q.D.PaToOtieS

Free Patterns - Freebies Page Updated

2012-01-23T12:00:00.001-05:00

Free Patterns, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I finally got around to doing some much needed tidying. I went to both of my Blogs, this one and then my q.D.p Annex for some of the more overlooked patterns and I think now they should all be there.

So here's the breakdown:

28 Softies Patterns
12 Blythe Patterns
14 Craft Ideas/Patterns/Tutorials
13 Recipes

Kind of giggling about the last one but hey, as a crafter, I can't pass up a good cookie. Or two. *grin*

I tried to include a photo of most of them in the swell mosaic I made but some of the photos I have are older and were not stored on Flickr. I included a Legend which tells if the pattern is sewing or crochet and if there is a tutorial included. I will be re-doing some of the older ones as time goes on, replacing them when I have a chance, because some of my older tutorials were not (by my standards) as good as they could be.

Anyway, to enjoy all the Freebies, just head over to my Freebies page, click on the pattern name, and ENJOY! Happy crafting!

Kitteh Carryitall, Party Animal Pattern

2012-01-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

Guess what time it is? Time for a FREE pattern from the q.D.paToOtieS creative vault. Creative vault? Really? Geez, I only wish I had one of those around here. No, unfortunately I have to depend on the ol' gray matter to come up with this stuff.

So without further ado, please meet Kitty Carryitall, Party Animal! She is all decked out for a Mew Year's Eve Party. Okay, she's a little late for that but she's not too late to celebrate the Chinese New Year which starts this Monday, January 23rd (the year of the Dragon) or any other event you may need her to attend.

All you need to do is to double click on the pattern below and save it to your computer. After you double click, the pattern will enlarge. Then, just right click and "Save Image As" to save it to your computer. All of the instructions are printed directly on the pattern. But to synopsize, you've got 1/8" seam allowance built in the pattern. You're going to print it out, trace it onto your fabric, cut out all of the pattern pieces, work on the front of the pattern first by sewing on all of Kitteh's facial features, sew the back and front together, whip out a tail, embellish anyway you'd like and most of all ENJOY! Whew!

Some ideas on how to party with your newfound purrfect pal. Make one up for your friends birthday, she'll be happy to attend - you might even be able to make a handmade Birthday card to fit in her front pocket. Make a black one for Halloween, put a little candy corn in her pocket and let her scare up a couple of party guests. Make one in red for Christmas and add a beard - some of the cute gift cards I've seen in the store around the holidays should just fit in her front pocket! At any event, she'll be the life of the party. Enjoy and happy crafting!

My Other WIP

2012-01-18T19:13:00.001-05:00

My Other WIP, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So I'm trying to work on two projects at one time to prove to myself that I can. And it's actually working. The softie I started yesterday, Kitteh Carryitall, Party Animal is actually complete and waiting to be photographed. I'm going to try to figure out what I'm crocheting here (is it man or beast?), write down the pattern, felt it and slap a personality on it. Then, of course, I'll share the pattern and directions with you all.

Hopefully, when you visit here tomorrow, I will have one of the two fully completed, pattern included, and ready to share. Happy crafting!

WIP Kitteh Carryitall, Party Animal

2012-01-17T19:26:00.001-05:00

WIP Kitteh Carryitall, Party Animal, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Here's what I was working on today - a new pattern for a little cat called Kitteh Carryitall, Party Animal.

This little kitty has a patch of white on his chest that also serves as a pocket. It can hold a few Tylenol for those after party headaches or anything else you might think to put in there. Now that's one helpful kitty!

The pattern will be available sometime this week so stay tuned. Happy crafting!

For My Next Project

2012-01-16T11:01:00.001-05:00

For My Next Project, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So puttering around Goodwill yesterday looking for inspiration for my next project, I stumbled upon this handy tool. I think it's original purpose was to be used as a Chicken Roaster (but I could be wrong). My vision for it was as a stand of some sort for a doll, a prim looking bear or holiday decoration. We'll see what I turn it into later on down the road.

I also found some other odds and ends that will become bits and parts of future projects. I love it when I feel inspired after taking a break an just looking around.

I hope you all enjoyed the Vintage Style Snowman tutorial from yesterday. Oh, and happy crafting!

Build Yourself A Vintage Style Snowman

2012-01-15T11:21:00.000-05:00

Paperclay is a fantastic material to use. It dries quickly without having to heat it in the oven, can be sanded or drilled after it's dried and you can even add onto it after it's dried to create your project in various stages. Another cool thing about Paperclay is that you can add water to it if it starts to dry out a bit and you can even add a little acrylic paint to it to tint it before you begin your project. Paperclay is easy to work with and that's what I used for the body of my snowman.

To create the body of your snowman, pinch off a bit of Paperclay. Store the rest in a ziploc bag so it does not dry out. Roll it into a ball and flatten it. Wrap it around your styrofoam ball (I used a 2" ball), stretching as you go, so a thin layer covers your ball. Should it tear as you are working, simply add a little more Paperclay and smooth with your finger. You can have a small cup of water on hand to smooth out your ball as you work. Stick a shish kebab skewer through hit and then push it into a piece of foam to dry. I've also used empty water bottles filled with sand and then just put my skewer down in it like a vase holding a flower.

I found these great honeycomb picks at my local craft store and they were actually the inspiration for my project. If you cannot find these, simply use a 1" styrofoam ball and cover it with clay as you did the Snowman's body. Or, you can use those Satin spun Christmas balls if you happen to find them in your local craft store or perhaps a thrift store. Anything round will work as your Snoman's head.

This is just a photo showing how your Snowman will look with the honeycomb pick as the head. If you use a styrofoam ball, you can use a shish kebab skewer to join the two body parts. Just make sure to secure your skewer with glue and let it dry before you pull it through the bottom part of the body.

I found one of the Stamp sets where you can create your own address label type stamps. I used it to make a stamp that somewhat resembles what is stamped on the bottom of the vintage Snowmen that I have in my collection. Mine are all stamped "Made in Japan." Anyway, I thought it would be a nice touch!

To build your snowman, work on the parts separately so they can dry prior to assembly.

If you have any accessories for your snowman, work on them first. I made a broom for mine from a toothpick, some paper from the scrapbooking section. I used a piece of aluminum foil between the front piece of paper and the back piece of paper I cut for my broom. Then, I added a tiny bit of glue and sprinkled it with some clear glitter to make it look like snow. I stuck it in my foam along with my extra Snowman bodies to dry.
Your Snowman will need something to stand on if you want to put him in a Christmas display. I found some great decorative paper doily pieces used for backgrounds in the scrapbooking section of my local craft store. I cut a circle just a bit smaller than my doily out of the top of a discarded shoebox, stamped the bottom with my special stamp and then glued the two together. You could also use a small paper box, a vintage tin or even a spool to display your Snowman.
For the head, cut some eyes and a mouth from either paper or felt and glue it to your Snowman's face. Next add your hat if you have one. You can either use a plastic one like I have purchased, make one from felt or paper, or even use the tip of a finger from a worn out pair of gloves. Set it aside to dry.
For the body, remove it from the shish kebab skewer. Cut some arms from a bump chenille stem. You can use a regular chenille stem if you'd like. Bend them in half and pinch as tight as you can. Insert in the top hole of your Snowman's body. Next, push your Snowman's head through the same hole. When the tip of the skewer or pick comes through the bottom, gently pull it down until your head almost meets your body. Now, if you'd like to add a scarf or a bow tie, now is the time. To add a chenille stem scarf like I did, just cut the length that you want and twist it around his neck. Now, pull your pick or skewer down so the head does meet the body and snip off the excess on the lower half of your Snowman's body so he will sit flat on your stand. Add some buttons to your body and set him aside to dry.
Put a dab of glue on your stand. Sprinkle some clear glitter so it looks like snow and sit your entire Snowman on top of the dab of glue. Wait for it to dry and then hand your Snowman his broomstick and pose his arms. Hand yourself a hot cocoa - you deserve it!

Here's the Vintage Style Snowman complete and ready to sit in your Winter display. Some tips for this project:

Don't use too much glue or things tend to slide around and take too long to dry. I use a shish kebab skewer (as you can tell, I use them for just about everything) and remove the cap of my glue (I use E6000) and take a little dab at a time on the tip of my skewer and apply it where I need it.
Tweezers are a good thing especially when working with small parts like little felt and/or paper eyes and mouths! You can use them to put them right where you want them without too much of a hassle.

I think that's about wraps up this project. Off to build some more of these little guys - happy crafting!

Dots Were The Theme Of The Day

2012-01-14T08:46:00.001-05:00

Vintage Fabrics, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So yesterday I did NOTHING except go out to lunch with my hubby and hit a few thrift and antique stores. I was lucky enough to find several yards of vintage fabric. One is an adorable dot-to-dot which would be perfect for redressing large composition dolls or even Primitive larger teddy bears and the other is a very pretty dotted swiss with a white background and navy blue dots. I plan to use both in upcoming projects somehow but of course, I haven't figured it out just yet.

So tomorrow I should have a final photo of Mr. Snowman, or Mr. Slowman as we're now calling him. Until then, happy crafting!

Coming Together

2012-01-13T08:42:00.001-05:00

Coming Together, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So here's a preview of sorts for the little snowman. He's more like a "slowman" because I keep getting distracted by life and it's taking me forever to finish him. I think it's the photography process too as I'm trying to document my building him step*by*step. Hehehe. I'll add his hat, arms, face and stand maybe tonight and snap a shot of him sometime this weekend.

We certainly haven't had any real snow around here. In fact, it's been quite balmy here this winter in the mid '50s to mid '60s. Geez. I hope this little guy doesn't MELT!

The Inspiration For My Snowman Craft

2012-01-12T14:25:00.001-05:00

The Inspiration For My Snowman Craft, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So if you hadn't guessed what project I am working on, I will let you in on it now. I'm working on a vintage style snowman. They will be small - anywhere from 4" - 6" in height. I haven't decided on a base yet - I'm kind of flying by the seat of my inspiration on this one.

And speaking of inspiration, the whole craft was inspired by these honeycomb picks that I found at my local Hobby Lobby. I always LOVED they honeycomb decorations we had in our classrooms as kids for various holidays and/or birthday parties. So when I found these, it was *love* and I thought that I must find a use for them and that's when the snowman project came to mind. I'll be putting him together piece by piece right here so stay tuned!

Oh, and happy crafting!

Progress

2012-01-11T19:40:00.001-05:00

Progress, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So here's the project that I started on yesterday. Don't you love my drying rack? I had a leftover piece of foam and decided it made the perfect place to place these balls of Paperclay while they dry. Just make sure that it's balanced as you put them in place to dry or it will fall over and "dent" your ball. I learned that the hard way and ended up having to back track and smooth things out a bit. I let them dry overnight and just finished painting them an Oyster White and now they are drying again. Tomorrow, I will try to make a little more progress so you can see what they are aspiring to be!

Happy crafting!

P.S. I just wanted to let you all know that if you are following me through Facebook, I will be deleting my account over there as of tomorrow (1/12/12). Apparently, the free patterns and craft ideas I offer here were reported by someone as SPAM, reviewed by the team at Facebook and promptly blocked without warning. For those of you who appreciated my posts there and enjoy keeping up with the free patterns and craft ideas I offer here, you can either sign up for my Newsletter or follow me on Google+.

Fun With Paperclay

2012-01-10T21:32:00.001-05:00

Fun With Paperclay, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

What's more fun to do when it's miserable outside than grabbing some craft supplies and starting a new project!

I used to use Paperclay quite a bit but my fun got sidetracked by small children who loved putting clay, among other things, in their mouths. So the clay went away for a couple of years. Now that they are old enough to realize that Paperclay isn't going to taste quite as good as it looks (truthfully, it isn't all that attractive because it's whitish gray), I've started using it again. It's nice for school projects as you don't have to bake it in the oven for it to get hard so my kids can use it on their own. It also comes in handy when I have a project in mind. My other reasons for loving Paperclay, besides the fact that you don't have to bake it for it to dry hard, are that you can actually work acrylic paint into it and tint it any color you'd like and after it's dry, you can sand it, add to it and even DRILL it! Yes, it dries that hard. I'll show you my project as I inch along.

Happy crafting!

Crafting and Classical Guitar Don't Mix

2012-01-09T20:08:00.001-05:00

Crafting and Classical Guitar Don't Mix, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I'm almost embarrassed to show my nails! Oh my - crafting, housework, etc. have really taken their toll. I just started taking guitar and have moved from playing chords to learning Classical Guitar. I love it so far but you need nails! As you can see from the photo, I have none. I'm going to try the nail strengthener I found in the photo and hope those Vitamins really sink in and do the trick. I'm also going to try to remember to not use my nails to pry open containers or abuse them in any other way.

If any of you have longer nails and also craft or sew, please feel free to comment and leave your secrets!

Teaching Myself Tunisian Crochet

2012-01-08T09:57:00.001-05:00

Tunisian Crochet or Knooking?, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I picked this book up recently after finding the crochet hook at my local knitting store. I had never heard of Tunisian Crochet but became interested when I looked it up on the internet and found out that it's a crochet technique that allows you to actually knit. Some people call it "knooking' I was told by some of my Twitter friends. There are dozens of tutorials on Youtube.com for those of you who may want to learn how to knook along with me. If I figure it out, I'll be sure to include a free pattern or two here on my Blog!

Enjoy your Sunday!!!

Winter Themed Fabrics I Created

2012-01-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

Winter Themed Fabrics I Created, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Love, love, lovin' Spoonflower.com. You can do some of the coolest things there. Besides making your own fabrics, you can also make your own Softies. Yeah, I've done that - you can check them out if you like when you visit Spoonflower.com under "qdpatooties." It's incredibly cool to see your own artwork printed on fabric. These are my two latest - both are winter themes. I did Penguins and Snow Angels. He says "Naughty or Nice" but really it's kind of small so you can use him throughout the winter and not just for Christmas. I might make a Softie out of him for next Christmas.

Anyway, just fun little things I do in my "spare" time. Enjoy the weekend my crafty friends!

Bird Feeder From Recyclables!

2012-01-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

Well it's now Winter and my little bird friends are looking for something good to eat. I've got all of these plastic bottles in my recycling bin. Mmmm. What can I do to show them I care? How about make a bird feeder! It's simple and fun so let's get started.

