Following the Go Bustard Trail - A follow up post

Having recently waxed lyrical about Buttons, the Bustard (September 7, 2012 post), one day last week, when the autumnal weather was at it’s best - sunny, but not too warm, but above all - dry)  I decided to give the toy-making a rest for a few hours and set off, using my trusty Free ‘Bus Pass to get me to Warminster, in order to follow what is known as The Go Bustard Trail.

First place of call was to “Think Outside the Box”, where Buttons resides.  There I was given the official form which lists all twelve entrants in the competition - which I now find actually ends with the prize-winner being announced on Saturday, October 6 - the first day of the Warminster Festival.   The entrants all have their names in one column and their Post Code (Zip) in another.  Great, if one knows how to decipher Post Codes.

 (October 6 also happens to be the day that the ColdhamCuddlies will be exhibiting at the Craft Fair being organised as part of said Warminster Festival - the biggest event so far in which we’ve taken part ).  
 
Thus, once off the ‘bus from Heytesbury, my first port of call was to the local Tourist Information Centre.  Whilst very willing to help, they did not have as much information as my next port of call, the Warminster Library, conveniently located on the other side of the Central Car Park.  As I was one of the first people in that morning, the staff were not as rushed as they can be later, and one was kind enough to put all the 12 postcodes into her computer and I was thus given most of the likely spots where  the Great Bustard statues could be found.  Some are located outside Warminster itself, so I decided that all within walking distance might give me an idea about Buttons’ competition  - so off I set.

The first one did not require too much of a hike:  he was located just next to the computer from which the post code locations were spewing forth.  He is called Percy and looks like this.

Green and Gold  is the theme of this Great Bustard entry:  green background and signatures of library customers and their friends (for which a small fee was levied - this being the  Library’s fund-raising venture.)  Destination of the funds raised were not divulged, but could well be for the Bustards re-introduction project I mentioned in my previous post about Buttons.

Percy from a different angle

Just a few steps away, in one of the small shopping malls in Warminster, I came across “Jigsaw”.

His picture is somewhat blurred because he is located in an empty shop window, and the only way I could photograph him was through the glass window.  We all know what happens when one does that - and this is no exception.  However, you can get an idea of what he looks like - and there was a helpful notice placed nearby which says:

“Jigsaw, The Great Bustard, is a result of a project involving Warminster Police Community Support Officers, Youth Development Centre (YDC) and W.A.V.E.   (Sorry, but I don't know what this acronmym stands for, but a Community Support Officer forms part of the local police force, but without the full powers of a qualified police officer).

The Warminster Area Board were approached for funds to purchase the bird and they readily approved the grant application.  Coates and Parker (publishers of The Warminster Journal, as well as the only Stationers in town) contributed some of the paint for the project and two local artists assisted in overseeing the painting. 

Members of W.A.V.E  and the YDC were asked to submit designs for Jigsaw and were then given the opportunity to paint their designs in the puzzle piece.  All designs are relevant to Warminster and the exciting year of 2012.” 

(In the UK, we’ve had the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, as well as the Olympic and ParaOlympic Games in 2012, not to mention various local projects as well, so to call 2012 an exciting year is a fair enough description, methinks!)

Just a short distance from Jigsaw I came across Cordath.

He was placed on the pavement, outside the Town’s ironmonger (a wonderful shop  - a veritable Aladin's Cave - where one can get everything but the kitchen sink, including supplies for D.I.Y. and sugar craft, to name but two items).  He’s on the pavement, closely padlocked to a convenient lamp post  - which may be useful to keep him in place, but makes photography a somewhat difficult undertaking, especially when the lamp post is next-door to scaffolding.  However, I did manage to get a couple of pictures of him.

He, too, had a convenient notice giving some interesting facts about him -

Artist:  The Frostick Family.  Sponsors:  SL. Cordons (the ironmongers), Le Café Journal, Warminster and District Film Society, Athenaeum Limelight Players, Kumon Study Centre, Athaeum Masqueraders, Warminster Philatelic Society, The Athanaeum Friends and the Athenaeum Trust.

 (The Athanaeum is the local Theatre - a historic building - which is the venue for many town activities, some of whom are included as Cordath’s sponsors.)

The next port of call found me looking for the Minster (one of the four Anglican churches in Warminster) Primary School, which was somewhat further towards the “other end of town”.  Having remembered the location of the street where the school is situated, (The Tourist Centre had kindly shown me a town map) I eventually found it, and then had to find my way in.  Getting into schools can be quite difficult, if one does not have a connection, but fortunately my visit coincided with the morning break, and the children were haring about in the courtyard getting rid of surplus energy. (Wish I had some of it, these days!) 

