Last night Caleb came out into the living room carrying one of his small chairs.
   M: Caleb, what are you doing?
   C: Mommy, I want to show you how much I love you!
   M: Ok…
   C: (climbing up on the chair and reaching as high as he can) I love you this much!
   M: Wow, that’s a lot! I love you too. How about we put the chair back now?
   C: I love you all the way to the moon and back!
   M: Well I love you all the way to the sun and back.
   C: Mommy, we can’t go to the sun because it’s too hot and we’ll get burned.

Caleb has been bugging me for a little while now to teach him to sew. On the surface, this is adorable, and oh golly gee, he wants to spend more time with Mommy! And wow, he wants to learn about what Mommy is doing! But when you really think about it, the 4-year-old kamikaze approach to life is not what I would call well-suited to the sewing room.

I’ve been working so hard on getting things ready for the Etsy store and other projects that I feel like I’ve been neglecting my mother/son bonding time. So this weekend I relented.

Our first project together was  this little stuffed felt heart.  I had to prop up the pedal so he could reach it.  Originally I thought he could sit on my lap and I could control the pedal, but I think getting to use the pedal was part of the appeal of sewing!  He had an amazing amount of control over the pedal, though.  You know, at age 4, those synapses are still building their neural pathways…when I said “stop” he would keep going for a few more stitches…but he never went fast enough that I got scared he would sew through his finger (One of my biggest fears in teaching a new person to sew).  And he seemed like he really, legitimately wanted to learn to sew, which is more than I can say for other people who have asked me for lessons.  I showed him how to leave a hole open on the edge and flip the heart inside out, how to stuff it and how to stitch it closed.

In hindsight I should have attached a little loop of ribbon to it and called it an ornament, but I didn’t.  It’s a little bit of a funny shape and so the 4-year-old boy that he is decided it was a boomerang!  He took it to school today so I’m sure to never see it again – hence the quickie cellphone picture.  At least I have something to treasure.  Of course, he was not happy about the picture either…

Today, Caleb and I made this angry birds pillow.  Actually, I made the pillow and mostly he whined.  I thought he’d be excited about it since he loooOOOoooves Angry Birds, and he was…until it came down to doing some work.  Admittedly, the project was a little beyond the capabilities of a 4 year old…especially a four year old who doesn’t like to get glue on his hands. (Who the heck raised this kid? Not me, I was never that fastidious.)

It’s simple really. No sewing needed!  Cut two large circles – one from teal and one from red jersey.  Cut slits around the edges of the circles, about 3 inches long and no wider than an inch.  If you don’t cut them at the same time, be sure you cut the same number of pieces!  Cut the face pieces out of felt and attach them using a good quality fabric glue.  Knot the fringe pieces together, teal to red, and stuff the pillow before you’ve finished tying all of the fringe together. Voilà! Angry Birds Pillow!

Stuffed alien guy
Originally uploaded by alyson_olander

I know, I know, you thought I only ever made quilts anymore!  Well that’s just not the case.  For her birthday, my friend, Helene, asked me to make my version of an UglyDoll.  This is he!  I actually drew out the pattern so I can recreate him if I decide to.  And I may…with some adjustments. 

He’s made from lime green terrycloth and some felt.  The terry cloth had a touch of stretch, so I pressed some woven interfacing onto the back before cutting it out.  That worked out nicely.  The eyes, horns, ”claws” and belly button (which you can’t see in this picture) are bits of felt.  He’s stuffed firmly but still soft.  The feet & belly button are needle-sculpted.

While i thought the head shape would be cool, I think it needs some adjustment.  More rounded would do it some good.  Also, the arms are stuff too firmly so they stick straight up all of the time, and I’d like him to have more than 2 claws.  I should have clipped the felt to make the claws AFTER sewing it into the end of the arms.  I’m not sure that would have worked either, but at least it would have given me more opportunity for adjustment later.

They’ve named him pearE because he looks like a pear.  H. has to fight with her kids to keep him as hers.  I guess that is something of a ringing endorsement!  She’s already got him guzzling booze and doing laundry for her like a real member of the family.

Snow Moon, Cold Moon, Quiet Moon abide,
Let protection and strength grow inside,
Inanna, Sarasvati, Hera, and Sinn,
Sew new beginnings deep within.
—Dallas Jennifer Cobb

In my research about the Wolf Moon, this rite struck me as just perfect to begin my year long full moon journal quilting adventure.

The full moon on the night in question was shrouded in clouds, but the moon shown through, creating these amazing rings of color around herself. This is represented by both layers of fabric and of thread – 8 different fabrics and 4 different threads. The clouds seemed the carry the glow of the moon far beyond what we would normally see. Also, that night, the moon was huge, the largest we will see all year; as she passed on her closest path to the earth.

In years past, this was the time of year when families huddled together for safety and warmth, with wolves howling outside – it was the most difficult time of year, the winter was in full swing; food was beginning to run low; the wolves were particularly fierce in their own hunger.

Originally, I was planning to place a heart, to represent the family, swaddled and protected by the layers of the moon, but it seemed too trite in the end. I liked the starkness of this image, it leaves the story open for interpretation.

Take from it what you will.

Made a little purse for a little girl. Will post a tutorial soon. Maybe even tomorrow.