Thursday 4 June 2015

Creature Creation Part I (Meet Percy)

So last week I started moving, from one side of my bedroom wall to the other (at the request of my landlady) which coincided with me buying a new to me sewing  machine. Moving stresses me out, even packing to go home for a few days stresses me out so inevitably I decided to add another project to the on the go list whilst I move (makes sense doesn't it??). And because it made even more sense to me I decided it would be a mouse. A mouse became a couple of mice, which became a whole host of potential creatures. I blame pinterest.



I started collecting ideas, techniques, shapes, clothing ideas etc (you can see the whole board here) and came up with the designs below. 


They are circus mice, they will be made entirely from thrifted materials and look a bit shabby (on purpose). I want them to look like they have been in the circus for a while and getting a bit grubby around the edges. 


"He" has a name now, Muscgo Pelouse, don't ask, I have my reasons. "She" has no name yet. I am still plotting that.


Problem was I had never made a creature before, well anything beyond a bean shape with ears. So I had to draft all the patterns from scratch. That is how Percy came about. He is the practice for my later mice, Muscgo Pelouse and Mademoiselle Souris (Miss Mouse in French, her name for the moment).


I drafted a pattern which was wayy too small to start with, so this is kind of attempt 1.5. He was going to be a mouse but his arms were too long and the body looked more like a rabbit so he had a species change.


Now I am pleased in that I have never made a creature before, but he is not as elaborate and elegant as I hope the mices and mouses to be. He has a ticket around his neck because a little French boy I know took a great interest in the mouse drawings and it is his birthday this weekend, so Percy is going to be left on his doorstep whilst he is at school for him to find when he returns-- don't worry they live in a secure apartment block, Percy will not get stolen.


A great deal of Percy was made on the go, in the metro, in the park... This shot was taken whilst I was sat in the park. The kids found him very intriguing.


Attached to his train ticket is a little note explaining that he is Percy, that he got lost in England and somehow ended up in Paris and is looking for a home. That he loves blackberries, tea (he IS English!) and playing hide and seek


He has a little waistcoat too.


And very long legs for running!

For the mouse I will shorten the arms and put in real joints so the limbs move, obviously alter the ears and add a third panel in the head and body. I think. And make from a thinner fabric which will get stained and painted. I am excited to get started!

Oh and yes I did manage to finish moving....