Month: January 2022

dancing hares : sewing tutorial

January 29, 2022
by annwood
4 stiched and stuffed cotton bunnies in a cancing pose on a wooden tablel

4 stiched and stuffed cotton bunnies in a cancing pose on a wooden tablel

Recently I received a strong spiritual directive from the universe: There should be bunnies and they should be dancing. You can’t fight this sort of thing so I’ve made a sewing pattern. It’s very easy and the result is charming, especially in a group. Plus I’ve included a few tips on getting smooth curves and stuffing along the way.

bunny doll in dancing pose with lace collar held in hand - other bunnies in background

The thought appeared in my paintings first, I love the idea of a little troupe dancing through the forest. There’s room to play and embellish with details like buttons and ribbons and scraps of lace. You definitely have some tiny scrap of something that is destined for these bunnies.

embroidering a simple face with black thread

Before we make the body let’s talk about the details.  The features are super simple. You can trace the features on the right side of the fabric before you sew, marking with a pencil or disappearing marker. I used backstitch and 2 strands of embroidery thread.  You will find this tip for hiding your knots helpful. The paws just have three little stitches on each.

deawing black slippers on the stuffed bunny with a sharpie marker.

The slippers are sharpie marker. Why not… You could embroider them if you like too. Add scraps and buttons and patches.  A pink colored pencil is great for rosy cheeks or stitch on little pink patches. So many possibilities.

If you’d like to hang your bunnies make a large stitch on the back of the neck with embroidery thread. I hung my bunnies.

table with vintage sewing machine and stitch projects hung on wall behind in groups

making the body

*This post contains an affiliate link – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link.

download the pattern

you will also need:

  • light cotton fabric
  • basic sewing kit
  • chopstick or similar
  • stuffing (I like wool)
  • embroidery thread
  • scraps, buttons, lace etc.

1. Cut out the pattern and pin it on your doubled fabric -right sides together – and cut out. If you’d like to trace the face on do that now – on the right side of the fabric.

2.  Carefully mark the 1/4 inch seam line on one piece – on the wrong side of on fabric.

3. Pin with right sides together and sew the seam by hand or machine. Leave open as indicated on the pattern.

4. Clip the curves as shown, being careful not to clip the seams.  Also snip at each end of the opening. – indicated in red.

Read More

the big 2021 review and plan for the new year

January 29, 2022
by annwood

mini wood stove made form and egg carton held in hand

2021 is kind of a mushy blur from here. But a couple projects stand out. If I had to pick a favorite it would be this little stove. Something about it. And the runner up is the campsite.
Or maybe that’s tied with imperial cats.

Each was the kind of project that time disappears in. Happy, focused, present.

a few more highlights

 

sewing pattern for a realistic crow

There was one new sewing pattern – the crow

And 7 new tutorials:

For the second time in less than two years I moved. A small move, upstairs in the same building, but still. The place is great, the kind of thing you couldn’t invent and the fit is perfect. It’s a creaky old carriage house with a distinctly 70’s feeling renovation that I’m leaning into.

There is space and light and a generally good spirit to the place. The plants are happy and so am I.
You can check out a couple domestic projects: the sewing room here and the painting room here.

work table with art supplies and prints

Year 3 of daily paintings was accomplished and year 4 is underway. The daily thing is hard. And, I so recommend it. Committing to a do-able assignment and applying small consistent effort is as close to a magic formula as there is for growing creatively and getting unstuck.

The 100 day project is starting again on February 13th. It’s a great way to test drive the daily situation. If you decide to do it these ideas might help:

* Be realistic about time. The amount of time you commit can be very small and still have lots of benefits.
* Have a plan for the bad days, a minimal but acceptable effort. And accept the bad days. Everybody will have lots of them. I have some very bad days and post some real stinkers.
Also if instagram/social media is not your thing get yourself an accountability partner.

The daily paintings have turned into cards and soon prints. They find their way into everything. Ideas bounce back and forth from the painting to sewing projects and ceramics and back again. The ceramic work boils down gestures, the sewing simplifies shapes, each informs the other.
You can see this most recently in the first diy project for 2022 dancing hares.

small ceramic dishes decorated with mushrooms and bunnies and windmills and ships on a work table

the big goal for 2022

efficientize

I did make that word up. But that’s what I want to do – streamline, simplify, systemize. Stop wasting time on clunky processes, redundant tasks and do-overs. Make my irrational enterprise a little more rational, more thoughtful planning and less reacting. Easy to say. It will involve some dismantling and tedious rebuilding. My plan is to chunk it. Give it a little time everyday.

Have you got big plans for the year ahead? Will you try the 100 day project? did you have a favorite project last year? Let us know in the comments.