Chasing Cheerios

Thursday, June 17, 2010

From Art to a Softie

I found this post saved in draft from months and months ago. I can't believe I haven't posted this already...

A few months ago O drew this portrait of her baby sister. I loved it so much that I wanted to do something to preserve it (she drew it on lined notebook paper). After thinking about it for a few days, I realized it would make the perfect softie!

I traced around O's drawing with an iron-on transfer pencil (I have no idea where to find these pencils. I have looked and looked, and the only one I could find was in my mom's old sewing stuff, so it is probably 30 years old). I ironed the drawing onto a piece of cotton fabric. Then I embroidered along the lines using the backstitch. This was simple and fast to do, and O was VERY proud.



After I finished the embroidery, I cut out the fabric along with a same sized piece for the back of the softie. I pinned them right side to right side, sewed them, and left a small opening for turning. After I turned the softie right side out, I stuffed it, and my mom sewed the small opening closed. Done!

O stared it for a while and wondered why she didn't give baby sister a nose or a neck :) I'm looking forward to making more softies from the girls' drawings. I'd also love to make pillows using their drawings (which would make a great gift for grandparents).

Edit to add: I photocopied O's drawing 1st...I didn't ruin it by tracing over it with the iron-on pencil. The actual drawing is framed downstairs in the kids' art area and is hung low on the wall at their eye level.

12 comments:

  1. This is so adorable - love the idea! Would be fun to see how they evolve over time!

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  2. I love this! What a great way to preserve an early drawing. I may have to dust off that sewing machine!

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  3. You just inspired me! I have been looking for all the pics my kids have drawn of their father through the years for Father's Day. I also have been saving all his old plaid shirts. I am wondering if I have enough ambition to make a patchwork pillow, wallhanging or quilt combining your idea and his shirts. I love your idea. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  4. I did a quick version of this a week or so ago. I gave the kids some squares of muslin and a few permanent markers and let them draw on the fabric. Then I stitched it up to make stuffed animals. Turned out cute and the kids love them. :)

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  5. What an amazing idea! I'd need to learn how to cross stitch first. Could u please show a picture of what your end result was

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  6. I believe your basic school pencil will transfer with a hot iron -- and lots of b/w copies from a home printer will, too. The advantage to the printer is using a scanner to put it in and manipulating (like reverse image) the picture until it's exactly what you want. Try it!

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  7. What an awesome idea!

    You can find hot iron transfer pencils at A.C. Moore or any sewing/notions store. They are hard to find, but look for a brick red/brown pencil hanging. They are sold in cardboard bubble packs like pens come in and A.C. Moore keeps theirs in one of 2 places - next to the embroidery floss or with their sewing notions. It just depends on the location.

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  8. Waterdreamer- The 2nd picture shows the finished softie :)

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  9. That is SO sweet! What an amazing idea!

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  10. Very cute idea :)
    JoAnn's carries the pencils:
    http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3423&PRODID=prd11597

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  11. Very cute idea :)
    JoAnn's carries the pencils:
    http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3423&PRODID=prd11597

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