Going up to one of the adults supervising this energy, I was told I’d have to ask the Head Mistress if a photograph could be taken, because Emwell spends all his time in the School Assembly Hall.  The helpful adult kindly took me towards the Head’s office, but we met  as she was on her way out.  Having established my credentials and requested her permission, she was kind enough not only to let me in to see Emwell, but was also prepared to have her photograph taken beside him.  (Is it just me, or are Head Mistresses getting to look more like their charges than I ever remember any of mine ever doing?)

Anyway, here is Emwell in all his glory - he will be returning to live in the Hall once the competition is over - and is the product of the childrens’ designs, which were converted into how this Great Bustard now appears by a local artist, Hilary Jackson - who often just happens to sit behind me in St. George's R.C. Church (so, perhaps this one could also be described as an Ecumenical project?)!  I think the children did a great job, as did Hilary in preparing Emwell for exhibition.  (The school is situated in Emwell Street, so, presumably, hence his name?)

By this time, it was getting rather close to the time for me to catch my ‘bus home to Heytesbury.  All the walking round town had got my appetite going and it was getting a bit close to lunch time!  However, the next destination was on my way to the ‘bus stop, so it was no hardship to call in at the Civic Hall and make the acquaintance of Bertie Bloomer, the Great Bustard.


He is the product of an artist named Maureen Lakey and he has been decorated to raise funds for MENCAP and Gateway - two mental health charities:  one national (the former) and the other, a local one.

Here are another two views of Bertie.

 I have to say, even though my support still remains firmly behind Buttons, Bertie Bloomer does run him a very close second. If there were to be a third place, I think it would go to Emwell.    I’m just glad I don’t have to make the ultimate judgement.

Buttons - just as a reminder!

Wonder what your thoughts are on these splendid artistic creations?  I’ve managed to find, and visit, six out of the twelve.  The others are either not visible at times that I am in Warminster, or are located in premises in the surrounding villages which are not accessible by my local ‘bus service, and thus require a car to reach them.  However, six out of twelve is a sufficiently representative selection for me to make up my mind, so I shall be submitting my vote before the September 30 deadline.  They have to be placed at either Coates & Parker (see above - in Jigsaw‘s descriptive paragraphs) or the Library, where Percy reigns supreme.  Indeed, if you look at Percy's portrait, there is a box on his plinth, where some folks have already deposited their votes.  There is also a prize for the member of the public who both picked the winner and saw the most entrants.  The actual prizes are a Family Day Out either at The Hawk Conservancy (as the name suggests, a local tourist attraction) and seeing the real, live Bustards in their habitat on the Salisbury Plain.  A "family" is defined as two adults and two children, so that rules me out!

The competition result will be reported after October 6 - and will probably feature in my post about the Craft Fair on that day at which, hopefully, some of the ColdhamCuddlies will be finding their Forever Homes.

This is a monster post - but it's difficult to see how it could be presented in serial form.   Normal service - latest on the toys, both old and new, and  less voluminous content - will be forthcoming shortly.  Meanwhile, cheerio for now!  Isobel

Sleepy Kitten - latest Nottinghamshire Patient has had his/her treatment!

Sleepy Kitten (SK for short) was one of the five or six patients who travelled to Heytesbury with me earlier in the year, having spent their previous lives as residents in  PamL’s Toy Box.  (PamL is my son-in-law’s Mother).  Other residents have included Little Brown Ted and Long Legged Tiger, whose treatment - and subsequent phoenix-like emergence as Little Sleepy Teddy (Etsy Listing #107350815) and Tigger Long-Legs (Etsy Listing #108763404) - have recently featured in posts here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com.  It’s just been SK’s turn, and I thought you’d like to see how he’s turned out after undergoing therapy in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185).

Upon arrival, there was not much wrong with him, other than that he required a good wash and brush up, which involved him being de-stuffed, taken to pieces (so that I could then create a template for future use as a ColdhamCuddlies Family member - I’ve already got a commission for a Black Plush version, even before one has been made in White Plush fabric!)  Must confess, it was originally my intention to just wash and re-stuff Sleepy,  but when the order came through, I changed my mind pretty rapidly!