Materials:

Plastic Roasted Peanuts Jar

Plastic Gallon Apple Juice Bottle (the bottom 3 inches to be exact)

Two Plastic Locking Ties (I used the largest)

Large Sharp Needle (or drill, it really depends on the thickness of your plastic)

Scissors

Marking Pen

Directions:

First, gather all of your materials, wash them out and let them air dry. Flip your peanut jar upside down and make two marks on the bottom as I've show in Figure 1. Next, take the bottom portion of your apple juice bottle and place it over your peanut jar so the markings you made on the bottom of that jar show through. Now, make the exact same markings on the bottom of your apple juice bottle so they line up. Set your apple juice bottom aside and using your scissors cut an oval at the very bottom of your peanut jar and duplicate it on the other side of jar - this will let your seed filter out so there will be some in the tray for your bird friends. After you've cut out your ovals, poke the two holes out in the bottom of your jar using the markings you made earlier as a guide. Make them large enough so your plastic locking tie will fit through. After you've made your holes in the peanut jar, do the exact same thing in the bottom of the apple juice bottle. Now, take one of the plastic locking ties and feed it through the holes in the bottom of your peanut jar. This task is actually a bit trickier than it sounds. What I did to make it easier was to fold my plastic locking tie in half and hold it making it crease a bit so it was in the shape of a "v" then I poked my pen through one of the larger ovals I had made in the bottom of the peanut jar as I was feeding it and it went right through. Pull it, place your apple juice bottle on top and then secure the plastic locking tie and clip off the excess. Make a hole in the screw on top of your peanut jar and fold the other plastic locking tie in half and feed it through as I've shown in Figure 5. Fill your finished bird feeder with seed and hang it outside for the birds to enjoy!

Now you don't have to use the containers that I've used exactly. Be creative. As long as the feeding tube portion is tall and thin and the plastic bottom you use is large enough that it makes a good tray with a little room for a bird to sit and have lunch, it doesn't matter what containers you use.

Have fun watching your feathered friends!

Holiday Leftovers Make Great Decorations

2012-01-05T18:15:00.001-05:00

Holiday Leftovers Make Great Decorations, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I've been out and about again, strolling around the stores freely as my kids are finally back at school. Yesterday and today mark the first two days I've been able to shop alone so I have had the luxury of taking my time and really looking at what's out there. And what's out there is leftovers - plenty of leftovers. And I'm not talking about the food kind. I'm talking about the "We've got to get rid of all these excess Christmas decorations so we're marking this stuff 75%" kind of leftovers - which really are the best kind, aren't they? They are cheap enough and they don't add on any unwanted holiday pounds! And what can you do with these leftovers you may ask? Craft of course! Use all of that leftover red for Valentine's Day which is just around the corner. I made a cute Valentine wreath to hang on my door for just $2.50 - and I think it's cute! There are plenty of red tinsel items still out there and if you can't find a red tinsel wreath like I found then start with a wreath form from the craft store (either grapevine or straw will run about $3.00) and cover it with red garland by wrapping it tightly around it. Then, just look around for ornaments that are generic like hearts. I found these great felt hearts at my local discount store. It was $1.00 for a package of three and they ended up being 25 cents. I also bought some blue stars and plan to swap out the hearts for the blue stars and use it for 4th of July!

Sometimes, leftovers can be so good that you can use them over and over and over again!

My Two New Favorite Magazines

2012-01-04T17:57:00.001-05:00

My Two New Favorite Magazines, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Let me begin by asking you to please excuse the shot of the magazines with Christmas themes. My local bookstore is slow about restocking their magazine section and I was so excited about finding new craft magazines that I opted to just include a photo of the last issues that I had on hand.

Stitch*Craft*Create is a brand new magazine that is just oozing with fun, crafty ideas. The photography is excellent, the articles well written and interesting and I am hoping it's around a long, long time. You can visit their website to learn more about this new magazine and check out their Blog and some online craft tutorials.

Mollie Makes is just FABULOUS and really overloaded with amazing photographs of crafty goodness. I am a little bummed that it's a British publication only because that means it will take a bit longer to get my grubby mitts on the latest issue. For past issues, they offer digital downloads via Zinio.com. You can check out their Blog as well as some free downloads by visiting their website.

I haven't been this excited about magazines since I found Stampington.com. I still get excited about several of their magazines but it is just nice to know that there are Publishers out there who are supplying the craft world with ideas and inspiration.

Conversation Heart Candles

2012-01-03T10:52:00.001-05:00

Conversation Heart Candles, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Here's a quick craft project that I've done in the past and I thought I'd share it with you. I first did this project about 14 years ago when I lived in Charleston, SC. It was Halloween and I wanted to dress up the Welcome Candles in my windows. So while I was puttering around the local discount store, I noticed the plastic candy baskets or treat cups that you can purchase for parties. I bought several packages because at the time I had 12 or so front facing windows. Since that was too many to do by hand, I had my husband use the smallest spade bit for his drill (I think some people also call them paddle bits) and he whipped them all out for me in no time. I only have 6 front facing windows in this house so it's an easy enough project that I can tackle it by myself and you can too! Here's how:

Materials:
1. Plastic Candy Containers (enough for each window you want to decorate)
2. Welcome Candles (again, enough for each window you want to decorate)
3. A Large Needle
4. A Pair of Sharp Scissors (not your sewing scissors as this project may dull them)
5. A Magic Marker

Directions:

Click for Larger Image

Turn your plastic candy container upside down and find the center. Next, bore through it with your large needle. Unscrew the lightbulb from your Welcome Lamp. Again, with the plastic candy container turned upside down, make a pattern by placing the base of your lightbulb in the center of the candy container, using the hole you bored as a guide, and trace around it with the magic marker. Stick one blade of your very sharp scissors through the hole and start turning them. You should see the plastic start to shave away and your hole start to grow as your scissors work further down and you continue to turn. Make your hole a little larger than the pattern you made with your marker. Turn your plastic container upright and thread your lightbulb through until you see the metal base poke through the bottom of the plastic candy container. Finally, screw your lightbulb in your Welcome Lamp, plug it in and instant holiday decoration!

Now there are some safety precautions to consider since we are working with electricity. Please make sure your lightbulb is screwed all the way in before you plug it in and not touching any of the plastic as it could ignite. Never, ever leave any light unattended meaning please do not plug these in and go away for a week on vacation. The neighbors may get more than a delightful holiday display should one fall from the window and catch your house on fire. Also, never leave them unattended if you have an animal that likes to climb in windows like a cat - we all know what they can do to a nice holiday display. I know I don't have to tell you all this but I am just a crafty but cautious person. I've been using these for about 14 years as I mentioned earlier and have had no problems.

With that said, go out and scour those party stores for some interesting plastic candy containers and enjoy!

Snowmen Aren't Just For Christmas Anymore

2012-01-02T18:45:00.002-05:00

Here's a little guy I shared the pattern for last Christmas during my "12 Days of Christmas" crafting marathon. But wait, hold on a minute, he's a snowman and Winter has just begun am I right? So he should be around until the Spring thaw. Now's the time to craft up a bunch of these little guys and send them to your friends to brighten up those dark Winter days. Or send them to your friends who are longing for a little snow. Either way, they are bound to bring a smile to their face. And why dress him in a red hat - go crazy with some funky colored yarns for a hat that will chase away the Winter blues. You don't even have to be a person who has mastered the art of crochet - I know I classify myself and most of my crochet patterns as purely BEGINNER! So have fun and CLICK HERE for the pattern.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T13:24:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year 2012, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Well 2011 has come and gone and I'm sitting here looking at my goals from last year. I actually did attempt and/or succeed at accomplishing some of them but they all still need work and all still ring true for this coming year.

Thank you so much for your support over the past 14 years and I hope to inspire creativity and be creatively inspired by you all as well. A toast to my crafty friends worldwide!

q.D.paToOtieS 2011 in Review

2011-12-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

All of the bears and friends that I made this year ending with the Christmas Treasures Show sponsored by Teddies Worldwide. Thanks to all of you for your continued support throughout the years. It has been a pleasure getting to know many of the collectors that I have met at shows in the past and those I have sold bears to over the years. As you all may remember, I don't do much work during the Holiday season so I can spend time with my young children. So, just in case I don't get a chance to say it, please have a happy, safe and healthy holiday season!

Cheers!

Lisa

Etsy Shop Updated

2011-11-30T20:25:00.000-05:00

I just finished updated my Etsy shop with the remaining bears, one sweet elephant and bunnies. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving - now it's ONWARD to Christmas! Thanks again for all of your support throughout the past years and I'm looking forward to making more of my little "creations" in the New Year!

Thank You Sealston 5th Graders and Counselors

2011-11-21T13:55:00.004-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of visiting a local Elementary school and talking to the 5th Grade classes about my career as a Teddy Bear Artist. They were all very polite, attentive and full of excellent questions. I had a wonderful time and I hope they enjoyed learning about my creative occupation.

Should any students visit this Blog and try out the free patterns I have available under the FREEBIES tab, I would love to see your creations. As your teacher Ms. Sevart suggested, perhaps you could bring them to her and she could take a group photo for me to post on my Blog. Should you have problems while making any of the patterns featured here, please contact me (with your parents permission of course) and I will be happy to try to answer any of your questions.

Again, thank you so much for your hospitality and the Payday candy bar - one of my favorites! Sealston Elementary ROCKS!!!

Last Day Christmas Treasures Show Sponsored By Teddies Worldwide

2011-11-20T10:10:00.000-05:00

Last day for the Christmas Treasures Online Show sponsored by Teddies Worldwide. It's been so much fun designing my holiday themed bears. It's sad to pack them up and see them head out but I know they will be enjoying the holidays in various parts of the world like Australia and even here in the US in Wisconsin! Thank you so much to all the new collectors who have purchased my bears and all of the repeat customers. I really appreciate you supporting the handmade arts - especially at a time where money is so tight for all of us.

Anyway, thank you again for being such great q.D.paToOtieS fans and have a happy, healthy and safe Holiday Season. To view the remaining bears you can CLICK HERE.

Christmas Treasures Online Show Continues Today

2011-11-19T08:07:00.001-05:00

So the Christmas Treasures Show is now underway at Teddies Worldwide and a couple of the q.D.paToOtieS gang have been adopted and found a new home for the holidays. I really have to say that I enjoy bear shows and REALLY miss the days when I could interact and get immediate feedback from collectors. Before a show begins, I always go through and pick out my favorites from the bears that I've made. Now, I'm not sure if it's the fact that I want to hang on to those bears or what it is but they always seem to still be around for Day 2! So, if you check our show Blog, there are still a few bears and one GPS equipped bunny looking for a home for the holidays. Enjoy and CLICK HERE to go to our show blog!

My Pieces for the Christmas Treasures Show

2011-11-18T17:19:00.000-05:00

Oh, it was so, so hard for me to keep my pieces for the Christmas Treasures Show sponsored by Teddies Worldwide under wraps (no pun intended)! I am so happy with the way all of them turned out. If you'd like to see more of them and read a little about each of these characters, please visit my show Blog, q.D.paToOtieS Christmas Treasures.

Thank you so much for your support over the past year and have a happy, healthy and safe Holiday Season!

Christmas Treasures Online Show - It's Showtime!

2011-11-18T15:59:00.008-05:00

Please visit Teddies Worldwide to enjoy all of the bears in the show! For a direct link to my bears, you may visit the q.D.paToOtieS Christmas Treasures Blog. Enjoy the show and tell a friend or two if you'd like. The more the merrier!

My Preview Piece - B.A. Humbug

2011-11-05T09:08:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I told you all that it's almost that time - SHOWTIME! I'm very excited to be a part of my second Teddies Worldwide online show. My first was this past July and I sold out which was incredible to me as I have not been very consistent about making bears and/or promoting my bears. As a mom, I find it hard to make time for the things I love, like making bears, when there are things I love more, like my three girls, who require extra assistance on school projects, homework and the like. So, it made me incredibly happy and proud that collectors not only remembered who I was but that I also was able to meet and have my bears adopted by new collectors - THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Now, I'd like to introduce you to my first piece for this show, B.A. Humbug.

Beauford Addison Humbug always seems to get stuck with the same task every Christmas Season and that is to find the perfect Christmas Tree. Here he is heading home with a little treasure that he found but he's sure it will be too small by everyone else's standards.

I hope that you all will do me another favor and visit the Teddies Worldwide website to see all of the marvelous artists and their preview bears. While you are there, perhaps you will cast a vote (actually, you are allowed 4 per household) in each of the categories for the best preview bear. You don't have to vote for little B.A. Humbug - but if you do, it will be appreciated! ( <-- shameless plug inserted here! )

Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures Show Preview

2011-11-04T15:56:00.000-04:00

I've got the Christmas music blaring, I'm decking my halls and in just a few minutes, 4:00 p.m. EST to be exact, the preview for the Christmas Treasures show will be online for everyone to see and enjoy! Again, I have been extremely honored to have been chosen to participate in this online show with so many talented artists. You'll have to check it out for yourself by visiting the Teddies Worldwide website and seeing it all for yourself. While you're there, don't forget to vote for your favorite piece in each category as they give an award prior to the show starting. Thanks so much for following my Blog and enjoying my work -- see you there!

Softie Gourd-geous George

2011-09-26T21:42:00.001-04:00

Softie Gourd-geous George, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

It's that time again - time for a little contest courtesy Spoonflower.com. I dreamed up this little fellow for their Pumpkin Plushie contest. I even ordered some of the fabric to make up one and I love the way he turned out. They do a great job at Spoonflower bringing my Plushies to life! I can't get over how cool it is to be able to offer my digital designs on fabric.

Anyway, if you have time, I would be thrilled if you'd stop by and visit all of the Plushie designs in this contest and vote for your favorites!

Now Available At Spoonflower.com

2011-09-13T09:03:00.001-04:00

Now available at Spoonflower.com are fabrics featuring both my digital doodling and my weird little sketches! All of the fabrics are Fall inspired but I am always thinking, working, designing in my head so I will be adding things as often as I can. If you see a new fabric that I have created and it is not for sale, all you have to do is drop me a line and I will order a swatch, approve it, and then let you know when it is in the shop and available to order. It roughly takes 11 days from the time I put in the request for the swatch until I receive it and approve it for sale. Besides the Fall/Halloween prints, I also have two Plushies that you can print out and sew together! Hooray! Thank you to all who voted for me in the last Plushie contest at Spoonflower.com. I didn't win but I was really proud to have received so many votes. Thanks!

