Craft Schmaft » Sock Softies

Hello Baby Zilla!

Claire — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:13:13 +0000

He’s been 6 months in the making but the Baby ‘Zilla has hatched and is ready to demolish a kiddie city near you. While I risk winning ‘Bad mummy of the year” I have to tell you that this softie is based on my youngest son. Practically born a toddler at 11 pounds, when Franklin learned to walk he delightfully destroyed everything in his path. No lego city or toy car were a match for Frankie on the move. And so the idea of the baby Godzilla was born.

Now he’s a fully fledged pattern and I’m a very proud mama – he sold out completely at his Finders Keepers Melbourne debut. Hooray for kiddie inspiration.

You can get a PDF pattern for The Baby Zilla Pattern in the Craft Schmaft store. He needs just one adult sock, some felt and stuffing.

Lately

Claire — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:17:09 +0000

Oh blog I’m sorry I’ve been so slack. There was the issue of sick kiddies last week and me frantically trying to keep up with balloons and bunnies in between taking temperatures, administering antibiotics and settling arguments between the wiggles or the incredibles DVD. So. Here is a big post on what I’ve been up to lately.

The balloons

Thank you so much to everyone who offed to test the balloon pattern, I was overwhelmed with the number of people who were keen. The test has ironed out a few wrinkles and all being well the pattern should be ready next week. Hooray! For now I’m making a mobile for my beautiful niece Olive. It’s so nice to make something in pink.

The bunny

While the boys were sick we made bunnies together – well I did the making but Oscar did the directing of sock and fabric choices. His name is funny tummy sock bunny and I hope to have a tutorial up for him next week. Sounds like it came together quickly but let me tell you that I have been working on a bunny design for the past three Easters. The first one I designed was so hideous it was nicknamed evil bunny in this here house.

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The fabric

In other great news my spoonflower samples arrived! Hooray for being able to have your own fabric printed. I’m liking the larger size of the pinwheels design, sadly the utilise one which I thought would be a winner just isn’t right in the colour department yet. Bit more work required and hopefully we’ll have a winner.

And now…

Well it’s a rainy old day in Sydney today and I’m on a mission to get this mobile finished for my road trip to Canberra tomorrow. I’m off to explore the handmade market, anyone else going? I’ll be solo and very up for crafting buddies to have a coffee with after hours of singing to myself in the car.

Baby Zilla

Claire — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:36:03 +0000

I’ve been playing with the Baby Zilla over the past week. This little guy has been driving me crazy – the shape just wasn’t working for me and while he got very kooky. One complete redesign later and I’m pretty happy with his chubby little body and cuddly factor, bit more work to do on the face.

Anyone into instagram? I’m loving it for documenting crafting, snapping and posting as I go (find me @craftschmaft or the feed through facebook). Dangerous because, let me tell you, my crafting ain’t always pretty but I love looking back at the iterations of a creature. Here’s some snaps of the Zilla I took in progress…

A little owl rattle

Claire — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:04:05 +0000

I got busy crafting a baby owl rattle for my tiny new niece, Olive. A couple of bells in a kinder surprise container created the rattling effect and then the baby owl went right on top of a “sock donut”. I used a colour variation embroidery thread for the eyes which was gorgeous – although the instagram photos don’t quite do it justice.

Meet Radcliffe

Claire — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:35:19 +0000

I hinted back in January that I was making a toy for Christmas in July. Ta-dah! Here he is, Radcliffe the Reindeer. He’s a pull-along sock reindeer to be exact and a full tutorial on how to make him is in this month’s Homespun magazine.

My word, doesn’t January seem like a long time ago? We’re in the midst of cold rainy days and huddling under blankets on the couch now. We’ve almost unpacked the last box from the big house move and I’m looking forward to more crafting time soon. Looking back at this lovey Mr Reindeer makes me want to get stitching all over again.

Halloween love

Claire — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:34:59 +0000

Halloween is brewing and the crafty xmas season is almost upon us. To celebrate all things sock-like the first 10 people to comment here get a free Little Sock Monster Pattern PDF. That is all.

Look Mum… it’s me!

Claire — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:04:28 +0000

This morning I dashed out (well, as fast as a pregnant woman can dash… perhaps more of a waddle at speed?) to buy the Sydney Morning Herald. There’s an interview in the (Sydney) Magazine with me talking about my softies, crafting and babies. I was really quite nervous about it and, in hindsight, probably should have bribed the photographer more to get stuck in with the airbrushing but there I am. With all my beloved softies. In real print. A whole double page spread. Wow!

The gorgeous Kristen Doran and Alison Brookbanks are also in there. Go crafters!

Update: Here’s a PDF of the whole article with myself, Kristen and Alison.

Free Frankie Pattern in Homespun Mag

Claire — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:19:25 +0000

Homespun magazine approached me last year to create a softie for their “Go Green” issue. Whenever anybody says the word green I’m taken back to Kermit the Frog singing “It’s not easy being green” so I just had to make a frog. He’s made out of (you guessed it) a pair of socks and full instructions on how to create your own are in Homespun. The socks are from an online e-tailer called “Happy Socks” who have some seriously cool colour combinations.

I have that selvedge bag by the clever Jodie set in my projects to do sights as well!

Sausage Roller Pattern now available

Claire — Fri, 14 May 2010 05:41:59 +0000

I have to confess that this softie is one of my favourites. I shouldn’t play favourites, I know, but I’m just so excited that the Sausage Roller design works – you really can pull him along. I did completely embarrass myself at stitches and craft by taking the dog for a walk in the afternoons but aside from that the pattern was a big hit at the show.

So now it’s up online available for purchase as a PDF pattern. The instructions cover how to make the pup, assemble the wheels and put the whole thing together. Just in case wheels aren’t your thing I’ve included instructions for sewing sock legs on as an alternative. Kits to go in the store over the weekend too. Phew!

Sausage Roller

Claire — Sun, 02 May 2010 21:33:01 +0000

Sausage Roller was the name decided on for the Sausage dog pattern – thanks so much for all your tweets and comment, loved all of the suggestions. I’m having 4 Sausage Dog kits at the Stitches and Craft show – the green stripe and blue stripe you’ve already seen, a charcoal plaid and pink stripe you can see here. It took me a long time to find the right fabric to go under her ears. I didn’t want anything too floral, tried to keep it on the cute but funky side of things. What do you think? She looks very bald without her ears doesn’t she.

I finished off her ears by hand at Craft Room last Wednesday (photo taken by Belinda). It was so great catching up with all the girls, I haven’t made it all year! If you’re interested in joining our group on the Northern Beaches, Inner West or Hills district check out the new, very snazzy looking blog here…

So today I’m off to buy a last minute stash of collars and leads for my puppies and to pack everything in the biggest suitcase I can find for Melbourne.