Here is SK fully made and ready for his journey back to Nottinghamshire:

Taking him apart was in the end not an option, because whoever had been responsible for making him in the first place - he was an original hand made Toy - had clearly got a little lost when finishing the body and sewing on the head.  The seams were all over the place, with the result that he had ended up somewhat smaller than he now is.  His seams are now under control and he actually does not look as tired as he did.  That resulted in my calling him Sleepy Kitten.  Any ideas as to what he should now be called? 

The head could only be taken to bits as far as the muzzle - because both eyes and the nose were original safety backed items, which once fitted, never come out.  However, even I could make a pattern with the head in its shape (seen in the right centre of the next picture) with both the fabric pieces and the cardboard template arranged on my ironing table, set up in my work room.  This also acts as the second bed-room when guests overnight with me.  The stripey background that has occasionally featured in my previous tutorials is the mattress of the fold-away bed!

Here is a close-up of SK in pieces

Once washed, SK is now a definite White, rather than a grey-white figure, and his stuffing has been thrown away.  It was nylon based material which was used to replace Kapok in the latter years of the 20th Century by toy-makers looking for a material which allowed toys to be washed.  Whilst Kapok did not allow such action, this nylon stuff seemed to be answer to all toymaker’s prayers (at least to me, anyway).  However, it was highly inflammable if exposed to heat, so thank goodness polyester fibre has now replaced it!  I don’t use anything else, and find the resulting firm, but soft, feel is a much more acceptable result than I was able to offer previously.  SK now is softly springy and really cuddly:  previously, he was rather rigid.  He is made in a wool fabric, rather than a plush one.  It's going to be interesting to see what he will look like made up in plush versions.

Here are the prepared cardboard templates, with instructions for me to follow the fabric nap, and the number of pieces required,  ready for use in future versions of SK, whether Black or White Plush, or even, White Fleece - which could well be another option for this little fellow.

This photograph shows SK with his newly sewn head, complete with floppy ears, stuffed and ready for attaching to the newly sewn up body, with its tail sewn in place, but waiting to be turned inside out.

Next, the head awaits the body being stuffed, prior to being attached firmly in place - on a slightly side-ways slant.

Now the head and body are together, and SK is ready to join the rest of the gang waiting to return home.

There are just two more Toys to be treated - Loppy Ears, the Arm Puppet, who is next on the list,, and Blue Teddy Bear, who will just get a wash and brush up (which means a complete re-stuff - as he has polystyrene balls inside him, and I’m not a fan of that kind of material either!). 

Blue Teddy Bear is not going back to Nottinghamshire.  Instead, when he has been treated, he is going to be a Raffle Prize - in support of The Journalists’ Charity.  Dear Peter was a life member, and we’ve been helped by them several times in the past.  So, he and another Cuddly (who that will be has yet to be decided) will be going to help raise funds in return - hopefully in time for various Christmas events being held for such purposes around the UK. 

I’ll keep you posted on both the upcoming treatments before the two toys go their separate ways, but meanwhile, must end so that I can get on with taking Loppy Ears to pieces.  Goodnight all - hope everyone is well, and look forward to our next meeting soon.  Isobel

Meet Buttons - The Great Bustard, a hand crafted masterpiece

This post is a departure from our usual format.  It is not about us Cuddlies for one!  However, it is about a handmade object - well sort of - which is too big to be called cuddly, but nevertheless is still relevant to us Cuddlies.

 Many of the ColdhamCuddlies' eyes are sourced  from this particular haberdashery shop in nearby Warminster, and - frankly - if it were not there, I’d probably not be toy-making, and posting about it, here.  It was as a result of stumbling upon this little family-run business when we first moved here in 2008 that I was emboldened to even think of setting up once again as a toy-maker.  Even though the internet can be a great source of raw materials, there is nothing like a hands-on approach coupled with the chance of personal interchange I feel.  So while I do buy on-line, as well as source my more unusual plush fabrics from The Fine Quality Feather Company in nearby Frome, I’m very dependent on this family run operation as well.  It’s so convenient when doing one’s weekly grocery run(s)!

I’ve mentioned them in various posts and their name is “Think Outside the Box”.  They sell everything anyone ever needs for knitting, quilting, toy-making - of course, crocheting and other crafty occupations - and it really is a crafter‘s dream place.  Originally set up by eldest daughter, SB during her final year at University seven years ago,  SB has been joined on a day-to-day basis by Mum, MrsG and younger sister DG.  Naturally, like all small businesses, they need to promote themselves, and as almost the only fully-stocked craft supplier in the Warminster (there are a couple of others who sell knitting yarns and sewing materials - but as a side line) they often appear in the local newspaper “The Warminster Journal”.

