Speckled Petting Mink (with tiny bow on the tail)

Been finishing up some online orders so haven't had time to post.  I actually got onto Pinterest finally (dragged kicking and screaming there, I don't need something else keeping me on the computer so much!!!).  Looked through there a bit for ideas, but at the moment there's only one new project that's going to be worked on this week.

 

PETTING MINK!  Speckled ones!

 

When the local JoAnn Fabrics store closes last spring they got to the point where the fabrics were sold by the 'bolt' at 75% off and I'd picked up a good 5 yards of thick pile fake fur (normally $14 a yard) for cheap.  I was planning on making baby owls out of it but the texture is so great it's like you want to keep petting it for the tactile feel!

 

You can't keep petting baby owls with the wings getting in the way so I pulled the old idea of 'hunting mink' I'd done for Pennsic years ago and am going to use the same pattern for these.  Basically life size limp mink with tails but no feet. Lightly stuffed, the face shaped to a point with some of the fur shaved down, nice shiny black eyes and two felt ears on them.  For the Ren Fairs this will be a nice little CHEAP item, basically they're just tubes with a bit of stuffing. They will get tails, and to fancy them up a bit I'll tie a red bow at the base of each tail. 

 

The hunting mink sold well when I did those years back, these should go well too.  Even as low as $4 each, since I saved a bundle on the fabric.  It looks similar to this but more brownish.