Vote For Your Favorite Plushie on Spoonflower.com

2011-08-25T14:19:00.002-04:00

And this is what I've been up to lately --

I've been creating my Softies digitally and then uploading them to my shop on Spoonflower.com. I do not have any for sale yet but I have taken one important step and that is I've entered one of their contests! If you have a chance, I'd love for you to stop by and look at all of the Plushies created by myself and other artists. Here is the link: http://blog.spoonflower.com/2011/08/a-plethora-of-plushies-choose-your-favorite-stuffed-toy-patterns-in-this-weeks-design-contest.html

I do have one of my fabrics for sale though. I got my first Spoonflower.com test swatch in the mail and I am really impressed. It is just so cool that I can sit at my computer and doodle and then have custom designed fabric. You can enjoy my doodles too as I've decided to make some of my designs available for sale. It will be slow going at first because you have to receive the swatch to verify the colors and, of course, that takes a bit of time. Here's my first fabric called "I ♥ Gnomes."

You can go to their website and visit my shop there to see a larger picture of the design. You can find me on Spoonflower.com by clicking HERE.

Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures Show

2011-08-07T12:08:00.000-04:00

Click The Photo To Go To TeddiesWorldwide.com

I know by most people's accounts it is ridiculous to even start thinking about the holidays. But, if you happen to be a crafter, or a professional Teddy Bear Artist, now is as good a time as any to start tossing those ideas around in your head. This is especially true if you are going to participate in any shows around the holiday season. I am excited to say that I was selected, along with 74 other artists, to participate in the Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures show. I was pleasantly surprised especially in knowing that Daphne Blau, the show promoter, gives preference to new talent and artists who had not participated in one of her previous shows to keep the show "fresh." I promise I will not let her or any of you down as I have some great ideas.

So, keep your eye here - I won't be able to show you the pieces for the show but you will be able to see other pieces I am working on in the meantime while I'm gearing up for it. And, if you haven't already signed up for my new mailing list, please do! You'll find out all the details about new pieces ahead of time including, but not limited to new patterns that are available.

Keep cool!

Stick Bear Wannabes

2011-07-23T11:13:00.000-04:00

So here's what I'm working on at the moment. A couple of new patterns and a mix of the Prim with the Anime for some new Pranime bears. They are all made from either matted or distressed mohair and the largest will be 7" - 8" and the smallest 4" - 5". I'm guessing at this point because I only have the heads done. I have to work on the bodies and legs next. I'll take some photos as they progress so you can see how I work.

I actually started this time by making a pattern out of a paper towel and just making up the head. Usually, I draw out a full sketch of the bear but I decided against that because I wanted to actually see the head of these guys made up and stuffed first. All of them are center seam bears without a gusset. With the exception of the completely round-headed Anime bears and my quirky bunnies, I've always used a gusset in my head pattern so this is a first for me. I based the new bears on a vintage "stick" bear that I have in my collection that I put out every Christmas. He's one of my favorites and I'm hoping these new bears will have the same charm. Back to sewing!

New Mailing List

2011-07-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

Want to know when new bears, bunnies and other creations will be available for adoption? Well here's the good news - I have a new Mailing List! Just sign up, confirm your E-mail address when the Confirmation E-mail comes your way, and presto - you are now on top of all the latest news here at q.D.paToOtieS! I also promise not to share your E-mail address with anyone and I won't continually pester you with unwanted mail. You'll only receive an E-mail when I have something worthy of sharing.

Thanks for all of your support while I'm re-vamping my Blog. It's much appreciated!

Pardon The Construction

2011-07-20T20:15:00.002-04:00

Pardon The Construction, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So I'm still working on my Blog. You may have noticed I gave it a little face lift today. I've also decided to clean it up a bit and delete a lot of my chatty posts -- well, I'm not really deleting them because some of them have a lot of sentimental value meaning they kind of follow my kids "growing pains." I'm actually moving them to my new Blog called "QDP Annex." Sorting through 650 posts and moving out the ones that are personal will make it easier for you to search for patterns or craft projects. Please pardon my construction dust and if you come along and find a broken link or two, please let me know so I can repair it!

Thank You and Here's Your Package!

2011-07-18T17:13:00.001-04:00

So the show is over, I'm recovering from all the hard work and I'm gathering materials to make more bears. I think I learned a lot from doing my first online show and I want to thank everyone who graciously took one of my bears into their "hug" as well as the show's Promoter, Daphne Blau of Backroad Bears and the force behind Teddies Worldwide. Daphne was also lucky enough to enlist the help of her web-handy father for the event so a big thanks to him too for making it such a successful and fun event for all!

One of the things I've been working on over the years is how to package my bears. Sometimes, I put them in little pastry bags that I've purchased. They have a "window" in them so my bears can peek out. Recently, I've started using the cellophane treat bags you can purchase in the party section of any local discount store such as Target. I wanted professional looking headers for my bags but didn't feel like investing a ton of money so I went ahead and purchased a bulk package of "Thank You" notes for the headers and then cut and glued on one of my old business cards that I was no longer planning to use because they had my old business name at the top of the card. I think it worked out just fine and my packing is now cute for a very thrifty price!

Anyway, I hope to be back making bears again soon and showing you all my progress. Maybe I'll get super organized and even throw a new free pattern in now and then!

Bears On Parade Show and Sale

2011-07-15T16:31:00.000-04:00

Today's the day! The show just started and all the bears are making their way down the Parade Route! This is my first show in many years, at least three, since the my last show I believe was the 2008 Doll and Teddy Bear show. I haven't made many bears since the show moved away from the Washington D.C. area. In fact, I had pretty much given up on bear making because right after the show moved, the economy kind of went in the ol' tanker. I'm hoping, as we all are, that that will change sometime in the near future. To compensate for the hard times we've all been facing, I've priced five out of the six mohair bears that I made below $100.00. The other artists who signed up to do this show did the same. You'll know which artists are offering specially priced items as we all have a little "globe symbol" beside our company name. It looks like this:

Anyway, you can enjoy the show from July 15th to July 17th by following this LINK. Enjoy the show!

Thank You Eunnie, Her Friend and All My Pattern Fans!

2011-07-08T07:21:00.001-04:00

A while back, a very kind lady named Eunnie from Manhattan contacted me with a message from her friend. The message she relayed was a very sweet one saying how much she enjoyed my work and this Blog. We exchanged E-mails back and forth and her friend happened to try the free Sock Elephant Pattern and Tutorial that you can find on my new FREEBIES page. Well her elephant turned out so cute that since then she's made him a little friend. I just wanted to show them off here so you could see how cute they turned out. If you have tried any of the free patterns here, please forward me a photo of your version of my pattern and I will be happy to post it here along with your name and whatever else you'd like to tell me about yourself. You can find the E-mail address to send the photo to on my CONTACT page.

In other news, today is my Birthday. Yep, I'm older. Thankfully, I've made it to 44 with a few minor scraps, bangs and bruises along the way to show for it. Now normally I would give you all a little "gift" to celebrate the event by giving you a free pattern but this year I am not only busy getting ready for the Teddies Worldwide Show, Bears on Parade but I also just had toe surgery so I've been slowed down a bit. Never fear though, I will be back up and running soon (okay, walking -- I only run if I'm being chased. Or if there's cake. Is there cake?). Hopefully, I'll get my act together and this Blog will be as crafty as used to be. Enjoy all of the older patterns, craft projects and tutorials though and as always, thank you so much for visiting and enjoying my Blog!

Tush Tag

2011-07-04T16:59:00.002-04:00

Tush Tag, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I am currently up to my eyeballs in bear parts. The show is fast approaching just 11 days away. I am hoping to have all my bears done by this Thursday so I can take a break on Friday as it's my Birthday.

While I was working on my bears, I had to run into town to Hobby Lobby and pick up a few things, namely stuffing, when I passed by the Scrapbooking section and some ribbon caught my eye. I had been looking for a "tush tag" for my smaller bears. I used to make my own "tush tags" but I got a new printer and truth be told, it's pretty stinky, and it's just not up to the task of making decent tags, business cards or, well, or anything! So my little eye spied this ribbon that had Monogrammed letters on them. I was not surprised that they happened to have a lot of "Q" ribbon in stock -- not anymore! I grabbed every single roll of "Q" that they had. My apologies to all of the "Quincy's" "Quigly's" and "Quinn's" in the world but I'm sure they will get some more in sometime. Hobby Lobby never seems to be out of stock on anything! So I've been humming along inserting "tush tags" as necessary and enjoying my favorite Independence Day movie, "1776", while I sew.

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!

Bears on Parade Show Preview Bear

2011-07-02T08:03:00.001-04:00

Here's my "preview" bear for the show. His name is Spaulding, the Spectator. He's 5", mohair, 4-way jointed, pellet filled and has glass eyes. He's a hefty little fellow that will enjoy watching any parade from the palm of your hand. You'll just have to watch him to see where he sticks his lollipop after he's enjoyed it for a while. Sometimes it ends up in the hair of the person in front of him!

I am making five bears for this show so four others including Spalding. There are 74 other amazing artists participating in the show meaning there will be a lot to choose from including various styles because I think we each have our own. I was kind of shocked though when I looked at the full screen of all the preview bears because mine kind of stuck out like a sore thumb -- pretty quirky compared to the others but that just about sums me up to a "T!"

Enjoy the show preview page and don't forget to cast your vote for your favorite bear in each category. Spaulding will be hanging out with the "big boys" because he didn't make the cut for mini bears. Apparently the mini bears have to be 4" and under and at 5", Spalding is like a MAXI mini!

So please vote and I'll keep you updated with what I'm working on and when the show will begin!

FREE Blythe Hat Pattern

2011-03-08T09:53:00.005-05:00

The "Throw Away Hat" is a hat I crocheted for my Blythe dolls out of some curling ribbon I was going to just "throw away." The result was a cute, stretchy durable hat. Enjoy the pattern!

For the "Throw Away Hat" --

Materials:
1 - Spool Curling Ribbon (this will make a TON of hats -- my spool was 500 yards)
1 - 5.00mm Size H Crochet Hook

Stitch Guide:
Ch = Chain; Sl St = Slip Stitch; DC = Double Crochet; HDC = Half Double Crochet

Directions:

To start, Ch 4. Sl St first and last in the chain to form a ring. Ch 3 and turn.
R1: 11 DC inside of ring. Ch 3 and turn.
R2 - R4: DC in first stitch, 2 DC in next stitch. Repeat pattern until you've completed the row. Ch 3 and turn.
R5: DC in each stitch. Ch 3 and turn.
R6: HDC in each stitch. Sl St to join first and last HDC and make a knot. You're done.

To make the Flower accent:
Ch 4. In first Ch, do 11 DC. Sl St to join first and last DC to form a circle and make a knot. Leave a long tail of ribbon and thread through to sew on your hat. Once it's on the hat, stretch it to make it look like a flower.

This pattern is VERY, VERY, simple and the coolness of working with the curling ribbon is it is very stretchy so it really forms to your doll's head once you put it on. Enjoy!

A Handful of "Gee I Hope This Works"

2010-09-28T10:50:00.002-04:00

A Handful of "Gee I Hope This Works", originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So this is what I started working one while I was sick. I'm making some little vintage-y style Halloween kitties. They will be dressed and come on top of little containers. I'm hoping to get at least one prototype made before October 1st. I love the "bump" chenille pipe cleaners. They are getting really hard to find and I have to stock up on them when I go to Ben Franklin. You can order them on E-bay but with shipping that really gets to be expensive. I am hoping my new Hobby Lobby will carry them because they are really one of my favorite (and my kids favorite) craft items.

Other than that I am still working on my house, cutting out some bears and doodling. That's pretty much a normal day around here!

Vivaldi - Free Pattern!!!

2010-09-08T10:33:00.000-04:00

The Vivaldi Pattern is now ready to download. I originally uploaded this pattern like three years ago. But, if you guys remember, I had a similar pattern called "Nervous Nelson" and we had a little vote. It ended up that you guys (or my readers three years ago) preferred "Nervous Nelson" so poor Vivaldi got tossed. Well I feel that maybe poor Vivaldi here, my little operatic feline, didn't get enough of a chance so I decided to bring him back and let you enjoy the free pattern again.

So here he is in all of his "me-me-me-meow!" glory. To download the pattern, simply click on the link or photo above and when the downloadable version pops up, right click and save it to your hard drive. Please add 1/8" seam allowance to the pattern for best results (unless you want a really skinny kitty -- it's your choice!). I made mine out of felt but you can make him out of whatever material you choose. Please let me see your "creation" by either E-mailing it to me or uploading it to the q.D.paToOtieS Flickr group. Enjoy!

Free Pattern for Creature From The Moldy Spoon

2010-08-17T10:30:00.004-04:00

Creature from the Moldy Spoon vs. Monopoly, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

And just who is the Creature from the Moldy Spoon? He's a small distant cousin (like 5th cousin twice removed I believe on his father's side) of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. I found a spoon with some moldy food on it in my kids room under the bed. I threw it in the sink to soak and it morphed into this "creature." To make your own "Creature from the Moldy Spoon" just follow the simple pattern below. But be warned, your game boards might be at risk!

Materials:
3.75mm Crochet Hook
Medium Weight Yarn
Polyfil
Needle
Thread
Small Piece of Felt
Embroidery Floss
Buttons for Eyes

Head:
Row 1: Ch 4. In first chain, DC 9. Ch 1 and turn.
Row 2: SC in first DC, 2 SC in next DC. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 1 and turn.
Rows 3 - 9: SC in each stitch. At end of row 9, tie off and leave a long tail.

Body:
Row 1: Ch 4. In first chain, DC 9. Ch 1 and turn.
Rows 2 - 8: SC in each stitch. At end of row 9, tie off and leave a long tail.

Arms/Legs:
Row 1: Ch 9. SC in stitch 8 all the way down the row. Ch 1.
Row 2: SC in each SC. Tie off and leave a long tail.

