. . . I’m finally making a small dent in my To-Do list:

And patiently waiting for some newly arrived and just washed linen/cotton blend fabric (received from here) to dry:

More creative spaces over here!

{image credit: stevacek}

I think I just might be getting into the swing of this running thing :-) I went for a run at 5:45 this morning with this as my running partner. It was dark, cold, and f-f-f-frosty. My hands tend to go numb when the temperature dips so I wore some woolly gloves and it helped heaps. Plus it’s amazing how much warmer my body felt just by wearing them.

This was the first time I actually didn’t feel like vomiting at the end of the run - seriously, I have been gagging at least twice every time I have finished a run, including the Mother’s Day Classic last month. Classy. I run 3 to 4 times a week so that’s a fair bit of gagging. But this morning - no gagging at all! That’s got to be a major improvement, right? :-)

So I felt quite good after the run for a change. I think my body is finally getting the message . . . despite the fact that when I leave the house, I am dressed very badly, with eyes half-open, and wearing yesterday’s make-up, a la Pip :-) But it’s so dark, I don’t think anyone would notice (BTW are you moving like Mike?).

I’m excited to actually be reading a book just for the pleasure of it again. I can’t seem to put it down - I steal a few pages away at every spare moment like when I’m waiting for the lights to change so I can cross the street. It’s called “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” by Haruki Murakami.

Murakami is a critically acclaimed writer of both fiction and non-fiction. This book is a memoir on his preparations for the 2005 New York City marathon, which brings some wonderfully fresh and insightful philosophical reflections on the similarities between the disciplines of running and writing. I never ever thought I’d enjoy a book about running (but then again, I never thought I would ever get up at 5:30am of my own accord to go for a run!). The book is most likely not everyone’s cup of tea but I highly recommend it if running and writing are two of your passions.

Oh yes - and sewing! Almost forgot that this is what this blog was originally about :-) There has been a little softie-making this week. I finished up the final samples for now: Cheery Chimp and a patchwork Seahorse (had fun working with the Autumn-y palette for the seahorse) -

Next on the list are mock-ups for two upcoming projects and a few extremely-late-it’s-embarrassing gifts :-)

Hoping you all have a fantastic weekend!

One of the things I love about making gifts is that it gives me a good excuse to try something new with an existing pattern. I have always wondered what my Happy Chibi Girl doll would look like with a simple bob and small, round, plastic eyes.

The eyes and the hair were the only things I changed on the pattern (plus I added a small nose) but it has completely changed her look. The fleece vest was originally meant to be a jacket but I decided that jacket would cover up too much of that cute apple fabric on her top.

She was gifted to one of Ava’s classmates this morning at a birthday party. Hope her new owner has many memorable adventures with her :-)

Spoonflower swatches of my “Woodland Cut-Out” pattern arrived a few days ago:

I’m very happy with how they have turned out. I’d like to try out a few other colours. I am also looking forward to getting this pattern screen-printed locally in the near future :-)

Also on my cutting table, a little snippet of a new doll I’m working on and hope to complete by the weekend:

You can find more creative spaces over on Kirsty’s here!

Also, you might want to check out Angela’s blog - she has been sharing the most delightful blogs and websites. I’ve been enjoying every single one of her recommendations. Angela also has a beautiful new blog called “Open” filled with snapshots of indie shops and cafes in Melbourne - well worth bookmarking too!

Still making samples. It’s been a while between Shmerpi creatures so it was fun to work on these two (I love the cold weather but it’s hard to take photos when it’s so gloomy!):

Still daydreaming about sewing up clothes and finishing up the dress I started a few weeks ago. Sigh. I blame Burdastyle (who have revamped their website - so much good stuff, you could lose a few hours in there) and the Angry Chicken who keeps posting up great dresses and dress patterns.

Started running again this morning after a few days off. Feels good. I read somewhere that a good cure for sinus problems is to “sweat it out”. So I’m going to try and kill this pest of a cold with exercise :-)

** Update on the Run for Mirabel goal of reaching $1000 - it’s currently at $185. Anyone want to push it up to $200?? :-)

** EDITED: We have hit $200! Thanks so much Tracy (please check out her lovely blog over here)! Now, who is able to help us start the climb towards $300?? :-) If you can, please click here.

Currently finishing up a pair of Shmerpi samples but I thought I would post up some One Red Robin softies made by other crafty folk using my patterns:

Happy Chibi Dolls made by Inkie Mummy - love the fabrics and detailing on the accessories and clothing (she has made more - see her blog for pics!):

Cheery Chimps by Peta (a lovely crafter I met at the recent Melbourne Stitches & Craft show) - again, love the contrasting and textured fabrics and how she has made them unique to their recipients:

Have you made a softie or doll using one of my sewing patterns published by Pattern Press? Please let me know! Better yet - please upload them to a new Flickr Group I have created: One Red Robin Sewing Patterns: Softies and Dolls!

If you have made a softie/doll using one of my patterns that has been published in a magazine or book, please feel free to upload these in to the group as well (and in the description, please note what magazine or book it has come from so others will know where to find it if they would like to make one too).

Some of you have asked me where you can buy my sewing patterns and what patterns will be released in the future. If you go to my “Where to Buy” page, scroll down towards the bottom of the page and you will find a list of current stockists (both online stores and bricks-and-mortar stores).

In regards to patterns to be released in the future, the Mama Matryoshka and Baby pattern are now available for purchase by wholesalers/stores so hopefully they will soon be available at retailers. Also planned for release this year are Springbean the Bear and Bubbly the Owlette.

