I feel like there is a whole intimidating world of artist teddy bears makers out there that I can't compete with. They have conventions with juried competitions and participate in super active message boards and only use the finest materials to make their bears. I admire this community, though, for their high standards and their…
Review: Books by Charlene Phillips
When I began teaching people how to use their sewing machines I was nervous that I wouldn't know how particular machines worked. After all, I only know two machines very well: the Bernette 330 that I bought when I was 13 and had for 22 years, and my new Janome 2160. Fortunately I co-taught the…
Book Review: Sewing School
Charlie’s sister, Jacquie, asked me what Roxanne would like for Hanukkah this year. Roxanne has been asking for a new backpack, so we chose one from Land’s End and had it monogrammed. It was deeply discounted so we got to choose something else to go with it. Books are always a huge hit with Roxanne…
Book Review: Nancy Zieman’s Sewing A to Z
My mom doesn't sew. Neither did my grandmother. Growing up I never wore a handmade garment of any kind. There was no fabric stash in my house and nobody mended clothing or knit sweaters. My mom is artistic and certainly encouraged all of us to pursue our own projects, but she didn't know how to…
Book Review: Modern Soft Toy Making by Margaret Hutchings (1959)
A few weeks ago I was in bed reading one of my favorite books, The Techniques of Soft Toymaking by Enid Anderson. Although I’ve read this book many times over, I’d never noticed the dedication. Here is what Enid says, “I was motivated at the start of my craft career by many people, but possibly…
Book Review: Beasties by Diana Schoenbrun
I was recently sent a few copies of Beasties, a new book of plush sewing patterns by children's illustrator and artist Diana Schoenbrun to review on my blog. I had never seen Diana's work, but was charmed after perusing her website and seeing her original stuffed animal and puppet designs. Diana has another book out…
Book Review: Design Your Own Stuffed Toys by Anne Dyer
Continuing on with my exploration of soft toy design, I decided to try a pattern from Anne Dyer’s book, Design Your Own Stuffed Toys. This book was recommended to me by a blog reader (thank you!). It was published in 1969 (the year my parent’s got married). Here is what I would say about this…
Book Review: The Big Book of Soft Toy by Mabs Tyler
I'm going to return to the horse and revise. But the other day I checked out a few vintage craft books from the local library and I couldn't resist sewing through some more patterns. I have checked these books out many times, especially four or five years ago when I was first beginning to sew…
Book Review: Soft Animals A to Z by Carolyn Vosburg Hall
I've had this book, Soft Animals A to Z by Carolyn Vosburg Hall, for a while, and although I'd read all the patterns I had never sewn anything from it. It is a fairly new book as soft toy pattern books go, published in 2003, and it is ambitious. 26 patterns of every sort of…
Book Review: Good Design in Soft Toys by Rudi de Sarigny
In between writing pattern instructions for the last six projects in the book I made Rudi’s lamb. I’m still enjoying sewing with wool felt. I had a few felt punched flowers left over from another project and made the lamb a little floral garland to wear around her neck. The top of the legs on…