The Learning Umbrella

Since I started swapping on swap-bot.com, my crafting has become more prolific, creative, and fun.  Having a deadline for a set of projects pushes me to actually do them, so I don’t have a whole bag of things I’ve started and then never finished.  I have to finish them - there’s someone waiting for it!  The different themes that swaps are arranged in push me to try things I haven’t tried before.

I signed up for two heart themed swaps, and I embellished and stuffed felt hearts.

Under the hearts you can see plans and pictures I’ve printed out for work on two other stuffie ideas.  Carbon wants a penguin, and I’ve signed up for a zoo animal stuffie swap.  I’m going to try and translate that coloring picture of a giraffe into a felt stuffie.

I also signed up for a hand-embroidered heart swap, and I found a US stamp that I liked the design.

I’m embroidering it in green with leaves, so my interpretation is more organic looking.

Then I am also sending out a sushi themed swap, and for that one I’ve embroidered a pillowcase:

Finally, I’ve just made a felt robot for a robots and rockets themed swap.  I looked at some pictures on Flickr to get ideas and inspiration, then I sketched it out and hand-stitched it.  I put pipecleaners inside the arms so they are posable.

I think this same robot would be a cool applique on the front of a shirt for Carbon.

I’m having so much fun with these little projects!  My hands are always busy while I’m watching TV or a movie at night with DH, and I also work on them while I’m watching the kids.  This new hobby is fitting in nicely.