A couple of days ago in an email my friend Juana asked if I was feeling stir crazy or kinda peaceful (due to my doctor's orders to "take it really easy" and follow previous instructions even more closely). And my answer was that I was feeling more frustrated being pretty much confined to my recliner because it really limits what I can do/make. When I stray a bit I pay for it. Wah, wah, waaah -- poor Took.
Anyway -- I was back at the combo-creature again today. And for part of the time I sat at the "danger" table -- the dining room table where I originally injured my knee -- but come on...I have to leave that damn chair sometimes! (But I did pace myself.)
Okay -- the inside of the back of the combo-creature. Clearly there is room for more spikes, but this is why it is difficult to work on more...
...even though the spikes can be pushed through new holes, I have no working room...when I try to hold the new spike to sew it in place, I end up grabbing onto several spikes through the fabric and things get jumbled a bit...still do-able, just more difficult now.
See? There are still fairly large gaps that need a spike.
I put some fresh stuffing into the body just to sort of test out how things are going and I think I like the simplicity of the front buttons/colors. I was thinking of adding some tiny beads in a "random" fashion (heh), but I think I am happy with things the way they are in this area. For now.
Fresh stuffing also helped me visualize the head of the combo-creature. NOT happy with this.
Okay -- so I tried to make a paper pattern for a new head shape.
This one didn't work.
Then I thought I'd try to go even more simple with the design.
I cut a distorted sort of Valentiney heart shape out of the paper and used tape to "sew" it shut.
Meh...not so much.
Then I was thinking how about if I cut out the spikes from the brown fabric head and insert it into a new one. Hmmm...
I have plenty of scraps from the t-shirts Sue gave me (that I already cut strips from).
If I turn them inside out to hide the wording and images maybe I can use the pre-sewn shapes.
This was suddenly looking like a head to me.
I used a small blue sleeve to practice on.
I cut a hole and laid the (now) cut spikes fabric inside of it. The problem was that it was still pretty much the same shape as the brown material was to begin with.
On to the "danger table" to spread out the materials and do some pinning.
Pinned into the sleeve I could stuff it now and see what's what.
I know there is a way to do this...I'm just not sure I can figure it out.
I tried lining up seams on the underneath part and the back of the new head...
I positioned it on the body and -- no -- not quite right.
Plus, I'd either have to sewn in a muzzle or squish the mouth down like Spikey and be back where I started out from.
Next...
Okay -- how about doubling the material over and pinning/stuffing/cutting as I go along?
Twink joined me...he was a rolling and flipping crazy guy!
Starting over...and pinning.
Hell...I have a lot of shirts...why not just cut the shape right now?
I tried to pin in the direction I would be sewing.
It is looking a little more like a head to me.
I like this size better.
Is a sort of a kind of an equine/bovine/rhino-y head shape emerging?
And maybe ears?
Hmmm...
I basted some stitches and lost some pins so I could stop getting poked and so that I could see where the fabric might need to be cut.
Okay...but how to get the spikes in/on there...do I want them up higher...down lower...where do I want to put the eyes?
I was starting to get an idea...
...but then I had to decide what kind of a triangle I wanted to use and which direction it should be going...with point at the top or the bottom.
And that's when my head exploded. I am done for tonight.
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