A Prize-winning Collectable Dressed White Plush Rabbit, Handmade in the UK using a Vintage Pattern and Upcycled Fabric

Meet Jubilee Rabbit, a prize-winning member of the Coldham Cuddlies family, complete with the prize-winning certificate awarded by the Wiltshire County Branch of the UK Royal British Legion Womens Section in the soft toy category  of their annual Handicraft Competition.  Jubilee Rabbit also contributed to the Heytesbury Branch  of the Royal British Region winning the Handicraft Cup for 2012.  The award was received November 23, 2012.

This White Plushie measures 18 inches (46 cms) from the tip of her ears, over the nose to the soles of her Blue Felt Shoes.  Like all the other Lady Coldham Cuddlies toys, she has a pair of  pantaloons, with pale blue poplin fabric delicately edged in white lacey trim.

Her Blue Gingham Dress is edged with white RicRac binding, and her white Felt Collar is edged with red white and blue French Knots - to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of the UK.

This White Plushie comes with a white furry tail - as all good bunnies do.  In addition, like all the Coldham Cuddlies Lady Toys, she has an Apron, which is decorated with red RicRac binding.  It is made with white Muslin and has red white and blue floral print ties.

 Jubilee Rabbit is completed with a juicy orange Carrot topped off with fresh green felt Carrot Leaves.

The final look!

A Wonderment of Wombats

Greetings to everyone  on what is Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America.  When we lived in Canada, Thanksgiving used to be celebrated in October, and often seemed to coincide with my birthday, and here in the UK, we don't celebrate it at all.  Nevertheless, the good wishes of all of us at ColdhamCuddlies to all our Friends and Followers of this blog is heartfelt and sincere!

Now, according to my research (thanks to Google Search) the usual collective name for a bunch of Wombats is a Mob of Wombats.  Now, that may hold true for real wombats.  Those who form part of the ColdhamCuddlies Family being somewhat creatures of my imagination - they began as Badger Heads for a possible Glove Puppet addition; then became their current offering - a Bed Adornment, Hot-Water Bottle Cover or Pyjama Case, depending on the use to which their Forever Friends wish to attach to  them - are to be given a different designation. So.....

 In my view, "Mob" does not provide  the descriptive  "je ne sais quois" quotient I am seeking for the Coldham Wombats, (currently listed  as Winston in our shop at www Etsy.com/Shop/coldhamcuddlies/99230084).  I have therefore decided that multiples of ColdhamCuddlies' Wombats will henceforth be described as a Wonderment of Wombats (hence the title of today's post).  Unless, of course, you, my lovely Followers (who now number 252 and have been responsible for 9,199 views since the first post went out in March 2011) can come up with something better.  Really look forward to hearing your views!

The subject matter for today's post is a description of the recent process of creating them, which resulted in a foursome Wonderment of Wombats produced as Christmas presents for some of our family's Little People. To my knowledge, none of the parents involved are Followers or readers of this blog, so I feel safe in showing you all how this bunch of tactile multi-purpose Toys came about  so that the surprise element of Christmas opening can be preserved.

They are made using two different fabrics provided in a recent off cuts haul from our stuffing supplier, Fine Quality Feather Company based in Frome, Somerset.  One has a stripey content to its plush fabric, the other is a similar colour, but more speckled and originally reminded me of the natural colouring of a Badger - an animal who has many supporters, and equally as many detractors, in the UK.  As a toy, though, they can be very attractive and in the case of the ColdhamCuddlies provide a very tactile stuffed toy.  Whenever one is displayed at a Craft Fair or Bazaar in the Heytesbury localtity, passers-by instintively put out a hand to stroke it and without exception comment on the softness of the fabric.  I have to dissuade too many hands, though, as it's not conducive to cleanliness or long-term hygiene alas, and I'm not keen on attracting the wrong kind of attention from those unknown individuals collectively referred to these days as "Health & Safety"!