Assembly:
1. Using either your crochet hook or needle go around the neck of your head piece with the long tail weaving it in and out of the last row of stitches. Stuff with Polyfil and then pull the neck opening closed using the long tail (like gathering a drawstring purse) until it is about the same size as the neck opening of your body. Tie off and set aside.

2. Using your Polyfil, stuff your creature's body. Using the long tail, sew the neck of the body to the neck of your creature's head. Next you're going to make him some fins!

3. Lay your creature on it's side on the small piece of felt. Draw around the top of his head and that's the part you're going to attach to his head. Next make some spiky points for the top of his head. Cut it out and set aside.

4. With your creature still on the felt laying on it's side, draw around the back of his body and that's the part of the fin you will attach to his back. This time, make the top of the fin more like a half circle and cut it out. With his back fin, you are going to make slits with your scissors so it's still joined but fringed at the top. Once you've completed his fin, set it aside.

5. Attach your creature's eyes and using your embroidery floss, make a little smile or frown for him. Attach the fin to the top of his head and then the one to his back. Set him aside.

6. Now we're going to work on our creature's arms. Fold your arm in half lengthwise. Now sew it up with the long tail that you left using a ladder stitch. Tie it off at the end and repeat with the other three arms/legs.

7. Sew on your arms and legs and now your creature is complete! Hide your game boards though or he will be on a rampage!

Enjoy! Please remember that I only crochet for fun and consider myself an amateur. If you need any help on your creature, I will be happy to answer your questions but as for stitches, I may have to go look them up!

Free Pattern for Count Truffula, Vampire Piggy!

2010-08-07T17:11:00.004-04:00

Free Pattern for Count Truffula, Vampire Piggy!, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Sorry it took me so long to upload this but when I went to open my software last night that I usually use to clean up my patterns, it said the link wouldn't work so I guess I will have to find my discs and re-install it. In the meantime, I am hoping you all can read my chicken scratch handwriting on the pattern pieces to make out what goes where!

Double Click to Open Larger File

Materials:
1/4 yard Felt or Other Material for Pig Body
Scrap Felt for Ear Lining, Mouth Lining, Eyes and Teeth
1/8 Yard Felt for Cape
Embroidery Floss
Yarn or Ribbon for Cape
Sewing Machine (a little too much to do by hand)
Poly Fil
Embroidery Floss
Needle
Thread
Craft Glue
Pipe Cleaner

Instructions:

1.) Copy and save pattern to your hard drive by double clicking on the pattern image. Right click on the pattern and then choose "Save Image As" and name the file.

2.) Print your pattern and cut out all pattern pieces. Trace pattern pieces according to the number required for each pattern piece onto your fabric.

3). Starting with the ears, line up the bottoms of both the inner and outer ear pieces and then topstitch the inner ear piece to the outer ear piece. You may tack them in place by pinning, basting or using some craft glue if you feel uncomfortable just sewing them without them being securely in place. Repeat for the second ear and then set aside.

4). Next, line up the notch on the fangs pattern piece with the notch on the mouth pattern piece. Topstitch the fangs to the mouth piece (as with the pieces above you can secure them the same way if you like before you topstitch) and then position it underneath the cut open mouth on the front pattern piece of your piggy vampire. Pin in place and then sew by machine or by hand if you choose.

5). Find the nose pattern piece and position it about an inch above the open mouth on the front piece of the pig pattern. Make sure it is centered and then stitch in place by hand or machine.

6). Position each eye between the mouth and nose and about an inch and a half from the side on the front piece of the pig pattern. Secure them prior to sewing with by basting or with a little craft glue just to make sure they are even before you sew them into place permanently. Sew them in place by machine or by hand.

7). Set the front piece of the pig pattern aside and sew all of your arms and legs making sure to leave them open at the top for a little stuffing. I did not turn mine but just clipped them close to the seam, filled with a little Polyfil and then pinned them to the right side of the front piece of your pig pattern making sure the open pieces of each part were pinned to the edge of the pig pattern and all of the closed ends of the arms and legs pointed in towards the mouth. Pin on the ears the same way. Set this aside while you complete the back of your pig.

8). Sew the back piece of your pig pattern from Point A to Point B and then from Point C to Point D leaving an opening to stuff your pig. Set this aside and work on your pig's tail.

9). Sew your pig's tail together. I didn't turn this either just clipped close to the edges and then inserted a small piece of pipe cleaner (bent in half) to make it curly. Set your pig's tail aside.

10). Pin the right sides of both the front and back pieces of your Pig Pattern together and then sew around the outside. Now you can turn your pig and clip as close to the seam as you can. Stuff your pig with Polyfil and you are ready to sew up his back seam. He's transforming before your very eyes!

11). Grab your pig tail pattern piece and pin at the very bottom of the open seam on your pig's back. Ladder stitch it in place as you are sewing up the back of your pig. Your getting close now -- he's almost done!

12). Lay a small piece of felt down underneath your completed pig. Cut out a rectangle the length of your pig and 1 1/2 times the width of your pig. Using a large eyed needle, thread it with yarn or ribbon and do a running stitch about 3 inches down from the top. Leave a long tail on each end so you can secure it around your vampire piggy's neck.

13). Count Truffula is now complete and is ready to start sucking the life out of all of your chocolates! I would hide them now if I were you.

Now that you've completed your Count Truffula, Vampire Piggy, snap a photo and send it to me or just drop it in the q.D.paToOtieS Flickr Group. I'll show off your creation and send a link back to you at your Blog or on Flickr.

As with any of my patterns, this is not intended for commercial use but just for the fun of making for yourself or your friends.

Enjoy!

Count Truffula, Vampire Piggy!

2010-08-05T18:16:00.007-04:00

Count Truffula, Vampire Piggy, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

As cooler weather drew near, it just so happens that a family of vampire bats moved into the pig barn on Farmer Chip's Chocolate Farm. Things were a might strange there anyway already. I mean Farmer Chip wasn't an ordinary farmer by any means. He raised Chocolate Bunnies for Easter, his hens laid Cadbury eggs and instead of diggin' for truffles, the pigs just made their own chocolate ones from scratch!

But when Farmer Chip noticed that the filling from the famous Truffles that he usually sold to the fancy stores in the city was sucked plumb dry, he knew that something was up. Sure enough, one of his prize truffle making piglets, Bittersweet, had been bitten by the vampire bats and transformed into Count Truffula, Vampire Piggy!

Now you might think this is a tall tale, but the next time you open a box of fancy chocolate truffles, see how fast they disappear. More than likely, Count Truffula is to blame. If you want to make your own Count Truffula so you can blame all the disappearing chocolate in your house on him, stay tuned as the pattern will be up tomorrow. You can make one up in time to share all of those chocolate Halloween treats that will be coming your way!

UFOs And Why I Both Fear and Cherish Them

2010-08-02T12:56:00.002-04:00

UFOs And Why I Both Fear and Cherish Them, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I keep a bag close by in my sewing room. At first, it was a tiny bag just for scraps of mohair that were too small to do anything with but too big to throw away. My "rule" for that being if it's big enough to eek out an ear then it's a keeper in my book. Gradually, the bag began to grow. I started filling with other things like projects I had cut out but never completed or projects that were nearly complete but I deemed unworthy and undeserving of being finished off -- you know, the stuff a lot of us refer to as UFOs or "Unfinished Objects." Vintage doll clothes that I had ordered online and arrived in "not as described" condition with holes or much LaRgeR than anticipated also managed to find their way into the bag and were now happily keeping all of the scraps and UFOs in there company. Eventually this bag that was once little became roughly the size of a small town in Rhode Island and was so large that I had to move it out of my small 5x8 sewing room and into a galaxy far, far away that we like to call the "basement." This move happened roughly a year or two ago just for reference.

Now, I just happened to wander down to the galaxy far, far away this morning on a quest for something else. By the time I got down there though with all the nagging from the children who whined because they also wanted become "space explorers" I had forgotten why in the heck I went down there in the first place. It's not unusual that I forget silly things like this because frankly, most of the time I can't tell you what I had for breakfast the same morning. Now the "galaxy" is packed with stuff that neither my husband, children or myself need but we can't bring ourselves to throw away (actually, I can but they can't which is just plain odd). It was while I was wandering, spinning and tripping over all the "space junk" down there that I saw a trash bag. I was thrilled that I found something that was probably from one of my own clean outs down there that I had obviously forgotten and could now justifiably throw away because it's neatly prepackaged in a TRASH bag so it belongs in the TRASH, right? Boy was I surprised and happy that I dug into the bag before I decided to dump it because it was the the same one I had stored away a year or two ago with all of those scraps, UFOs and vintage, unwanted doll clothes. The interesting part is though that what was originally thought of as just UFOs and other needless items was now a fabulous find waiting to be turned into new much smaller bears and quirky softies that I am now making! It seemed that time away from this bag gave me a whole new perspective on what is trash and what is treasure. What was once a scrap big enough to do just an ear two years ago would now almost do a whole body on my new bears. It was seriously like having Christmas in August which, again, I know it was supposed to be in July but I am perpetually slow so I'm used to missing deadlines.

The moral of this whole story is if you have items like I've described above that you think you want throw out just hide them from yourself for a little while if you have the extra space. Discovering it again may open up a whole new world for you and may make you look at your UFOs in a whole different light!

Vintage Fabric Finds and Hey...How'd That Monkey Get in There?

2010-08-01T18:14:00.004-04:00

Yesterday when I was out thrifting, I found this...

and some of this...

and a little of that...

and a little more of this...

and finally a few of these...

all in all, I'd say it was a pretty good day!

More Storage Options

2010-07-30T11:43:00.002-04:00

More Extra Storage in Vintage Jars, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I am always looking for interesting ways to display my supplies besides the plastic bins that I purchased at Target the other day. Vintage glass jars are wonderful because it gives you a sneak peek at your supplies without looking messy. So it's kind of a twofer -- great storage and pretty to display.

The chunky style peanut butter jar was actually passed down to me from my Grandma. I don't know if you can see it but there are some vintage bobbin shuttles in there from her treadle sewing machine that I also have and is another project on my list! I'd like to get it running again and refinish the case. It's an old Minnesota Treadle I think if I remember correctly.

Another VERY large jar and a great vintage tin I found when I was out thrifting. I plan to store some styrofoam balls in the big jar -- they'll almost look like preserved snowballs! I love the vintage cookie tin too with the faux needlepoint top. It seems like it is hard to find a tin like this that doesn't have a holiday theme so of course when I spotted it I put it straight in my shopping basket. The colors in the flowers almost match the ones on the plastic bins I showed you the other day so we're still coordinated without being too matchy-matchy.

Tomorrow is my "day off" away from the kids so I am hoping to get to my local hardware store and pick up some paint colors. Of course, I won't be able to paint until my kids get back in school but that's another story!

My Sewing Room "Makeover"

2010-07-29T15:23:00.003-04:00

Storage Bins for Sewing Room "Makeover", originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

My Studio, sewing room, office or place where I hide so no one can find me is going to be getting a "makeover!" I have purchased fabric and bins and soon I'm going to get some paint and just "have at it" so to speak.

I love the color of the tops on the smaller turquoise bins so I was kind of thinking painting my walls the same color. My carpet though is a deep green like the leaves on the larger bins so I'm not sure how it will all "flow" together.

I also managed to find some fabric when I was at the thrift store. It's a lovely vintage piece (actually, I got two pieces that are very similar) and it is marked Copyright 1956. The fabric was really the inspiration for the bins as they are kind of similar with the floral and turquoise but not too matchy-matchy.

It will be so nice to have everything where I can find it. I'm also going to change out my doll display and use dolls that are more anime/kawaii like my Blythes, Pullips, Dals, mod dolls and other big headed friends.

Some of My Favorite Magazines for Inspiration

2010-07-28T15:11:00.002-04:00

Some of My Favorite Magazines..., originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Inspiration, for me anyway, comes from many different sources. Sometimes it's something that I see on television (and yes, I watch a LOT of cartoons ☺), sometimes it's a vintage toy that I already own, and sometimes it's just something someone says in passing. Most of the time though it is just something that I see or read in a magazine that makes me want to "create." Besides the normal magazines I might read like Stuffed: The Crafting of Softies and Art Doll Quarterly, I find that magazines that feature techniques or even articles on repurposing tend to get the creative juices flowing even more. Here are some of my favorites:

Cloth Paper Scissors: I LOVE this magazine and have been buying it on the newstands for years. It's got great articles on not only on theart of manipulating fabric but also on how to combine fabric and other material for mixed media masterpieces.

Ready Made: A fun magazine dedicated to the DIY'er in all of us. Lots of repurposing goodness fills their pages as well as helpful household hints like how to remove stains, etc. I love this magazine because it is chock full of so many inventive ideas.

Green Craft: A new-ish magazine put out by Stampington and Company so it's got that great smell, feel and look that really only Stampington can produce. Plenty of repurposing projects from cover to cover and great photographs throughout.

Christmas 365: I just found this magazine the other day but already it's one of my favorites. Year 'round Christmas? I mean seriously could any holiday junkie ask for more? Mark Lipinski does a fabulous job of bringing together reminders of Christmas past as well as projects, fun and food for Christmas present.

HandCrafted: Another magazine that just popped up on my "can't get enough" radar. I love the fact that Stampington and Company (yes, I've already professed my ♥love♥ for them and just the way they do things) took the time to make a fabulous "Encyclopedia" of sorts for their best loved projects. It's kind of like a handy all-in-one reference tool. I found the latest issue which was Volume 6 but now I'll be on the lookout for Volumes 1-5 as well as any future releases to complete my "set."

Anyway, those are just a few of the magazines that I read in my spare time. They make me think and they make me dream. The printed magazine is quickly becoming a lost art form so buy them and really cherish them while you can!

Chickenhead Revisited

2010-07-27T11:23:00.003-04:00

Helloooo Lady!, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

So a couple of you thought that I should go ahead and finish poor Chickenhead and not leave him as a UFO (unfinished object) just collecting thread and lint in my sewing box. I took a little time yesterday and stuffed his little limbs and sewed them all on and here's how he came out.

Now, what I'm wondering is if I should just keep this one as a pattern too because truthfully, he didn't turn out as horrible as I imagined he would. He's kind of cute in a quirky kind of way and just in case you didn't know it, quirky is my middle name (ha! and you all thought it was Renee!).

