just for grins

 
I just finished a few things for a my friend Brenda's gift shop this week. And for the life of me, I can't find the pattern pdf I used to make the pumpkins. I was sewing late at night, so no photos of pumpkins in progress. The cat pillow was a big experiment, and I didn't know until it was finished if it was going to work out at all. The cat head is a big circle with a V cut out at the top. I also cut out the holes for the eyes and mouth and then stitched white wool into the eye and mouth area. The teeth are just backstitching with embroidery floss. And that's about all the kitty instructions for the moment... I am lame this week.

But I did find lots of great fabric pumpkin tutorials online if you're interested in making fabric or wool pumpkins. (If you Google "fabric pumpkin tutorial" you will come up with a dozen different ideas easily.) I made my pumpkins by combining two tutorials. The closest pattern I could find is here. I sewed six panels instead of eight. But otherwise, the pattern shown is very similiar to the one I used and can't locate. I didn't use the stem pattern piece. Instead, I cut a rectangle of wool and rolled it up lengthwise; hand-sewed the seam edge, then hand-sewed the stem onto the top of the pumpkin. 

Anyway,

The other tutorial is from the thompson family blog. I used their string idea to create the deep pumpkin sections. (You'll see what I mean if you go there.) I also filled the bottoms of the pumpkins with about 1 1/2 cups of plastic pellets you can find in craft stores to give the pumpkins some weight. I finished filling them with polyester fiberfill. As usual, I used recycled felted wool sweaters for the pumpkins and cat.

And that should just about cover how to write a vague, generalizing, and tutorial avoiding post for now...

 
I think I just figured out my story for this Cheshire grinning guy. 

*So Ches, Timmy the hamster is missing. Really?

And the new loaf of sandwich bread is gone. Huh?

And the expensive Gouda cheese has disappeared. No waaay?

Dude, I have no (burp) idea what you are talking about*

What are you thinking? Gotta cat tale to tell? :)  xoKelly

Comments

[Traci]

he is too cute. yes, he looks like he has been up to something. have a great weekend kelly!

[patty]

Very funny! What a clever cat!

[Deb]

Love that cat face (and tale)!
I'm pretty sure there is a feather or two hidden behind those pearly whites too :-)
And those are the sweetest mini pumpkins ever!

[Julie]

Great details on the kitty craft, Miss Monarch! I love how you inlaid the mouth and eyes and the little sparkle inside the eyes with the white. Really fun kitty!

Love your sweet pumpkins, too! I'm sure they'll be out of the shop in no time at all! (Shoot, the whole vignette looks so cute sitting there! Didn't you think about keeping them all for yourself, at least for a moment or two??)

[Maria]

Very sneaky cat! (with heartburn...) :)

[Brenda Just a bed of Roses]

How about SOME MORE of CHESHIRE CAT!
A very happy customer went out to decorate with home with "classy" Halloween she calls it...YOUR CAT and 2 PUMPKINS!