I've had a lot of requests for the pattern for the duck rattle I made a few weeks ago. I have the pattern as part of a kit, but many people already have the fabric and just wanted to pattern itself. Josephine took the duck rattle for a test drive. She really didn't want to…
Archives for June 2012
Keeping Water By the Iron: Recycling a Coffee Creamer Bottle
A lot of times in life it's the little things that make a big difference. I iron a lot and I'm a big fan of steam. My iron (this crappy Rowenta) came with a tall, thin water carafe that doesn't have a top. I was always running out of water for steam (this is partially…
Making Anzac Bikkies: A Review of the eMag Action Pack
Action Pack is an eMagazine published by Kathreen (of WhipUp) and her husband. The tagline is, “A Magazine for Kids Who Want To Do Stuff.” I love this tagline. I can remember the craving I had as a child to make something real. And I know as a parent that my kids can see right…
New Pattern! Safari Hand Puppets
I'm really excited to show you my new pattern! Three safari-themed hand puppets to sew: a zebra, a giraffe, and a leopard. These guys have stuffed and fully-lined heads for a really professional feel. I've wanted to design puppets for a while now and I'm really pleased with how this trio came out. Now I'm…
Pattern Giveaway: Your Choice of 4!
Hi everyone, I just wanted to pop in briefly to say that I'm holding a pretty nifty giveaway on the Abby Glassenberg Design Facebook page right now. The winner will receive their choice of any four of my patterns! There are 10 patterns to choose from (browse them right here). If you'd like to enter,…
Ocean and Forest: A Collaboration Completed
Crab by Kristy of Fog and Swell and Fish by me. I’m so pleased with this pair! The crab was made by my new friend, Kristy, a talented and lovely soft toy maker on the West Coast of Canada and the fish was made by me. We used the same fabrics (these came from Kristy…
Does Sewing Toys Save Money?
For generations women sewed for their families to save money. Sewing clothes and linens and even dolls was really the only option for many families at a time when ready-made consumer goods were expensive and not readily available in many locations. But over the last few decades things have radically changed, haven’t they? Clothing and…
Softies For Sale Post: Animation With Softies
Have you ever had a visitor in your studio who picked up your toys and made them talk? A little goofy dialogue and a little puppet show unfolds and all of the sudden you’re both laughing hysterically? Softies certianly lend themselves to this type of funny play and maybe you’ve asked yourself whether it might…
Hemostats now in the shop!
Hi all, I just wanted to let you know that I just popped 8 brand new pairs of hemostasts in my Etsy shop. These sell out fast so check out the listing right away if you don't already have this essential softie making tool. Hemostats are my absolute favorite tool for soft toy and doll…
Collaboration with Kristy of Fog and Swell: Ocean
Over the past few months I have been working on a collaborative project with Kristy (whose beautiful blog is Fog and Swell). First, we chose the themes "ocean" and "forest." Then we each gathered fabrics to share with one another. Kristy put together a collection of hand-dyed cotton and linen in shades of deep red…