Cy Bear here once more - with the good news that the Grey Cat Puppet ordered by MsSD of Conway, South Carolina duly began its journey (as promised) on Friday morning. The actual dispatch deadline was 23rd June - so we just made it, despite the problems encountered in the creative process! (Having been kept updated along the way, we had been told by MsSD that Isobel was not "to worry about timings", but we do like to keep to our deadlines as much as we are able.)
This is one of the photographs taken by Isobel prior to the Grey Cat Puppet being wrapped up and posted to South Carolina. This was taken on Thursday evening, just after the final stitches had been applied.
As described in last week's bulletin, it took rather longer than expected to be achieved: not because the pattern is complicated, but the fabric - while lovely to feel - is so fluffy that Isobel had difficulty in undoing her sewing on the couple of occasions she DID have to unpick her work: but because she had actually found a really good match when choosing the thread she used for the job! Also, she's forgotten to put "letters" on the cardboard templates used for cutting out the puppet (because the original pattern didn't have them on either! The missing information is duly in place NOW!). Normally, we always transfer such useful (and necessary, in this case!) information when we are doing the cutting out for the first time.
Anyway, between last week-end's post and the final preparations for the journey, Isobel finished the second puppet's head (you saw the first one in last week's post) and then took photographs of both before placing each over the finished body (hand/arm puppet). These pictures were then emailed to MsSD - and they looked like this:
These photographs were taken of the Puppet Heads resting on the storage heater beside Isobel's arm chair - in which she sits while making up the Toys. She then placed the Hand/Arm section of the puppet under each head, to give an impression of how they might look when completed.
MsSD decided on this head, which is the second version of the Grey Cat Puppet heads. Isobel decided not to include the felt nose shown on the first version last week (and on the left of the first photo of the puppets here). She decided to actually sew the nose on the second head, and agrees with MsSD that the "look" required is better achieved with the second version. The second version also had shot silk ear linings, instead of the same fabric as the rest of the body, used for the first Puppet.
When she completes the second Grey Cat Puppet later this week, she will therefore be sewing (using Black Double Knit wool) the nose on - and will then keep the mouth the way it is shown on the first photo in this post today. Equally, when the nose is completed, she may decide to make it look like it's sad - as MsSD's version does. The second puppet will then be listed as a new Coldham Cuddies Activity Toy once the work is complete.
Isobel has just checked on the Royal Mail Tracker Service website, and has discovered that Grey Cat Puppet 2 has arrived at Kennedy Airport, New York and is "being processed for delivery". By posting it early on Friday morning in our local Post Office in Kirkby in Ashfield, she was evidently able to catch an aeroplane headed towards the USA as she had hoped. Sometimes, if matters intervene at this end, and she can't deliver a parcel until the afternoon - it can take several days longer to get to its intended destination. Whilst delivery is now entirely in the hands of the US Postal Service - hopefully, Grey Cat Puppet can reach its Forever Home by the end of next week. Either Isobel or I will let you know as and when we can.
Meanwhile, here's another farewell photograph of Grey Cat Puppet 2 and I:
It's a bit difficult to have a Hand/Arm puppet straight without an actual finger in the finger guide that is provided!. But the picture does show just how fluffy Grey Cat Puppet 2 is!!
See you all again soon.
Your Friend, Cy Bear.
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