It all started with a head cold. And nine inches of new snow. And the desire to make a birthday present for my favorite one-year-old friend Maddie.
I found this adorable dog online.
Rummaged through my fabric scraps.
Cut out rectangle pattern pieces on tracing paper, cut out all the fabric bits, and started sewing things together.
Thank heavens my resident college student on spring break knew how to zigzag for the facial features! No button eyes for a one year old. This face had to stand up to the toddler test.
I must say the aqua colored thread adds personality to Nutmeg's blue eye patch.
I sewed the little arm and leg tubes, turned them inside out with no swearing whatsoever, and stuffed them with a little fiberfill batting. The blunt end of a pencil and the pokey end of a pen helped convince the batting to enter such small spaces.
Then I sewed the ears and arms and legs on the back of Nutmeg's body, and folded them all inward for the final big sew.
Then I sewed the ears and arms and legs on the back of Nutmeg's body, and folded them all inward for the final big sew.
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Put front and back body pieces together, right sides in, stitching carefully to leave the ears and appendages free of my seaming.
Turned the whole thing inside out, stuffed Nutmeg's box-shaped body with fiberfill, and hand stitched the opening at the bottom.
Turned the whole thing inside out, stuffed Nutmeg's box-shaped body with fiberfill, and hand stitched the opening at the bottom.
Since my head cold prevented me from delivering Nutmeg on Maddie's birthday, my crew and I
made a video for her.
made a video for her.
Maddie watches it often! Like her own Sesame Street routine. And when I delivered Nutmeg to Maddie, she was watching the video right then. In a doctor's office, with a bad case of stomach flu. She finished the happy birthday song, took the real Nutmeg in her hands and pressed her new pal into her face in sad greeting. Maddie held on tight to Nutmeg through the ear and eye exams, the throat exam. She even watched the video again when the doc tested for strep throat. Then Maddie slept with Nutmeg guarding her from the overhead florescent lights.
I hope they are pals forever. The "M" is for Maddie, superstar.
Thanks to Jeff and Michele and Kristy and Dan and Maddie and Pinterest for this post.
Here's another great set of animal friends I almost made. But really, Nutmeg was meant to be.
Here's another great set of animal friends I almost made. But really, Nutmeg was meant to be.
