesy of One Red Robin
2. A Gingermelon Doll
3. A Black Apple Doll
4. A simple Matryoshka Doll by Snipsnaphappy

And for the boys:

1. A  Superhero doll from Shwin&Shwin 
2. Pirate doll from One More Mushroom
3. A Lorax Stuffie from Crafty Kitsune
4. A friendly monster from Revoluzza

Happy sewing (and stuffing) !

My Creative (& clean) Space

This weekend was nicely productive. I increased the pattern size of my hedgehog pattern (previously mentioned here) and made a boy, Herbert, and girl, Holly, who has already found a new home. The faux fur is a messy and tricky material to sew with but it is also more forgiving than cotton and I really enjoy making them.

I added some fabric to my stash last week after a sale at one of my favourite online stores. Lots of florals, funky chevron and Amy Butler arrived, a wash, dry and iron and I was promptly cutting out pattern pieces for two dollies. They are from the Big Book Of Softies, pattern by two little banshees.

As is always the case, a busy couple of sewing days results in a pretty decent mess. So before I start my next project (I hear some pin cushions calling me) a good clean up was in order. I bought this Ikea cabinet off Gumtree a couple of months ago and I absolutely love it. It is the perfect place to store my fabrics, threads, books and bits n bobs. Not sure how long it will remain this organised but I do love looking at my pile of pretty fabrics!

 

Going Green

Since I began making softies over three years ago, I have become more selective with the materials I use. While this often means my materials and supplies cost more, I feel that the quality of my items has continued to improve to ensure longevity. I will only use wool felt, 100% cotton quilting fabrics (usually designer names too) as well as good quality threads, ribbons and trims and buttons. When I began making softies I used a polyfill from a large craft store, I soon realised that this was a low quality item, it didn't hold its shape, clumped and even started to 'seep' out of the fabric. I then sourced a better quality polyfill which was nicer to work with and didn't have a mind of its own. However I have now decided to use a 'green' filling, made from recycled bottles, has not been altered by chemicals and is consequently hypoallergenic. The impact of the environment is a definite positive for me too. The only downside to using this type of filling is that a minimum order of 5kgs is difficult to find storage for!

 

Plans for 2013 (and a little reflection)

Firework image source here

As another year comes to a close, the natural instinct to make plans for the year ahead begins to kick in. In terms of little cloud factory, my hobby/business and blog, I have lots of goals and exciting ideas.

In the last six months I have dedicated a lot of time to creating. I've created new patterns, adapted others, honed my sewing skills and been significantly more involved in the handmade market scene. And I've loved all of these things. I've tried to balance family life, Penelope-life and business life as best as I could. Consequently I feel that what was a hobby at the start of 2012 is now a small business.

I learnt a big lesson this year when I took part in one market. I completed an application with the Dept of Commerce in order to trade on that particular day. A routine application to verify that my stall was handmade/craft. I filled out the business name section little cloud factory and had verbal confirmation from the officer that my wares fulfilled the application requirements. A few days later the officer (very kindly) called to inform me that the name little cloud factory was already registered to a couple in another state and due to recent changes to the business name registration board, I could not trade under this name or register it within this state. The name had been registered in October 2011.

I was so upset with this news. Registering my business name had been on my list of things to do but having had an 18 month break between markets and selling on line I naively kept putting it off. I also felt that my business name was so unique that I wouldn't encounter any problems when I did get around to it. I created this blog in June 2010 and began selling at markets later that year. When you do a google search for little cloud factory the first pages are solely linked to blog posts, my Facebook page, etsy and madeit stores so I was confused as to why someone, looking to start their own business, would choose a name that was obviously quite clearly taken. I guess they liked my name so much that they bought it for themselves. You can read the background story to my name here. So, long story short, little cloud factory handmade is now registered! I actually like that handmade is the additional word that I added to allow the registration to occur as it has positive connotations. I'd like to look back on the last few busy months as ones which turned my hobby into a business. I'm looking to continue 'building' my business in 2013; continue participating in markets, designing new softies and other items, learning from others and  maintaining a balance that makes me feel that I'm in control.

