Sunday 20 July 2014

The Magical Scrapbox

Patch Podgy by Natasha Morgan
Every maker I know has a box. Maybe a drawer or trunk or sack, bag or pile. But all contain the same things. The things we just can't bare to throw away.

For me my box is full of all those little fabric scraps that I just couldn't part with. All the pretty little pieces I kept thinking must come in useful one day; tiny little bits and bigger just enough for something pieces. They all sat in my box and threatened to explode every time I went into my cupboard to get something.

Mag Podgy by Natasha Morgan
I tried miniature quilts (which I like but witch go better with a doll to me), and applique and patchwork. I even considered making myself some strange unusual cushions for my sofa. But then I had an idea to make just another type of doll.

Why was I trying to change from something that I loved to try and use my treasures. Why wasn't I just adapting and trying something new in the way of a doll. Then I saw a cute fat doll type frog like door stop in a gift shop window and thought how cute would it look covered in mix and matched patchwork.

Flo Podgy by Natasha Morgan

I pulled out my sewing machine and made up some shaped I could stuff to try out what would work best for me. I chose ball and pumpkin shapes as they felt so nice to hold. I sewed two different sized ones together to make a head and covered the face area with a soft pink doll skin jersey I had tucked away. After covering the back of the head and body with my patchwork I added some chain stitch embroidery and zig-zag stitches in strong white vintage thread.

My first Podgy Doll looked so cute and friendly. He wasn't perfect but Pud looked back at me and made me smile.
I made another with rabbit ears and a lace ruff as a gift for a friends birthday, and Bun Bun made me smile too. So now I have these three little critters all smiling and looking for new homes where they can make others smile too. I hope you like them. xxx


1 comment:

  1. This is such a cute idea and I understand absolutely why you'd come back to making dolls. Sure, scraps could be made into anything; crazy quilts, tea cosies, pot holders, bedouin tents. Anything! But scraps are best when made into people. I love their comfy round shapes, they look like they want to be picked up and hugged.

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