Snail!

Finished this little snail for a swap.  I love swaps where they offer a tutorial/pattern and you make one for someone else.

Pattern is HERE.  The tutorial is kind of hit or miss but it's a fairly straight forward project.

I did do two things different.  I traced my pieces (body and shell) then sewed on the drawn line versus cutting out two of each and then sewing.  I find with smaller items that's easier.

I also didn't bother with a basting stitch around the open end of the shell before attaching it.  Yes, I know I'm all about basting but this time it wasn't really necessary.  I just understuffed a bit so I could fold the fabric inside and then finger press it.  Then as I was attaching the shell to the body (and I sewed the body opening shut before attaching the shell--I think that's part of the original tutorial, though), I added stuffing as the opening got smaller.

Clearly I didn't make the face the same, either.

I know the knobs are supposed to be horns but I wanted eyes on stalks so that's what I did.  The crystals are some stick on ones I found in my stash and they are staying on really well.  Then I just added the trim around the shell/body joining and that was that.

Not that I really NEEDED to hide the joining seam.  It turned out very neat thanks to ladder stitching.  And the trim turned out very neat thanks to my filament thread (the clear stuff).  It's still a pain to work with but worth it, especially for decorating like this.

I also got two dotees done this weekend but don't have pics yet.  I'll get those once the weather is nicer.

What's next?

I have another dotee to make (for an angeling dealie) and then a patch and a little tree stump.  So not a ton, actually.  I'm also working on Fluff Project stuff and thinking about working on my postage stamp quilt.  I think I need to take another day off work just to sew.  I do enjoy sew days.