I read this article recently about plagiarism and the handmade community. Within the handmade community there have been a few occasions where I have seen copycats; people using another's creative ideas and practices for themselves, using other people's images to promote their 'future' projects and others who specifically use 'for personal use only' patterns and tutorials and sell them through their business. I had a recent experience with someone clearly using a softie of mine as 'inspiration' for their own and promoting it on their business page. Unfortunately there is very little to prevent others from stealing your designs and ideas. Copying someone else's work shows a total disregard for the time, effort and original idea that someone put into their work/product. While you can find inspiration in another person's work, staying uniquely different is important in order to establish a reputable business.

My softie design process begins with lots of drawing and scribblings of various body shapes and facial expressions. Before turning these drawings into a pattern I look through online stores to see if there are other softies similar to my drawings so that a) I don't appear to have copied anyone else and b) my design stands out as unique. By continuing to be unique and honest with my designs I hope that my handmade business is viewed positively and 'ward off' any would-be copycats.

My 2012 resolutions were:

1. Learn to crochet - did not get to this one at all. I have some wool and crochet sticks in a drawer waiting for another day
2. Create new softie patterns - I designed quite a few new patterns this year which forced me to be creative with ideas and new materials.
3. Participate in a couple of hand made markets- Four markets in four months was a massive effort and absolutely worthwhile for a multitude of reasons. Can't wait to be involved again in 2013.
4. Learn to use Photoshop (and take better photos with my camera!) - Umm, didn't get to this one either but I did purchase an SLR camera and have improved my basic photography skills.
5. Make more clothes for my girls- Yes, I made a start on this one, I purchased an overlocker and have begun making simple dresses and skirts. I really enjoy making things for them.

And so to the 2013 crafty resolutions:

1. Create new softie patterns
2. Take part in handmade markets
3. Learn to take better photos (do a photography course? photo editing programs?)
4. Learn to use blogsy better (there are quite a few things that I haven't worked out yet)
5. Learn free motion machine applique

Thank you for dropping by my blog this past year, I hope I haven't bored you too much! I wish you a truly wonderful, happy and fulfilling 2013.

Penelope x

My Crafty Year in Review

Looking back 2012 has definitely been a very productive year. This above collage reflects about a quarter of the softies, clothing and accessories I have made over the year. However when I say 'year' it is really six months worth of work as I didn't really get my sewing mojo back until June-ish.

Some of my favourites include:

~The Baby-Chibi doll (top right) I made for Harper's first birthday.

~The pillowcase made for Pillowcase for a Cause. This pillowcase was donated to a Perth girl and was featured in an article in Woman's Day.

~I began playing around with embroidery hoop designs and hand stitched felt pieces.

~I mastered the invisible zip when making cushion covers.

~I really enjoy making the fawns (pattern by Melly and Me) and the reindeer adaptation was fun to do.

~I set out to create new softie pattern designs this year and I did, the Christmas Elf, Kokeshi Doll, Owl and Birdhouse were all new ideas this year that became popular additions to my collection.

All in all it was very fulfilling year creatively speaking. I made lots, learnt lots and had a lot of fun along the way. Little cloud factory was a hobby not long ago but I'm happy to say that it's now my small handmade business.

 

A Very Cute Hedgehog

 

A few weeks ago I bought the November issue of Homespun, purely for the cute hedgehog softie on the cover. The pattern inside was created by Sarah of Dolls and Daydreams http://dollsanddaydreams.com/ and is really unique and relatively easy to make. The most difficult part of making this softie was sourcing the right fabric. Having never sewn with faux fur before I started looking online for fabric only to discover that a fat quarter was around the $50 mark! I swiftly went to Spotlight but their range was limited and not the greatest quality. My last trip was to Textile Traders, there was a remnant of this white tipped, soft brown faux fur material and at a reduced price. Admittedly I didn't need the entire 3 metre remnant but this fabric couldn't be more 'hedgehog'-like and I certainly won't run out of fabric!

This was my first attempt, it's not perfect, the fur will take a little getting used to and my pinking shears aren't the best cutters anymore but I will definitely be making more. And with an application already pending for a handmade market in March, I'll hopefully be able to get some public feedback in the near future. In the meantime Harper Hedgehog has a new owner.

 

My Reading List

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No sewing machine or market preparation means I have time this week to sit down with some of my recently purchased magazines and books.

Young House Love is one of the first blogs I read every morning, I love their interior design style, DIY ideas and funny and informative posts. This is their first book which hubby ordered for me pre-release. It arrived in no time from Amazon and is already on the New York best sellers list.

