Читать книгу Making Adorable Button-Jointed Stuffed Animals - Rebecca Ruth Anderson - Страница 4

INTRODUCTION:

Upcycle Older Garments to Make New Toys

Wool is a wonderful fiber. It is durable, colorful, and soft. Just because a sweater or coat is a bit worse for wear or out of fashion doesn’t mean it can’t find a useful new life. The button-jointed toys in this book are ideal for reusing wool fabric that otherwise would be destined for the landfill. The result is a delightful menagerie great for play or display.

These toys are easy to sew by hand and compact enough to work on most anywhere. You’ll find that the felted wool feels lovely as you stitch. Felted wool is thick, giving strength and structure to the figure. Once felted, a freshly cut edge won’t unravel. Because the raw edges of all seams are to the outside, there’s no need to go through the tedious process of turning things inside out before stuffing.

You can use knitted wool (from sweaters) or woven wool (from garments) to make animals. Knitted wool generally felts into a thicker fabric than woven wool and it makes larger animals. Knitted wool also has more stretch than woven wool so it makes rounder animals. This book will brief you on where to hunt for suitable wool, how to identify it, and how to felt it to just the right texture.

These animals are made from simple shapes that, once stitched, are joined to the body with buttons. The thread holding the buttons goes through the body, making moveable joints that allow you to pose the figure. Using vintage buttons will add a lot of interest to your animal. Each button can be different—but it’s important to use the size required.

The wide variety of colors and patterns in wool will give your creativity full range. Add decorative stitching of a jazzy color and some unusual buttons and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind toy that is sure to please.

Safety note: These animals are great gifts for kids, but reserve them for children above the age of three. Younger kids might pull off the buttons and put them in their mouth—a serious choking hazard.