Announcing - Six Months of Softies!

I love designing patterns for you all to make. And mostly I'm pretty happy doing that all on my own, in my PJs surrounded by my family and my dog - and with the kitchen nearby. But sometimes it's nice to play with someone else. :-)

I follow a lot of other toy designers online. I read their blogs, buy from their shops, chat with them on Twitter, and have a Pinterest board full of inspirational pins. Earlier this year I decided to invite a few of them for a playdate. A six month playdate where we share patterns, learn each others favorite tips and tricks, find out what our favorite tools are, where to find the best supplies, etc.

Even more exciting than sharing information with each other - I wanted to introduce them to YOU. I know you like to make softies. I love what you make with my patterns! I know you're hungry for more information - and more patterns - but sometimes it's hard finding just what you're looking for in the sea of stuff available online. So I decided to make some personal introductions. :-)

I invited five designers whose work I admire to participate - and they said yes! And so Six Months of Softies was born - an exclusive club for people who love to (or want to learn to) make softies. You can get all the details here - but here it is in a nutshell. For $50 you get to join the club. There's no secret handshake or decoder ring - though that would be awesome. What you do get is an email every month with a brand new exclusive pattern from a different designer - plus tips and tricks and additional info from that designer. At the end of the six months you'll have a bundle of new patterns - and a bunch of new skills.

The clubhouse opens today - and since this whole thing was my idea I'm contributing the first pattern. :-)

Meet Napolean and Josephine - a very large elephant and a very tiny mouse.

The elephant is a very huggable 10 inches tall (and just as broad). She's made of cuddly polar fleece and is very easy to sew up. Expect to spend an afternoon on her.

The mouse is just under 3 inches tall. He points his nose up in the air to make himself seem taller, but it doesn't really work. He's all hand sewn from felt - a project perfect for toting around in your purse or working on while you watch TV. Expect to spend a couple of evenings working on him.

Sign up for Six Months of Softies now and their pattern will pop into your inbox within 24 hours - along with tips and tricks for making them.

Have a great weekend everyone! Hope to see you around the clubhouse!

Best,
Wendi