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    Betty Boo Bat—Halloween Sock Doll

    ByHeather Bailey

    FREE Pattern and Sewing Kit! Betty Boo Bat—Halloween Sock Doll—FOUR Designs to Choose From


    CasparBatSockDoll_BettyBoo

    Hello, friends! It’s time for some fall-time fun. I have four ADORABLE Betty Boo Sock Doll Kits in the store this fall: Ziggy, Pumpkin, Trixie, and Caspar. Each bat-doll kit includes a sock, fabric, felt, multiple buttons, embroidery floss, ribbon—AND the FULL SEWING PATTERN! Each complete kit is priced at ONLY $12.95, a great fall project and gift. Collect all four!

    Find all of our popular bat-doll, purse, and pincushion kits in the Other Fun Stuff section of the store.

    PumpkinBatSockDoll_BettyBooWith a purchase of $35 or more, enjoy one FREE bat doll kit which includes all materials (except stuffing) AND the pattern ($12.95 value). Once your purchase adds up to $35 or more, add your choice of bat doll to your cart as well. Enter promo code FREEBATKIT at checkout. The price of one kit will be removed from your total — a $12.95 value.*

    ZiggyBatSockDoll_BettyBooPsst…the promotion info and promo code is also posted on the home page of the store. Please share a link with your friends and family.

    TrixieBatSockDoll_BettyBoo*One FREE kit per customer. This offer expires 10-31-19, at midnight MST, or while supplies last. If making a bat doll for a small child, please make sure all parts are securely sewn together, and that no embellishments present a choking hazard.

    Here’s a link to The Heather Bailey Store. 🙂

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    Giveaway Day 30

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day30_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    Author2_final

    StationWagon_300ShortToday, I had the privilege of flipping through an early copy of Kerry Goulder's new book, Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love. The release is set for mid- October, but I got my hands on one of the only two copies Kerry has seen herself.

    That's right, Kerry (aka Kid Giddy) sent me one of her only two copies so I could share the book with you as part of my August HELLO Giveaways celebration. So exciting! Thank you, Kerry.

    My first peek at this charming project book was earlier this year
    when Kerry asked me to write the book's foreword. Over the course of
    several emails back and forth and a couple of phonecalls, I got to know
    Kerry and her concept. Each project in the book is tied to a story and
    centered on four themes, taking us "from a fairy woodland, to the
    coastal waters, to the arctic, and back."

    Pinchy_300ShortKerry
    lives in Maine with the ocean as her neighbor. One of my favorite
    projects in the book is her Pinchy the Lobster character. Coming from
    the land of paisley turtles and floral elephants, there's something about a calico lobster that certainly works for me.

    I also love her station wagon and hipster-camping-trailer pattern
    above. Not only does it wax nostalgic, but here's one car toy that won't
    split your eyebrow open when your toddler attacks. That's a true bonus.
    I've had more than one request from my family to design some soft
    boy-toys suitable for snuggling. Our Evan likes a big reaction. This often translates into experimental hammering on his siblings and parents—especially at bedtime.

    Beyond these great projects, Kerry has also included a dolphin
    pattern, an orca whale, a row boat, a hot air balloon, a teddy bear, and
    an igloo—to name just a few. A wide variety of projects for one book.

    SewingTalestoStitchLove2

    Join me in congratulating Kerry and KP Craft on their lovely new book. Watch for Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love: 18 Toy Patterns for the Storytelling Sewist to reach your local bookstore or fabric shop this fall and go get yourself a copy. Also, keep up with Kerry on her Kid Giddy blog (she's just beginning to post reveals of her gorgeous new sewing studio), and on facebook, twitter, pinterest, and flickr while you're at it.

    Foreword2

    Today's giveaway winner will receive this early copy of the book—signed by the author and me. Invaluable 🙂 Comment to
    enter. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    in the comment form so we can contact you if you win.

    Giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Sunday 9/1/13. It's
    a holiday weekend and the final stretch of my giveaway marathon. As
    such, I'm giving you through the weekend to enter so everyone can have a
    decent shot—even those who have found time away from the computer with
    their families! Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post.

    For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. See you again tomorrow. And Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 30”

  • Giveaway Day 25

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day25_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    Day25_EvanBailey_CatDoll1T2

    In honor of Evan's birthday on the 25th, our Day 25 HELLO Giveaway is one of our favorite children's toys, Theo the cat, an 18" knit doll. A $56 value. Theo is chartreuse for heaven's sake. It doesn't get better than chartreuse.

