Valentine Panda "Cherry Pi" listed in Etsy shop!

I've just listed wee Cherry Pi in my Etsy shop! I hope you'll pop over to see him!

www.donnaandthebears.etsy.com

He's a sitting panda with bent arms and legs - all of which are wired for gentle posing.Cherry Pi is about 3 inches tall if his little legs are stretched out.  His cherry red outfit is accented with two white heart shaped buttons. He will travel to his new mom or dad in the heart shaped box in the first photo which I've covered with cotton fabric and a beautiful trim. I shall include a little bag of the heart shaped petals you see as well. The desert dish is not included. I hope you like him!!

Cherry Pi has been adopted! Thanks Jamie!

Teddy goes to New York!!

Here's a very patriotic young chap who came to be named "Teddy" by his new mom. He left last week and arrived in New York ahead of their snowstorm.

With his little flag, he looks as if he's ready to visit the Statue of Liberty, don't you think??

AND NOW!! A little hint: I shall be listing a tiny Valentine Bear in my Etsy shop soon.  He should arrive by Valentine's day for you or for you to give to your Valentine should you care to adopt! I'll be sending out emails to those of you who have signed up for my mailing list when I do and also posting his (yep, a little guy) photo here as soon as he's listed. Here's another hint: He's a panda dressed in red named Cherry Pi.

P. S. Check back around 7 p.m. this evening (Friday, January 30) !!!

Dandy Lion Wins a TOBY!!

I'm thrilled to let you know that my Dandy Lion has won an Industry's Choice TOBY award in the category of miniature friends! His head and tail are made from that wonderful Tissval fur fabric. He stands nicely alone at a whopping 4 inches under that swell top hat!! Thanks to Teddy Bear and Friends magazine for these awards which mean so much to all of us bear (and friends) makers. Voting for the Public's Choice Awards will be later in the year.

Let's Make This Puffy Flower Pin Cushion!

Little Marc Andre sits atop this pin cushion I designed last night while watching Downton Abbey! 

So how about trying one?

Here we go!!

I've used that beautiful Noro yarn which is probably DK weight and a size 4 crochet hook.

Make a magic loop and then 12 double crochets in that loop. That would be 12 triple crochets if you use Brittish terms!

Close up the magic circle and make one double crochet, one chain, and one double crochet in each of the 12 stitches in round one.

In the next round, double crochet in the first stitch, double crochet in the second stitch, and two double crochet in the third around.

Make two rounds of single crochet in each stitch - which forms a lip on the flower center.

In the next rounds, decrease by doing two single crochets together until you have just a few stitches left on the hook. This can be worked in a spiral instead of rows. It's the underside of the puff!

Stuff the little cushion with some of the yarn you've used until it's as plump as you like.

Now let's make the outside of the flower!

Another magic loop and 12 double crochets in it just like we did on the middle bit.

The second round has two double crochets in each stitch of the first round.

The third round is double crochet, double crochet, 2 double crochet around.

The fourth round has 5 double crochets in each stitch which begins that ruffley effect.

In the 5th round chain 3 and single crochet in each stitch of the previous round. Then, do the same for round 6, this time, doing the single crochet in the chain 3 space of the previous round.

Pull the yarn through the final stitch and weave the end into the stitches.

The center cushion fits into the ruffley bit.

Use a tapestry needle to attach the two parts.

And now you can put a little friend on your new little cushion! Of course, you can always use it as a pin cushion, too! 

As I made this up as I went along, I'm fairly sure that the pattern doesn't exist anywhere else. Please feel free to copy the pattern, make items from it, sell them, give them away, or do whatever you like!!

I'll try something else when the next episode airs!!

New Beginnings

The new year brings wonderful opportunities if we just keep our eyes ready to see!

Thinking of all the new bears and bunnies and other friends in store for the year, I couldn't pass the yarn store on a recent trip to Virginia Beach without checking what might work for some flower pincushions for those born in the Spring to sit upon! The colors in the Noro yarn I selected are luscious and I think I may just have some fur to match for their outfits!

Check back and we'll make a pincushion sit-upon together!

As I'm from Florida, I'm ready for Soring right after Christmas! Though it will be 70 degrees here in southern Virginia today, I expect we have a lot of cold to get through before we see Soring flowers! Let's just imagine them in our hearts! And crochet one or two!!