Sewing

Big News!  Some of you have been asking for years and finally I finished a sewing pattern for my sock unicorn, horse, and zebra!  The pattern is called Pasture Pals and is ready for you to buy today!  To make it an even sweeter, it’s currently 40% off!  Yea!  You can find it here.

And now for those of you who like the long back story and to see variations I’ve made over the years, here you go:

This post is years in the making.  When I first started The Nesting Spot in 2009, I made sock and glove animals.  I loved making them but after my third child was born it became too challenging to keep up with the demand and I didn’t charge enough for my time.  So, I stopped making them to the dismay of some.  I still get so many people coming to my shop in search of them.

I considered creating patterns for my animals over the years but between being conflicted about giving the information away and also the huge hurdle for me of figuring out how to make a pattern, I continued to put it off.  When I moved to Scotland I thought it was time to finally write them as shipping from here is more expensive and complicated. With my unicorn and zebras being among my top sellers I decided to start with this pattern.

I started the process more than once, but each time I’d get stuck at some point with questions like which computer programs would be best to use, should I use pictures or illustrations, how detailed to make the instructions, and on and on.  I would just become a deer in headlights and put it off to focus on other, more familiar items on my to-do list.

Finally last year, almost exactly a year ago, I was approached by a woman who wanted a pattern for the unicorn so she could make one for her granddaughter.  In the past, I told people no or to check back because I had plans to make one, but this time I used it as the push I needed to finally get going.  I do so much better when I have a deadline and the accountability of someone counting on me.

In 2 weeks I created the first draft of the pattern and sold it to her for a reduced rate with the promise I’d give her the full pattern for all 3 animals when I finished it.  Since this was happening in Oct-Nov., which is the busiest time of year for me with making my ornaments, finishing it was put on hold.  Then finally a few months ago after more starts and stops and getting stuck or frustrated I made some leaps forward.

Nothing about this has been fast or easy for me.  It’s really pushed me out of my comfort zone.  Someone might look at it and wonder what all the fuss was about, but for a novice like me it was a lot of work.  With the groundwork laid, I’m very hopeful the next pattern will be much faster to make!

My mom suggested I call the pattern “Taming Wild Horses” because it was such a beast to get done.  I thought it was a clever idea but ended up going a different direction.  But, I am so thankful to say that I did tame those wild horses!  The 12 pages full of instructions, photos, tips and patterns are available for you to make your very own versions of the sock horse, unicorn, or zebra!  They make wonderful baby, birthday, or Christmas gifts.  Or you know, just because.

The pattern is normally $9 but right now it’s on sale for 40% off!  So get it while the price is extra good!  Here’s a little sneak peek at some of the pages so you can get an idea of what it looks like.

I really hope you like it!  Please send me pictures of the unicorns, horses, and zebras you make.  You can email them to me at jocelyn@thenestingspot.com or tag me on Instagram or Facebook.  I’m thenestingspot for both of those platforms.