Decorate Workshop by Holly Becker from the blog Decor8. I have her first book, Decorate, and love the gorgeous photos and decorating ideas so this book was also quickly placed on pre-order.

Homespun Magazine; I don't usually pick up many craft magazines because I browse such a wide selection of blogs but the inclusion of a super cute fluffy hedgehog pattern courtesy of Dolls and Daydreams cemented my need to buy this one.

The first print issue of Tickle the Imagination (not pictured) also arrived last week. The best articles from their online mag are now in print and it features some beautiful handmade businesses and craft ideas. It is especially nice too that it's a local Perth magazine.

Reindeer Softie

 

This is one of my latest creations, a Christmas Reindeer. I mentioned making her in my previous post but I wanted to share a close up and a few more details. I adapted the Melly & Me Fawn pattern which I love making. I hand stitched on a red nose and reindeer antlers made from felt which were lightly stuffed and triple stitched in place. I also chose to make a felt bow for the neck with two little bells. The fabric for the main body was from the Alexander Henry Christmas Time Collection and she stood at approx 35cms. I love that someone else loved her as much as me and took her into their home. 



Eeek; sorry for the iPad quality pic.

Final Market for the Year

Last Sunday little cloud factory participated in it's last market for the year, phew!! I had tunnel vision for the last two weeks in preparing for the Perth Upmarket, every spare minute I was cutting, stitching and stuffing. And of course with every market lead up comes a certain amount of stress. Was I making enough? Too much of one design? I tried to tell myself to 'just do what you can' but there were quite a few late nights and needless to say I passed out on the couch Sunday evening at 7.30.

I set out to participate in a market or  two this year and I have ended up doing four in four months! I would definitely stagger them better in the future to eliminate the last minute rush and not feel like my children had a part time mother. This last market certainly surpassed my expectations in terms of sales and all the hours I spent making were totally worth it. I received lots of lovely compliments about my fabrics, stitching details and stall presentation which was really heart warming. I also loved meeting fellow crafty people, seeing their wares, creative stalls and hearing about their market experiences.

I did suffer a major glitch in my preparations for the market with my sewing machine refusing to work last Wednesday. I had given the machine a clean and 'service' myself after it was running rough for a couple of days before it decided to jam completely. I love my Bernina matic, it's almost as old as me and it can sew through layers of fabric without missing a beat. So she is with the repairman at the moment and I am hoping to have her back in a few days. I was very fortunate to be lent another machine which allowed me to complete my softies and not dissolve into a complete stressed out mess.

I made a few new items for this last market, the pear pin cushions (pattern courtesy of Retro Mama), the Christmas Elves (original design by myself), Reindeer (adapted from a pattern by Melly & Me) and a small version of my babushka doll design. The reindeer was certainly a very popular addition and I (reluctantly!) sold her a couple of hours into the market, and have received orders for two more.
So with my final market over I'm starting to think about 2013:
* Definitely continue participating in markets. It's great to meet other crafty people as well as interact with the public and allow them to hold my creations in their hands.
* Design and release some new design softies. I always have a few ideas rattling around my brain so dedicating some time to put them on paper and then into reality will be a focus.

 

A Recap

I have a bunch of half written posts just sitting there waiting to be edited and have photos added but time (once again!) has not been on my side this last month. Why? Well, planning for yesterday's Made on the Left Market, some paid work at the university, my daughter's fourth birthday and a case of hand, foot and mouth amongst three of us has impacted on my commitment to my blog, sorry :(

Yesterday was the second Made on the Left Market I took part in this year. The July market was a great success, around four thousand visitors and a good re-entry into the handmade scene in Perth for me. Unfortunately the weather was against us yesterday and reduced marketing than the July market resulted in poor attendance and consequently, sales. The creative talent at the market was second to none, lots of unique products and hugely talented people so it was a shame that more people didn't get to see what is on offer in Perth at the moment. I have made a promise to support as many small, handmade businesses I can this year for Christmas so I collected some cards and have started a list of gift ideas. I will share some of my favourite small (Perth based) businesses with you too in an upcoming post.

Here are a few photos from the day and the items that I made.

