There's something about using an 87 year old sewing machine that just makes me... I don't know. It's almost like anything I sew on Lydia is more meaningful because I'm sewing it on her. If that makes sense.
Lydia is a quiet machine, as well. I can't believe how quiet. Compared to my other machine, it's like using a manual typewriter and a computer keyboard. That quiet!
So anyway, I owe you all some pictures. I'm not done with the seven bears yet, but I did finish three of them. Two of the others can be finished, and the remaining two have head problems. (I screwed up on the heads. That'll teach me to sew at an auction!)
First, here's Alice. Alice used to be a patchwork skirt that someone made and I bought at the Wagonmaster's Holiday many, many years ago. I'd already used half the skirt for another doll, but I found a rolled up bundle of the rest while searching for interesting fabrics the other day. I screwed up on her head, but decided that the black stitching just went with the rest of the patchwork look. Her head's a bit crooked, as well. Her joints and nose are vintage buttons.
And this is "Lopsided Louis" (pronounced with a French accent, if you will.) He's the crookedest bear I've ever made, but he doesn't look all that bad, really. (At least I don't think so.)
He's made from vintage wide-wale royal blue corduroy, and I'm thinking he really needs a little cane to help him get around. :) His button eyes and nose and joints are all vintage buttons. His scarf came from the same sweater as Bernard's scarf did.
I don't think I will ever make another bear our of wide-wale corduroy. It was a pain in the butt to work with, because this particular corduroy kept wanting to pill and fray. Argh!
But still, he doesn't look that bad, does he?
This is Sara, the last bear I've made (so far.) She's the second smaller bear (I shrunk the pattern) and the first bear made from a sweater that had a bit of spandex and acrylic as well as wool and mohair in it. The white in the picture is actually pale pink. She is definitely a pink bear.
She's not as tightly stuffed as the others, since I didn't want her to warp out of shape. But she's cute as a button (at least I think she is) and actually looks a bit shy.
I like the way her reflection show in the window behind her in this picture. Entirely unintentional.
The smaller bears are about 9 inches tall.
This is Sean, Fenella's younger brother. There was only a little bit of fabric left from Fenella's sweater, and there might be enough for one more small bear, but that will be it. Sean is also 9 inches tall. I think he looks a bit sad for some reason.
His nose and joints are vintage buttons. I like his nose, because it has the design of a knot on it. Cool. :)
One more!
This is William. A long time ago, back when Mom made stuff for what was then called the "Christmas Bazaar" at church (she was in charge of it a couple of times too), Mom made two bears to sell. One was made from this fabric, the other a crushed purple corduroy (I still have some of that too, which I might make into a bear eventually.)
Anyway, I thought this fabric would be a good one to make into a bear, since Mom has already made one. :)
(Mom ended up buying both bears. Although I still think that I actually bought the purple one. I don't remember really, though. They come out for Christmas and sit on the piano.)
William's head is a little too big for his body, I think. Although he looks okay all put together.
I am planning to make at least one more bear before the craft show, and finish the two that I have all ready to go. But we'll see how much I really get done before Friday!
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