handmade toys- the process

People ask me how I am sewing my toys. Usually I talk about it and I am explaining all process. 
But I think it would be nice if you can see a little bit more. So I decided to show you the whole proces on some photos. And how my working pleace changes from "illutrator atelier" into "sewing atelier" ;)(atelier- what a big world for my table in our living room!! ;)
Now I start to sew some new toys and I decided do take some pictures and to show you the process. 
Hope you will enjoy:)
Then how it looks when I am working on new toys?

1st step is to prepare tekstile. 
I am using used baby clothes to be sure that materials are safe and will not colour in washing (and what more the idea of recycling is very close to me). So first I cut clothes to get proper pieces of tekstile and proper means as big as possible:)

2nd step is to cut shapes from pieces of materials.
As I am using recycled materials I never have pieces of material in the same shape or the same size. That is why I draw EVERY shape by hand without using any patterns. It makes my toys so unusuall and exceptional. Every toy is very unique.
When I have the shape drawn on the material I cut it. In this step I prepare bodies, ears, legs, tummies, tails and everything each of my cheracters needs for her or his living:) I am choosing colours carefully and it is fun to play with all those materials to find the best combination.

Step 3 is where it is time to use my sewing machine.
(actually the machine is not really mine and all toys untill now I sewed thanks to my friend Hana and her machine - and here is place and time to say nicely: THANK YOU HANA!)First I am sewing all small element like paws, ears, legs, tail, etc. Of course everything is sewed on the lef side. When all small elements I ready and turned on the right side, then I am finding for them a proper place on the toys bodies. Then is time for sewing everything on the machine.

Step number 4 is very funny. 
After sewing everything together I turn toy's "bodies"  on the right side. While sewing I always left a little hole so that I can easily turn the toy. And yes, sometimes it happenes that I forget to leave a hole...
Sometimes it also happened that I sewed something wrong and then it appears that the bear or rabbit has heart sewed on his little bottom...;-) 
This time  everything is ok - no hearts on bottoms;) 

I already have a "skin" of the toy. Loose skin with legs, hands, ears, heart on belly (or on a bottom;) of anything I imagined for my little creature. Now is time to fill it. For filling I am using 100% clean poyester. It is safe, it does not cause alleriges and you can easily wash it in washing machine.
I hear some people telling me:
"use buckwheat it will be more healthy" or
"use organic cotton it will be more natural".
And I am not listening that voices! Let me explain you why:
1) buckwheat cannot be normaly washed (as you cannot wash any other wheat). And please show me at least one mum who wish for her child a toy which cannot be washed? or which can be washed only once?
2) Organic cotton cannot be washed in washich machine as it will stick together and it is not fluffy and soft anymore. To use organic cotton as a filling I have to made every toy open with a zipper with possibility to take cotton out before washing.
And please show me at least one mum who wish to "play" with taking out cotton filling before washing toys and then putting it back? Or show me mum who wish to find her child eating cotton (even it is organic) becasue her sweet baby just realized how to open the zipper?

Ok. it is time for a next step of sewing my toys- the 6th one. I have already filled "skins" with polyester, and sewed up the holes (as I already wrote - never forget to leave hole for turning sewed toy on the right side and for filling it!) And now little creatures are almost done! Now is time to give them faces: eyes, noses, mouths and cheeks:)

And the next step - the last one is embroidering faces.

Every eye, every nose, every cheek is sewed with hands!

Every little creature has different face - nobody wolud have the same toy as you/your child/fiend/beloved have.
And here they are- brand new and ready for hugging!

to be together

hey guys, I must tell you something: 

it is very big pleasure to make all those soft, sweet creatures.

But it is even bigger pleasure when I know that you like them and that they are making you happy:) 

Handmade bunny

Everyone has his own inner bunny...

Scandinavian style

We all know what the Scandinavian Style is. For somebody it is boring, for other it is the best what could be. What the Scandinavian style is or me? Simplicity, bright colours, simplicity, light, simplicity, lot of white, simplicity, elegant and casual in one...Did I write "simplicity"? ;)...- it is how I feel scandinavian style. But if it is possible with toys?

I tried. I think it works. Like it a lot!

heart garland

I had some heart sewn.

I had an idea.

Now we  have a garland in our living room.

z szkolnego zeszytu

cos ze szkolnego zeszytu...

no i mało ktory misiek moze poszczycic sie swoim portrecikiem!

a pinch of spring

Hey guys. I didn't forget about you. I am just enjoyng time with my husband who after a little accident at work (working in kirdengarden can be very dangerous for a teacher!) is staying home for last few days. We are enjoying this beautiful spring as much as his wounded hand allows.
In the meantime I am still sewing and I am really enjoying this! I hope you can see it in my toys.
Today a bear with a pinch of spring;)