A general view of the Wombat working area

When I have more than on version to produce, I now cut out all the pieces required for however many final productions are needed.  In this case, there were 4 and as each piece was drawn around its template and cut out, they piled up to end  up with 4 quite large piles of plush, as well as sufficient calico pieces to make four identical pillows.  The latter being provided to plump up the finished animal toy until pyjamas or hot water bottles are used in their stead.  The pile of loose fur, despite the careful manner in which I cut each piece out really did fly!  The vacuum worked overtime to collect it as the carpet threatened to turn from a light beige to a rather dirty grey as each pile was attacked and made up!  Luckily I don't have any breathing problems which might get affected by such a quantity of loose fluff!!

One Wombat body and head

 Putting the head onto each body does give me some headaches, and I've yet to come up with a foolproof way of doing it.  The next time I make a Wombat, I have an idea of how I will attack the problem - hopefully without the need to keep on undoing the stitching, because the plush is soooo soft that when placed together the two pieces tend to slip as one sews!  Added to which, my flipping arthritic fingers are not as agile at holding the bits together as they once were - so different strategies have to be adopted!  These are among the challenges I face each time I make a toy - but they are worth facing (and overcoming) as it keeps me occupied!!

 

Here is Wombat One complete and placed out of harms way on the chest of drawers in my bedroom.

Wombat Two ready for action

The Final Foursome ready for Christmas.

A Commissioned Coyote + A Rocking Horse called Prince: an update

Hello Everyone - Cy Bear reporting in once again and very happy to be doing so once more!

While Isobel has been away attending to family matters (referred to in our post dated November 6, 2012   - What I did before the Cuddlies), I was left on guard here at home in Heytesbury.  To begin with, there was me, the Cuddlies all in their places in various cupboards around the flat and Edward Bear, awaiting treatment in the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing 79124185).  He has now been joined by four more Bears, about which you will be hearing in the weeks to come.

I was very interested to learn about Prince, the Morrell Family Rocking Horse, about whom I have got some more interesting things to tell, but it has been suggested that I  first tell you about a special Coyote that Isobel was asked to make for Clare.  I’m not telling you exactly which friend this is - because she is a Follower at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com and we don’t want to ruin the surprise, because the Friend is not aware that he is coming to be their Forever Friend.  However, because making Coyotes involves a somewhat different process, Isobel asked me to tell you about it - as well as showing me with him before he left for his new Forever Home.  Somehow, I've missed out on recent Farewells, and I've had to remind Isobel she has been derelict in her duty to allow me to do so!

When we make a normal dressed Gentleman Toy, Isobel begins with a calico body and then makes the clothes and fits them on.  With a Coyote, it’s a different procedure and this is how she does it.  She cuts out all the pieces (body, clothing etc as usual).   Here they are, in pieces, as well as ready sewn to be added at the appropriate time.

 

But then she sews the arms, body, and legs all at the same time, so it looks like this:

Then come the boots, and this time, Isobel did them slightly differently - cutting the leg piece of the boot somewhat longer than normal, so that she could turn them over and create the boot turnover from the leather itself - as opposed to using some felt as the turnover. 

Mr. Coyote's jacket is made from a Harris Tweed remnant from which Isobel once made a straight skirt for herself.  His shirt comes from left-overs of a tablecloth that she hemstitched earlier in the summer and the trousers are from the stache of materials she recently acquired during a visit to our stuffing supplier, Fine Quality Feather Company in Frome, Somerset.  (See "Christmas Came Early" - 20/09/2012).  The pink button that finishes off the outfit comes from a collection of spare buttons held by Philippa.  ColdhamCuddlies  is a total family enterprise, you know!


 The boots are part of a big donation from two older ladies (one of whom is Fred Bear's Forever Friend, PatC - see our post "The Rejuvenation of Fred Bear - 27/09/2012)  who are now giving up their sewing due to failing eyesight and increasing maturity.  Isobel is over the moon with her new acquisitions - which were too many and too heavy for her to carry back when she returned from her recent travels:  but which are currently residing with Philippa, who is bringing them down to Heytesbury when she comes to help Isobel set up our ColdhamCuddlies stall at a forthcoming  Wylye Valley Primary School  Bazaar on December 1.   Doubtless you'll be hearing about that huge donation when it arrives too!

