Creating Bunting

Whenever I embark on a new creative hobby, I don't usually remain enamoured with it forever.  After a few months or even a year, I abandon whatever I've started for a newer idea.  

However, bunting seems to be the exception to the rule at the moment. My sewing bag is currently stuffed with bare triangle cut-outs, sewn flags waiting for strings, and stacks of folded fabric, chosen but uncut as yet.

These are the last three buntings I've made: one purchased by a friend, and two for gifts.  All three are reversible, so you'll see one side and then the other.  The Union Jack one is reversible but the sides are identical.

Mandie's: 

Josie's: 

Lauren's:

As much as I'm loving sewing these fabric treats, here's a hint at the possibility of a fast-approaching future obsession.  

When I was in my teens, a favourite hobby was hand-sewing delicate Barbie doll costumes for my sisters' dolls. Ridiculously shaped as she is, Barbie is a perfect mannequin for creating intricate costumes. I'd pore over catalogues like Amazon Drygoods, copying their old-fashioned patterns into something daintily wearable for Barbie.

I haven't made Barbie doll clothes for years, but I remember well the feel of beautiful fabrics under my fingers as I hand-sewed them into period clothing reproductions. We took the kids to a Middle-Earth event last weekend, and Coo fell in love with the LOTR costumes she saw worn by the more dedicated fans.  The more elvish the ears and the longer the velvety skirts flowed to the floor the more she exclaimed.  

And I began to think about costumes, and a little girl, almost like a real live doll, who would be ecstatic over them, much more than an unappreciative Barbie...

Shabby Chic

I say this about so many of them, but I really think this is one of my favourites.  I love putting these baby feelie blankets together: choosing the colours and ribbons, pinning, sewing; creating a tiny work of art to be enjoyed and appreciated by a little baby.

Handmade Christmas

A peek into 2011 Christmas cookie madness

After a decade of baking piles of cookies at Christmas, I decided to take a break from them this year.  As much as I love trying to beat my own records of how many cookies I've made in previous years, it was time for something new.

Two years ago, I invested in soap and candle making supplies with the intention of making soap and candles as Christmas gifts. However, Christmas cookies took precedence and I didn't have time for anything else, and the same scenario was repeated the year after!

I decided this year was going to be different, and scratched "Christmas cookie making" off my holiday "to do" list.

I started making cold-process soap in the spring, and we've enjoyed using it throughout this year.  A few extra autumn batches were enough to use for gifting.

The unused candle supplies were tempting me, too, especially after my friend Katy gave me a homemade candle for my birthday.  I decided to completely scrap Christmas cookie-giving this year, and instead pour all my creative energies into candles, soap, and lip balm. Eventually homemade granola was added to the list of "giftables". After finishing eighteen container candles, two batches of soap, three of lip balm, and five of granola... I was ready to drop, but it was worth it!

The usual round of holiday sewing included "dress-up" bags for all four kids. These have been in the works for a while, but Christmas giving was the impetus I needed to complete them.  They are large enough to contain the boys' wooden swords and bows, close with a drawstring, and have a strong loop to use for a handle or for hanging them from a hook. The boys' bags are sewn from Ikea Tidny black on white fabric and can be coloured in with Sharpies to personalise. Coo's bag is bright and cheerful Fredrika, at £4 per metre great value for money.

When Coo asked for "my own tiny bunting" for Christmas, I could not refuse.  It was the smallest string of bunting I've made yet, and she was over the moon about it.

Sewing

"Lizzie's bunting"... a large wall bunting sewn from two different fabrics -- Kaffe Fassett's Starflower Red  and Alexander Henry's Kaori Floral Bright.  The bias tape-made string is a grape purple.

And an understated "Union Jack" medium-sized double-sided bunting, with cream bias-tape for the triangles of cotton fabric, purchased from a local haberdashery.

"A new cushion for my room!" she says, pointing.  Yes, finally.  I've only had the fabric for about five months!  This is a heavy-weight Ikea cotton fabric, with an opening along one side for pushing in the soft feather inner cushion.  I used two beautiful shell buttons to close the opening.  

As usual, these completions only slightly diminish my stack of sewing projects, mainly because I add them faster than I sew them!  However, it's lovely to see three finished. Next up is completing a dress for Coo, sewing another string of bunting, and more cotton gift bags.  

More Sewing

First, we made these hats together, one for each of them.  They're French Revolutionary hats: citizen caps, which were worn as a mark of revolutionary status.  We've just finished studying the French Revolution in Story of the World, vol 3.

Next, I made yet another string of bunting.

And then another. 

Which is actually two, because it's reversible!

I sewed up more drawstring bags using fabric from my scrap pile.  These are great for gift bags, or as treasure bags.  The kids love storing little figures in theirs.

 

Now for the tee-shirt skirt.  I've been saving old tee-shirts for a while, and this first attempt at an upcycled tee-shirt skirt came together nicely.

I did have to put a short length of elastic in the back because I just couldn't get the waistband quite right; the ancient tee-shirt I used for it had lost most of its stretch.  Fortunately, there are plenty of t-shirt scraps left for another try.  I'd like to perfect a tee-shirt skirt pattern that could be made again and again.  Already, I have plans for the next one, which includes embellishments like embroidery and applique.

