A Christmas toy - DIYFluffies turtle

Earlier this month I wanted to enter a challenge in sewing a Christmas decoration. It was not easy to decide what to do since I didn't want a tee decoration. I started myself in making a toy. I didn't managed to finish it in time for that deadline but I managed to finish it later. I had a bundle of 3 pasterns from DIYFluffies and I had already made 2 octopuses - here and here. For this project I choose the turtle. I still have the whale to try out.
   At 1st I tied go get together different fabrics and craps that would work in the holiday theme.

    I ended up using the velvet from the Eleonore jeans I made last Christmas and the star fabric from the reversible vintage apron and 2 new fabrics.   I just love using the last scraps and pulling back memories from past projects.
   The turtle pattern was marked advanced and I agree with that. It didn't look like much to me once I had the pattern pieces cut out but it was really tricky to get all those seams together...

That are a lots of curvy seams that are hard to sew together. You also have to cut your own seam allowance and the sew inner curves to outer curves... The pattern says that any fabric will work for it but I think some would be easier then others. Most of my fabrics were quilting cottons and those are very unforgiving to any small mistake. It might be easier with a flannel slightly stretchy..

   I ended up attaching the head by hand. My pattern pieces didn't exactly lined up there... but that was probably my bad. I also hand sew the small legs to get from under the shell. When I finished it they were turned towards inside... One other thing that I used is that I put in plastic green eyes and skipping 2 other small pattern pieces and steps...

  It didn't turned out that great and I can see a lot of mistakes in it but I think the turtle is warm and friendly. It looks like and interesting pattern but I think it takes some practice to master. Not sure if I will try it again. It takes time...

My octopus - DIYFluffies pattern

 

 I just could not resist the temptation to make a 2nd octopus. This one is for me :) and it is from the jersey remnants from my black and white chain I was doing earlier this year. I used the same embroidered eyes just with different colors: grays and yellow for a more dramatic and realistic effect - etsy design ( shop link with eye embroidery) .
   Same pattern as before: etsy shop with the pattern link here - and I had to try it:

Andrei's octopus - DIYFluffies pattern

After finishing the Teddy bear for Eva I was still hungry for toys and it would not have been fair if I didn't made something for Andrei as well even if he is not really into stuffed toys. But I found this cute octopus on etsy - etsy shop link here - and I had to try it:

I used the green fleece for top side and blue plush minky.

 

I used embroidered eyes again painted them as well a bit for a more sharp look. I used the same eye set that I bought for the teddy bear - etsy design ( shop link ). I thought the minky fabric will be great for tentacles but it loses a lot of the 3D effect when staffed. I also added eyelids.

There was a lot of work sewing, turning and stuffing each tentacles but other then that it was quite a fast toy... at least compared with the teddy bear.

Quite a cute toy over all.

 

Update : I gave it to Andrei this afternoon and he loved it... I could have not hoped for a warmer reaction. He carried it with him the rest of the day to the playground and right now he is sleeping with it...