Now I'm sketching out some new creations and picking out fabric to make more bears. I seem to be running out of stuffing though so I might have to make a quick run to Joann's Fabrics and pick some up (since our Walmart no longer carries fabric/stuffing). I might also have to clean my sewing room again because I tend to make a HUGE mess when I, er, create. Yikes! Maybe I'll add an "Enter At Your Own Risk" sign to my list of things to buy!

Pretty Little Monsters

2010-07-14T13:55:00.003-04:00

Pretty Little Monsters, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I was going to put this up last night but my scanner was acting up. So I finally finished my monsters and have drawn up the pattern so you guys can make your own! I was going to upload it last night but my darn scanner would not cooperate. So here it is in all it's Monster-y glory.

Just click on the image above to view it at it's original size or click HERE. Then, right click on it with your mouse and save it to your hard drive. Or you can just print it directly from your browser and it should work. I tested printing it using Safari as my Browser and it printed as a full size page without any alterations (meaning I did not have to check "shrink to fit page").

There are instructions on the pattern but I'll go over them for you here as well. Please note there is a 1/8" seam allowance built into this pattern. Trace the pattern onto the wrong side of your fabric. Working with the two back pieces, place right sides together. Sew from Point a to Point B and from Point C to Point D making sure to leave your opening for stuffing. Open your fabric and then pin the front side of of the monster to the back side with right sides together. Sew, turn, fray chek and clip cures. Stuff and sew up the back of your monster using a ladder stitch. When you give him a face, you have a choice. You can either make a "cheering monster" or a "jeering monster." The "cheering monster" will have his hands up in the air and be happy and the "jeering monster" will have his hands down by his side and be all sad. So with one pattern you get a twofer -- two monsters in one!

After you make your monster, I'd love to see them. If you're on Flickr, it's really easy by joining the q.D.PaToOtieS group there. I will start picking some of the photos I find on there to share here on this Blog.

Enjoy!

I've Created a Monster...

2010-07-12T18:07:00.005-04:00

or two! Actually, they are still works in progress. I have to finish stuffing tonight, sew them up and then add their faces. But here they are so far in all their "cheeky" glory both struggling to get the attention they think they deserve!

hOoRaY! wE're aLmoSt COMPLETE!

wOrK on ME fiRst!

nO! wOrK on ME fiRst!

vIcToriOus!

Fiona Fuzzworthy

2010-07-02T16:33:00.001-04:00

Fiona Fuzzworthy, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Now that I've had an equipment test, I really need to grab some patterns, fabric and gumption and start sewing.

The last Softie I made was Fiona Fuzzworthy. I had some mohair scraps laying around and combined them with some new vintage-y style fabric and out popped Fiona. Okay, it wasn't as easy as all that there was some stuffing, some assembly and some other finishing involved. Now there's two things left I need to that to get started and that's time and a little kick in the rear and I should be good to go. It is nice to have the Gnome though because my studio is hot so now I can sit out underneath the fan and work.

Now to sketch out some ideas and see if I can get some real work done!

So What's It Like to Test Drive a Gnome?

2010-07-01T14:38:00.003-04:00

A Day With My Janome Gnome, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Actually my Gnome proved to be a little on the noisy side but other than that he provided a pretty smooth ride. Let me break it down for you:

Instruction Manual

Well laid out and pretty simple to follow in English, Spanish and French.

Initial Set-up

Pretty easy. The only thing I had a hard time getting used to is the thread is supposed to come of the spool in the opposite direction of my current machine that I use regularly which is a Viking.

Starting to Sew

Since this is a downscaled version of a regular machine, expect that it has downscaled features as well. There is no thread cutter (so keep your scissors handy), no seam allowance guide (so you have to find an "invisible" mark to line it up), no interior lamp which makes threading for the vision impaired a challenge (so find a good overhead source of lighting), and there are only two stitches -- a running stitch and a zigzag stitch. Both stitches have several different length setting which can be adjusted using a knob. There are four different length settings for the running stitch and three different settings for the zigzag stitch. The tension is also on a dial and is a little stiff making it difficult to adjust but I chalked that up to the machine being new. The reverse stitch control is a lever in front of the machine and is very easy to use. The foot pedal though small is well made and sturdy and is pretty easy to control (meaning it is not overly sensitive to pressure). The bobbin shaft has a clear cover and the machine comes with three clear bobbins which is nice because you can tell when you are running out of thread.

Humming Along

Since I use a lot of felt in my creations, felt was the first fabric I tested. It sewed a single thickness of felt very nicely with even stitching on the preset tension which was set at four. There are six different tension settings on this machine. So, I got a little braver and doubled the fabric to see if it would sew through two layers of felt. Without adjusting the tension or changing the needle, the Gnome did an excellent job. The feeddogs pulled the double layer thickness through with ease. I then switched to a paper towel to see how it would handle switching from thick to thin fabric. Again, there were no problems and it seemed to handle the switch well and with ease. In fact, my only complaint the entire time I was sewing is that this little machine is a bit noisy but other than that I think it did a great job.

Overall Opinion

For a lightweight machine that I can pick up with just two fingers, the "Gnome" a.k.a. Janome Sew Mini is a tough little machine. The exterior is solid and not cheap considering the price point. It also did very well considering it's lack of "options" and really the only thing I missed was the interior lamp because it makes threading the machine and changing the needle much easier. I think that it was definitely worth the $29.99 I paid for it (it retails for $59.99) and I think the "Gnome" will be with me for a while.

Meet My Little Janome Gnome!

2010-06-30T17:10:00.003-04:00

My New Little Helper, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Meet my new little helper! I had been looking for a small machine to take with me when I go to craft night at church, to shows to finish up last minute tasks and to classes. I decided this after my last class was on the fourth floor of an older building and I had to lug a 30 lb. sewing machine up several flights of steps. By the time I got to class, I was too pooped to partake. So after I recovered, a thought came to mind and that thought was tiny, compact and as light as possible without being too cheap. Now a friend of mine who also took the class had one of these little machines but it was pure, er, trash. It took her forever to get it threaded and by the time I had completed my doll, she was just starting. The teacher poked fun at it the whole time but when I got home after lugging my lil' heifer around I thought...I got to get me one of those babies!

And after searching online and looking around in sewing and craft stores, I settled on this little Janome who I've dubbed the Janome Gnome. I need to find a little gnome sticker and put it right underneath it's name to seal the deal. It's just what I wanted so far, tiny, compact (I bet I could get it in a backpack), and light enough that I can lift it with one hand. I was even surprised to find it had a foot pedal included. Now the real test to see if the Janome Gnome stays with me or not will be to test it out and see how it sews.

I'll let you know that in tomorrows post!

Stuffed Vol. 3., Issue 2

2010-06-28T21:12:00.001-04:00

Stuffed Vol. 3., Issue 2, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Time has sure passed quickly since I went on my self imposed short lived exile from blogging. I mean I stopped blogging here and then started blogging on my new blog about all my adventures in thrifting, yard sale-ing and general downward spiral descent into borderline hoarding. And have I done what I thought I was going to do in giving up one of my loves which is blabbering on, taking up valuable Internet space and sometimes providing you all with a free pattern now and again? Nope. I have not. I am sad to say that I am still...wait for it...FAT. All in all, I am not surprised. I am proud of myself for giving up those addictive Facebook games because that took a lot of willpower. Unfortunately, giving up Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and occasional Mocha Frappe at the local Mickey D's is not as easy.

Mocha Frappe - 1
Farmville - 0

Mocha Frappe wins out every time. Okay, I did manage to lose a little weight but then my kids got out of school and I started to gravitate towards the junk food again. Apparently, I can't scream at them as loud with a mouth full of Pringles.

In the meantime, Stuffed Vol. 3, Issue 3 hits the news stands soon. I got my preview copy and am happy to say that I have two features in there this time. Suey, the Super Sock Pig and Ooo La La the French Chef Hippo both got their own spread. And I was all smiles from one chin to the other.

So here's what I was thinking. Why not try blogging as a way to entertain my idle hands? Instead of making one more dig into the cabinet for that last pack of stale Ding Dongs, I could be back here entertaining you all with my sparkling personality and wit. We'll have such good times -- just like we used to in the old days. And I might even be able to eek out a pattern or two every now and then.

Anyway, I will try. And you guys please keep encouraging me. I am still trying to lose weight and now blogging is my weight loss therapy.

On the 12th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-24T08:57:00.000-05:00

some recipes for yummy candy! Tired of Candy Canes? That last gumdrop pushed you over the edge? Tired of candy that's been on the store shelf for at least three months now? Make your own! Here are a couple of my favorite recipes for Candy and yes, they all involve CHOCOLATE. This first recipe won a Blue Ribbon in the County Fair (hey, I was a 4-H'er gotta be proud!).

Cracker Candy

Ingredients
Box of Saltine Crackers
1 C. Sugar
2 C. Butter
1 Package (12 ounce) Chocolate Chips

Directions
Line a cookie sheet (one with an edge) with aluminum foil. Cover foil COMPLETELY with saltines (I break them in half to make sure it's completely covered). Melt margarine and then stir in sugar. Boil until sugar dissolves completely. SLOWLY pour mixture over crackers (if you pour too quickly your crackers will start to FLOAT!). Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let sit 5 minutes and then spread over crackers. Refrigerate for about an hour and then break into pieces. Store in refrigerator in a plastic container.

Haystacks

Ingredients
1 C. Peanut Butter
1 Package (12 ounce) Chocolate Chips
1 Package (12 ounce) Butterscotch Chips
2 Large Cans (5 ounce) Chinese Noodles (you can buy these buy the bag too and add more if you want extra "crunch"

Directions
Melt first three ingredients over low heat until smooth. Then, add noodles and remove from heat. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper and let set. May refrigerate until firm. These are often called "Haystacks" but my mom's handwritten recipe calls them "Culinary Moron Cookies!"

Buckeyes

Ingredients

2 1/4 C. (18 ounces) Peanut Butter
2 C. Confectionary Sugar
3 C. Rice Krispies
1 Stick Melted Butter
1/3 Block Parafin (you can buy this in the grocery store near canning)
Small Bag (6 ounces) of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 {8 ounce) Hershey Bar
Candy Fork

Directions
Mix first four ingredients together. Roll into balls and refrigerate. Over low heat, melt final three ingredients together. While on the stove, dip peanut butter balls into mixture. Let sit on wax paper until firm.

For the Buckeyes, you can probably use candy chocolate that you can find at your local craft store in place of the Chocolate Chips, Hershey Bar and Parafin. It would probably be much easier. Just mix your semi sweet and milk chocolate candy chips so you have the right mixture. And I've seen A LOT of recipes for Buckeyes over the years but this is the only one I've ever seen with Rice Krispies for a crunchy center. A friend's mom gave this to me right after I got out of college.

Enjoy and see you after the Holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

On the 11th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave To Me...

2009-12-23T08:15:00.000-05:00

an idea for patterns! Take your favorite cookie cutters and trace around them, as my daughter has done here, to make your own ornaments! Trace them onto felt and then sew around the outline. After you sew them, cut them out with pinking sheers for a super fancy edge and then decorate them with Pom Poms or any trim you can find. And if you are not much into sewing, you can have some fun with dough by making either Salt Dough ornaments or my all time favorite, Applesauce Dough ornaments.

For Applesauce Dough ornaments, you'll need:

Applesauce Dough Ornaments

Ingredients

Applesauce WITHOUT Sugar Added

Cinnamon

Directions

Add equal parts of cinnamon and applesauce (i.e. 1 C. cinnamon to 1 C. applesauce). Mix together with a spoon and when it gets stiff enough use your hands. Roll into a ball and then flatten. Put a piece of wax paper on top and roll it out into a thin sheet about 1/4" thick. Cut out your ornaments. Don't forget to poke a hole in the top so a string can go through to hang them. If you want to decorate them, use natural things like whole cloves for your gingerbread man's eyes, buttons, etc. You can either air dry them (don't forget to flip them every other day or so) which could take up to a week depending on humidity in your area or you can dry them in an oven at low temperature (150 degrees) for about 3 hours (don't forget to flip them in the oven either!). When they are done, they will last a REALLY long time. Years in fact. One of my friends had some for 15 years!!!

Enjoy!

On the 10th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-22T13:58:00.001-05:00

her recipe for Snow Globes! I don't know if it's a "recipe" or not and I hadn't actually made them since I was six and in Sunday School but we did it! I had a ton of baby food jars stashed away just waiting to be turned into a craft project. Unfortunately, all I had on hand were the taller ones because with the twins it didn't make sense to buy the tiny jars! So the day before we put them all together, I spray painted the lids gold. Once they were dry, I glued a plastic ornament on the inside of the lid. You can find some really cute ones in your local craft store with the miniature tree items. I used a waterproof glue and let it "cure" overnight. Then, this morning, we were ready to assemble our snow globes. Fill your jar with distilled water to just under the rim then add two or three drops of glycerin to make your glitter fall slower in the water after you shake it up. You can buy glycerin at your local pharmacy. Next, add your glitter. We used regular glitter but I have read where people have used clean egg shells from after they hard boil eggs. They peel the membrane off and wash the shells then crush them and let them dry. Make sure you use enough glitter that when it falls it covers the bottom of the lid completely. Our jars were 3.5" high so we used three teaspoons of glitter (one per inch of water). Wipe the rim of your jar to make sure there's no water there and then apply a thin line of waterproof glue. Replace your top and screw it on tight. If your adhesive is fast drying, your snow globe should be ready to shake in a couple of minutes. It will probably be completely dry in 24hrs.

Shake, shake, shake...

On the 9th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-21T13:53:00.000-05:00

some topsy turvy recipes! The snowstorm and the loss of my dearly departed computer has really turned my world upside down. So I thought I'd offer these recipes for some Upside Down Cakes for the holidays. All of them are easy and the Pineapple Upside Down Cake especially looks really pretty when you are done. Try to find the green Maraschino Cherries when you make it (stores usually have them around the holidays) and alternate a green and a red to make it really Christmas-y!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

* 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained (try to find them in green too!)
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup flaked coconut
* 1 (8 ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained with juice reserved
* 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
* 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottoms and sides of each 9 inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
2. In one of the pans, sprinkle coconut over the brown sugar. Lay pineapple rings in a single layer on top of coconut. Place a cherry in the center of each ring. In the other pan, spread the drained crushed pineapple.
3. Mix the cake as directed on package, but substitute reserved pineapple juice in place of water. Divide batter between the 2 pans. Remember which pan has the pineapple rings in it.
4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 20 minutes.
5. While the bottoms of the cake pans are still warm to the touch, invert the layer with the crushed pineapple out onto a serving dish, then gently invert the layer with the pineapple rings on top of it for a dazzling two layer pineapple upside down cake.

