Dorito is celebrating her new bed. Now that she’s grown to a whopping three and a half pounds, I decided to sew something for her that she would not be forced to wear.
I figured that she needed a sweet bed just her size. I got this stretchy, furry fabric at Wal~Mart. I traced a dinner plate onto some heavy canvas and covered it with a disk of sugar skull. The wall is a stuffed tube.
Maybe she need a matching hoodie?
I don’t think there’s any way to explain why I now have a giant batik turtle. It does have a purpose other than being adorable – extra seating for the living room.
The pattern is Dudley by McKenna Ryan, from her Sea Breeze collection. I flat out refuse to call mine Dudley, because it makes me think of Harry Potter’s tormentor. My turtle did turn out big and round, so maybe I’ll rethink my refusal of the name Dudley.
For the head and the top of the flippers I used this awesome batik with turtles on it. That makes this project extra turtley.
As a cruel prank, I flipped the turtle over so you can see the tummy and the underside of the flippers. Yet another cool batik, this one with coral print. Flippers were flailing. I flipped it back over.
The eyeballs are appliqued onto the head. For added interest, and because I thought this turtle looked tired and/or mysterious, I gave it hooded eyelids. From certain angles the turtle looks angry.
This is the turtle shell draped over my sewing machine. Do not worry – no turtles were harmed to provide this picture. The shell is approximately 34″ diameter, so awkward doesn’t begin to touch what it was like to make the top shell. It has darts, which allowed me to make my turtle extra fat.
The opening I left to stuff this monster is pinned right now. Since I stuffed it more than recommended, I want to try it out on the floor before I sew it shut. I still have the option to slim it down, but I want to make sure it will keep a butt off the floor.
Little Dorito is not quite sure what to think of this fatty. She finished all her puppy shots, so this was her very first day going out to play in the yard. She will probably expect giant batik animals every day now.
This is the face of a very happy little girl. She loves her new playground. Now I just have to make sure she doesn’t pee on the turtle.
At our house the studio and the office are trading places. And all shall be right with the world.
Taking the time out to make those mini bolts is going to pay off.
I just love this picture, with the mix of Tula Pink’s new Elizabeth line of fabric and my Minnesota Twins logo action. A Hawaiian print and some reproduction fabrics. Doesn’t it just make your fabric craving heart sing?
I have lucked out and ended up with a sitting room. I think I shall call it my parlor.
And this little bit is for all the animal lovers out there.
It’s our little friend Ricky Ricardo Montalban Rich Corinthian Leather. Wearing his double-aught Vikings jersey. Manly.
handmade by Carole Carr 