Foxy Moxy

Meet my newest creation, Foxy Moxy ("Moxy" for short). I saw a fox doll in my new "Sew Me, Love Me" book and decided I wanted to try my hand at making a fox...

I had the perfect material in my mind to make it too. I got a bag of sweaters and scraps from a friend last year and I still had the remnants of the perfect soft, rusty orange colored sweater. I've used it for other projects, and I still have some pieces left (maybe enough to make another fox?) But I'm kind of dreading when it's all gone. I wish I had yards more of this soft, orange, knitted, felted material.


Moxy turned out so cute that I just may not be able to part with it! Sorry folks, this Moxy fox probably won't be making it into the shop any time soon. Of course I have this habit of keeping my favorite plush for myself for awhile, but sometime (it could be months and months later) I'll be packing for a craft show or just cleaning the studio and decide it's time to sell a particular critter I've been keeping. I actually feel kind of bad for wanting to keep this for myself, since it's really such a great doll (if I do say so myself!). It's the type of doll that you can see a kid drag everywhere and not be able to go to sleep without.

Terra decided to come investigate while I was trying to photograph.

But then when I tried to get a better picture of her investigating, she decided not to cooperate.

This was my first time attempting to attach arms with buttons. It's a cute technique and definitely gives that old-school, vintage kind of style that I'm finding myself more and more drawn to. I'm convinced living in a 100 year old house and being in farm and Amish country is what's done it.

But I also have family roots in farm country and a Great Aunt who was very much a handmade kind of woman. Oh, how I wish Aunt Grandma was still alive. Of course, she was 82 when she died when I was 11. I'm now 28. So if she was still alive, she'd be 99. I believe and know her soul is in heaven now, but I kind of feel like I carry on her spirit. (does that make sense?)

Anyway...wow...when did this simple plush blog post about a cute fox I made turn into super-duper family nostalgia that brings me to tears? (seriously...I cried while writing that last paragraph!) I have a whole bunch of other related thoughts that aren't making it out yet...like how I really love and appreciate my still living Grandma (who reads my blog...Hi Grandma! I LOVE you!)

Anyway...moving on. I got the inspiration for the button-arm attachment technique from the "Sew Me, Love Me" book too...

Out of all the books I looked at and considered buying that day at Joann's, I'm glad I decided to get this one. I ended up being able to order some of the others from other libraries and have had time to look them over, but I like the one I bought the best. I'm not sure what it is. I think it's that whole vintage and recycled feel it has, whereas the other books are a bit more sleek and modern. I still like them, and wouldn't mind having them, but I'm glad I made the choice and bought the book I did.

For the record...I promise I did NOT copy the fox project in the book! I just remembered glimpsing a fox in the book with a triangular head and wanting to make one. I figured out the "pattern" myself. I didn't even remember that there was a tutorial for a fox! Sorry, I just felt the need to clarify! ;)