Tall skinny animals and other things

These were some of the things I made for the fete this year.  I probably made fewer items, but enjoyed making them more and was happier with the outcome than in past years.  Though I quite enjoy the challenge of seeing what has been donated and turning it into something, it's rather nice working with fabric that I really love.

The monkeys, rabbits and rag dolls are mostly fabrics that I bought back from Japan.  All dots and stripes are not equal.

I'm still not over tiny owls and mice in tiny beds.  When I was a kid I did a Saturday morning pottery course for years and years.  I made lots of different things, but I kept returning to dragons again and again, even though I was not otherwise interested in them.  I wasn't into fantasy novels at all (romance all the way) nor was I attracted to other representation of dragons (I had a pig collection).  I just really liked making dragons.  And it seems in my 40's I really like making owls.  And mice.  And possibly now, bats.  We shall see.  I think tiny bats in beds could be quite adorable.

All The Pretty Horses

My sewing definitely goes in fads.  I've whipped up 10 of these pretty horses in the past week, and they are not quick to make. But they are just so satisfying, the way three simple pieces of fabric come together into a very horsey shape.  There is, of course, also the fiddly addition of ears, and the mane and tail, and stuffing always takes time. I think the vintage fabrics, partly from stash, partly from Joan and partly donated to the craft stall, work well.  The pattern is from Karin Neuschutz's 'Sew Soft Toys', a kind gift from Suse.  It's the third thing I've made from the book and all the patterns so far have been simple but excellent.  I think you'd need reasonable sewing experience and a fairly clear idea of how to put something like this together though, the book is not terribly detailed and might be a bit confusing for beginners.
I'll quite possibly never make another one of these.  I think I've had my fill(y).

Playmats and Elephants

I haven't quite got the whole cloth quilt thing out of my system. I am crossing fingers and toes that there will be some new babies in my life soon (not my own, babies of close friends) but in the meantime I've been doing some cheap and cheerful versions for the school fete. These are Ikea fabrics, decorator weight and more suited as playmats, or pram covers than for cots. I really like some of the fabrics at Ikea and I really like the prices too. The elephants are old hat, but have a patterned side and a striped side for fun.

Things to Do When You Are Bored in The School Holidays (Pt 5)

Grace's

Nina's

Ruby's

Lily's

Make weird furry monster cousins for your monster friends. These were made with Kim. Both Ruby and Nina have done quite a bit of sewing these holidays, mostly clothes for their toys. I used to try to steer them into projects that I thought were suitable for their skill level - pillow cases, bags and so forth. But of course it is much more fun and interesting for them to attempt the things they actually want to make, even if they are not always totally successful. And because they are in control of these projects, I don't have to be 'patient' with them, I don't have to help them, or really do anything at all except show some interest in the finished object. Ruby, in particular, has really increased her confidence in sewing. Like quite a few eldest children I know she can be quick to feel she is 'no good' at something if she doesn't get it right immediately. I don't believe anyone is good at sewing immediately, (or piano, or cooking or a million other skills). You have to either methodically learn or, as I prefer, plunge in and stuff up and try and press on.

see other things to do when you are bored in the school holidays here, here, here and here

Barrel of Laughs

First there were two:

Then four:

Then a whole barrel of monkeys.

Our craft group got together to solve the worlds problems and make sock monkeys for the school fete.  There is a lot of stuffing involved in making these little cuties, and they do take quite a bit of time, but hopefully they'll appeal to our school community and get snapped up come October.

Little Rabbit

Isn't this rabbit sweet? I made it from a kit from this website. Normally I avoid kits, but I wasn't confident of being able to ge tthe exactly right thickness of felt for this.   The kit included a generous allowance of felt (enough boot felt to make a second pair) all the threads, liberty prints, yarn for the capelet and even elastic for the gathers in the dress.  It was an excellent, easy to follow pattern, with very handy details (use starch to make the whiskers stiffer, dab a bit of ink from a stamp pad on to make the cheeks) and was a joy to sew up. The entire body and boots are handsewn and all up, including cutting out the pattern and knitting the little capelet, it took four evenings to finish.  I also bought the patterns for a knitted dress and cardigan, but haven't knitted them yet, as I don't have a set of 3.75mm circular needles. It is one thing I find a bit frustrating about knitting - that there are so many needles that are required and the set I need invariably seems to be the set I don't have. I suppose the true knitter just gets everything - straight, dpns and circular needles in every size. I guess it would still be significantly less of an outlay than my sewing machine.

While I was stitching the bunny, I wondered how she'd look in linen. The pattern obviously doesn't have a seam allowance, as all the stitching is external, so I added a quarter inch seam allowance and whipped this one up on the sewing machine last night. I haven't made the boots and dress yet, but I was pleased with how she came together.

Linen must have more give than felt, as the head after stuffing looks quite a bit bigger than the felt head. I can feel a batch of bunnies coming on, they are so pleasing to make.

Chenille (but not Janelle)

chenille dresses

Spring in Melbourne means school fete season. I love the community spirit and the thousands of hours of work done by parents all across town to put these days together. I don't love the fact that the money raised is so desperately needed by our schools to fund essentials, such as our school music program.

chenille toddler pants

Someone donated some old chenille bedspreads to the craft group, and they found their way to me to be turned into toys and clothing.

chenille elephants  - waiting for eyes to be stitched

Although chenille is apparently french for caterpillar, it seems such an Australian word to me.

I think my (heretofore unknown) desire to work with chenille has well and truly expired. I hope attendees at the fete have not similarly exhausted their desire for all things chenille. Is it all a bit 90's or is there still an appetite for clothing that makes you look like a colourful woolly mammoth?

Vale Tigey

Granny gave Ruby her Tigey for her first Christmas. For many years Tigey went everywhere with Ruby but in more recent times, he's stayed closer to home. He's been loved so much the fur has worn right off his tummy. He has a belly button. He sleeps round her neck. She says that because he's so worn, he gets cold quickly. That's a good thing. He ends up deposited all over the house and we often have a hunt at bedtime, trying to remember where he was last seen - on the side of the bath, at the foot of our bed, under the bench.

When she opened her backpack and realised he was not in it, there was a howl like I've not heard before. She keeps reliving the panic she felt when she knew she'd left him on the plane. She says it's the worst thing that has ever happened to her. It's her first experience of grief.

Endless phone calls to airports all over the country have not met with success. Each morning she has to remember, again, that he is gone.

Like many things that are silent, he seemed to have a sort of wisdom. I miss him too, I miss seeing him there, with her, always.

I walk the line

I try to walk the line between adorable and nauseating.  Sometimes I'm sure I cross it.  Here is Parsley from a pattern by the great Ric-Rac.

Parsley has tea

I've never stooped to doing mother/daughter ensembles, but daughter/toy ensembles?  oh yeah, done those....

Lily's pinafore and Parsley's dress