Ack!

So I've hit my first problem with the Fairytale Challenge.

The legs.

They've been a tricky concept from the beginning, because they need to do double duty - to look like Frog legs and Prince legs at the same time. So I've been trying to keep them very simple and non-descript.

The way I had made the legs, was so that they sat forward with the toes pointing up. They looked fabulous when I pinned them in place on the Prince, but when I flippped him into the Frog... not so hot!

I knew they weren't going to look like traditional frog legs - but these were WAY wrong! Instead of sitting forward, they came from his back with the toes pointing down.

Should have taken some photos to show you how wrong they were, but I didn't think to...



Anyway, I put my thinking cap on and amended them a little. They're not how I anticipated they would be, but I'll make them work. I need to just move on and remember that the legs are not a major feature of either character. In fact the plan is for them to not really be noticed at all, because all the detailed work will be in the upper bodies.

Deep breaths, and moving on...

So Far, So Good

The Fairytale Challenge continues!

I don't have much to say about it today, but here's a few more progress shots for you...

The Prince section was looking like this:



Then I joined the Prince and the Frog together:



The Frog now looks like this:



And here's a sneak peek inside:



And when I flip it around, the Prince looks like this:



On the inside:



And an unexpected bonus is that the piece can stand alone:



Still a long way to go, but so far it's falling into place as I imagined it would. Now to see if I can work out how best to attach the legs...

Progress Report

Thought I'd take the photo outside today, to give you a more true indication of the colour - but it's still not right! Never mind.

Here's my progress on the Frog section of Prince Charming.

As you can see, the legs are seamed and stuffed. And so is the head.

The body is seamed, but won't need filled... because that's where the body/head of the Prince will be hiding when he's not on display. Make sense? You'll see...

So I'm thinking that the body might be a bit on the small side... but hoping that it just looks small becasue it isn't filled yet.

Later today I'll piece together the Prince, and see if I can get the whole Topsy Turvy thing happening properly.

I'm desperate to add features to my frog to give him some personality - but holding back until I'm sure that the basics are in good working order. It's hard though... the 'decorating' is the fun part!

Can I Make It Work?

So on Friday I was telling you about the Fairytale Challenge that I had started on...

For those of you who couldn't see the image I was using for inspiration, it was a drawing of a frog wearing a crown - undeniably Prince Charming.

And I've decided to make my very own Prince Charming. Along the lines of those Topsy Turvy dolls, only this one will flip from a frog into a prince!

I thought that it would be terribly unique and was feeling very, very clever about the entire thing...

But my research now tells me that this concept has been done before!

Never mind... I'll stick with my own version, and see how he turns out. Hopefully I can bring it all together into something successful.

The idea is that both the Prince and the Frog will have the same legs. The upper bodies will be different, and one will flip inside the other to change the characters over. The colours haven't shown very true in this photograph, but the frog is a slightly turquoise green, and the prince will be in purple and green.

Can I make it work?

Sure hope so! I'm certainly going to give it a try...

I'm planning to do some seaming and stuffing today, and I'll let you know how I go.

Fairytale Challenge

Yes, I know that I haven't finished the Freeform Hat yet... or the Lacy Flower Runner... or the Space Theme Challenge... or the Stained Glass Challenge...

BUT

I've started on something new anyway (how unlike me)

This one is a Fairytale Challenge in the Design Along Group on Ravelry.

Basically you look to the mood board here for inspiration. Based on that you design an original piece, write up the pattern, and have it available on Ravelry by November 25th.

Can you do it? Of course you can!

Are you in???

I've chosen this little guy from the mood boards for my inspiration:

Two Motifs Down

Two motifs down... many more to go

It's incredible how easily the rhythm of the pattern is coming back to me.



You can see that I haven't woven in any ends yet... BIG SURPRISE!

Starting On Some Gifts

Moving away from the freeform for a moment, and on to something very structured:

I don't usually work in thread, and almost never work a piece in only ONE colour...

But look at this:



It's time to get started on some Christmas Gifts.

You can see that I've almost finished the first of many motifs for this table runner. I've used this pattern once before, a few years back before I started blogging. In fact, I don't think I even took any photos of it... or if I did, I have no idea where they are.

It's one of those patterns where you join each square together as you go, attaching it to the previous one during the final round. Definitely saves the drama of having to join them all together at the end.

I'll just have to weave in all the ends when I'm done!

But maybe I'll be disciplined and do them as I go?