We are beyond thrilled to hand Auribuzz over to Stacy Iest Hsu. Her debut Aurifil thread collection launched at Spring Market earlier this year to coordinate with her Moda collection, Woof Woof Meow. Stacy is known for her super cute illustrations, delicious color pairings, and her delightfully adorable cut & sew panels. Today, Stacy joins us for some tips on working with those panels, just in time for the holidays. To learn more about Woof Woof Meow and to hear about how Stacy got started in this wonderfully creative world, check out our launch post right here.
The holiday season is upon us and I can’t think of anything better than a homemade gift. What’s that you say? You have a severe phobia of sewing machines? Have no fear, I have the perfect project for you. It does involve a sewing machine, but the project could not be any easier and the cuteness factor is off the charts. It’s the Woof Woof Meow dog and cat panels!!! This project is sew much fun to make and if you use these simple tips, you will be running to the stores to buy your next panel.
Tip #1
I don’t usually wash my panels before I use them, but I always press all my pieces after I cut them out. This really helps when pinning all the pieces together.
Tip #2
After sewing the pieces together, make sure to trim the excess fabric and clip all corners and curves. This will eliminate bulk and puckering.
Tip #3
When stuffing your cut and sew, make sure to be generous with the poly fil. You want it to be pretty full so that it doesn’t look limp or lumpy. I like to use Silky Soft for all my stuffed toys.
Bonus Tip
A fun way to really personalize your cat or dog is to insert a recordable sound box on which you can record something special or even the sound of a cat or dog. It can be as simple as “C is for Cat” or “I love you”. The boxes can be purchased online and are really easy to use. Then, every time the animal is squeezed, the child gets to hear the special message or sound. Such a great way to make the toy more personal and interactive!
The Woof Woof Meow panels are great for beginners because they are bigger than the previous panels. Two panels plus an Aurifil Woof Woof Meow thread box would make the perfect gift!
So… I might know how one lucky person could win this great gift. I’m having a give away on my Instagram account. One lucky person will win both panels as well as an Aurifil Woof Woof Meow thread box. Hop on over to @stacyiesthsu on Instagram to find out how you can win this great prize!
Thank you to Stacy for sharing some fantastic tips. I actually just purchased my panels and will be stitching these up for my kiddos for the holidays! I’m so excited! <3
ABOUT STACY
Website — Blog — Facebook — Instagram — Pinterest
Stacy lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. She has been a textile and product designer for over ten years and has designed for such retailers as Janie and Jack, GapKids, Target, and Tiny Prints, among others. Recently she decided to branch out independently to market her own line of original creations. For Stacy it has been a dream come true to work with Moda and Aurifil and she can’t wait to share her exclusively designed collections with the quilt and crafting community.
ABOUT WOOF WOOF MEOW
100% Aurifil Cotton, 12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool)
Colors included:
2465 – 2460 – 2440 – 2435 – 2310 – 2311
2785 – 1158 – 2847 – 5007 – 2340 – 2318
Beautiful! Going to look for the panels! Great gift ideas for little ones in our life!
Nice panels and great tips for making them. Wish I could enter the drawing; however, I don’t do Instagram.