Geeky Squid

So I'm a bit squid obsessed lately.  The commission is on the back burner for a few weeks (while the buyer gets the cash together) which is no problem with me.  It means I'm off the hook and can get back to my own stuff for a bit.

But what?

Well, I had squid on the brain so. . .

Meet Clyde.

See, I'm a little antsy about going balls to the walls with the giant squid without really TESTING the pattern ahead of time.  BUT, I don't really want to invest in the fabric to make a test giant squid (and then what would I do with it after I made it--though I'm sure it would be fabulous up on one of my guest beds).  So what about a MEDIUM sized one?

Looks like Violetta really likes him (see her caressing his head so lovingly!).

I used the measurements in the original tutorial (after adding a seam allowance) but just halved them.  I'm very happy with the results.  If I ever made another I'd probably re-draft the head fins to make hem a bit more like Violettas (bigger at the base).  I'm not unhappy with Clyde's fins but I think bigger would be even better.

And I got to use up almost all of the yard of Pac-Man fabric I bought (and then wondered what the heck I'd use it for).  The undersides of the legs are made from a half yard of fabric I bought at the same time.  I cut the under-legs against the grain and am happy to report it didn't effect the finished product at all.  No weird stretching or warping once stitched and stuffed.  And the legs are stuffed pretty tightly (except at the very top where they attach to the body). 

The eyes are made from one green charm square and half of a blue one and some quick embroidery.  I also got to try out some fusing stuff I bought.  The fusing stuff was easy to use and worked great.  But I think I bought the wrong version.  The version I have is for sewing.  So you apply it to the top piece of fabric (the applique image part) and then fuse it to the base fabric THEN stitch over the whole work.  But that wasn't going to work since I couldn't iron onto the finished squid.  So I added the fusing stuff to the blue fabric (then embroidered).  Then I fused the blue to the green.  Then to stablize the green I put a piece of fusing onto the green and attached it to another green then cut out the circle.  There was next to no fraying as I stitched the eyes to the finished product.  Kind of an ass backwards way to do it but it worked (and didn't use a lot of fusing) so I'm happy.

Now I have THREE sizes of squid.

For my own reference (though I do take commissions):

Small:  $40
Medium:  $100 ($80 + $20 supply fee)
Large:  $160 ($100 + $60 supply fee)  (estimated)

Prices do not include shipping.

Supplies needed/notes:

Small:  only available in felt, completely hand stitched
Medium and large:  only available in quilting cottons.  Supply quotes based on $10/yard.  Medium:  1.5 yards required and $5 stuffing.  Large:  6 yards (estimated), $10 stuffing (estimated). 

Buyers must pay supply fee up front.  Supply fee is non-refundable once supplies purchased.  (buyer can provide own fabric in yardages listed, then supplies fee will be stuffing fees only).  Buyer can request left over fabric be returned with finished product (scraps and yardage).

Shipping fees quoted after item is finished.

OH and if you scroll on down to the bottom of my blog (and along the side) you can see all the fabulous places I show off stuff I've made (including the brand new button added for Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday).