This scrawny but fierce little goblin is my submission for Loobylu’s October Month of Softies theme, “All Hallow’s Hysteria”. He’s only about 5 inches tall, and made on the run.
Month of Softies: Halloween Goblin
softies
July’s Month of Softies: Sock Monkey
This is my submission for Loobylu’s July’s Month of Softies, a sock monkey. I’ve been curious about sock monkeys since first reading about the tradition a year or two ago, so I’m glad to have tried it out. This one started out plain and ugly, and I nearly abandoned him altogether, but I kept going back and reshaping bits. Now he is more refined, and I have grown quite fond of him.
Here are a few more pictures of him:
Recycled Monsters: Meet Patrick and Esmé
I had a lot of fun with April’s Month of Softies theme, recycled monsters; thanks, Claire. Firstly, please meet Patrick, who is channelling Patrick White:
And now Esmé (‘don’t mess with me… I play bowls’):
They were made from an old bag and belt apiece, and Esmé has half an old cricket ball for a nose. There are more detailed pictures below. And thanks to Belinda for helping me see some extra dimensions to their characters!
Month of Softies: Recycled Monsters
These cool recycled monsters were made by my friend, Belinda, for April’s Month of Softies. I’ll let her introduce them to you:
Gronk: “I couldn’t think how to make him until I saw Hilary’s bag-monsters. Then I
found these things in various junk drawers around the house. His nose is
made from a rubber finger-stall pinned to a cork; his teeth are
toe-separators. His facial hair is chicken feathers sewn into a band – I
found this ‘braid’ in a local haberdashery and bought some so I’d have
feathers to add to my cat patchworks. I think he looks rather like Alan
Ginsberg, although as yet he hasn’t written any beat poetry. I posed him
with a cigar (my last home-grown tomato of the season) because I like his
raffish air.”
Doris: “This is my first recycled monster. She started life as a tea-cosy. My
daughter’s drawer of “special things” was invaluable in providing the hat
(which used to contain lavender), the bangle for her mouth, the plait and
the flowers. I used polished stones and two star anise for her eyes. Doris
is demure, fragrant and very ladylike. She represents my long-lost
daintiness.”
March’s Month of Softies
Scrambling under the wire again… this is my entry for Loobylu’s Month of Softies for March. The theme was self-portrait of the artist as a young child.
I can’t say it looks very like me, but the essentials are there – round face, blonde hair, button nose, tom-boy. The Fair-isle vest is made from an an unfinished jumper that I rediscovered when I was rummaging for fabric. I knitted it years ago in Scotland and I had completely forgotten about it. The vest is a kind of present to myself, because when I was young one of my aunts made stripy vests out of odds and ends of wool for my brother, and I always fancied one for myself.
Update: I took some better daytime photos yesterday, much better than the midnight one.
Patchwork and white rabbits
Finding Loobylu, and a very pleasant morning at Tilley’s last week, spent drinking coffee and sorting through a friend’s collection of fabrics, has made me dig out a picture of the quilt I made for my daughter about 8 years ago now. Its still loved and in use, but getting worn in places, particularly the blue-marbled silk that is in the wavy sea section of the middle panel.
I’m all enthused about Loobylu’s Month of Softies. The theme for February is ‘Alice in Wonderland’, and I’ve started making a white rabbit puppet!