That publication has also been mentioned in previous posts in this blog, and even featured the Cuddlies when reporting on the Christmas Bazaar in Heytesbury Parish Church in December 2011, as well as the Adventures of Chuck Coyote I, the Official Mascot of the Wylie Coyotes After School Club.  So to include this item among our posts is not inappropriate!

Earlier this year, the Journal featured an item about the upcoming Warminster Festival, which takes place annually in October.  This year, as a special feature, there is a competition for the decoration of  statues of the Great Bustard.  12 Bird Models have been created and adopted by various schools, businesses and other interested parties around Warminster.  (More information about this competition, as well as photographs of what a Bustard actually looks like, can be found at www.gobustards2012.com for anyone wanting to know more.)

This UK version of Big Bird,  happens to be the County Bird of Wiltshire, and is the subject of  a huge effort to re-introduce the species into the UK after becoming extinct.  It’s size and shape remind me of the Dodo, but while that species died out long ago, it is still plentiful in other parts of the world, which is why it is being re-introduced.  Us Brits don’t like to be left out!!

The attempts are taking place at a secret location somewhere on the Salisbury Plain (which happens to be next door to Heytesbury);  which covers a large area of the County of Wiltshire, most of which is used by the Armed Services for warfare training. (Warminster  is a Garrison Town and the part of the Army unit currently in situ in the local barracks  is actually serving in Afganistan as this post is being written.) Indeed, we often have low-flying military aircraft over us and it is not unusual to hear (and sometimes feel) the thump of heavy artillery as tanks etc rumble over nearby terrain. Whilst the public are able to cross the Plain using the various main roads which criss-cross the area, military vehicles take precedence - but shooting ranges and such-like do make for excellent, secret areas in which to carry out species re-introduction activites!

So what does this have to do with “Think Outside the Box”, The Great Bustard and the Cuddlies?  Well, SB decided that her Shop would enter the Warminster Festival competition this year and the way in which their entry would  feature would be as Buttons, the Bustard.

Here is one view of Buttons - others will follow, but as you can see, he is a very big statue and the work involved in covering him has taken SB several months to achieve.  The example is actually larger than life - but the general shape is realistic - which may explain why the Great Bustard died out in the UK in the 19th Century!  It can, and does fly, which seems to defy all the laws of aero-dynamics!

Some statistics about Buttons are appropriate here I believe.
 

The statue required an investment in 38 kilos (83.6 pounds) of multi-coloured  buttons.  MrsG and the rest of the family got roped in for colour-coding operations and the results can be seen here.  About 28 kilos (61.6 lbs) were actually used to decorate Buttons.   Apparently, the remainder are still being colour-coded and packaged for sale in the Shop - which is thus unlikely to be acquiring any more buttons for some time to come!

Isn’t Buttons magnificent?  The time SB spent glueing every individual button, had to be fitted in to her busy life as a Mum to two Little People, as well as her own Shop duties.  SB did not keep count of every button stuck on, needless to say, but she has certainly produced a masterpiece in my view.

I’ve just found out - today - how to  cast my vote.  There is a prize on offer for the Best Decorated Bustard, and the winning voter gets a prize too.  However, it looks as though the voting opportunities are restricted to the Warminster area itself, so my first idea of opening up the voting opportunity to all my Followers does not look as though it is a flyer (if you'll pardon any pun!).  Whatever happens, I'll let you know if Buttons gets the nod - as I firmly believe he should.  But then, admittedly, I've not yet seen the other 11 finished models and perhaps I can be described as being already prejudiced in Buttons' favour.  Should there be a final line-up open to public scrutiny, I'll attempt to take photographs of them, and you can then make your own minds up - even if you don't have a chance to influence the results(s)! 

Incidentally, Bustards are but the latest animal statue to have been decorated and used to celebrate special events here in the UK South West .  A couple of years ago, nearby Longleat House & Safari Park celebrate 50 years of Lions roaming the green parklands.  The public were given the opportunity to view the competitiors when the completed statues were placed in various locations around the City of Bath (the owner of the Safari Park is the Marquess of Bath). 

