Relationships With Teddy

Teddy

I have had an on again off again relationship with Teddies all my life. As a child, they were my best friend. As a growing teen, I was too "old" for them. As a young mother, I bought them for my sons to hug. As an older mother and wife, I started collecting them. Then life took over and I was too busy for them.

Teddy "How To Books"

In the year 2000, Michigan had a long, cold, harsh winter. Stuck indoors, I became obsessed with learning how to make Teddies. I started with basic sewing knowledge and several "How To Teddy Bear making" books.The first Teddies where made from cheap plush "fur" bought at the local JoAnn's. I read the books, took some classes, and did a lot of research on where to buy quality Teddy making supplies. As my knowledge and expertise grew so did my Teddies.

Mohair and Cotton String made Teddies

Soon I was buying $60.00 a yard mohair for their bodies, using German glass eyes, jointing their arms, legs, and head, stuffing with excelsior, and placing growlers in their tummies so they could roar. My fur Teddies where made from vintage Persian lamb coats and mink stoles that I found in antique stores. Vintage table cloths and quilts were also turned into fun colorful Teddies.

By the year 2004, my love affair with Teddy had died once again. I kept a handful of Teddies that were special and sold off the rest.

Estate Sale Teddies

Fast forward to January 2011, where I attended an estate sale and my on again relationship with Teddy was renewed! The deceased owner of the estate was a Teddy collector. My heart skipped a beat when I walked into the living room and saw the large sofa covered in Teddies of all shapes, sizes, and colors, all waiting to be taken home. I knew that this woman had loved these Teddies and no one but me seemed to care about them. It made me a bit sad and I wanted to take them all home. This is where DBH put his foot down and said NO! I picked out 4 large Hermann mohair Teddies of high quality. Their costumes, colors and faces touched me.

I need your help now! I have been able to find basic information on the Hermann Teddy Bear Company but no specific information on the Teddies shown above. If you recognize any of these Teddies and have any information on them please leave me a comment . Your Teddy stories are also welcome here!

And so goes my relationship with Teddy!

Sew Happy,

Karla

Small Dogs are Real Dogs Too!

Tramp, Reject, Brooke

(past real dogs)

Last Fall, DBH and I found ourselves "dogless" for the first time in many years. At first we enjoyed the freedom of not having to "get home to let the dog out". We told ourselves "No more Dogs"! That lasted about two months before I was online checking the ads for "free dogs".  We began to wonder why we saw so many people going "ga ga" over the small dogs. To us, real dogs weighed more than 50lbs. We were open to change, so the emails went out that we could provide a forever home to the right dog.

Mia
(Toy Fox Terrier)

A call was received, in response to an email left on a free dog ad. We said, "Bring the dog so we can meet". They said, "Okay, but you must pass the home inspection, as this dog is special"!  They came that day. I asked, "Where's the dog?" She said, "In my purse." I said "What?" Then out jumped Mia, 5lbs of real dog . Change is good.... right? We passed their home inspection. She passed our criteria list, an older spayed female, short hair, potty trained!!, likes cats. They left. Mia stayed. Our lives changed forever.

Mia

(in her school girl outfit)

It has been a little over a year since Mia entered our lives. Our "free dog" wasn't  free by the time she made trips to the vet for dental work, vaccinations, and treatment for a queasy stomach. We had a lot to learn about small dogs. We researched the Toy Fox Terrier breed. Then we found out she wasn't spayed. Her fun loving personality turned ugly...... Fortunately our county has a "Neuter Commuter" program. For $25.00 they spay your pet, provide a county tag, current rabies shot and microchip the dog. We signed the dotted line, she was spayed with no problems, and her sweet personality returned......Whew!!! 

Mia

(matching cape with vintage lace collar and buttons)

About four months after Mia arrived and several trips to Craft Fairs (where my husband found out she was a "chick magnet") I decided it was time for some proper attire for these outings. Out came the sewing machine, measuring tape, and fabric. DBH just shook his head, he remembers me saying "Our dog will never wear those silly outfits!" I bought Mia's first harness outfit from  http://www.udogu.com/ . I used that harness outfit as a baseline for new outfits that I sewed at home.

