Frasier and the mutant kitty eye off I wanted to make a baby toy - there are many things to consider when making anything for a baby, safety is paramount, then there are the aspects of visual and tactile elements, elements a baby will appreciate, but that a parent may not, baby aesthetics are quite different to those of adults - we want harmony and balance, babies need some jarring and contrast. Shape is important too, something that is easy for little hands to hold, and nothing long or thin to go into that mouth, fabric ranges from soft and cuddly, through smooth to more heavily textured.
Taking all of that into account I made this touchy feely kitty, it has a face (important) is a shape babies can hold, has bold visual statements, (and a more restful back) is securely sewn and stuffed with sheeps wool, has securely attached ears and feet made with interesting fabrics, big enough to hold, but not big enough to choke on. The front is made from a cashmere suiting -so is smooth and soft, the back from that printed linen tablecloth I showed you last week, nice and tactile, the ears and feet from printed fabric - cotton and flannelette - interesting and cuddly.Eyes and nose are needlefelted into position, they have become one with the felt of the face, and the pupils are embroidered in wool.
You can make your own touchy feely kitty, the pattern is here. Mine is being parcelled up with a couple of other items as a surprise for a wee girl I've never met, as a thank you to her Mum.
(he has no tail - he is a Manx cat)