If you are making one of my patterns and encounter a glitch or problem, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am really more than happy to help and provide any guidance you may need - I want you to be happy with the process as well as the result! All feedback is sincerely appreciated.

The one tip I would really like to stress is to take time with the stuffing - use small quantities at a time and stuff firmly into all corners and curves. You don’t need fancy tools. I like to use an old paintbrush to push stuffing into the small, hard-to-reach spots. I know that it may seem like a trivial step in the whole process but I do believe that it has a huge effect on not only the look and shape of the end product, but its durability too.

Thank you to those lovely souls who have donated towards my fun-run goal of $1000 for the Mirabel Foundation :-) We still have quite a way to go to reach the target - I hope you’ll consider donating here :-)

Wonderful softie-related stuff from this week that I’d like to share:
>> A preview of Melanie Hurlston’s (of Melly & Me fame) soon-to-be published book: “Kaleidoscope” (what a great name!)
>> Brilliant photos of Jodie’s Pachyderm cuties

Hope you all have a fun Friday and a wonderful weekend ahead!

A few more samples done:

And just a few more to go before I can work on other things (for a little while and then it’s back to making samples again).

In other news, I think I am going slightly crazy because I have signed up for another fun run :-) This time it’s the Run Melbourne on June 28. I will be doing the 5km run and have started running that distance twice a week in preparation. It’s a bit of a struggle at the moment but I think it will get a little easier over the next few weeks (I hope!).

With this event, the participant can choose what charity they want to support. After A LOT of thinking and debating (it was so hard to decide as there were many charities I wanted to support), I chose to support the Mirabel Foundation.

You may have heard of the foundation through Pip’s annual handmade softie donation drive. I only found out about the foundation through Pip and I really believe in the work that they do. Having two kids of my own, you cannot help but want to do whatever you can to support an organisation that helps children (and their kinship carers) who have been neglected or orphaned due to the drug use of their parents. It is important work.

My goal is to raise $1000 for Mirabel through this run. I would really appreciate any donation of any amount that you are able to give towards this goal. All donations will go straight to the Foundation (not through me) and all donations over $2 are deductible (you will be provided with a receipt).

To sponsor me, just click on the link (the one with my cheesy photo) in the right-hand side bar or simply click here. (Sincere thank you to those who have already sponsored me!)

For this run, I have joined the “Melbourne Makers” team, which has been set up by super talented artist/crafter Anna Laura. If you are a Melbourne artist or crafter and want to participate, please join the team! The 5km event is not just a running event - there is the option to walk it too. I know some of you wrote to me to tell me you were thinking about joining one of these walk/run events - now is the time!

So stop uhhmming and ahhing, sign-up and join the team! According to the Run Melbourne slogan: “Anyone can” :-)

Finishing up the sample patchwork seahorse (apologies for the poor photo - gloomy weather):

Tinkering with a dress I am sewing up for myself:

Indulging in a Filipino treat called “Yema”, which is made by cooking milk, egg yolks, and sugar in a pot until it thickens, and then putting it aside to solidify. Not very healthy so one or two at a time is enough :-)

How’s your week been so far? I’m so glad it’s Wednesday tomorrow and that the weekend is only a few days away!

Still on an op-shopping kick, the Youngest and I popped in to the Vinnies shop in Ascot Vale and came home with the following -

Assorted fabrics (some vintage) and a brown/yellow/orange crocheted cot blanket in excellent condition (not for me this time, but for a friend who has just had a baby boy):

Vintage bed-sheet and London souvenir tea towel (to be cut up for some softies):

And this superb vintage (like new) Prince Charles & Princess Diana souvenir tea towel - I don’t think I have it in me to cut this one up!

On the sewing front, I think sample-making will be the plan for the next few months. These two are samples off to “A Little Different” in Geelong:

And more samples are to be made for the Houston Quilt Market later in the year. Unfortunately for me I won’t be going with them, but Helen from Pattern Press will be taking them with my patterns to the market :-)

In the mail, two fat quarter samples arrived from Spoonflower -

“Suburbia“:

And “Little Mushroom Girl” in a new colour combination:

I like them both and the only change I will make will be to decrease the size of the pattern.

So I think it has been a fun few days and I am hoping for more - I will be going back to full-time work next month and suddenly feel like there’s a whole heap of stuff that needs to be done before then. I’m determined to make the most of every single day this month! :-)

Just putting the finishing touches on the next pattern I will be releasing through Pattern Press, Mama Babushka:

And her Baby Babushka:

The Babushka was published in Handmade Magazine last year and I have since received numerous requests to publish it as a standalone pattern.

I have added the Baby Baushka to this new release and I think it would look very sweet for the Mama Babushka to be surrounded by two, or three, or four Baby Babushkas made of different fabrics :-)

Thanks to Hugo & Elsa for this week’s Eye Spy theme: Eye Spy A Work in Progress

Here we are at the very beginning of one work in progress - fabric choices! Got these beauties from here:

The two on the left are Fortune Sea and Cathedral Dusk by Anna Maria Horner and the two on the right are Wonderland by Momo - Metamophosis Sky and Teatime Tomato. I can see two fawns, a Woodland Girl and a Peg Bear in these :-)

And also in progress, a doodle that will hopefully turn in to a new fabric design:

* Thank you so much to those of you who have voted for my fabric in this week’s Spoonflower fabric contest - your support is a huge encouragement!