Glitzy kitty debut

To borrow a phrase from my knitting friends, here is one of my "finished objects." But he didn't come to be without a few labor pains. It's quite a lot of work to stuff something this big (he stands about 14" high) and now my hands need a vacation. I think they'd like to go to Hawaii.

While I was doing the embroidery, my imagination got busy and I pondered the possibility of making this into a pattern that I could sell. But as all pattern designers must know, you need to make a prototype to see how it goes before harboring those thoughts. There were a few challenges that I didn't anticipate when drawing him on paper.

In my hurry to get this project ready to take with me on my trip, I coffee-stained only enough fabric to do the front of the cat. When I got home, I stained the fabric for the back and tail, and they're different shades. Lesson learned: stain all the fabric at one time.

Stuffing the cat was a bear....heh...heh..... I got the head stuffed, using my handy forceps (the medical community has some great tools for dollmakers.....by the way, go look here to learn some tricks from a great dollmaker.) Then, as I got to the mid-section, the stuffing in the head started coming undone. Lesson learned: find a tutorial on stuffing before taking on another big project.....or just make smaller projects.

And finally, I had to put so much stuffing in him that the oval piece on the bottom puffs out and he doesn't have a nice bottom for sitting. He definitely needs the tail for stability, and I will reposition it because, though you can't see it in the photo (trick photography!) he's leaning forward more than he should. Lesson learned: back to the tutorial, or maybe put a cardboard piece inside (but that would make the stuffing job even more of a bear...maybe even a gorilla!)

Anyway, I'm pleased with the overall look of him, and once I get the tail moved a bit, he should sit more proudly. For now, he will keep me company in my craft room, or he might get invited out to the family room for special occasions. Now.....let me see about the hand vacation. I think Hawaii is out, but maybe a good soak.....and definitely not in dishwater!