He's a Pussycat!

Pattern designer Valori Wells calls this sewing card pattern "Leonardo the Lion"...but he's really a sweet, lovable pussycat! Here he's sewn in Alice Kennedy's "Sunny Daze" fabric with yarns from my personal collection from The Grove.

He was easy as pie to make and quick too! While the pattern calls for stitched eyes, I decided this would be for an older child and used button's as eyes instead.

After he was done....I carried him around to show him off and flashed back to Jr. High when we all (or your Mom, Grandma) had fabric "wiener" dogs that our friends wrote on. A predecessor to the High School and College Annuals and now to Facebook's Wall. I guess sending messages to friends never ends...so here's my message to you.

If you're in San Diego, join me at The Grove in July when I teach how to sew
your own little pussycat!

It's Paper!

On my trek through the Mall the other day, I was stopped short by the display in Papyrus's window. The dress was entirely made from invitations and other printed stationary!

My college, Fashion Careers College, does the same thing for the draping class, using trashbags, magazine pages, newspapers, tissue paper and Trader Joe's paper bags among other things. The results are always inventive and amazing!

To do the same thing, the only thing you need is a pinable dress form and fabric to end up with your own "wearable" original!