(Incidentally, I have a tenuous connection with this gentleman’s family.  During the 1939-1944 War, my school The Royal School for Daughters of Officers of the Army was located to Longleat, so that the Admiralty could take over the school buildings for the duration of hostilities.  The School returned to Bath in 1947, and I joined in the junior school in 1951 - but when a pupil there, we were able to visit Longleat House (before the Safari Park was established in 1961) to marvel at the surroundings our predecessors were educated within.  The grounds themselves cover some 600 acres, in which the girls had free reign  - so they had plenty of room to roam!)

Then in 2011, Bristol Zoo celebrated 100 years of existence by decorating (and placing all round the City) Gorillas - they are participants in the global effort to preserve that species.  Large amounts of money were raised by both projects for local charities.  These statues can cost about £1,000.00 (USD 1.586.83) each, before the decoration expenses are considered, and the exhibitors are given the choice of donating the finished objects for sale or retaining them for their own objectives.  Buttons is destined to remain at “Think Outside the Box” and will be used in future marketing campaigns for the Shop and as a feature at future Craft events such as the bi-annual Wylie Valley Art Trail - the next one being due in 2013.

What is the Wylie Valley Art Trail?  The River Wylie is a small river, which eventually flows into the River Avon, near Salisbury and Heytesbury is one of many small villages through which it runs.  Warminster is one end of the Valley:  Salisbury is the other.  Every two years, the artists and crafters of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire get together and exhibit their wares in local shops, studios and other suitable premises along the Valley.  The event takes place over one of the May Bank Holiday week-ends and is open to the general public - who are able to examine the craft work free of charge - but they are encouraged to purchase items that catch their interest.  The whole thing is a major feature of the local Tourist attractions for the year in question.

If folks want to learn more about The Great Bustard Project, there is a web-site for The Great Bustard Group (www.great bustard.org.uk.) then click on Great Bustard, and you’ll learn a lot about bustards in general and the UK re-introduction project in particular.

Normal service will resume shortly. This post has gone on longer than originally intended - but one thing led to another!  However,  I do hope you’ve still enjoyed this item.  As ever, God Bless!  Isobel

The Tigger Long-Legs Threesome are Here!

Hello again Everyone!  Cy Bear here - being allowed to introduce the three newest members of the ColdamCuddlies Family.  They were finally listed earlier today, under Etsy Listing #108763404.

Towards the end of last month - 26th and 28th August respectively - Isobel posted here about how she had handled the Treatment of Long-Legged Tiger.  She (or it might have been myself) added that three new versions were in the process of being produced, after she'd created a template from Tiger himself.  This is the story of how they've managed to get into our Shop at www.Etsy.com/coldhamcuddlies.

In the end, Isobel actually cut out and partially sewed four versions, because the original material she had selected for one version - although very handsome- actually turned out to be completely unsuitable.  It frayed unmercifully and no matter how she tried, Isobel was unable to turn the finished body inside out.  The material was just too thick and stubborn, and her arthritic fingers (compounded by the injured right hand she was carrying at the time) could not cope.  So, both the body and the rest of the material she had in her stock were dumped unceremoniously in the dustbin.

The resulting replacement version is Denim Tigger Long-Legs, made from a remnant Isobel found when she was scouting around in her haberdashery outlet in near-by Warminster, "Think Outside the Box".  She gets her felt for our collars and the boots for our Lady Toys from there, as well as other items she comes across (principally our eyes!).

Denim Tigger  in the middle of this picture:  the others are Rusty Tigger Long-Legs (on the left) and Beige Tigger Long-Legs on the right.

Three's Company!

 As all three of them were made in the same way, the description of the sewing process can cover all of them, so this post should not be too lengthy.  The next photograph shows the original three versions spread over Isobel's dining table before she began to put them all together.

This picture shows the discarded version on the left of the circle.  It was made of a velvety fabric, which Isobel had previously been able to use to make tea cosies.  However, the cosies were much bigger and easier to turn inside out, because the material was quite thick and Tigger Long-Legs' limbs were just too small to accommodate the seams etc.  As is the normal procedure when working with tweed and other items with a tendency to fray, Isobel has oversewn all the seams to preserve the integrity of the toys.

As you can see, they don't have as many different pieces as some of the rest of us ColdhamCuddlies do, so are relatively easy to put together.  The paws are sewn on to the arms and the body is sewn up and stuffed.  All three of the Tiggers are made to sit up - just like the model Long Legged Tiger - so, Isobel sews a double line at the top of each leg.  The legs are then stuffed from the bottom, sewn up and the paws stuffed and attached at the appropriate places on each Tigger toy.  The arms are stuffed and sewn at the top of each limb, and slotted into each side of the body.  Once attached, Isobel was able to stuff the body, and that left the head and ears.

