I have stepped over a new line, or two. I’ve been admiring softies for a while now, carefully secreting away patterns that I thought I might make, retrieving them from magazines, cautiously storing the links in a folder marked “Someday I will make..” and of course stockpiling supplies. This week, I’ve finally done it. I have made my first softie. I have also entered into the world or parental bribery.

While not earth shattering, this little cat is a fair first step. It is from a pattern in “Simple Softies”. If you need a good place to start, I would say this is it. Lots of straightforward patterns that a quite easy and quick to make. I spied this cat and within an afternoon, had the materials carefully picked out and a little cat almost complete. The instructions are quite clear and there are no complex joints or insertions to make in the patterns.

However, the notion of bribery didn’t enter my head immediately. It just snuck up on me. Little E was very obliging in picking out some purple felt and sparkly ribbon and watched me making it intently. It was almost finished by her bedtime. There is a certain ownership that comes with picking out the colours yourself. She asked if she could take it to bed. I assured her that, when it is finished she will find it waiting beside her bed, but only after spending the whole night in her own bed. Until then, the little cat has short access visits with her as all three of us, cat, babe and mother, all hang out for the day that the cat can wait beside her bed.

Now that I'm hooked on this thing - softies, not the bribery, what would you suggest I try next? Any favourite softie patterns you'd recommend? I'd love to know.