What I've Learned about Softie Making

Baby Chibi Doll

I made my first softie about three years ago. It was after the birth of my first daughter and when I started to discover blogs. I have always been a little crafty, sewing some of my own clothes while in high school, dabbling in mosaics and jewellery making and did quite a few DIY projects to keep costs down for our wedding. From memory it was the blogs of One Red Robin and Melly & Me that made me think I'd like to give softies a go. I made a Ruby Doll first, then purchased the patterns for the Baby Chibi and Babushka Dolls and I was hooked. Since then I have continued to purchase patterns, design and make my own and have learned a lot along the way.

 

My Kokeshi inspired original design

So if you're keen to make softies too, here's a few things that I hope will help you to get started.

 

•  Use 100% cotton quilting fabric, it is strong and durable. I widely source my fabrics, mainly online through etsy, Facebook pages and then at my local Spotlight and Textile Traders. Building up a stash of spots/stripes/chevron etc is good to do when there are sales too. I am drawn to many designer fabrics and I don't feel so bad about my fabric addiction when they are on sale! I prefer to purchase fat quarters or half yards to ensure that no two of my softies look the same.
• Always wash your fabrics before use. These fabrics have been in factories, boxes and on shelves so you want to make sure they are clean before you use them. I find that the fabric is also easier to work with once clean, it is easier to turn limbs and create neat corners. Make sure the fabric is ironed before pattern pieces are cut out. (Funnily this is the only ironing I enjoy!) 

• Ensure your supplies are in good working order- good sharp fabric scissors, small embroidery scissors for making small cuts, rotary cutter, fabric markers, pinking shears for internal seams. Unfortunately the quick un-pick gets a work out some days in my craft room, and I've learnt to simply scrap a softie if I can't fix a sewing mistake. Have a good selection of needles for your hand sewing appropriate for embroidery and other hand stitching.
• Don't use other designer's patterns as your own. Make sure that they allow commercial production of their patterns, or a licence that once paid allows you to sell your wares. If you do use a pattern, always credit the designer on tags. Despite there being a multitude of free patterns online, not all allow for commercial production so make sure you research this before making for sale.
• I admit to being a felt snob and will only use a good quality wool blend or 100% wool felt. I find that they don't pill or show signs of wear like the acrylic stuff does, which can also stretch and tear.
• Double (or even triple) stitch the internal seams, especially if your softie is destined for some little hands. That extra reinforcement should prolong the life of the softie and ensure that the seams are nice and strong for when you do the stuffing. Use polyester thread as it is stronger than cotton thread too.
• Stuff carefully and firmly. The stuffing process is actually quite time consuming. Small limbs and those funny little corners are best stuffed with many small pieces of stuffing than big chunks so that edges and seams can be filled properly and neatly. I tend to stuff my softies, leave them for a day or two to allow the stuffing to 'settle' before stuffing it some more and sewing it shut. I use a good quality polyfill although there are eco friendly and wool options which are more expensive. 
• When playing around with a design of your own, use some calico or other cheap fabrics (and acrylic felt) until you get the design just right. Happy softie making!

LCF does the Perth Upmarket

Awesome! That was my day in one simple word. Being at the Perth Upmarket yesterday was certainly my best market experience to date.
I had been so good in my preparation leading up to the day, using every spare moment of my evenings and free time, completing items (not leaving the stuffing, or closing til later) and ticking things regularly off my 'to do' list. I had a few little jobs to finish on Saturday, printing and attaching tags, sewing on some fawn ears, finalising my table layout and then before I knew it, it was after midnight before I finally fell into bed. I suppose one late night before a market is a given.  
My day started at 5.30am, enough time to shower, dress, stitch shut one last softie and sort the girls out for a couple of hours with Grandma while Jon and I went to UWA. My stall was on the verandah which despite being a chilly spot (6 degrees!) initially, turned out to be perfect for enjoying the sunshine and a relaxed atmosphere to chat with shoppers. I received a lot of positive feedback from people on both my stall and creations. Everyone was friendly and a genuine lover of handmade so it was easy to be relaxed and chatty too.
Here are some pics from the day

 

The 'fall out' of the market is, of course, a ridiculously messy craft room and an equally messy and neglected house which now need attention. I also have some orders to complete, some new design ideas floating around to make a reality and some more market experience under my belt. With another two applications pending for markets in November I'm hoping for a couple of sewing filled months.