penguin

I was sewing on and off on this little Penguin backpack in almost black denim for the past week and just finished it in time for the third birthday of a little friend of ours. It's coming into being turned into a progress report of Little E; while I was tracing the pattern from the book, talking to her about all the different parts, she fell asleep on her blanket next to me, napping for the very first time on the floor. While I was piping the feet she rolled from her belly to her back. While I was busy with the zipper she grabbed tightly around her red wooden play-ring. And when I showed her the final product she firmly reached for Penguin's beak and put it in her mouth. 

The pattern comes from Little Things to Sew and was great to follow. Putting the bird together in so many little steps and with only one eye and a quarter of one's mind focused on the task at hand, really shows when instructions are clearly written; and these are. I had no difficulties sewing the backpack and more importantly finding my way back into the project after every interruption. 

The only mini alteration I made to the original is the added piping on the feet, the beak (cut from an old skirt of mine) and the belly (the latter then also being 'stitched in the ditch'). The original pattern pieces have practical pivoting dots, so it's really easy to add the piping; just cut little notches where the piping will meet the dots to curve the cord along the stitches.

Comments

[kristin]

that little penguin pack is adorable, sophie! i love the different textures in it.

[Cirque Du Bebe]

Lovely version!

[Bruna]

Your penguin is adorable!
I have this book and want to make my 2 year-old nephew a penguin too ;)