Creature Camp: Make Your Own . 18 Softies to Draw, Sew & Stuff

by Wendi Gratz, Jo Gratz

Overview

This collection of 18 skill-building projects teaches children with no sewing experience how to sew their very own cuddly pals. From sewing on buttons to putting in zippers, this guide walks kids step-by-step through various skill levels. They will learn to embroider, turn corners, and make curves with these fun designs. Multiple examples of each project encourage them to explore ideas. Featuring shapes, critters, and monsters that appeal to kids’ imagination, the projects build on skills and develop creativity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607059752
Publisher:	C & T Publishing
Publication date:	08/04/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	41 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 Months to 11 Years

About the Author

Wendi Gratz spends her time designing sewing, quilting, and embroidery patterns especially for beginners. Her daughter, Jo, got her first sewing machine when she was four and has been sewing toys and clothes for herself and her dolls ever since. They reside in North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Dedication/Acknowledgments 4

About This Book 4

Chapter 1 Getting Started 5

Chapter 2 Basic Skills 12

Chapter 3 Straighten Up and Stuff It 18

Project: Mr. Roboto 25

Chapter 4 The Eyes Have It 30

Project: The Spooky Crew 36

Chapter 5 Stitchy Situations 40

Project: Tall Paul 45

Chapter 6 Crowing Things Out the Seams 50

Project: Silly Bean People 55

Chapter: Getting Curvy 60

Project: Clyde the Curvy Monster 64

Chapter 8 Tails, Fairy Wings, and Things 70

Project: Gus the Grinning Gator 72

Chapter 9 Getting More Curvy 78

Project: Harry the Round-Bellied Bear 79

Chapter 10 Having a Ball 86

Project: Percy the Round Piggy 88

Chapter 11 Get to the Point 94

Project: Pea Body the Penguin 95

Chapter 12 What a Bunch of Squares! 100

Project: Roland the Die 101

Chapter 13 Fat Is Good: Adding a Gusset 106

Project: Henrietta the Hen 108

Chapter 14 Fancy Stuffing 112

Project: Wallace the Whale 113

Chapter 15 Sewing Tricky Curves 120

Project: Jake the Jester 121

Chapter 16 You've Been Fleeced! 128

Project: Leif the Huggable Tree 129

Chapter 17 Fur-tastic! 136

Project: Balthazar 138

Chapter 18 Make It Reversible! 142

Project: Belle the Caterpillar/Butterfly 143

Chapter 19 Zip It 152

Project: Zeke 153

Chapter 20 Design Your Own 160

Project: Anything You Can Imagine! 163

Resources 167

About the Authors 168

Editorial Reviews

09/02/2013
While not specifically titled as such, Gratz’s book is a bit of a “learn to sew” book for children, presenting sewing skills in a logical way for young beginners. From pinning fabric to threading a needle, she and coauthor Jo, her young daughter, lead readers on to stuffed creatures that employ various sewing techniques: Mr. Roboto uses freezer paper and fabric markers, while Harry the Round-Bellied Bear will teach children how to sew a curved seam on a stuffed animal. Wendi’s personality comes through—“Get a real sewing machine, not a toy,” she insists—in a way that makes a nice change from the anonymity of other craft book authors. The book’s design is busy, with lots of tips and graphic details stuffed onto each page. Less bothersome are the delightfully amateur-looking finished softies in the photographs; it’s clear that real kids made these, which should provide ample inspiration without intimidation for young crafters. Full-color photos. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

My 11 year old son has always enjoyed sewing. I tend to have a hard time finding him easy sewing projects that aren't geared for girls. Creature Camp was the perfect solution for him to be creative, and feel like he was making something cool!

Creature Camp has 18 easy projects that teach you how to make stuffed animals. Step by step instructions that are easy to understand and get started (with parental guidance).

New at sewing? This book is great for adults to learn to sew and make small little cuddly creatures for their kids, grandkids and learn great skills while doing it. Learn to sew buttons, turn corners, attach zippers and more in a variety of creatures. The book gives many examples and suggestions to help get your imagination started.

The book starts from easiest project and gets harder as you progress. My son wanted to make the stuffed teddy bear. I love that you can easily use a fat quarter and get started on this. I could simply print off the pattern pages and we had our template. If you purchase the paper copy you can make xerox copy for your pattern. I would have loved to feel this book in my hands and flip through it. I really enjoyed the ebook version, but I tend toward being in love with paper versions more.
I thought for his first creature, this bear came out great!

