A new Friend is born

Some younger PGF admirers wanted to know just HOW the Friends are made. I thought I'd share the process with you here. Hand-sewing is lots of fun and is a wonderful skill to learn that you will use throughout your life. There are lots of books at the library or favorite bookstore that tell more about it. Or, you could even ask your mom, grandmother, aunt or other favorite grown-up lady to teach you how. But first, here is a look at how a new Friend is born...

First, I pin my pattern to a piece of fleece folded in half...



Then I cut out around the pattern so that I have two of everything. Two bodies... Two sets of ears...



A lot of times, I cut out more than one body so that I can work on another one later, even if I don't have time to do all that cutting. Sometimes, cutting is the hardest part to do. It's not easy to do just anywhere...



The next step is to stitch a face. Next comes the little heart-shaped tail. Then the ears...



Here comes the fun part -- stitching the body! I use a stitch called a blanket stitch to secure the pieces of fabric together. A running stitch holds the ears in place. I used a whip stitch for the tail.



Well, maybe I told a bit of a story back there... The REAL fun begins with the stuffing! I use a basic polyfluff. I've used bamboo in the past, but it does NOT wash well at all. Wool materials are my favorite, but I've found that children prefer the cuddly softness of fleece and fluff.



After I tie-off the very last stitch, I plump and skwish the new Friend. She's all done! This sweetie is staying here with me! I'm naming her Maggy after my little angel dachshund.  :)

All in all, it takes me a bit over an hour to complete a 6" Friend. Sewing by hand is time-consuming, but it is a very rewarding experience. You can take your projects with you wherever you go. Try it sometime!

I'd love to see your little projects sometime if you want to share...