    A brand-new Theo made his way to our studio from LaylaGrayce.com, an incredibly diverse and inspirational online store, carrying everything from chandeliers and designer sofas to apparel, gifts and toys.
    I urge you to go take a look. Their taste is impeccable. Whether you're
    redecorating or just picking out a few gifts here and there, you will
    find so many great options on their site.

    Day25_EvanBailey_CatDoll2gT

    Thank you, LaylaGrayce.com for generously donating today's prize and for offering such a wide variety of these adorable Blabla Kids knit dolls,
    including raccoons, foxes, bunnies, bears, wolves, mermaids, monkeys
    and elephants, to name a few. They are soft and squishy and alltogether
    cool.

    Look at how many of these dolls work for boys as well as girls. I love that.

    Day25_BlaBlaKidsDolls4

    For decorating inspiration and first news on new products, follow Layla Grayce on twitter, facebook, instagram, pinterest, and on their inspirational blog.

    Read More “Giveaway Day 25”

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    Giveaway Day 20

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day20_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    Day20_Charlotte-Pig-Doll

    My day has gone to school meetings. Elijah switched high schools this
    year and we're working to get him established at a school one mile from
    our home. We were driving him 25 minutes away each day, back and forth
    for the last two years, often several times a day and this really put a
    pinch on our time at home as a family.

    This year, Elijah volunteered to change schools. He and his dad both
    seem okay with it. I'm still resolving my own feelings. He not only has
    no friends there yet, but the school is in a different school district
    and runs quite differently from what he is used to. And he had to leave
    behind one of the state's top marching band programs (the reason he had
    insisted on that school in the first place).

    Day20_Pig-Doll_300I
    hate that he's switching halfway through high school. Ug. I wish I
    would have pushed more strongly for this close-by school two years ago.
    I'm working to feel at peace with the mid-stream change. Today's
    meetings helped with that quite a bit. We brought in a list of things we
    felt would help Elijah transition well and the response was, "This is
    what we, here, call good teaching. This will be no problem at all." Just
    what we needed to hear! I liked his last school a lot, but the
    administration at the new school made a great first impression today.
    I'm one step closer to parental peace.

    Additionally, with the high school only one mile away now, I can get
    more involved and still keep my other two children on track. I'm
    hopeful, but I'm still holding my breath nonetheless.

    Day20_apronNeedless
    to say, my giveaway to-do list hasn't shed any pounds today while I've
    been out parenting. It's approaching evening time and I still have this
    giveaway to post and a number of winners to select. So, on with the
    show!

    With a $35 value, today's prize
    is a set of THREE Heather Bailey sewing patterns—Claira & Clancy Pig Dolls, Full Bloom Roses and the Daily Spice Apron—a variety of projects you can make for yourself or as gifts. Get an early start on the holidays. Or give the patterns as gifts.

    For more information on my piggie doll pattern (my personal favorite of the patterns we've published), click here. For my first preview of the Daily Spice apron pattern, head back seven years to this post. (It sounds like driving Elijah around was a part-time job even back then. Boy, how long have I been blogging now?) As for Full Bloom Roses, we may have only announced that pattern by newsletter originally, so get the details here.

    Day20_ThreePatterns

    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form. One entry per household.

    Today's giveaway will close at noon PST on Wednesday 8/21/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my big ol' August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 20”

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    Giveaway Day 9

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day09_ElephantPattern

    Wow, thank you for your baby-naming stories and input.
    What great comments! I promise that there aren't too many more big
    stories I've kept to myself. Just designs. Designs that aren't out on
    products yet. But, I have lots of that coming soon. Mostly fabric,
    fabric, fabric.

    It's Friday, and for today our giveaway prize is a copy of my Most-Crazy-Popular-Ever sewing pattern Effie & Ollie Elephant, along with the winner's choice of elephant kit which includes all of the fabric, interfacing and trim for one elephant. A $19 value.

    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email address
    so we can contact you if you win. Today's giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Friday 8/9/13. Watch for the winner to be announced within a day or
    two at the bottom
    of the post.

