CRAFTY | PATCHWORK SCOTTIE DOG

I come from a family of really creative people (although some of them would probably argue that they’re not…).  I have an Aunt who makes teddy bears.  Not the kind of teddy bear that I would make (dodgy seams and wholly from cotton), the proper kind.  The kind that are more collectable than toy and are what you think of when you imagine what a really teddy bear should look like.

Over the years my Aunt has showered me with all sorts of amazing teddy bears, both ones she’s made and ones she’s found in her travels.  They’re beautiful and precious and I love them all for different reasons.

When the Little Man was born she asked me for some of the key details of his birth because she was going to make him a bear of his own.  I was really touched and so under prepared for the awesomeness that would come our way.

A few months after he was born a big parcel arrived for him and in it contained this wonderful birthday bear (pictured above).  It’s beautiful; a work of art.  It’s so soft and has a real weight to it and at the time when he received it it was nearly as big as he was.  It’s just stunning.

Before the bear arrived I had been thinking of something that I could make her to show her my appreciation and love for all that she’s done for us but I was just drawing a blank.  I had thought about making a quilt (and I probably still will) but I wasn’t sure if quilts were really her thing or if she’d even get use out of it (she lives in Queensland). But the thought was always there.

Then one day I read about patchwork scottie dogs and I knew I had to make her one.  You see she breeds schnauzer’s so a scottie dog would be rather fitting. (I know that technically a schnauzer isn’t a scottie dog, but to the untrained eye (namely mine) they kind of look the same…) So I hunted down a pattern and found one thanks to Denyse Schmidt. (You can get the pattern here – it’s free!)

With the pattern acquired I made some time to sit down and sew her a patchwork scottie dog.

Cutting the patchwork squares out was simple – I do it all the time.  I decided to go with a black and white theme because all of her dogs are black, white and silver.  I also thought it would be nice to use some of the material that I had left over from making the Little Man’s baby quilt.  (I liked the idea that she’d have a little piece of something that is connected to the Little Man.)

I arranged the squares and came up with a layout I was happy with – I even had some spare squares.  (I’m horrible with counting…)

I sewed them altogether as per the instructions and then sat back to marvel at my creation.  I was so happy with them and as I put them wrong sides together it became obvious why I had spare squares.

I’d made the back side too small. Doh!

(If you compare the pictures above you should be able to see where I went wrong…)

Just once I’d like to do a sewing project that didn’t involve me making a mistake or having to use my unpick.

I unpicked the backside and found my “spare” squares and corrected the mistake.

I then had the task of sewing the side piece to the front and back piece.  I had no idea how this is supposed to be done… I followed the instructions and it was a (pardon the pun) dog’s breakfast. It’s some of the hardest sewing I’ve ever done, trying to work out how to turn the edge and line up the side piece.  It was like fabric origami with a big needle through it!

I managed to get it together in the end (although there was a lot of going back and making securing stitches and I even ended up doing some hand stitching on it).

With the body done it was time to stuff it – my favourite bit.  I sat down with the boys while they watched the football and used a chopstick to stuff the little scottie full of polyfill.

Once he was chock full I hand stitched his opening closed and put a bow on him. He was done and I was slightly chuffed with how he turned out.  (I did end up finding the perfect button in my stash to give him an eye.)

I know that there is no way on this planet that he compares to the awesome that is my aunt’s bears; she’s truly an artist.  But I made this, and the whole time I was sewing it I was thinking about her and all she’s done for us and hoping that she would love him for the simple fact that I made him for her.

I had a lot of fun making this little pillow, but I can’t see me giving up making quilts to go into pillow/toy making.  It has given me an idea though for a possible quilt pattern I could make for her… I’ll just need to work up to it.