This is Beige Tigger Long-Legs

 Isobel seems to have adopted a new routine when it comes to making some of the recent toys.  Once she had placed the eyes in the appropriate spots, she used to stuff the heads and then attach ears, embroider the noses and mouths of us toys and then attached them to the body itself.  She's discovered that it's easier - at least on the more recent toys (the two new Golden Plush Glove Puppets and the Golf Club Head Covers in particular) - to do the facial expressions and then stuff the heads.  The ears are then attached; (sometimes that can take some time!)

Here's Rusty Tigger Long-Legs to join the party!

 

 

Then the head and body get sewed together and Isobel then attaches the white felt collars.  Then, just to add a finishing touch, a multi-coloured lace is tied round the neck and sewn firmly into place and the collar turned over to create a crisp, smart finish to the toys.  The lace is then tied to form a neat bow, which, in turn, is sewn into place.

Lastly - but by no means least - here is Denim Tigger Long-Legs.

They all have mouths embroidered in with Black Double Knitting yarn - matching their respective noses - but because of the black print on the plush fabric, some of them don't show up as well as they might. 

All three have been listed as Tigger Long-Legs Plush Toys in our shop at www.Etsy.com/coldhamcuddlies under their unique Etsy Listing #108763404.  This information has been posted on all the Etsy team forums that Isobel regularly monitors and posts on.  Let's hope they all find their Forever Homes before too long - they are a cheeky bunch of chappies, I can tell you!

Until the next time, hope everyone is well.  It's been nice to post again - and I'm pleased to tell you that Isobel's wonky little finger is beginning to feel like it belongs to her right hand.  It still has a tendency to hit the wrong keys on the computer key-board, but not as frequently!  Good night; Cy Bear

Back to School - now for Halloween!

It’s not just Back to School time:  it’s Back to the ColdhamCuddlies Shop on Etsy.com as well!  After being unofficially closed over the summer months, it officially opened September 1, and I’m pleased to inform you that we have our first order - for a Baby Brown Bunny, which  is off to its Forever Home in Spring, Texas, USA shortly. Let’s hope it’s an omen of things to come!

And to celebrate this auspicious occasion, I have a new White Plush Bunny who has joined Family, and is ready to be introduced to you, our wonderful Followers, as well.  She’s been listed in the shop for some time, and was made just before/and immediately after my dear Peter left us in May.  Needless to say, she was not completed until I got back to Heytesbury in June and I’d just listed her (and meant to back it up with a special blog about her) when, you may recall, I had to dash off to Nottinghamshire again to look after daughter Clare after she’d broken her leg.  Now Clare is well on the way to recovery, I’ve been back some weeks and begun to make new toys and replace others, and suddenly recalled that Hayley, the Hallowe’en Bunny needs to be properly introduced.

At the time I began to make her, I did not intend to label her as a Hallowe’en Bunny, but as I cut out her dress and worked out her decoration, it occurred to me that Black, White and Orange are very traditional colours for this particular season - and the rest, as they say, is history.  So, as Hallowe’en itself is now not that far away, perhaps this is not such an inappropriate time to tell you about Hayley, after all! 

As always, once the pattern has been applied to the fabric I’ve chosen, and it’s been cut out, I begin with the basic body stage.  Here is Hayley with her legs stuffed, and complete with her felt shoes, but still not stuffed in her body.

The next stage, once the upper body has got the polyester fibre inside and sewn up, is to make her pantaloons, which in Hayley’s case are made with white satin nylon, edged with some pretty lace which I found among the goodies I picked up during my last trip to my plush/tweed supplier in nearby Frome, Somerset (The Fine Quality Feather Company). 

I’m due to visit them shortly to renew my stuffing stache and, hopefully, pick up another bag of off cuts.  It’s always a bit like Christmas-coming-early on these visits, because there is a huge big plastic bag waiting for me, which I then go through upon my return home and pick the bits I want to keep and discard the rest.  There are not often too many of the latter I have to say, but, because they are off cuts, some pieces may just not be suitable for me to attack on behalf of the toys and I don’t have the space for any “just in case I might need it later” decisions!

