The secret is out!

Here’s what I ended up doing with my canadian smocking experiment…..

His name is Wilbur. (!!!)  I love him!

I started with stay-stitching all around the edges of the smocking so that the pattern wouldn’t get lost or distorted in the seams….

Then I guessed how to make the legs….square plus circle = leg!

Here’s the fabric I used for his tummy….I’ve been stashing this for ever.

Here’s a mid-surgery shot.  I machine stitched most of it together but positioning the legs just right was tricky when they were on the inside of the inside-out circle….does that make sense?!  I dunno…I ended up doing some hand sewing to get some of the things just right.

Basic form complete!

Another shot…note my adorable vintage sewing box in the background… (thanks for getting me that, Deb!)

I added a couple of accents to tie in with the vintage print on his tummy.  (My recent love affair with turquoise is almost as strong as my affair with grey.)  I can’t decide if the lines on his feet are toes or claws…

How can you say no to those eyes??

(I know I’ve been babblin’ on about smocking for EVER.  Just tell my when to shut up about it.)

But….I’m excited to try this technique in other contexts, too, especially purses and maybe in a yoke on a shirt/jacket.  I’m very tempted to incorporate it into clothing but I’m also a little worried about it looking too King Henry the VIII, you know what I mean?  I’m thinking maybe experimenting with it in real lightweight/sheer fabrics and veering away from the more traditional velvets and corduroys….we’ll see.  =)

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