Mia

Vintage Christmas Outfit, 2010

In closing, Mia has turned out to be the best real dog we've ever owned. Her former owners did a wonderful job of teaching her manners. She is potty trained, loves to snuggle in your lap under a blanket, plays with our old cat, comes when called, sits for her treats, crate trained, doesn't jump on the furniture, eats only a 1/3 of cup of dry food a day,  and is the happiest, tail wagginess, dog we've ever owned.

Mia

(She is a special dog!)

P.S. I have noticed that DBH is more willing to accompany me to the Flea Markets if he can take Mia (his chick magnet) along. I kid you not, this past fall we had just walked down the first aisle of the Mt. Dora Extravaganza and the women came swarming around DBH and "ga gaing" over "his dog". I just shook my head and told him I would meet him at the food tent in two hours :) 

 If you have a small dog and are thinking about making an outfit I would be happy to share the knowledge that I gained through trial and error with you. The "how to's" would be to long to share in a blog. Just comment or send an email with questions.

Sew Happy,

Karla

Easy Repurposed Sweatshirt Pocket Pillow

Junkmaster Hoodie

 

If you knew Ki (my sister) before the Junk Revolution you will recognize this hoodie sweatshirt. You may even have one folded up in your closet? It represents one of Ki's past lives. I found this very well worn but loved hoodie sweatshirt in her closet as I was tidying up her place before she arrived from MN. I was ready to throw it away when  a little voice said "repurpose the sweatshirt into something that Ki could still enjoy".

 If you can cut and sew a straight line on your sewing machine or by hand you can do this project. At the time I was making this project, I wasn't thinking blog (didn't have one yet). Sorry, but there is not a lot of step by step pictures.This project is easy enough that you don't really need all those pictures.

1. Find a zip up sweatshirt with or without a design on it. It can be any size. My design was on the back of the sweatshirt. I  measured the design to determine what size my pillow was going to be. 12" x16" was the size I decided to make it.

Back of Pillow

2. I marked out the size 12x16 on the back of the sweatshirt with a thin marker, centering my design. I cut through the single back layer just inside of the lines so they wouldn't show.

Front of Pillow

3. On the front of the pillow, I centered the pockets in the 12" x16" shape. I used the cut out back of the pillow for a guide and traced with a thin marker on to the front. Note: The zipper pull should be closed to about 1/2" or so down from your cutting line. The zipper will be used to insert your pillow form later. I was very careful about not disturbing the zipper. Before cutting out the front, I cut and sewed a small logo that was elsewhere on the sweatshirt, to the front corner of the pillow. I cut the front cover out using an old scissor when I got to the zipper areas.

Junk Logo, note soft flap seams

With wrong sides together, I pinned and stitched all fours sides using a 3/8" seam, being very careful at the zipper areas . This left a soft small flap all around the pillow. I unzipped the pillow and inserted my ready made pillow form . I like to have a stuffed pillow, if you want a looser fit just cut your cover a bit larger than your form size.

Ki loved her new pillow! She found the pockets to be handy as a  Kleenex holder for all those teary eyed movies that she likes to watch. It was also useful as a prop for her book when she was reading.

I hope this wasn't to confusing. This was my first How To Project, for a blog. It was actually harder to write the "How to" then to do the actual project!

 Questions and comments are always welcome!

Sew Happy

Karla

What's On Santa's Junking List ?

Santa and me

Santa's List

1. Pretty Pockets All Purpose Apron

In our family I was gifted with the sewing gene and my sister Ki was gifted with the vintage junking gene. One day we brainstormed on how to put our two talents together. Crack, Snap, Pop,! The pretty pockets all purpose apron was born. We showcased the apron at Ki's annual Junk Bonanza 2010 show. With all the different uses (gardening, concession stand use, garage sales, crafting, and flea marketing to name a few) the aprons were a HUGE success and  sold out within the first day of the sale. Fast Forward....Santa's Elf Karla has been busily sewing away so Santa's Helper Ki could put it back on Santa's  list and offer them for sale on her website for holiday gift giving.  

2. Shopping cart liner

Last year Santa's Helper Ki had a lot of recycled burlap " toy" (coffee bean) bags left after the Christmas  deliveries. Once again Ki and I put our sewing and junking genes together and created a shopping cart liner for those "shop a holics" of garage sales and flea markets. Santa's Elf  Karla got busy sewing and Santa's Helper Ki was able to list them on Santa's list and offer them on her website. To check out other cool "junking gifts" that are on Santa's list go to the Junk Revolution Store.


Sew Happy,

Karla