Pattern (plus two), as promised

I think this will work. Click on the picture to the left, get the full size image, and you can print it out and use it as a pattern for making roughly hand-sized little creatures (a fox, a hamster or mini bear, and a bunny). I made my from wool felt, whip-stitched the edges, and stuffed before adding button eyes and other features. I would love to see anything you make from these and will post pictures of my hamster and bunny (the fox is down below, on my first post).

I make my patterns using graph paper -- in pencil, I draw out the shape as best I can (being right-handed, the left side of the image usually comes out better). I pick which side of the image, the right or left, looks better, fold the paper right down the middle, and cut out along the line (so that I get a symmetrical shape). I made these outlines by photo-copying the graph paper pattern on a copier underneath a dark piece of paper (so that I got the nice "positive" of the image). I then put that copy under plain white paper and used a heavy black pen for the outlining. I'm working on a couple of critters now that are not symmetrical -- side-views of animals -- and it's taking longer to get the pencil draft right. I am VERY relieved that Dean knew at ONCE that the one I showed him today is the opossum he requested (how will anyone be able to tell, I had asked ahead of time, if it is a rat or an opossum?, and he said confidently that the two animals are very different and that it would be obvious).

In the spirit of full disclosure I will report that Dean was angelic at lunch. Stopping at the toy store ahead of time proved the wiser choice -- for one thing, it gave him something to look at while we ate and for another, it prevented the constant "are we done yet?" that I would have been in for if I'd made him wait. So it all worked out. Marilyn even brought Dean a special Chinese New Year envelope with some lucky money in it and told us about her upcoming trip to China, earning her massive points in Dean's eyes (he was honestly just as impressed, if not more, by the impending trip as the gift). He wants me to book a follow up date with her once she's back so we can see her pictures of the trip and that certainly coincides with my resolve to get together with her more than once a year....