A few months back Craft Magazine and Singer Sewing Machines sponsored a “Crafting with Nature Contest.” All you had to do was use a sewing machine in your creation and somehow incorporate nature. I was all kinds of excited and came up with the idea of a sort of Advent calendar, but for spring. I thought it would be an awesome way to teach kids to observe the world around them as spring came, that it would be easily customizable for different families and geographic locations, etc.
Now, before I show the pictures, you have to be aware that I had NEVER, EVER used a sewing machine before. Never.
So, I drew a sketch of what I wanted and brain-stormed ideas and I got my husband to take me to several craft/fabric stores. I picked up a few fat quarters to use for a background of ground, mountains, and sky, some felt for the tree trunk and leaves, etc., and some backing fabric, along with velcro to attach the leaves, etc.
Then I started work.
Did I mention I had never used a sewing machine before? And that I hate measuring things? And that the only thing I failed in kindergarten was cutting a straight line with scissors? Also, fabric markers don’t work on felt (at least not when I’m trying to do it). I discovered that little tidbit the night before the deadline. Thus the suck-tastic paper tags hot-glue gunned to the felt leaves. They say things like “first leaves,” or “first flowers.” I should have added “first indication that Shoveling Ferret sucks at this and should give up.”
Yeah, it's not just lopsided from the way it's hung... This is with the leaves/events on the trees.
Here you can see the lovely border, sewn with seams that are no where near straight, and with lovely gaps between pieces because I suck. I can’t even blame this on my hand tremors. This is just total unadulterated FAIL.
Here it is without the leaves. The velcro is really stylin'
Close-up of the spring bunny and crappy flower
Craptastic deer and awesome froggie, also note the really sad attempt to pull the pieces of the felt frame/border together
I feel I should note here that I am fiercely proud of the little felt froggie. Look at the awesome embroidered eye, complete with a little white speck to show eye-shine.
In any case, if you go to the flickr links for these photos, you can see my hilarious attempt to spin my multiplicity of FAILS into advantages – the screwed up seams are totally organic and um, stuff…
Needless to say, I did not win. (Yes, I was crazy enough to go ahead and enter the whole mess hoping for pity points, I guess.) At all. I think I may actually have accrued FAIL points for any future contests I might enter. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t win. I would have then had to explain that no, I’m not actually a toddler, so, no, this isn’t actually really amazing considering…
I did have fun though. I have yet to return to my sewing machine, but I will and look forward to it. Hopefully it won’t turn out quite this badly.
The concept is indeed an excellent one — as is that frog! If there was a spring advent calendar in grade school, I would have been really enjoyed competing to spot the “firsts.”
Your frog is adorable–it looks very froggy!!
Hm, I’m thinking that instead of one panel with velcro, you could do 4 panels and sew them together, then unfold/refold for each new season. And, if you made it of felt, then the leaves and flowers would stick to the felt–remember felt story time at school?
And then,…sorry, my brain goes into a sort of enthusiasm fit now and then. I still think it’s a great idea!
It’s pretty good for a no-experience sewing machiner!! I would definitely say don’t give up! :)
it’s cute. and it’s a lot better than what my first machine sewing attempt was.
Thanks for the kind comments! I still really like the concept, I just wish I had pulled it off better. Maybe someday…
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Yeah, it’s a fail. But the animals are super cute!
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That frog is really adorable. It was a cute idea.
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The concept is awesome, even if the execution is fail. :)
Thought the deer was a fox, LOL. Liked the bunny and flower, couldn’t figure out what was wrong at all, the flower didn’t look “crappy” to me, until I considered it’s placement, LOL. Okay, are we getting a little silly yet? Anyway, let’s just call that thing a fox, and we’ll be okay! :)
All I can say is … that looks like I sewed it! lol.
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the frog is lovely.
if this doesn’t add insult to injury, why does the deer have googly eyes when none of the other animals do?
I totally forgot to mention the googly eyes! The deer has them because a) it was the only animal they would fit on; b) I had them left over from another project; c) I have an unfortunate addiction to googly eyes.
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I LOVE this – the concept of a spring advent calendar is absolutely fabulous – and to be honest, I don’t think the execution is bad at all. Of course, the froggy is cute, but I actually kinda like the deer, too, googly eye and all. Flower & bunny looked fine (except maybe a little too close to bunny’s butt) and overall, esp. for a first attempt I think it is not half bad at all. And girl, you are one up on me – I’m too afraid of sewing my fingers to give sewing machines a try.
Oh – and I meant to say – I absolutely LOVE the fabric selection. The two kinds of green, the tree. You really do have a knack for this, I think – even if you’re dissatisfied with your first attempt. Keep practicing!
I’m going to try to remember your Spring Advent calendar idea and maybe do something like that in my own artwork sometime, or maybe like TexasWren suggests, do an “every season” advent calendar. Very very clever idea!
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Thanks for the nice comments. I did really really like the concept. Now I just have to work out better execution. And I hope other people try it out too – I think they could be really fun.
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I love the “border/frame” detail ! , I think it looks very artistic :-)