1/9/14 Jubilee Reviews

Creature Camp is a book that is written for children by Wendi and her daughter Jo. It's a book of sewing basics focusing on creating fun stuffed creatures, and it's suitable for new or experienced sewists ages 9 and up. It's kid-tested and approved, because all of the sewing was done by 11-year-old Jo and her friends. Amazing!...So now let's talk about this a little more from a grown-up perspective. This is what I love:

1. Creature Camp teaches basic skills simply, and it applies to both kids and adults.
2. Creature Camp has all kinds of great ideas for things you can make for kids...or for yourself!
3. Creature Camp gives you a way to pass on a skill to your children.
4. Creature Camp presents patterns for sewn toys AND it suggests ways to make each project your own.
5. Creature Camp is a great way for kids to be able to make things for gifts (think holidays coming up!).
6. Creature Camp creates an opportunity for you to spend time with your kids.
7. Creature Camp and Wendi Gratz (Jo too!) are awesome.

With Christmas coming, I can't think of a more perfect book for kids and grown-ups alike. There is just so much cuteness that needs to be stitched and gifted!

11/25/13 Wild Olive Blog

While not specifically titled as such, Gratz's book is a bit of a "learn to sew" book for children, presenting sewing skills in a logical way for young beginners. From pinning fabrics to threading a needle, she and co-athor Jo, her young daughter, lead readers on to stuffed creatures that employ various sewing techniques: Mr. Roboto uses freezer paper and fabric markers, while Harry the Round-Bellied Bear will teach children how to sew a curved seam on a stuffed animal. Wendi's personality comes through - "Get a real sewing machine, not a toy," she insists - in a way that makes a nice change from the anonymity of other craft book authors. The book's design is busy, with lots of tips and graphic details stuffed onto each page. Less bothersome are the delightfully amateur-looking finished softies in the photographs; it's clear that real kids made these, which should provide ample inspiration without intimidation for young crafters. Full-color photos.
—Publishers Weekly; September 2, 2013

Creature Camp is a book that is written for children by Wendi and her daughter Jo. It's a book of sewing basics focusing on creating fun stuffed creatures, and it's suitable for new or experienced sewists ages 9 and up. It's kid-tested and approved, because all of the sewing was done by 11-year-old Jo and her friends. Amazing!...So now let's talk about this a little more from a grown-up perspective. This is what I love:

1. Creature Camp teaches basic skills simply, and it applies to both kids and adults.
2. Creature Camp has all kinds of great ideas for things you can make for kids...or for yourself!
3. Creature Camp gives you a way to pass on a skill to your children.
4. Creature Camp presents patterns for sewn toys AND it suggests ways to make each project your own.
5. Creature Camp is a great way for kids to be able to make things for gifts (think holidays coming up!).
6. Creature Camp creates an opportunity for you to spend time with your kids.
7. Creature Camp and Wendi Gratz (Jo too!) are awesome.

With Christmas coming, I can't think of a more perfect book for kids and grown-ups alike. There is just so much cuteness that needs to be stitched and gifted!
—Wild Olive Blog; 11/25/13

My 11 year old son has always enjoyed sewing. I tend to have a hard time finding him easy sewing projects that aren't geared for girls. Creature Camp was the perfect solution for him to be creative, and feel like he was making something cool!

Creature Camp has 18 easy projects that teach you how to make stuffed animals. Step by step instructions that are easy to understand and get started (with parental guidance).

New at sewing? This book is great for adults to learn to sew and make small little cuddly creatures for their kids, grandkids and learn great skills while doing it. Learn to sew buttons, turn corners, attach zippers and more in a variety of creatures. The book gives many examples and suggestions to help get your imagination started.

The book starts from easiest project and gets harder as you progress. My son wanted to make the stuffed teddy bear. I love that you can easily use a fat quarter and get started on this. I could simply print off the pattern pages and we had our template. If you purchase the paper copy you can make xerox copy for your pattern. I would have loved to feel this book in my hands and flip through it. I really enjoyed the ebook version, but I tend toward being in love with paper versions more.
I thought for his first creature, this bear came out great!

—Jubilee Reviews; 1/9/14

From the Publisher