I think Mr.Coyote looks rather smart and I suspect that this will be the way that boots are attached to Gentleman Toys’ legs in future.  Certainly, Isobel found it a whole lot easier.  It just means that instead of trying to fit the fully stuffed boot on to a fully stuffed leg, she can fit the boot onto the leg and stuff the remaining space in the boot, and then attach the sole of the boot.  Makes the final Toy stand up better as well.

Anyway, here is Mr. Tweed-Coated Coyote in his final form - with me beside him to be able to send him away to Clare’s home late last week.  He is now being prepared for his international journey, together with one of Isobel’s Baby Rabbits - the Yellow Baby Rabbit, which means that these particular Baby Rabbits are no longer available.  This example was made with the final piece of yellow soft fur fabric Isobel had used for “Treasures” - the family name for Yellow Baby Bunnies - the first model having been made for Philippa when she was a baby quite a few years ago!

And talking of Philippa, brings me to some further news about Prince, the Morrell Family Rocking Horse - about whom Isobel posted earlier this week, under a similar heading (12/11/2012).  Needless to say, once the post was published some further items came to mind - both from Isobel and Clare.  The latter was quick to tell her Mother that she had actually ridden Prince a lot when she was still able to - and had ridden for miles and miles, side-saddle wearing a dress donated by a family friend for just such a purpose, and had visited all her imaginary friends living on the nearby, imaginary Prairie close to her imaginary home.  Isobel felt this item should be shared with readers - as I do too!

A further anecdote to do with Prince's arrival in the family for Peter to play with sprang to mind after the post had been published.  Isobel believes that Prince could have been presented to Peter's Father Jim, just after Jim had been commissioned as an Officer on the Manchester Regiment Parade Ground in 1941.  Such occasions are rare in Army life, and Jim was popular among his men.  This would seem to have been a fitting way for everyone to commemorate such an occasion.

During the post, reference was made to a missing printer/scanner:  I’m pleased to inform you all that it is now back in place and Isobel decided to try and scan the only photograph of Philippa riding Prince she could find in the camphor wood chest in our living room.

 That’s Clare in the pram, by the way - so this picture would have been taken circa 1973-4:  Isobel was not as deft with the camera then, nor was it a digital one!  But you can see what Prince looked like minus forelock and mane - he was tail-less too, but the pram is in the way in the picture!

(I've promised myself for years that I will one day set to and put all these prints (now in manilla envelopes in year order) into picture albumns.  That was before the Cuddlies in current form and blogging came on the scene!  Maybe, one day.......?)

So what’ has Isobel doing on the Cuddly front, I hear you ask?  Well, she’s been doing battle with a proposed new member of the Cuddly Family -  Frog.  It’s the first time she’s made one, and his legs have proved a bit of a problem.  However, it would seem that the end is in sight, and once this one has been completed, she intends to do another version, so that the customer who commissioned this particular Toy  (during the recent Greatest Coffee Morning in the World Bazaar in aid of MacMillan Cancer) has a choice.  The eventual Frog is destined as a Christmas present for the gentleman’s sister-in-law who collects Frogs (and is reported to have nearly 40 different ones of all shapes, sizes and formats).  Then there is a Black Kitten to make for another Christmas commission - and then come the 5 Bear Patients in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing # 79124185).

Isobel is going to be busy - so I’ll have to leave it for now, and go and keep an eye on the Bear Quintet.  We currently share the Lloyd Loom Chair in Isobel’s bedroom - out of the way of other daily activities.  (Or rather, they share the Chair, and I'm forced to make do on the bedside table!

Good night - and Good Bye for now!  Cy Bear.