pandora pocket

maybe baby...

 
 

I was thinking - whilst waiting for a baby (due yesterday) - that maybe I might get back online.

I was also sewing - whilst waiting for aforementioned baby - and thought it might be a good place to start.

Having just found the post from Trula which inspired me to make this dress up doll, I realise what a shameless copy I have made. Sorry. Who knew it was so much fun designing and making clothes for a rag doll? It will be a present in the hospital from new baby to Polly, who is suddenly into zips and buttons and I'm thinking the sooner she learns to dress herself the better.

David thinks she'll like the scooter better (also from the baby. That's one generous baby).

The craft

I've been busy worshipping at the church of craft...

 

Little red riding hood hand puppet, inspired by Mabs Tyler's Big Book of Soft Toys.

 

A stack of cushions; some for Merlin's room and some for Sam and Olivia.

 

Finally finished Merlin's first cashmere sweater, from Baby Knits for Beginners, by Debbie Bliss.

 

A couple of blankets made from a pashmina that I have never worn and a pattern adapted from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. One might be for Merlin.

 

Rounded off with a little peruse of the Liberty website where their new Art Collection fabrics are available to order online. I think I have earned a nap after which will no doubt follow more craft, maybe a swim and a cup of raspberry leaf tea.

Congratulations Donald on passing your exams.

Weekend Sewing - part ii

A weekend of sewing turned into a whole week of sewing. Curtains, 3 quilts, a duvet set for Joseph, a matching birthday set for brother and sister and a black and white soft book for Merlin...

 

I am on fire (or maybe I just need to get out more).

 

Although despite having made a sizeable dent in the pile of things to do, there are still some big piles of stuff in the kitchen which need to disappear.

If you are inspired by other people's houses Design Sponge is doing a whole week of sneak peeks, although this one from a month ago is still one of my favourites.

To Do List

 

Sewing was not on my to do list for today, although these three inherited unfinished dresses, very elasticated skirt for me and new quilt were all in the general pile of sewing projects that I managed to unearth in the number one to do for today - clear out the craft room. Sewing in the sunshine is much more fun than moving stacks of fabric, painting the last wall of the living room or going to Sainsburys. It's far too late in the day to start any of those now; I might do some more sewing instead...

I can't decide between Coolicon, Battersea or Cafe lightshades.

Girls Style Book

 

A most productive weekend. With David away climbing snow capped mountains in Wales and the sewing room soon to disappear forever, I trialled a new pattern from the Japanese 'Girls Style Book'. A new birthday dress - a puffball dress. Not sure how they will look, or whether indeed they are the right size for the birthday girls in question but I will soon find out. I like them a lot. Especially in the cute polka dot fabric.

   

Ants get out of my kitchen.  

Marmite

 

Today the Marmite pot which I made for Philippa's hen night in 2003 has found a new home. Already it has found a friend who laughs a lot and loves it - and Linus is not drunk like David was every time he insisted on putting it on.

Liberty quilt for charity - A Little piece of mind.

Liberty fabric competition.

Portmeirion: Love and Peace

Work didn't call yet. Or if they did, I must have missed them which would of course be a terrible shame.

Instead I have been able to spend a couple of days with Josie on her brief visit to the UK which mainly consisted of trips to Liberty, Bridgewater, Liberty, John Lewis, Liberty again and Small White Company, interspersed with tea and cake breaks (at Liberty). We found a beautiful range of ceramics by Portmeirion called Love and Peace (in Liberty), which neither of us had ever seen before and immediately needed to own. On our return (to Liberty) 3 days later, we discovered to our horror that not only has Portmeirion discontinued this line but someone who obviously still has a job had selfishly bought most of the stock. Lucky for us they had left the odd piece or two like this sugar jar which handily doubles up as a plant pot...

 

Just finished sewing the buttons on 8 of my traditional birthday dresses. My favourite part of making these is choosing the fabrics in the first place. Still a couple more birthdays to create for before the painters come and steal my craft room away for ever.

    

Thanks Josie and Andy for fantastic Buffalo hospitality and see you in the autumn with Merlin.

Thanks shrimpers (and Marsh) for the fantastic East End Villains 40th birthday knees up.

Thanks Little Jim and Hoon for giving the (boxy but safe) Volvo a good home.

Thanks Redshaws for the silver beast.

Spring clean

A recent trip to Buffalo to visit Josie and her family proved both craftily inspirational and tough when it came to closing my suitcase. I was remarkably restrained when it came to fabrics (only 22 yards), thrifted children's clothes (only the most comedy) and Orla Kiely goods (I only bought an oven glove) from the new range at Target...

     

Whilst sheltering indoors from temperatures of around -9, Josie and I learned how to make blocks for a spiderweb quilt (Spiderpig quilt) and I have returned to the UK with grand ambitions for all kinds of crafting projects. I have started by dusting off the badge maker for Astrid and Chantal...

    

To follow, a touch of spring cleaning. I want to dust everything, throw everything away (nearly everything) and find a home for any item which I decide is necessary or beautiful enough to remain in the house. I need shelves, boxes, labels and numerous trips to charity shops. There is one room in particular which needs a little spring attention...

 

Or maybe I'll just go back to work.

Ahoy there

   

From pirate puppets to pirate Gocco prints and then my first ever knitted garment other than a scarf. I am learning that knitting might not be my strong point - it is as wide as it is long and I am hoping it will be baggy on a 9 month old with long arms rather than cropped on a 12 month old with regular arms. I will persevere with the knitting.

 

After lunch.

Fun photos from Camilla Engman and it seems as though Rob Ryan is a mindreader. 

A cowboy and two pirates

The glue has dried and the second, third and fourth birthday presents of the year are wrapped (January is a very busy birthday month) and ready to have little hands shoved inside. They are basically blanket stitched felt gloves onto which I mod podged more felt. Of course, they each have a moustache.

      

Today has been my favourite day of the year so far.