Cuddle Me Critters

I've rediscovered the public library lately. There's something really wonderful about actually holding a book in your hands and getting to keep it for a while - not that I don't fully appreciate the web as an amazing resource, but real books are good for the soul I think.

One such book I checked out recently is The Big Book of Soft Toys by Mabs Tyler. I've been making my little stuffed birds for a while now, but I have finally expanded to other members of the animal kingdom. The first being an owl for my niece Lily. The body is made from one of those purple upcycled sweaters Ann gave me. The embroidery stitches I learned from YouTube - awesome how to videos ( learning stitches from a book is next to impossible). I think it turned out pretty darned cute for my first go. I have a thing for owls . . . but I'll share more about that in another post.

So then I got encouraged and decided to try for another, this one being a caterpillar for a my nephew David. This one went a little quicker. I added a few things that were not in the pattern: the embroidery on the head and body, the little felt ball feet, and a couple of pipe cleaners sewn into the body so it could bend a little. This one I liked even better. I thought about adding antennae, but David is only about 18 months so I thought they's most likely be ripped off anyway. So he's kinda like a worm / caterpillar which suits me just fine.

If anyone would like the pattern to these critters, let me know. I may add them in anyway at some point, but right now I need to move forward on to the next thing on my list: hat for cousin Stephanie.