dzis zachmurzenie umiarkowane

Zniknełam, wsiaknełam na czas jakis. Oczywiscie mam bardzo wazkie ku temu powody i usprawiedliwienie podpisane, uwaga, przez...MAME we własnej jej osobie!
Mama (i swiezo upiczona babcia zarazem) przyjechała do nas i juz jakis czas temu i spedzamy wspolnie czas. Rozpieszczamy sie długimi, słonecznymi spacerami podczas ktorych "lasnujemy" nasze trzy pokolenia, drozdzowym ciastem z kruszonka (pyyychota i mniam, mniam!), kawa w kafejkach nad brzegiem Ljubljanicy i sadzeniem kwiatkow na balkonie (balkoniku raczej;)
W tak zwanym miedzyczasie odwiedziła mnie tez choroba wstretna i powaliła z nog goraczka wysoka 40 stopni.
-Takiej goraczki nie miałam od czasow swojej młodosci.- powiedziała postekujac starczo Marysia.
Nawet nasza mała K. nie oparła sie urokom kaszlu i kichania.
W oczekiwaniu na przyjadz Mamy i Babci, zagniezdziłysmy sie w łozku (mała K. choroba i ja) na kilka dni wyłaczajac komputer i sciszajac dzwonek w telefonie. Fajnie tak:) w sensie nie fajnie chorowac, tylko fajnie wyłaczac sprzety czaso-pozerajace. Ulga to taka niesłychana. Chyba czesciej bede sobie fundowała taki off-line, albo chociaz wprowadze limity czasowe lub zadaniowe.
Poki co po słonecznych, iscie majowych dniach zapowiadaja powrot do pogody normlanej - kwietniowej. Szkoda. Juz przyzwaczaiłam sie do wygrzewania sie na słoneczku i przygowałam sobie nawet zestaw chmurek ratunkowych (do uzycia w razie nadmiaru słonca, przy nagłej potrzebie cienia i w obliczu braku drzew lub kawiarnianych parasoli, pod ktore mozna sie ukryc).
do przeczytania wkrotce!
buzka!

handmade rabbits

Some news are coming!
From today you can "adopt" not only one (or more)) of my handmade teddy bears! Here is The Rabbit Family!
Each of this cute, little creatures is sewn at home out of soft, cotton fabrics and is filled fluffy polyester fibre in top quality.

They are all sewed and without any glued elements which can be bitten off and swallowed. They have embroidered eyes and noses. All of them have some applications on their soft bellies. You can easily wash them.

So check out fold "shop" on the top of this page (or click here: SHOP). 

If you are intrested in some of handmade softies just write me an e-mail.

shop

ta-daaaam!

I have some good news!
From today you can "adopt" and take home one (or more:) of my handmade teddy bears and other toys!
Each of this cute, little creatures is sewn at home out of soft, velvet, cotton fabrics and is filled with hygienically perfect polyester fibre in very fluffy top quality.

They are all sewed (without any glued elements), with embroidered eyes and have some applications on their soft bellies. You can easily wash them.

So check out fold "shop" on the top of this page (or click here: SHOP). If you are intrested in some of handmade softies just write me an e-mail.

And stay tuned - I have more toys on stock and a lot of new ideas in my head:)

handmade softies

i have some news:)

lately at our place some nice creatures were multiplying very happily ;-)

some of them like Fikander, elephants or some bears you have already met.

now i wish to show you some more new friends we have at our place. 

and....attention - they are looking for new home!

very soon i will give you more details! until that i am leaving you with some cute bears noses;)

Handmade teddies

Hey guys!
Today something new (and I have prepared for you a lot of news). 
Handmade TEDDY BEARS- all incredibly soft and cute. 
It will be few of them but each one of a kind.
Here they come.

Very soon more of my handsewed softies so stay tuned!

handmade toy

That funny, striped guy is from Fikanders Family (check here: CLICK). 

He is all sewed and embroidered without any glued pieces or gumbs. As filled with pillow filling can be safely washed in water.

He is totally handmade and waiting to be loved:)

Advent wreath, Advent candlestick.

This year we don't have the Advent wreath... But we have The Advent candlestick. And it is very, very simple - ceramic joghurt cups, white candles and a piece of twine - cannot be simplier:)

and I love simplicity:)

p.s. of course there are already two candles burning, but it is a photo I've made last week ;)

handmade elephants are looking for new home

Yesterday I introduced you Elef - the handmade elephant perfect for babies. Today I wish to show you his family:) 
All of them handmade with love. All of them have very soft ears and crunchy belly.  They are sewd and embroidered - without gumbs or elements which can be bitten off. They loved to be chewed by babies:) And what is important - as not filled with any seeds you can easily and safely wash them!
If you are intrested in adopting the elephant please write me (my email you will find in "concact" above).

Handmade elephant

Another one from Handmade Family.
Let me introduce you Orange Elephant called Elef:)
He is a little bit shy and he loves to hide in strawberries. He likes sweet coffee with hot milk and banana muffins. He don't mind being chewed by babies.
He is very "baby-fiendy". All sewed, with embroidered eyes, his ears are very soft and his body is filled with crunchy material.  He is very good for chewing and suitable for knowing new materials and voices. As he is not filled with natural seeds you can easily wash him (he loves to be hand washed with gentle soap).

two creatures

Lately my days I can titled as "waiting". 

And no - I am not impatient... 

I am just tired a little bit...

But waiting has also it's good points. For example The Time. The time I can spend on many different things. Unfortunately I cannot be as active as I used to be (although I am doing my best). Some of you also know that I am not as sociable as I used to be (don't worry- "I will be back" :). I've found happines in simple, quiet daily living and simple things. As you already know I start to explore sewing. For obvious reasons I started to enjoy sewing toys. And I have to admit one thing: I have really no idea why I haven't discovered it before...?!?!

Today I want to show you some of my last handicrafts (some things I did before you can see HERE, HERE and HERE).

Don't ask me what's this. Isn't it obvious?

Please use your imagination or ask your children - they will explain you everything :)

Polish readers can have some associations with "Bromba i inni", a book by Maciej Wojtyszko and one of characters called Fikander:)

Now those two funny creatures are impatiently waiting to play:)