the cardboard stove (diy)

although I dream this kitchen for Mina (or even the ikea one ) the space in her room is small indeed (and the availability of money also!). and then Guicho had this beautiful idea (and put it into practice!) to create her one stove with:

-a carboard box
-scissors
-tape
-pens
-3 screws
-2 corks

here it is, ins't it nice?






(the screws are for fixing the half cork to the cardboard. so the "handle grips" of the stove could be turned!)

sewing a mouse-mole

here's a tutorial of a "step by step" how to  sew a toy. i only ask you two things:

1. don't use this tutorial -or final toy- for commercial uses. don't sew it and sell it on ebay/etsy/bigcartel/dawanda/markets/neighbours/etc
2. if you sew it, please, send me a pic. i'm just too curious!
3. this drawing/toy/immage are copyrighted, thanks

it started with a sketch.


then a little more detailed sketch


then a "final sketch" (can I say that?) to choose colors and fabrics.

and here we go:

the face, a cone.


the "hairy" ears and the cloth eyes.


arms are long and tubular.


stuffing the face


pinning the face/cone on the rest of the face.


i sewed the face to the rest of the body "right side facing them" to hide the seam


and now the assemblage of the front and of the back of the mouse-mole.
you have to sew them right side together and don't forget to insert arms, legs and ears, so you'll sew them together all in once:





in the photos here above everything is fixed with pins: arms, legs and ears are turned toward the inside.



sew the whole perimeter leaving an opening to be able to turn it.



turn it.


now stuff it and sew the opend part to close it.




then i sewed a tote bag to put it inside, for the pattern of the bag you could rely on great Soulemama and her book Handmade Home.






I have decided to sew the letters with the "appliques" method (it was a present for "Swan", a girlfriend's kid) cuz i were galvanized by the Sew Liberatedbook.


now i just have to explain to my daughter that the present is not for her...


...and it will be hard.
:)))