    For more info on my August giveaway madness, click here.
    Please
    share the word. Check back every day. And stay tuned for some big
    whoppers next week, with several prizes ranging in value from $100 to
    $300. Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 9”

  • Bat Couture

    ByHeather Bailey

    CorneliusBatDoll_1

    Meet Cornelius. "Do NOT call me Corny," he insists.

    BatDollCapeCostume_HeatherBailey2 Charlotte is obsessed with bats.  Last year she was a bat for Halloween.  This year she turned the hollow at the back of one of my dress forms into a bat cave.  There's a street nearby where the bats cluster under the street lights for a bug smorgasbord.  As such, it's our preferred route between Heather Bailey headquarters and home.  Bats are a thing around here.

    Looking for some Halloween fun?  Download my FREE Betty Boo Sock Doll pattern — link posted in the sidebar under Free Patterns.  This year I've added a new companion pattern, the Bat Couture Cape. It's FREE as well — link in sidebar.

     CorneliusBatDoll_3

    All you need is a Halloween sock, some great felt, and a few bits & bobs.  We have a bunch of bat kits put together if you're looking for ideas.  Move the bow from any Betty's ear to the top of her buttons and she changes gender;  voila, Candy becomes Cornelius.  Simple as that.

    CorneliusBatDoll_4

    The cape is quick and easy to sew, but oh so formidable.  For my next cape, I'm going for colorful felt, then embroidering the back with a web and a spider.

    Cornelius and his sister, Candy, are available as kits.  Get a bat kit for free till 10-31-10 at midnight MST,. Details here.

  • Jackson’s Five

    ByHeather Bailey

    Speaking of matryoshka.  Check out these Michael Jackson nesting dolls from a 2006 Music Art Form exhibit.  Pop music meets folk art.
    MichaelJackson2

    Update:  It turns out that not everyone interprets this series the way I do.  Two commenters think it's mean-spirited of the artist.

    I think it's beautiful.  To
    me, this piece is poignant. It shows how as MJ's life (and
    accomplishments) progressed, the world zeroed in on his flaws. To many,
    this beaming talent became a tabloid plastic surgery story.  It's a sad truth that the world puts talent on a pedestal, only to tear it down over time.

    Art seeks
    an emotional response. True, the first read might make many of us smile.  However, I don't think the artist means to ridicule
    Jackson.  Instead, I think he means to highlight how ridiculous it is that we all are fixated
    on his nose.

    Furthermore, the style of the artwork is beautiful and quiet, not jeering or jokey. I don't
    believe it is meant to poke fun at the subject.  If anyone, I think it's mocking us as a people for not seeing past this man's appearance.  This piece has meaning for me. 

    I'm sad he's gone. 

  • Pretty Maids All in a Row

    ByHeather Bailey

    FeatureFriBanner
    Ravenhill1a

    Like
    so many others, I'm charmed by the bright colors and folky art of
    Russian dolls or matryoshka.  Over the last couple of years, demure
    little matryoshka have become a fierce trend in crafting and design. 
    Russian-doll jewelry, ornaments, beads, fabric, embroidery, and home
    decor can be spotted all over the internet and in stores.  (Fun links at the bottom of this post.)

    RussianDoll250brt Amidst the Russian bunch, the whimsical dolls of Emily Moss of
    Ravenhill stand out — playful stuffed matryoshka made with a variety
    of prints & details.

    Emily’s inspiration for creating these unique dolls was her “growing stack of
    beautiful fabrics and pretty ribbon," combined with her new-found
    enjoyment of embroidery.  As a result, each doll has her own personality. 

    I first spotted
    Emily's dolls in my Pop Garden & Bijoux Flickr group where she has
    uploaded a several cheery, floral ladies.  See a wide variety of fabric
    combinations in her Babushka Softies Flickr set as well.

    Ravenhillsze Emily’s
    dolls were not always exactly what she envisioned. Though the overall
    doll design appears simple, fine-tuning the shape & structure took time.  Emily went through several drafts to develop
    the dolls she makes today.

        “It took a lot of practice and experimentation
    with various tool and mediums… I have learned so much from this process
    and would encourage others not to give up when the first prototype is far from what was planned.
    Plow ahead and persevere.”

    Emily offers Matryoshka dolls in her Etsy store.  Or stop by her blog to see what’s new.

    More Russian doll links:

    *For more information about Feature Friday & the artists spotlighted, click here*

    Photography in this post courtesy of Emily Moss