Pumpkin Pie Upside Down Cake

Ingredients
* 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin
* 1 cup white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
* 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
* 1 cup butter, melted
* 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, sugar and eggs. Mix in the evaporated milk and pumpkin pie spice; pour into the prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the pumpkin and then drizzle melted butter over the cake mix.
4. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool, then invert onto a serving dish. Serve with whipped topping.

Pecan Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

Pecan Mixture
1 C. Brown Sugar
4 T. Butter
1 T. Water
1 C. Chopped Pecans

Cake Mixture
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Flour
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 C. Hot Water
1 Tsp. Vanilla
Pinch of Salt

Directions
Beat egg yolks, add sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with hot water. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour over nut mixture, bake 325 degrees for about thirty minutes. Serve upside down.

On the 8th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-20T19:41:00.002-05:00

an Amigurumi Snow Dude! Okay, he's not "amigurumi" in the traditional sense he's my fudged "amigurumi." He's crocheted simply put and here's how:

Materials
Red Heart Super Saver Worsted Medium Weight Yarn in White and Red (or another color of your choice)
Crochet Hook Size E/4 - 3.5MM
Needle
Small Buttons
Black Embroidery Floss
Small Broom or a Wooden Shishkabob Skewer

Instructions

Head

To Start, Ch 3. Join first chain to last to form a loop. Ch 2.

Row 1: 10 dc inside of loop. Ch 2.

Row 2: hdc in first stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2.

Row 3: hdc in first three stitches, 2 hdc in fourth stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2.

Row 4-7: hdc in each stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2.

Row 8: hdc in first three stitches, decrease one. Repeat until row is finished. Tie off. Your Snowman's head is complete!

Body

To Start, Ch 3. Join first chain to last to form a loop. Ch 2.

Row 1: 10 dc inside of loop. Ch 2.

Row 2: hdc in first stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2.
Rows 3-7: hdc in each stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2. At the end of row 7, tie off. Leave a long piece of yarn when you tie off. Your Snowman's body is complete!

Arms (Make 2)

To Start, Ch 9.
Row 1: sc in stitch 7 and then in each stitch that follows until row is complete. Ch 2.
Row 2-3: sc in each stitch. Ch 2. At end of row three tie off. Leave a long piece of yarn when you tie off.

Hat

To Start, Ch 4. Join first chain to last to form a loop. Ch 2.

Row 1: 16 dc inside of loop. Ch 2.

Row 2: dc in first stitch, hdc in next stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2.

Row 3 - 4: hdc each stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 2. Tie off when row 4 is complete. Leave a long piece of yarn when you tie off. Your Snowman's hat is complete!

Assembling your Snowman

Start by stuffing your Snowman's head and body. Next, using the long piece of yarn where you tied off on your body, thread it through your needle and sew your Snowman's head to his body. Now sew all of your arms together by folding them in half length ways. As with your body, you're going to thread that long piece of yarn you left when you tied off through a needle and sew each of your arms up. Tie them off and then sew one of them on each side of your Snowman's body. Now for the fun part which is making your Snowman come alive! Sew on his hat using the leftover yarn from tying it off. Use your black embroidery floss and sew on some buttons for eyes and then add a little smile. You can take four strands of red yarn and make him a little scarf. If you don't have a miniature broom from a craft store, take a Shishkabob stick as I did and cut it off to fit him. The split the top and spread it out so it looks like a broom. Your Snowman is ready for the holidays!

On the 7th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-19T16:26:00.001-05:00

two easy Blythe hats from one single leg warmer! Okay, I think I may have shown you the one hat before but I never showed you the gnome hat so here it is! Gnome hats are cute just about any time of year but if you hit your local discount store and scoop up a pair of leg warmers let's say in red or green, you'll also be giving your Blythe a little "Elfin" Christmas magic to boot!

The hats are very, very simple to make and each only require one seam! They aren't that large either so you can even sew them by hand if you're squeamish about using a sewing machine. I do everything I can possibly do on my machine from the biggest to the smallest project because I'm lazy and I think my hand stitching stinks!

To download the pattern for these two cute hats, click HERE!

On the 6th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-18T18:28:00.001-05:00

a Super Scenic Snowman Softie. I haven't had time to actually make this pattern up yet! I do have a good excuse though I think. I was supposed to do it today but we had a little surprise in store for us. When we turned on the news last night our local weather forecaster said we would be getting a HUGE SNOWSTORM this weekend and to expect up to 20 inches! So, I spent the day "scrambling" trying to make sure we had batteries should the lights go out, enough food, and all the other goodies you need during a major winter event. We're also expecting high winds with this storm so it should be blizzard type conditions tomorrow. Anyway, that's my excuse. I was supposed to do it today and had to fight the crowds for that last loaf of bread, that last gallon of milk and that hugely important last roll of toilet paper!

I am going to post the pattern though and if you get a chance maybe you can make it up yourself. On this pattern, I have a 1/8" seam allowance built in but if you need more just leave more when you are tracing around the pattern or enlarge it slightly. You can insert any type of "scenic" tummy you want to on this little guy. You can use a pretty Christmas fabric or even a pretty card you received this holiday season. You could also use the June Tailor Inkjet Fabric that you used on the project from earlier in this "12 Days of Christmas" and print out a family photo to use. If you do that, it would be cool if you embroidered the year on his hat! On the pattern, the "x" you see on the body pattern is where you are supposed to leave it open to insert the boots. The "x" on the hat pattern is where you are supposed to leave it open to insert the snowman's head. If you like, you can even add a little scarf for him to "bundle up!" I'm going to make mine out of felt and if I get a chance, I'll shrink it and cut one out of the thin foam you can buy at your local craft store. I'll leave off the back, put a picture of my kids in the tummy, and then add a magnet and stick him on my fridge! He's a versatile little guy, isn't he?

To download the pattern click HERE!

On the 5th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-17T19:46:00.001-05:00

The Cookie Thief, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

some delicious cookie recipes! I thought I would share some cookie recipes today since the last weekend before Christmas is coming up and I just know that's what you'll be doing! We're supposed to be getting a snowstorm here with up to 12" of snow this weekend so I think I better go out and stock up on some ingredients myself as well as some extra toilet paper (isn't that what everyone seems to grab when a snowstorm approach-eth?). Anyway here are some cookies for you to bake and give your friends.

Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 C. Butter (I use the REAL stuff)
2/3 C. Brown Sugar
2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and vanilla, mix well. Shape into rolls. Wrap in wax paper and leave in refrigerator overnight. Slice thin and bake in 375 degree oven about 10 minutes. Makes about four dozen.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Butter (I use the REAL stuff)
3/4 C. confectioner's Sugar
3 C. Flour
1 C. Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Directions:
Cream butter, add sugar, flour and nuts. Form into small balls with hands and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Dip in confectioner's sugar while hot. Makes about 3 dozen.

Tipsies

Ingredients:
1 C. Confectioner's Sugar
2 T. Cocoa
2 1/2 C. Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
1 C. Chopped Pecans
1/3 C. Bourbon
2 T. Light Corn Syrup

Directions:
Sift sugar and cocoa, add vanilla wafer crumbs and nuts. Dissolve corn syrup in Bourbon and add to dry mixture. Blend thoroughly. Roll in small balls and roll in convectioner's sugar. No cooking!

Charlie Browns

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened. You REALLY have to watch the time on these cookies. If you don't boil the first few ingredients long enough, they won't set right. If you boil it too long, they'll fall apart and be really dry. This was one of my all time favorite recipes as a kid!

Enjoy!

On the 4th Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-16T20:41:00.001-05:00

a Sock Monkey Party Hat! Just when you were wondering what you could do to dress up your Blythe's best Holiday outfit comes directions to make your own Sock Monkey Party Hat!

Materials Needed:

Patons "Classic Wool" Merino, 100% Wool, 3 1/2 oz. (100g) in Natural Marl (variegated white/brown) and Bright Red

Size K (6.50mm) Crochet Hook

Sewing Needle

White Thread

Small Piece of White Felt and Blue Felt

Black Embroidery Floss

Red Embroidery Floss

Hat and Other Trims to Decorate Your Sock Monkey

Symbols:

sl st = slip stitch; ; st = stitch; ch = chain; hdc = half double crochet; dc = double crochet; tc = treble crochet

Instructions for Head:

To Start: Using your variegated white/brown yarn, Ch 4. Join the first stitch to the last stitch to form a ring. Ch 3.

Row 1: 16 dc inside of ring. Ch 3.

Row 2-3: 2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 3.

Row 4: dc in first three stitches, 2 dc in fourth stitch. Repeat until row is finished. Ch 3.

Rows 5-7: 1 dc in each stitch. Ch 3. Tie off when finished Row 7. Your sock monkey's head is almost complete!

Instructions for Mouth:

To Start: Using your red yarn, Ch 12.

Row 1-2. Starting with stitch 10, SC in each stitch until you reach the end of the row. Ch 2. Repeat and tie off to finish. If you want your mouth bigger, just add more rows.

Decorate:

Flatten out your crocheted hat. From the white felt, cut an oval that is three rows high and is half the width of his head when flattened. From the blue felt, cut two eyes the size of dimes. Sew the white felt on first centering it on the monkey's head. Then add your eyes. Shape your crocheted mouth as a smile and sew it onto the white muzzle with your Red Embroidery Floss. Using your Black Embroidery Floss, sew on your eyes just above your white muzzle then add two nostrils. From the white felt, cut a circle just a little larger than the size of a Quarter and then cut it in half. These are your ears. With your head flattened, position your ears and then sew them on with white sewing thread. Now comes the fun part. What kind of party hat will your monkey wear? The one you see on my monkey is actually a gift tag from the gift wrap department at the local discount store. You can use that or a child size party hat cut to size will also do the trick. He doesn't have to be a party goer though. You can use the top of a "onesie" mitten for winter hat or crochet him one from the red yarn. After you sew his hat on top of his head, he's ready to go! Enjoy!

On the 3rd Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-15T18:46:00.001-05:00

a cute little Snowman pin! I made this cute little Snowman pins about 13 years ago for friends. All you need are a small piece of white felt, two white two-hole buttons with one being slightly smaller than the other, some seed beads, some orange felt or orange Fimo clay, a pin back and some items to embellish your pin.

First start by cutting a small rectangle of white felt. Glue your buttons (I like to use buttons with two holes) to the felt making sure to place the smaller one that is going to be your head with the two holes running horizontally position and the bottom button that is going to be your body with the holes running vertically. After they dry, cut around the buttons and you'll have the shape of your snowman pin. Now, using seed beads, chose some colors for your eyes and your buttons. Just put a dab of glue in the holes where you'd usually sew the buttons on and using some tweezers place the seed beads where your eyes and buttons would be on your snowman. Cut a very small triangle sliver of orange felt for your "carrot" nose and glue onto your snowman's face. You can also use orange Fimo and sculpt a carrot nose. The Fimo only takes about 5 minutes to bake because the carrot you sculpt is SO tiny! Now that you've finished his main features it's time to embellish your snowman further by adding some cute winter type clothing. You can either cut a hat from felt as I have here or you can use the tip of the thumb from a worn out pair of gloves or mittens. Add a scarf with a piece of yarn or other trim. Finally, put a pin on the back and wear him on your coat all winter or on your purse. You can also use him to decorate a package or in some altered art or something. If you want to make him really special, use some buttons from old clothing that belonged to a loved one. He could be a "Memory" snowman.

I've also used this same idea to make ornaments for my tree. However, instead of using buttons, I used a teardrop crystal prism that you can buy in the lighting fixture section of your local Home store. You can find them there in a package of three or more as replacement prisms for fancy crystal chandeliers. But with some glass seed bead eyes and buttons, a Fimo nose, and a little scarf and hat they really add sparkle to your Christmas tree or packages!

I hope you all are enjoying my ideas so far! My old computer is still chugging along!

On the 2nd Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave to Me...

2009-12-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

two Yummy recipes! Can you say CHEESE? They are both for cheese balls, both EASY, and both perfect to take with you to those upcoming holiday gatherings. So here we go. The first recipe comes from my husband's 92 year old grandmother and it's for a Olive Pimiento Cheese Ball (very Christmas-y looking with all those red and green olives when you cut into it).

Olive Pimiento Cheese Ball

Mix together:

1 8oz. package of Sharp Cheddar Cheese Soft Spread

2 8oz. packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1/4 lb. Margarine

Chopped Olives and Pimientos (have ingredients at room temperature before mixing)

Chopped Walnuts

After you mix it, cool it in the refrigerator before mixing it into balls. When cool, shape into two balls and roll each ball in finely chopped walnuts. Serve with crackers.

The other recipe is actually for a dessert cheese ball which I thought was kind of unusual because I've never seen a recipe for one before this one. The nice lady who shared it with me has passed away but would also be in her 90s.

Dessert Cheese Ball

1 8 oz. Cream Cheese

1 3 oz. Instant Vanilla Pudding

2 T. Orange Juice

Cinnamon Sugar mixture

Chopped Pecans

Bring all the cream cheese to room temperature and mix together with the pudding and the orange juice. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator. After the mixture has cooled, roll into a ball. Roll the ball in a cinnamon sugar mixture and then again in chopped pecans. Serve with Lorna Doone cookies.

In other news, there is no hope for my computer. I guess I was pretty hard on it over the past 5 years. My husband is going to re-build it but in the meantime I'm working on a really old one that he rebuilt recently. Let's just cross our fingers that Santa thinks I was SUPER GOOD this year and that I deserve a Mac laptop!

On The 1st Day of Christmas q.D.paToOtieS Gave To Me...

