Squid

My son is super into squids right now. He wants to be a marine biologist, specifically studying the Giant Squid. He has decided upon his major, college choice, and future graduate work. This is awesome. Especially since he's 10. :) Granted, I picked my major when I was 12 (and got my degree in it) so it's entirely possible he'll see it through.

For now, he is constantly drawing squids, his pinewood derby car was a squid, and he and his best friend design submarines at recess everyday.  So, when I needed to come up with a birthday gift for him that could be made cheaply at home, I thought it'd be fantastic to make a stuffed squid for his bed. 

To say that he LOVES it would be an understatement. 

Personally, I'm rather proud of myself for thinking to use polka dot fabric for the suction cup sides of the arms and tentacles (he informs me that they're not all tentacles, only the long ones are). 

I didn't have a pattern, I just sketched out what I thought the squid should look like, added 1/2 inch seam allowances to my sketch, and cut it out.

 

It was a great scrap buster.  I used leftover polka dot fabric from this dress and gray fabric leftover from the Dumbledore costume from a couple Halloweens ago.  The eyes (one on each side) were made of felt I had in my stash. 

 

 

I sewed everything right sides together and stuffed it.  I basted it together as I assembled it, as working with all those arms was rather complicated--too complicated for pinning. 

 

 

I really love how it looks sitting on top of his green bedspread.  I'm proud of my little squid.  :)

 

Super Grover

My three-year-old thinks he's Super Grover. He runs around the house, making whooshing noises (like he's flying) and yelling "Super Grover to the rescue!!" So, for his birthday, I just had to make him his own Super Grover after seeing this tutorial at Make and Takes. He has a Cookie Monster puppet that his grandma gave him a while back, so I thought I'd add to his Sesame Street puppet collection by making him a Super Grover puppet (and I made an Elmo puppet while I was at it).

I loved the look of excitement on his face when he opened the present and the fact that he immediately knew who the puppets were. I'd been worried that it was too hard to tell.  It makes me happy that he likes his present so much!