Lens Pets!

Confession time: apparently I like to steal other peoples ideas on Etsy.

In 2011 I was hired by Lifetouch Preschool Portraits as a photographer (in North Carolina). I work with children--(from babies to about 4 years old)--taking their school portraits and traveling around from school to school to do it. And these kids, well, sometimes it's hard to get their attention. I have rattles, puppets, stuffed animals, Lifetouch props, etc. Why not go the extra mile and have something that forces the kids to look directly at the camera and enables me to take photos with both hands? Done. Luckily, I came home in January for a visit and my mom was surprisingly eager to do this craft. Thank God for it because I don't have a lick of knowledge on sewing and would have inevitably hidden the results in the back of a closet like an ugly step child. Does that make sense? Where's the phrase that I was thinking of? Crap.

Anyways, here's a quick post about making these lens pets. All the photos of these pets were taken while they under constructions, still having glue and pins in some places. I'll take better photos later. There's a ton of different pets I want to make so this is just a teaser post I guess? Before the whole batch is done? Mmmk. Question mark.

After deciding which lens pets you want to make, you get supplies!

Sewing Machine

Fabric ($1.99 @ JoAnns--makes 3)

Eyes! (Different sizes)

Elastic (each takes 1 - 8.5" strip)

Felt (Purchased just about every color)

Random accessories like buttons and bows, etc

You also need a bunch of stuff like thread, pins, needles, fabric glue, fabric scissors, etc.

Lens pets are made out of hair scrunchies. I went to a lot of stores, but wouldn't you know---they aren't in style anymore! Hence, making my own. (My mom did these next steps on her own, so I don't have pictures.)

1.) Iron the fabric squares

2.) Measure 5" sections across the short side

3.) Length is long side. DON'T CUT

4.) Cut 5" strips (should get 3 with a little left over) Save scraps

5.) Put wrong side face up; fold small edge and sew across. (1 end of the fabric is finished--sew the raw edge) Repeat on other end.

6.) Place wrong sides together - sew down the long side. My mom used the edge of a zipper foot as the guide.

7.) Use a large safety pin on 1 end to turn fabric right side out. Iron flat

8.) Cut elastic the size of soup can + 1/4" for overlap. (About 8 1/2")

9.) Thread the elastic through the material and then overlapping 1/4" material, pin it together. Sew the elastic together while pinned.

10.) Line up the seams of the fabric, tuck end with stitches showing inside the other end. Pin to hold.

11.) Hand sew edges without sewing thru both sides. Sew around.

12.) Before decorating, make sure the seams are the rim of the scrunchy.

13.) Decorate.

Okay, typing that was the first time I read the instructions and it was super confusing so I'll probably have to come back and elaborate once she clarifies (I'd ask her now, but she's completely immersed in Modern Family)

My mom sewing the ends of the scrunchie together to close it

Sewing, sewing, sewing (strips waiting to be 'scrunched' on the armrest)

Finished scrunchies

We only got red, black, and brown scrunchies done today

more scrunchies...

stopped for a late lunch :)

the strips again

You know what's awesome about hanging out with my mom? She loves Dr. Phil. So I had to sit there and work and listen while a guest told the world that he spends his life outside of work acting like an 18 month old baby, diaper-baby food-clothing and all. oh joy :/ {i hate dr. phil}

Testing the scrunchie on a soup can (as a fill in for camera lens)

Also used the soup can to (with chalk) trace the outline for cats head

Adding ears

Adding a bow, nose, and tail

My mom adding the fabric glue to a lobster claw

My mess. And what I'm working off of

Using doubled up thread to create the cats eyes and mouth

Cat with Muno (Yo Gabba Gabba, kind of bad looking)

Meh, hopefully I'll get better at this. Looks more like a one eyed walrus than a YGG character

Monkey

Crab
Cat (with pin on face still)
So, that's how far I've gotten. I do not have the patience for this artsy-fartsy stuff, but I'll be glad to have these when I go back to work. And for so cheap! These sell on Etsy for over $20.
:)