2009-12-13T08:43:00.000-05:00

A super cute Cut and Sew Santa Softie! Yes, I started with a vintage Santa Panel and then completely revamped him to come up with this little cutie. To find out how to do the "revamping" yourself you can just tune into the Tutorial I did for it last year by clicking HERE. As for this year's panel, I think the original one was from the late 60's because Santa was wearing some funky Polka dots. I completely re-did his face too so he's been made over in my style of Santa which is "quirky." I didn't have the back panel so I had to do that completely from scratch. In the panel I made for the little Cut and Sew Santa Softie, you'll get a larger one that will make a fabulous ornament, gift topper, or softie for your favorite doll and then an extreme mini one to hang on the tree or if you leave it open at the bottom will be super cute as a hand puppet for your favorite doll. Ho, ho, ho and here's the panel for this year:

To view him at full size, double click on the image. Then, right click with your mouse and save it to your computer. It should print out on an 8 1/2 x 11 size sheet of June Tailor Sew-In Colorfast Inkjet Sheets without a problem. You'll just follow the instructions on your June Tailor package to set the ink, cut him out and sew him together. If you need a larger seam allowance, just leave a little extra fabric when you are cutting him out. I did the large Santa on the sewing machine and the small Santa by hand.

P.S. This almost totally didn't happen today because when I woke up my computer had re-set itself to the default and wouldn't let me in so I had no access to my files (actually, I thought they were all completely gone). So please say a little prayer that whatever happened last night while I slept corrects itself so we can continue our 12 Days of Christmas tomorrow. I will be shopping for a new computer over the holidays that is for sure!

Christmas Gifts from q.D.paToOtieS

2009-12-04T10:49:00.001-05:00

Christmas Gifts from q.D.paToOtieS, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Yes, it's true. Starting Sunday, December 13th, I will have some "Christmas Gifts" posted right here on my Blog! Of course, most of them you will have to make yourself but hey, I can't do everything! Anyway, be sure to check in for some fun stuff. I just finished the first project yesterday and I'd want one for myself so I think you'll like it too. Ho, Ho, Ho and Holly Jolly!

Grand Opening of the Luv-able & Hug-able 3rd Annual Plush Show!

2009-12-03T10:39:00.001-05:00

It's Coming -- the Luv-able & Hug-able 3rd Annual Plush Show!, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Hard to believe that it's the 3rd of December already and time for the Grand Opening of the Luv-able &Hug-able Exhibit and Sale at the Gallery Hanahou. So if you are in the NYC area you can stop by and snag some great plush gifties or some exceptional stocking stuffers for you or for your friends!

And if you are not in the NYC area, you can always go to the Junie Moon website and purchase your favorite pieces online starting tomorrow, December 4th. The photos of my pieces are kind of tiny so if you'd like to see them in greater detail either drop me a line or see the set dedicated to the show on my Flickr photostream.

I feel a little Holly Jolly in the air...

New Facebook Fan Page

2009-11-25T10:20:00.001-05:00

Facebook, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I finally have an account on Facebook as well as a Fan Page there. I'd appreciate it if you would add me as a Friend! CLICK HERE for the link to my regular Profile Page and then CLICK HERE to become a member of the q.D.paToOtieS Fan Page.

Also, I just wanted to quickly say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating here in the U.S. and around the world (troops, etc.). Please, if you are traveling, have a safe trip and a wonderful time with your family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

It's Coming -- the Luv-able & Hug-able 3rd Annual Plush Show!

2009-11-20T11:24:00.001-05:00

It's Coming -- the Luv-able & Hug-able 3rd Annual Plush Show!, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

It's coming, it's coming! The press release is up on their website: www.galleryhanahou.com/. I'm really nervous because I've never participated in this type of show before where it's a "gallery" type event. So it's kind of part exhibition and part sale. I hope my pieces are cute enough that someone adopts them!

Nippy, Tippy and Zippy Headed to Gallery Hanahou for the Luv-able and Hug-able Show

2009-11-09T12:40:00.001-05:00

Pocket Protectors -- Nippy, Tippy and Zippy
Originally uploaded by qdpatooties

Here are three more that are headed to Gallery Hanahou's Luv-able and Hug-able show. The theme of the show is "Mediums and Minis" and these are my minis. I never thought I could sew this small. These little guys measure 3.5", are made of wool felt, and come inside a plastic Pocket Protector. Of course, they would probably only lick your enemy to death but hey, that's one form of protection!

Dandy Lion Headed to Luv-able and Hug-able

2009-11-08T16:40:00.001-05:00

Dandy Lion Headed to Luv-able and Hug-able
Originally uploaded by qdpatooties

Dinnah Belle Headed to Luv-able and Hug-able
Originally uploaded by qdpatooties

Dandy Lion, Dinnah Belle and friends will be headed to the Luv-able and Hug-able show at the Hanahou Gallery in NYC. The theme for this year's show is Medium and Mini.

Luv-able and Hug-able Show Coming to Gallery Hanahou!

2009-10-27T18:11:00.001-04:00

Luv-able and Hug-able Show Coming to Gallery Hanahou!
Originally uploaded by qdpatooties

Everyone in my family is sick right now. I was trying to stay healthy but then came down with Strep throat today.

Anyway, I'm quietly working on my softies for the Luv-able and Hug-able show. It's coming up sooner than you think! The Press Release just went out today!

Luv-able and Hug-able
New 2009 theme: medium and mini!

December 3 - January 9
Opening party: Dec 3, 6-9 pm RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com

gallery hanahou / 611 Broadway, Suite 730, NYC / galleryhanahou.com
extended holiday hours Mon-Sat: 12 - 6 pm

FREE Patterns for the Twofers!

2009-10-06T14:00:00.003-04:00

We got Yella Belly Twofer, the Chihuahua, and his 3rd cousin twice removed Blue Bunny Twofer, er, the rabbit. Wanna know how they're related? Same pattern with a twist. Or a flip for that matter. I was scrounging through my pattern box and I always draw faces on my patterns to "jog" my memory of what I had originally "envisioned" because truthfully, sometimes I draw a dozen or so at a time and just toss them in a box for later. Anyway, I saw this bunny and I thought, wow, that's weird. I didn't draw a face on this little guy. And when I flipped him over, there was my crazy little Chihuahua's face. So, that's how "Twofer" came about. 'Cause with one pattern, you get a twofer one...get it?

Now you can create your own set of Twofers by following the very FREE pattern that I've made up for you. The instructions are all printed on the pattern this time so just print it out and enjoy! And please remember, I'm sharing my own designs because I love Softies and the hobby so please no using my pattern for commercial purposes unless you get the "okay" from me first. I'd also appreciate a link back should you decide to make one or two for yourself!

Anyway, to make your own Twofers, click HERE!

Roquefort Rollins, Mouse Trap Security Guard

2009-08-27T10:01:00.001-04:00

Roquefort Rollins has acted as a Mouse Trap Security Guard every since he can remember. Most monsters aspire to be good at scaring kids by hiding underneath their bed or in their closet. But Roquefort found a different calling and it all started with a growl in his stomach and a chunk of cheddar. Roquefort loves cheese or should I say LIVES for cheese. With a cup of strong java, he follows mice around from trap to trap and then sits there and talks them out of what their about to do by gruesomely describing the painful death they'll suffer if that trap should go off. Then, after they leave, he disables the trap and eats the cheese that was left out as a lure. The mice have never failed to lead him to the most delicious cheeses in town and he's never failed to talk them out of trying take it for themselves. Ah, it's a real chore of a job but somebody has to do it and that somebody is Roquefort Rollins, Mouse Trap Security Guard!

Look for the free pattern for Roquefort hopefully by this weekend!

WIP Monster

2009-08-26T09:59:00.000-04:00

WIP Monster, originally uploaded by q.D.paToOtieS.

Here's a little monster that I'm working on. When I crochet a new pattern, I usually have to do it twice. I just rough it out the first time and then the second time I crochet one, I go back and write down what I did! I don't like the yarn I used for this one as it SPLITS way too much when you're crocheting but the ease of the pattern is good so that's a plus. He's similar but not quite the same as "Rosefrom Dagrave" from last Halloween. When I get it all worked out, I will share the FREE crochet pattern with you so you can make some up. Now "Rosefrom" will have a buddy to hang out with and just in time for Halloween this year!

FREE Pattern for Igor Mousenstein

2009-08-25T10:38:00.002-04:00

Igor Mousenstein's ancestors were once helpers in the infamous Dr. Quackenburg's laboratory (ah, you thought I was going to say Dr. Frankenstein, didn't you? tsk. tsk. shame on you for making assumptions). Coincidentally, Dr. Quackenburg also had an assistant named Igor who was not very imaginative so he ended up naming all the lab mice after him (Dr. Quackenburg was also broke -- he was so poor he couldn't afford lab rats so he had to scale it down a bit). So he could tell the lab mice apart during testing, Igor put rubberbands of different colors around their tails. Eventually, this led to their tails falling off and over time new mice were born without tails. But this mouse has a tale all his own that's for sure. Just ask him what was going on in that laboratory and he'll tell you. Make one for yourself and let him weave his own tale. You'll be glad you did!

To make an Igor Mousenstein of your very own, just click HERE! The pattern is free and all the instructions are written on the pattern. Have fun and enjoy!

P.S. I hate even having to add this part but please remember that all patterns provided on my blog are for personal use only. Please do not reprint them to sell or make creations from them to sell unless asking my permission first. Also, if you make something from the pattern and show it off to your friends, family, and people you meet on the street, please let them know where you found this pattern and many others. A little credit would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Inspiration Files - I Still Do It!

2009-08-12T18:00:00.000-04:00

I still have a thing where I "troll" vintage toys on E-bay and gain inspiration from them. I haven't made anything similar to this little guy yet but I just LOVE his kooky look! His little lopsided grin, his bug eyes, well, everything about him makes him just "perfect" in my book. I love mixing the Prim and the Anime and if I ever made anything like this little guy, it would be an equal combination of both styles.

So another busy day running to church, typing up the bulletins and then back to church to print out 75 or so for the weekend. My girls are all busy "helping" me when I'm there. My oldest has decided to sell her "artwork", the colorful pictures she draws, to help raise money for our Church's organ fund. Our organ is really on the fritz ( the electronics) and it needs to be fixed desperately. Years of trying to "fudge it" by using odds and ends have come to an end and we need to call in a professional. Sad but true is the fact that things don't last forever!

So back to doodling, crocheting and trying to think of some fun stuff for this fall. Thanks for sticking with me!

Stuffed, Vol. 1 SOLD OUT

2009-08-11T19:17:00.001-04:00

Stuffed, Vol. 1
Originally uploaded by q.D.paToOtieS

Yep, that's right folks. You read it here first. Okay, maybe you read it at the Stampington & Company website. The first issue of Stuffed: A Gathering of Softies is sold out meaning if you want your own copy you have to go to the secondary market to get one. So I guess E-bay.com or Etsy.com would deliver oh so page flippin' softie goodness your way.

I washed the vintage POLYESTER fabric I got at the thrift stores over the weekend. Vintage Polyester is really fabulous. Most of the pieces that I have owned rarely pill. Not like the new stuff that is some kind of blend that BURSTS into a great big ol' pill-y mess the first time you throw it in the dryer. YUCK.

Anyway, still hunting, gathering and thinking about softie goodness and everything I'm going to make once the kids get back in school. Hope you're keepin' cool too -- it was like 100 degrees here yesterday almost!

Learning to Knit

2009-07-22T17:50:00.001-04:00

Learning to Knit
Originally uploaded by qdpatooties

Over this past weekend, I taught myself how to knit using freebie tutorials on the Internet. I can't do anything fancy yet but maybe that's better. I just want to be able to make some simple stuff so I can share the patterns with people. Anyway, it's fun! I'll always be more of a crochet girl but I do love the look of knitted "stuff."

My next challenge is to teach myself "knitting in the round" with the circular needles. I'm sure being able to make tubes will come in handy for softies or hats or something!

Anyway, off to practice some more and see what I can do with all these "practice blocks" that I have sitting around here!

The Toy Shoppe Catalog

2009-07-20T09:10:00.001-04:00

Olive and Dizzy Lizzie
Originally uploaded by qdpatooties

Have you received the latest catalog from The Toy Shoppe? They did a fantastic job on this one. I mean, their catalogs are like an art form almost and really a feast for your eyes. Droolable. So was I excited when I opened up the latest one to find my bears and bunnies in it! It was reminiscent of an "Edith the Lonely Doll" book which happens to be my favorite series of children's books. However, the story starred just Little Bear. He was going on a trip to find his favorite Doll and Bear store (The Toy Shoppe of course) and in one picture, Dizzy Lizzie on the left, was seated on the dock waiting for him to arrive! My real little girls were thrilled to see one of my bears in a storybook and so was I!

There are still several bunnies left at The Toy Shoppe. I am going to start making my creations again but probably not until the beginning of next year. When I get some time in the Fall (all three girls will be at the same school this year so no more waiting for buses at 4 different times during the day as they are all in the same school), I will be creating more patterns. Last fall, if you remember, I tried to have a craft and/or pattern a day throughout October, November and December. Let's see if I can do it again!

Bee in Her Bonnet Blythe Hat

2009-06-29T21:40:00.001-04:00

Materials:
Medium Weight Yarn (4) in Three Different Colors - I used Yellow for the Center, a Variegated for the Flower Bottom and a Solid for the Flower Petals
Size H, 5.00mm Crochet Hook

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Estimated Time to Complete: 2 hrs.

Flower Center:
Ch 3. Join to form a loop. Ch 2.
Row 1. 13 DC inside of loop. Ch 2.
Rows 2. 2 DCs in the first stitch, 1 DC in the next stitch. Continue until row is complete.

Flower Bottom:
Row 3. Switch to Variegated Yarn by pulling it through to form a loop and then tying off the loose end. Ch 2. For this first row, you will be working in the back of the stitch of the last row of the Flower Center saving the front stitch of this last row to attach your Flower Petals. Proceed to start your flower bottom by doing 2 DCs in the first stitch, 1 DC in the next stitch. Continue until row is complete. Ch 2.
Row 4. 2 DCs in the first stitch, 1 DC in the next stitch. Continue until row is complete. Ch 2.
Rows 5 - 7. 1 DC in each stitch until the row is complete. Ch 2.
Row 8. 1 HDC in each stitch until the row is complete.

