Monday 19 November 2012

FELT CRAFT - Millie the Manatee

As most of us British have no problems in complaining about the weather I will not let the side down when I say, IT'S TOO HOT! However, it’s a lovely day for a very special someone who found out today she passed her AS levels (one more year to go!). We are so very proud.

I never really know what to do on these kind of hot days. I mostly want to stay in out of the rays – I’m white than white (the little blimp that spacemen can see walking round on the planet as the sun bounces of my lily white skin) therefore if I emerge from my four walls I’m likely to spontaniously combust. It’s always nice to have a chat with friends in the Summer though. The hot weather giving socialising a more pleasurable accomodation. This project is dedicated to my neighbour and friend, Louise.

I’ve never been a fan of neighbours. My property is quite large for a suberban place. We have a lovely sized front and rear garden and are hidden behind the main stretch of houses (even googlemaps with it’s super fantastic photographic view of every street cannot see my house). We are up a longish drive whereby there are two properties, mine and Lou’s. However, the driveway belongs to us giving our neighbours access only. Over the years the battles we’ve had with neighbours regarding the use of the drive had become boring and frustrating, the previous neighbour blocking us in nearly every night whilst I was heavily pregnant (couldn’t even fit our motorbike between the vehicles). When the new neighbours moved in Stephen and I were on pins again. As it turned out we have super duper neighbours who I’ve told can never ever move – we’re now good friends and our babies play together.

[caption id="attachment_68" align="aligncenter" width="674"] Milli the Manatee in her box[/caption]

So when it came to Lou’s birthday I couldn’t resist a new challenge. Our Lou loves Manatees -sea cows. And there the challenge begun. I searched for crafted Manatee’s and found a great felt template from craftster.org. There were no instructions so it was a guessing game as to how it was constructed but I got there in the end.I constructed this using the inside out method. First I sewed the fins and lightly stuffed them. I then took the two sides and sewed the top part of the sides together stopping 2/3 of the way to the snout. I then began to attached the belly piece not sewing the tail as I had decided that was were I was going to turn it inside out and stuff at the end. Before reasching the snout I placed the fins in the correct place sealing the stuffed fin as I went along. The snout was a bit complicated but by leaving the third of the top open it allowed me to stitch it as neatly as possible.

[caption id="attachment_69" align="aligncenter" width="672"] Milli the Manatee on her sea of Organza[/caption]

I then turned the manatee the right way and sewed the face details – I’d probably advise getting little black eyes rather than sewing with black thread as I have on this one. Stuffed her up and closed her by the tail.

[caption id="attachment_67" align="aligncenter" width="652"] Milli the Manatee on top of her box[/caption]

Since I loved the box to the wedding gazebo so much I used the same template but changed the backing paper and shrunk it to fit the manatee. I placed in some pale blue fabric and tied a lovely bow around the manatee, finishing the gift.

Rating:-
Design: Felt Template
Level: Beginner/Intermediate (this would be wonderful for beginners had there been instructions)
Additional: Making a display box can really set of a 3D gift perfectly

1 comment: