DIY Life

I love to cuddle, so I can usually be found hugging a pillow if my 3-year-old or my husband are unavailable to be squeezed. Pillows are so comforting, and I just can't own enough of them.

Any project that requires time sitting at the sewing machine gets put on the back burner for me, especially in Summer. I found the perfect no-sew pillow project over at Craft Bits. All that is needed to make the pillow is fabric, filling, scissors, and plenty of patience.

You can use down feathers or other loose filling to plump up your pillow. Polar fleece is a soft, super cuddly material that doesn't fray. Lycra and knit fabrics do not fray, either. Young kids who know how to make knots would be helpful for this project; keeping them occupied on a rainy day.

When "Partners in Crime," the first official episode of Doctor Who's current season, aired in the UK back in early April, a friend suggested to me that crafty types would soon be all over the alien of the week. Because they're made primarily from human fat, the Adipose are a bit icky in concept. In action, though, they're adorable: little white globules with limbs, quirky smiles, and sweet dispositions.

Erika, of My Imaginary Boyfriend, engineered a great Adipose sewing pattern, and she's offering it for free; detailed instructions for making it up can be found on the Livejournal community Crafty TARDIS. The pattern calls for white polar-fleece (1/2 yard makes several dolls), stuffing, an iron-on transfer pen, black and white embroidery floss for the face, and a few other supplies.

We've written about Doctor Who-related crafts before, but this is much cuter than a crocheted Dalek. Still, I wonder how long it will last, given the news that the BBC is sending trademark-related take-down notices to some people who post free knitting patterns based on the show. You might want to grab it while you can, if you're interested.

(Also, see CraftyCrafty's take on the controversy.)

[via Jenny at Craft.]