Toy pieces ready for assembly

 But, I digress:  once Hayley’s knickers are in place (I gather them at the ankles and waist and sew them to the legs and body respectively), then the dress top is put together, the arms are made by sewing the furry paws to the arm pieces and then both of them being stuffed and sewn in place each side of the dress bodice.
 

The skirt is then made.  That bit is easy, as it’s a piece of material 36” wide by 18” long, which is gathered at the waist, hemmed, and added to the body over the fitted pantaloons.  One has to adjust the gathers, so that they are evenly spaced round Hayley:  otherwise, the dress does not lie properly when she sits.  (Sometimes, the off cuts are not as wide as 36”:  that’s not necessarily a spoiler.  If I can make a skirt with material up to 28” wide, I have been known to do so - the skirt does not begin to look as though there’s not enough material there!  Any less than 28” though, and the resulting dress can look skimped.)  Once the skirt is satisfactorily fitted, I add the bodice/arm combination, fit it carefully (matching stripes, floral patterns if desired).  This join is actually covered by the apron waistband - but my conscience won’t allow me not to try to match things as I go along.  (Blame my needlework teacher of long ago:  she was a dragon of a lady, who used to make one undo all one’s work if she did not think it was done to her standards!  Habits learned in that way do die hard).

Now we’ve got the head to make:  that normally doesn’t take me too long to do, and I make up the ears at the same time.  Fitting the ears to any of the toys, but particularly the rabbits, can take me quite a while - I often find that one goes on quite easily:  getting the other one to match is another matter.  I used to have a similar problem with the eyes:  however, as I go along, that seems to have eased, as I make up my own techniques to achieve my aims.  Ears though can sometimes be a real problem - but the beauty of plush is that it can be taken apart quite easily, brushed with a wire brush, and then one begins again.

Before stuffing, one gets the eyes in place, making sure that they are firmly fitted.  Then, just recently, I’ve found it easier to embroider the nose and mouth, because one can get one’s hand into the head cavity and control the fabric better.  Then the polyester fibre is stuffed firmly in place, while at the same time, I adjust the shape of the head.  Then comes the ear fight and the head and body are ready to be put together. 

This apron is actually the last one to be made with this particular, opaque fabric.  Until now I've used this remnant from Clare's wedding dress (which I was privileged to be allowed to make), but alas, it has now run out!  Henceforth, all aprons will feature a muslin background, on which decoration - as I fancy at the time - will be applied.

All in all, my dressed Lady Toys take me about 5 days from start to finish:  the Gentlemen, with their complicated stocks and leather boots, jackets etc. take me a day or two longer.  I’m quite pleased with the way Hayley has turned out and as I’ve got enough material to be able to make three versions, I’ve described her as a Limited Edition (No.1 of Three) in Etsy Listing 103038453.  Do hope you like her!

Treating Long-Legged Tigger, Part Two

Hello Everyone - Cy Bear  here.   I’m back again to complete the telling of Long-Legged Tigger’s recent treatment in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185).  When I left off, poor chap was pegged out on the radiator-airer, waiting to be dry enough for the next stage of his therapy.

Once all the pieces were collected together, Isobel began wielding her needle and thread.  Both the body pieces were sewn together (leaving spaces for the arms to be fitted at the appropriate time).  Then all the other pieces (except the ears - which were already sewn together, and which caused the drying process to go on a little longer) were sewn up, including the head.  Both the arms had the paws sewn on before the under-arm seams were finished off  - by being over-sewn along all the seams, to preserve the integrity of the whole toy for the future.

This picture shows Tigger ready to be stuffed - his fur does look a much lighter colour, does it not?
 

The head also has new glass eyes fitted.  Tigger’s original ones were made with some green double knitting yarn, which had some sort of glitter substance weaving through it.  His eyes really did not show up, and Isobel also felt that once he’d been taken to pieces, the yarn would not stay in place for long.  So we’ve included two glass eyes which we’ve had in stock for some time, and Isobel has both sewn them in place, as well as leaving a long piece of yarn on each eye which she then tied together.  Little fingers, when playing with Tigger should not now be able to pull them out - hopefully!

Here the process of putting Tigger together is nearly complete - his body is  fully stuffed and so is the head, and he also has a black nose and a mouth.  (When he arrived, his nose was brown - and did not really show up that well - and he had no mouth at all).

Tigger’s original white felt collar was far too big for him and was badly stained to boot.  So Isobel used the collar pattern she uses for the other dressed toys, and drew Tigger’s just a little larger.  She then sewed a new white felt collar around Tigger’s neck and attached the grey/pink diamond and bow felt decoration with which he’d arrived. 