It's so easy to keep making things for Coo; her appreciation is instant and joyous.  She loves this purple velveteen cloak.  The boys call her Arwen when she wears it.

Finally, I gathered up the scraps of a slightly felted purply-brown woollen jumper and made myself and Coo some cosy upcycled leg warmers! Here she is, shall we say, modelling them.  She was blissfully excited when they were slipped on over her tights this morning.  "They're so soft and lovely," she said happily.

Comfort Blankies

Righty and Lefty have always loved their comfort blankies, made by Grandmother and my sister Emily.  Even now, the scraps of their blankies that remain are tucked into little bags and safely hidden away in their beds.

Mr J never really acknowledged that his blankie existed.  Carefully folded among his stuffed dogs and animals, it stays there still, in spite of the fact that it was given to him at every opportunity when he was tiny, no different from the others.  

When Coo was born, Mr J kindly offered his blankie to her, but I had another one ready.  Two, in fact.  Lefty's first blankie was lost, sadly, when he was around twelve months old, and we learned our lesson about always using the loops to attach the blankie to pushchair straps while out!  When I realised Coo was very attached to her feelie blanket, I made a second identical one.

  

These blankets have truly "comforted" over the years.  During a long drive in the car, or any similar time when baby has had to wait for breastfeeding or holding, snuggling his or her feelie blanket has done the trick.  Most of the time.

I've made so many of these for friends' babies, and their friends' babies.  Nowadays I fold the blankie carefully into a simple handmade drawstring bag for giving away.  A few blankies made last year include these:

I am setting up an Etsy shop to sell simple handmade items that we use every day, and plan to include comfort blankies.  If you'd like to place any custom orders for one of these blankets now, please feel free to contact me via e-mail for details!

Finished

These photos aren't great, but here she is.  I haven't named her.  We'll leave that to Coo.  She has no hair [yet] but I crocheted a crimson beanie to keep her warm for now.

Modelling her flannel shorts and top underwear/pajamas set.

Vibrant and beautiful dress.  I started out with the intention of using Mexican influences for this dress, but clearly somehow managed to end up in Africa!  Is that a queenly posture or what?

So onwards now to the birthday.  I hope to be posting a Coo birth story at some point this weekend!

A few people have asked, so here's the link to the website where I purchased the doll materials.

Birthday Preparations

Or, what I've been up to in my not-so-spare time.

I've created oversized, simple rag dolls with crazy heads of yarn hair and dungarees made over from daddy's old jeans for each of our boys.  This doll, for the Tiny Feminine Person, has marked my foray into slightly more complicated doll territory.  I'm enjoying every minute of its creation... even though the hours until the Birthday are quickly ticking down. She is two on Friday. Where have these last twenty-four months gone?

The Joy of Completion

Most days I look at the growing pile of projects on top of my sewing machine and sigh.  It will never, ever diminish and go into the West, like Galadriel.  Or wherever she went.  It will keep breeding and multiplying, like the rest of our stuff.  And yet, wait!  Happy news.  Some of my New Year's projects are finished!

When I handed him his jumper to try on, Mr J gave me one of his sweetest smiles.  That has to be one of the reasons why I do this... I love seeing my kids' faces when they receive a Mama-made gift.

Coo is the recipient of two other completed items.  She carried her skirt around with her for a while as it drifted slowly away from its hanger, saying, "Dess! My dess!"

The original women's skirt was a tangerine colour, size 12.  I put it through a green dye wash, sewed new side seams to create an A-line, slimmer silhouette, then scrapped my original idea for a drawstring waist, going instead for the longer job of a proper waistband.  The drawstring (or elastic) would have been too bunchy for my tiny girl.

And she's wearing her wool leggings as I write.  They are too big, but the wonderful thing about that is they will fit her perfectly next winter.  She's teething right now, poor soul, and needing plenty of cuddles.  In her soft leggings -who needs to know they used to see the world as a baggy old jumper?- she's a very snuggly little person indeed.

January Reflections: Homemade

Shop-bought or homemade?

Hmm...

What do you think?

Homemade, of course!

Thick, fudgy chocolate cakes, heavy with real butter and an 85% cocoa solids chocolate-laden icing...

Cosy knitted scarves with that snuggly, unmistakeable handmade-ness about them...

Patchwork quilts that are already worn when they are new because they're crafted from scrap fabric...

Colourful paintings with splotchy spots of chalky watercolours, made by miniature humans...

Coffee so fresh the beans were only ground two minutes before you took the first sip...

Lentil soup, rich and brown, with buttery soft vegetables melting into it...

Unwanted clothing re-fashioned into something that will actually be worn...

Homemade is you, making something yourself.  Something that will be used... eaten, drunk, and worn; something that will be treasured; something that will last; something that often cannot be replicated; something that you love.

Here's a quick peek at a random handful of homemade things seen around our house in 2010:

 Tie-dyed t-shirt

Coo's birthday dress, made from a ladies' smocked top

A bit of pie-crust all to herself

Chocolate Guinness wedding cakes

 Baby feelie blanket for a miniature Smith

Cardboard Roman armour, made by Themselves

 Lentil soup... yummy!

Spicy gingerbread people

Felt Christmas ornament, complete with thrifted button and a smidgen of sheep's wool to decorate

So, yeah, homemade... I'm not saying it's always better, but it is more fun!