Tuesday, March 19, 2013

One Tiny Monster

The best thing about craft swaps is that they often compel me to make things I wouldn't otherwise think of making.  They broaden my crafting horizons. That's how it was in the One Tiny Monster Swap I just participated in on Craftster.  My good friend Susan forced insisted suggested I join it along with her; normally, the creative part of my mind doesn't think about monster-making, but I like knowing that it can if I need it to.

When asked to describe her ideal monster in three words, my partner for the swap wrote "fun, colorful, horns". She also said her favorite colors are purple and blue, and she prefers cute monsters to scary ones.  Looking at her Pinterest was helpful, because she had quite a few cute monsters pinned there.


So here he is! The only rule was that is had to be under 4" in each direction, so I started by drawing a 4" square and sketching a design inside it. Then I cut out the drawing and used it for a template. The purple fabric is fleece, which is great for making stuffies, because it stretches a bit when you stuff it, resulting in a nice firm creature.


I was thinking of adding spines down the back and tail, but I accidentally sewed that part before adding the spines, so I added a series of spots instead.


I LOVE how the horns came out! They are made of wool felt (as are the spots, belly, nose, and area around the eyes.) I'm sure I would not have added horns if my partner hadn't specified them, so that is a perfect example of how craft swaps help me grow and develop new skills.


This little monster fits right in with the color scheme of some of my Blythe dolls! I might have to make one for them to keep!

6 comments:

Wendy said...

ah, he turned out so sweet, love him!

LimeRiot said...

Oh how cute! I think crafting monsters is fun because there really are no rules!! I agree with everything you said about swapping too. I don't think I would have tried a quarter of the crafts I have if it weren't for swapping!

Natashalh said...

Aww, what a little cutie!

Kay said...

Really sweet, I did not know a monster could be so cute.

Unknown said...

hahaha!!
insisted is the word and i think now everyone can see why.
if you werent in the swap, leslie, this amazing creature would never have been! and the world would have been a lot less cuter for it.

love to pieces!

Alexandra Abarca said...

Really cute Leslie, your tiny monster don´t make me scare.

Ale
Costa Rica