This is what Tigger now looks like.  Pretty much the same as when he arrived (you can see how that was in our last post on August 26, 2012).  We think he’s ready for many more playtimes with Little People visiting PamL’s home. 

Meanwhile, he’s waiting for two more toys to be treated in the Clinic, before he, Little Brown Ted and the remaining Patients can be posted back to their Toy Box home in Nottinghamshire.

See you around soon:  meanwhile, I am watching as Isobel gets on with the three new versions of Tigger Long Legs.  These may be delayed a bit, because unfortunately, she had a fall this morning and seems to have strained some ligaments in her right hand.  Her little finger and the next finger were bent backwards when she fell, and there is quite a bit of bruising involved.    It means she keeps hitting the wrong keys on the computer key-board, but otherwise hasn’t inflicted any permanent damage.  However, she has yet to see what effect it has had on her sewing and stuffing abilities.   I think she’s putting it off for a while - although she’s had ice packs on her hand (which reduced the swelling greatly) and has taken anti-inflammatory pills, which will probably send her off to sleep earlier tonight than usual.  It did mean that she missed Zumba today, because having hit her head slightly, she felt it was wiser not to go there and dance heartily - something she enjoys doing, but in the circumstances, might not be good for her overall, long-term health.
 
Right, that’s all from me for this post.  Thanks for calling in and commenting!  Look forward to the next time!  All the best - Cy Bear

Treating Tigger - the latest Patient in our Clinic (Part One)

Hello Everyone - Cy Bear taking over for a couple of posts,  since it was under my jurisdiction that you first heard about Long-legged Tigger. 

Long-Legged Tigger - on arrival

Just recently, Isobel has been calling him Tigger Long-Legs, but I’ve just pointed out to her that the latter name is what all our new Cuddlies (made like Tigger) will be called, once they get listed in our shop at www.Etsy.com/coldhamcuddlies.   They are going to be made with the template Isobel has created while Tigger was being assessed.  (Isobel here:  three versions have just been cut out, and once Cy Bear has finished this post, the assembly of each will begin.)

Long Legged Tigger has been one of the new Patients in the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) when he featured in my post dated July 30, 2012).  His treatment has now been completed, and Isobel has suggested that I take over and tell you all bout it!  So, here goes:

As ever, the first thing that happens is that Isobel gets going with her Quick-Unpic and Tigger was soon in pieces. 

Then came the second stage - his bath.  Although he did not seem to be that dirty, Isobel was surprised at how much the water colour changed in the overnight soaking he received.  Isobel uses delicate, hand wash soap suds to clean the Patients, and starts them off in lukewarm water.  Once they’ve lost the surface dust, she then rinses them in cold water - she finds that more dust/dirt comes off that way. 

This time, as there were several bits of Tigger to contend with, Isobel loaded him onto a convenient wooden tray.

He’d had most of the remaining water squeezed out of him (she never wrings toys out - it could disturb the plush nap if  she did that, and besides her fingers/hands are now not as strong as they used to be!).  The pieces are a little fiddly too, so squeezing is the right method!

Then, Tigger’s individual pieces were pinned onto the radiator-airer and he was left over night, and most of the next day.  His ears, because they were double, took the longest to be ready for the next stage.  Isobel did not think they needed to be taken apart;  next time, she might think twice and separate them, although in the event they have turned out fine.

Having removed all the pieces from the airer, Isobel then got on with putting Tigger back into his original format, so that he could be stuffed. 

Because Tigger is quite an elderly toy, and even though the body fabric seemed to be quite strong, Isobel actually over-stitched (by hand, as it did not seem worth the effort to get her sewing machine out just to do the body and arms) each seam.  That will, hopefully, preserve Tigger's integrity for many more years to come.

Here is where  I’ll break for a while,  because this post - illustrated stage by stage as it is - will become far too long for everyone to read properly!  Folks do seem to do that - for which both Isobel and I are very grateful.  We do appreciate the comments made and the time you spend with us and I‘m pleased to say that we‘ve now 209 Followers and according to the Blogger stats, our viewings are now reaching the high 7,000‘s.  That is very gratifying!

The rest of Tigger’s treatment will follow in the next post - and Isobel is preparing another, rather unusual, post to include here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com.  However, some additional information is needed before putting fingers to the keyboard and preparing it for your edification! 

Until then, from both of us:  Cheerio - and God Bless!  Cy Bear.