Flower Petals:
Using your second solid color yarn, join it up where your stitching ended on the Flower Center by pulling through a loop and then tying off the loose end. SC in the next stitch followed by a HDC in the same stitch. DC in the next stitch followed by a TC and then another DC in the same stitch. HDC in the next stitch followed by a SC in the same stitch. So you'll have 2 stitches in one stitch, followed by 3 stitches in the next stitch, followed by two stitches in the next stitch to form one petal. Continue this pattern all the way around the FRONT stitch of the Flower Center that you left open when you joined your Variegated yarn and started your Flower Bottom.

Bumblebee:
I used a chenille stem that was made of two different colors (black and yellow) to form my bumblebee. I found it in the kids section or the basics section of my local craft store with the other chenille stems. I cut it in half and wound it around a wooden shish kebab skewer to form the body making sure the stripes showed and then tucked the remaining wire inside the bee's body. I made the wings out of a very gauzy white fabric by cutting out a small piece in the shape of a peanut and then gluing it to my bee's body.

I hope you can figure this all out from what I have given you here so far. I am not an expert crochet artist and do not use/follow manufactured patterns so sometimes it is hard for me to explain. I will take some more photos when I make my next hat to show you each step.

Enjoy!

It's q.D.paToOtieS Second Anniversary!

2009-04-23T10:59:00.001-04:00

Are You New Here?, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I can hardly believe it but it's been nearly two years since I made the switch from making traditional bears to making my quirky creations known as q.D.paToOtieS! The first "creation" to emerge was my sock elephant which was quickly followed by my funny bunnies with Peony being the first.

In celebration, I've lowered the prices in my Etsy shop and am offering FREE shipping in the United States and discounted International shipping.

Thanks for a wonderful two years and thank you for your continued support of my Blog!

Trudge, Trudge, Trudge, Trude...Here Comes Easter!

2009-03-31T13:27:00.001-04:00

A Long Road for a Little Bunny, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Meet Benny. He's my smallest creation to date at just 2 1/2 inches (minus the ears - they add like another inch!). I decided to try mixing materials this time using felt for his limbs and then crocheting him out of a wonderful variegated wool in teal, olive, blue and white. I'm making another one right now so I can get the pattern down pat before I share it here on my Blog.

It's great to see how many people have enjoyed the new Pudge Pattern I put up the other day. I'd love to see some of your versions of Pudge so if you get a chance send me a photo and I'll post it and your link here.

FREE Pattern for Pudge the Proper Pastry Pincher

2009-03-27T15:49:00.002-04:00

I'm still here believe it or not. Over the past couple of weeks we've been through strep, bronchitis, sinus infections and just this week the FLU complete with 103 degree temperature spikes. Woohoo! Luckily, I only was sick once so I was able to take care of everybody but I'm seriously hoping for Summer to come early this year so the kids will be OUT of school and away from all the lovely "Kooties" that seem to be going around and around and AROUND.

With spring in the air, I am feeling the urge to create again especially since I joined a new Flickr group with my Blythe dolls called from "Trashion to Fashion: Junk to Funk." The purpose of the group is for Blythe to "go green" and challenges us to re-purpose old garments or the like into fabulous outfits for her. I created my first outfit last week while everyone was sick. I'll have to post the pics sometime soon along with those patterns.

I'm trying desperately to figure out how to separate Blythe from my Softies. Not that it feels wrong posting them together or occasionally coming along with a Blythe pattern because after all, I think Blythe is a qdpatootie! So I've started a Blythe Blog but it's really in it's infancy. When I get the kids "kooties" under control, I will have maybe more time to devote to it.

In the meantime, here is a pattern for one of my past creations, Pudge the Proper Pastry Pincher. I made him out of upholstery velvet with a felt eyepatch but feel free to use whatever fabric you like to create your own. All pieces were traced onto and cut out of fabric. Then, I used a 1/8" seam allowance when sewing each of the pattern pieces right sides together. I secured the seams with Fraychek, turned them, stuffed them and then ladder stitched each piece to close them off. Pudge's head was then sewn onto his body using some carpet thread. His arms are sewn on using carpet thread but he can be posed as he's "thread jointed." You can also button joint him or use the metal joints for bearmaking if you have them available. To download your own pattern, click HERE. Then, right click on the pattern and save it to your hard drive.

Please remember though that these are for your own personal use or for gifts and the product and/or the pattern are not intended for commercial use. And please, if you are planning to show him off, send me a picture, I'd love to show him off here. Otherwise, I would really appreciate some credit for the pattern itself.

Enjoy!

FREE New Pattern, Lil' Lop Eared Bunny

2009-02-18T07:10:00.000-05:00

This pattern is a one that I shared with my newsletter members last year for a small vintage style bunny just the right size to fill any Easter Basket. You may remember seeing this little vintage style Easter Bunny on my Blog and briefly in my Etsy shop. I modeled him after a really sweet bunny I had as a kind (mine was blue with a white tummy) but truthfully, I think this guy turned out looking more like Eeyore! You can also turn the ears upright so he looks less like the famous Pooh Bear sidekick and hey, it's FREE so enjoy!

To make your own Lil' Lop Eared Bunny, click HERE!

To make your own Eey

Free Pattern for Tippy, the Snow Bunny!

2009-02-08T12:12:00.002-05:00

This pattern is a one that I shared with my newsletter members last year for a cute kid bundled up in a bunny snow suit. You may remember seeing Tippy, the True Blue Snow Bunny on my Blog and briefly in my Etsy shop. You can follow the link to make your own Tippy. You can either insert the face from the back as I did or you can omit cutting out the face in the main body piece of the pattern and just top stitch the face pattern onto the body pattern. There is no seam allowance included in the pattern. I usually just trace it onto the felt fabric and then sew on the line. Also, I used floral wire in my feet so they could be bent and posed. If you have some pipe cleaners they work just as well and then you don't have to stuff the feet as much!

Here's the link for the project:
Snow Bunny Pattern

You should be able to right click, save the image and then print it out. I usually print mine out on card stock so it's easier to trace onto fabric.

Please remember though that the patterns I share with you are for your own personal enjoyment and not to be sold for profit.

Enjoy!!!

Walkin' the Dog

2009-01-27T07:10:00.001-05:00

Walkin' the Dog, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

My first new "creation" of the year is this little Panda from vintage upholstery velvet. He was a "test run" for a brand new bear pattern. He measures 4", is 4-way string jointed, is made from a short white vintage upholstery velvet and a longer royal blue vintage upholstery velvet and he has glass "google" eyes. His little "yo-yo" is made from two tiny buttons. He's currently working on perfecting the trick known as "walking the dog" and eventually may attempt "around the world."

Free Crochet Pattern for Blythe Brain Sucking Monster Hat - GRRRrrr!

2009-01-26T08:37:00.001-05:00

Materials:
Medium Weight Yarn (4)
Size H, 5.00mm Crochet Hook

Monster Head:
Ch 4. Join to form a loop.
Row 1. 13 DC inside of loop. Ch 2.
Rows 2 - 4. 2 DCs in the front of the first stitch, 1 DC in the back of the next stitch. This will give it some "texture" and it's a Monster for goodness sakes. You want him to look a little "lumpy and bumpy!" Continue until row is complete. Ch 2.
Rows 5 - 6. 1 DC in each stitch. Continue until row is complete. Ch 2.
Rows 7. 1 HDC in each stitch. Continue until row is complete. Slip stitch and Tie off. Now let's give him some teeth. GRRRrrrr!

Teeth:
Count 10 stitches from where you tied your Monster head off. Then, 1SC in first stitch, 1HDC in next stitch,1DC,1TC,1DC in the next stitch,1HDC in the next stitch. Now you have one tooth. Make three more and you'll have a mouthfull of pearly whites!

Eyes:
Ch 4. Join to form a loop.
Row 1. 13 DC inside of loop. Slip Stitch and tie off. Now you have one eye. Leave a long tail to sew it on your Monster Head. Your Monster can have just one eye or two or even three. You decide! Sew your eyes on with the "tail" of yarn you left hanging. Embellish with funky colored buttons.

Enjoy!

GRRrrrrrrrrrr - Brain Sucker Monster Hat for Blythe!

2009-01-22T10:42:00.001-05:00

GRRrrrrrrrrrr, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Hopefully I can get this pattern up tomorrow. This is a super cute monster hat I crocheted for Blythe last night. It goes really quick so it's something you can do in probably under an hour. In fact, it took me more time to pick out the buttons for the eyes than it did to crochet the hat!

Free Crochet Pattern for Not So Lovely Loverboy

2009-01-19T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well, this is how the little trog turned out. He's a tiny crocheted Anime Bear with a head full of stuffin' and a heart full of nuffin' but LOVE! So, how are you ready to make your own little "Not So Lovely Loverboy?" Here's how:

Materials
5.00mm Crochet Hook
Medium Weight Yarn

Head
To start Ch. 3. Join first and last stitch to form a loop.
Round 1. 12 DC inside of loop. Slip stitch last to first to make a circle and then Ch2.
Round 2 - 3. 2HDC in first stitch, 1 HDC in second stitch. Repeat until row is complete. Slip stitch last to first to complete and then Ch2.
Row 4-5. 1 HDC in each stitch. Repeat until row is complete. Slip stitch last to first to complete and then Ch2.
Row 6. 1 HDC in first 4 stitches, decrease or skip 1 stitch. Repeat until row is complete. Slip stitch last to first to complete and tie off. Your head is now DONE!

Body
To start Ch. 3. Join first and last stitch to form a loop.
Round 1. 12 DC inside of loop. Slip stitch last to first to make a circle and then Ch2.
Round 2. 2HDC in first stitch, 1 HDC in second stitch. Repeat until row is complete. Slip stitch last to first to complete and then Ch2.
Row 3-5. 1 HDC in each stitch. Repeat until row is complete. Slip stitch last to first to complete and then Ch2. At end of row 5, slip stitch last to first to complete and tie off. Your body is now DONE!

Arms and Legs
To start Ch 7.
Row 1. Starting in the 5th stitch, 1 HDC in each stitch to the end of the row. Ch 2.
Row 2. 1 HDC in each stitch to end of row and tie off leaving a long tail of thread. Fold in half lengthwise and sew together with yarn. Make 3 more like this and then all your arms and legs are DONE!

Ears
To start Ch 7. 1 HDC in the 5th stitch, 1 DC in the 4th stitch, 1 DC, 1 TC, 1 DC in the 3rd stitch, 1 DC in the 2nd stitch, 1 HDC in the 1st stitch. Tie off. Make a second one just like this and then both ears are DONE!

To complete your little "creation" you'll need to first stuff his head and then his body. Sew his body to his head with crochet yarn. Sew on all four arms and legs with crochet yarn. Sew on his ears with crochet yarn. Make sure he looks extremely loveable by giving him a great personality with some eyes and an embroidered nose and mouth. Add a little button heart if you can find one. Don't send him out into the world empty handed. Give him a little bouquet of flowers for his sweetie or maybe a box of choccies.

Enjoy!

WIP Crochet Anime Bear

2009-01-16T20:14:00.001-05:00

WIP Crochet Anime Bear, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

See, I am working! The "kooty gods" saw me fooling around with fabric, patterns, and yarn though and zapped my twins with strep on Tuesday. So we were off to the doctor's on Wednesday and have been out of commission since then. So I just had time to squeeze in a little work on a new pattern.

The first one that I was working on was the royal blue one on the left. I used DC because frankly I'm lazy and I want stuff done FAST. It had too much give so you can see the stuffing. I re-did it using HDC on the left. It seems a lot tighter now (oh, and I dropped my crochet hook down a size or two) and I was able to finish the arms, legs and ears tonight so hopefully tomorrow I will be putting him all together. I might felt it too so the picture you see tomorrow might be him put together and boiling in a pot of water. Muhaha!

Blythe Oil Can Gnome Hat

2009-01-12T14:35:00.001-05:00

Well the girls all went back to school today. But somehow I know I'm crafting on borrowed time. I did manage to eek out this new Blythe hat that I'm calling the "Oil Can Gnome Hat."

Materials:

5.00mm Crochet Hook

Heavyweight Yarn

To start ch 4. Join the first and last stitch to form a loop.
Round 1. Seven DC in loop. Ch 2.
Round 2-6. 1 DC in each stitch. Ch 2.
Round 7. 2 DC in each stitch. Ch 2.
Round 8-9. 2 DC in first stitch, 1 DC in next stitch. Repeat until round is complete. Ch2.
Round 10. 2 DC in first stitch, 1 DC in next three stitches. Repeat until round is complete. Ch2.
Round 11 - 12. 1 DC in each stitch. Ch2.
Round 13. 1 HDC in each stitch. Tie off. Embellish as desired. Enjoy!

Stuffed, Vol. 1

2008-12-22T09:05:00.001-05:00

Stuffed, Vol. 1, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

I feel so lucky, well blessed really, to have been able to participate in the inaugural issue of Stuffed, a Gathering of Softies! I know I haven't made a softie in probably a month but I will seriously be getting back into it after the holidays with new free patterns and more kooky characters.

It was so cool to see Tombo and the gang hanging out on the pages of Stuffed. I'm so proud and really humbled that they chose to feature my q.D.paToOtieS!

Even some of the guys that I offer free patterns for are featured like Hot Diggity Dog and Duke Kingsley.

This magazine is great and features literally hundreds of softies as mentioned on the cover. It's going to be released bi-annually but maybe if the softies community really chips in and participates it will be bumped to quarterly!

I got an advanced copy because my softies were featured but you can probably buy yours soon. Look for it at your local newstand or bookstore.

2nd Annual Christmas Cookie Recipe Round-Up Start HERE!

2008-12-12T19:48:00.001-05:00

More Baking but With a Cookie Guard, originally uploaded by qdpatooties.

Pecan Crunch Cookies
1 Cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Crushed Potato Chips
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
2 Cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour

Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add crushed potato chips and pecans. Stir in flour. Form into small balls, using 1 tablespoon dough for each. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press balls flat with bottom of a tumbler dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees till cookies are lightly browned, about 16 to 18 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with red or green sugar crystals or top each with a pecan or cherry half.

This delicious recipe came from a 1972 Better Homes and Gardens publication.

For more delicious recipes, visit Honeythorpe Bears Blog by clicking HERE.