Usually I just give money but I decided that this year I would "do something different" which is the charity's motto. So... I got together with James' school and we have put on a little competition for the children - Design an Outfit for Pudsey. The prize being a Pudsey Bear dressed in the winner's own outfit design. It was £1 to enter and my only worry was that enough children would enter to make it worthwhile. But there were 145 entries, which is just brilliant! And the standard of entry was unbelievably good. You can see a slideshow of them at the top of the sidebar. So far there's only about 50 entries uploaded - it's a slow job!
Three outfits in a week is not trivial, even when they're bear-sized. So I made the toiles last week for a shirt and pants. I started off by drafting a t-shirt pattern just as I would do for Laura. It didn't fit. Pudsey, I discovered, is a very odd shape!
So after a lot of re-drafting and tutting, I went for the Project Runway approach, and did some draping. Even with paper, this worked much better and I moved onto the trousers.
These were impossible to do with paper so I used some calico and put together a very odd looking pattern that actually made up into an acceptable, if snug, pair of trousers. I then made up the top in the calico, and that was fine too.
I've already chosen the three winners and their outfits are completed, bar some hand finishing. They were so much fun to make and I think the children will be pleased with how their designs turned out. I'll be posting pictures on Friday, after the children have received their prizes. I will also be posting a PDF of the patterns - I couldn't find any free patterns for Build-a-Bear Workshop clothes online and I think that needs to be remedied! So watch this space...
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