Handmade for Baby

It seems like forever ago that the very lovely and talented Charlotte Rivers contacted me about contributing to her new book.  Aside from feeling incredibly flattered that I had been asked, I initially felt quite overwhelmed.  The festive season was fast approaching, meaning not only were the kids on holidays and wrecking my house, but extra and later shifts at work were frequently popping up.  We had scheduled for the kitchen to be ripped out straight after Christmas in anticipation of renovations and had started ripping up our floors.  Coupled with the fact that I had had zilch experience with anything to do with publishing and no idea what was expected from me, I thought long and hard.  But only for about two minutes.  Of course I would!  How often do these opportunities come by?  Jump in!

It meant a few late nights, lots of emailing back and forth, wrangling children I had never met for photos and a couple of afternoon naps while my husband took charge of keeping the kids out of my way.  With everything else happening about the place at that particular time, I did at least at one point, wonder if I had perhaps bitten off more than I could swallow, and whether my kids would still love me when it was all done.  One-o'clock-in-the-morning finishes at work, followed by two hours of editing photos and writing instructions, only to be woken early in the morning by excited children ("What are we doing TODAY??!") doesn't make for happy times at my house.

BUT....the finished product arrived at the door yesterday, and all that has been long forgotten.

'Handmade for Baby' is an absolutely delightful book with contributions from crafters all over the world.  All the projects are for babies aged 0 through to one year old, but I think many of the crafts can be used to make gifts for older children, too.  Easy-to-make projects which use knitting, crochet, papercrafts, printing on fabric, photography and of course, sewing, are all included in the book which is full of gorgeous photos and illustrated step-by-step instructions.

I have two sewing projects in the book - this star wand rattle...

....and this dress-up party crown.

However, even if I weren't a contributor, this is exactly the sort of book I would buy if I found it at a bookstore.  So many of the designers and bloggers that I have stalked followed for years took part - Sanae Ishida, Pink Brutus Knits, Aunty Cookie, Delia Creates, StraightGrain and Paper + Cup Design, just to name a few.  I really do feel quite humbled to be included in such a talented bunch of people - like I'm one of the cool kids, finally.  Wow.

So, whether you're pregnant yourself, or looking to make something for an up-the-duff friend, seeking out a baby-shower gift for a crafty mother-to be, or you just like looking at little hand-crafted things and cute kids, you should definitely check out this lovely book of crafts made especially for babies - I don't even have a baby, and I want to make them ALL.

(A big thanks to Charlotte and all involved at Rotovision, my adorable models Nevaeh and Taylah, and my awesome and always-supportive husband, who kept the children out of my hair and therefore alive, for which I'm guessing they will be forever thankful.)

Making new friends

 

Sometimes, I just like to sit and have a muck about with my fabric scraps.  Most times, it ends up with me swearing like a trooper, throwing said muck-about in the bin and storming off to bed angry at myself for wasting hour upon hour on achieving nothing. 

But something really magical happened this week, and I ended up with this little lady sitting on my bed and an absolute tonne of ideas for more.  I felt extremely happy as I was making her, disappointed when I had to put her aside to do other things, and really excited about getting back to finishing her off.  Now that she is finished, I'm looking forward to making her a friend, or four.

She marries up alot of my interests - sewing, old time theatre, period costume, toy-making....um, pom poms.  I'm looking for ways I can somehow weave in children's clothing, and I think I've struck upon something.  Then again, it may be nothing.  I guess we'll see.

But even if not, I think I might have found my thing. She still needs some tweaking before I'm completely happy, but I'm mostly glad about how she she turned out.  And she didn't make me curse one single time.

I recently made my friend this rabbit doll, which she has christened Tilley.  I don't really do a lot of twee stuff for my kids anymore (one claims he is too old, and the other just steps on and destroys everything in her way), so it was nice to make something sweet and cute.  Anyway, her twin grand-daughters took an immediate liking to her, and, as Liane keeps Tilley in her car, they have developed a deep concern for her safety and well-being ("...has Tilley got her seat-belt on?  Tilley's not too hot in the car, is she?").

As being the one rabbit doll shared and looked after between two lovely, playful, protective little girls would be quite exhausting, my friend asked if I could make them one each. 

They are very much like the original Tilley, except for the neckwear, which has turned out sooo much better this time around.  I've asked Liane to return Tilley 1 to me for a wardrobe edit, because knowing she has a dodgy neck ruffle will annoy me.  I'm fussy like that.   

They have the same cotton tails and long stripy legs...

...ruffles and bows (pink for Ella, purple for Lilly)...



...and a preference for glittery party head-wear.

Party animal.

It was recently my gorgeous friend's birthday, so I made her this spiffy rabbit.  My friend is actually more of a cat person, and I tried, but my effort sort of resembled Nosferatu due to it's weirdly placed ears, and it began to creep me out.   So I removed it's head (further creep out) and made it into a bunny instead.  I shall save the old head for a future project - something Halloween-y, I suspect.  Anyway, bunnies are cute.   And I'm sure my friend will still love me.

Make a star-topped wand - tutorial

Lately, Sophie May has been watching Abby Cadabby and trying her hand at some wand waving of her own.  My daughter is a resourceful little thing, and apparently figured anything long with a rounded end would do.  After a rummage through the kitchen utensil drawer, she chose the soup ladle as her improvised wand, much to the horror of her brother, who copped it in the forehead.   Ouch.

I thought it might be better if she had a softer option.  Cameron thought it was a good idea, too.

Note!   All pattern pieces include a 0.5cm seam allowance.

Measure on a piece of paper a pattern piece for your wand.  Mine measures 45cm x 5cm.  You may want to make it a little shorter so it doesn’t wonk about (we like it that way!!)   Round off corners at one end.  You’ll need to cut 2 of these, so you’ll need a cotton fabric scrap that will accommodate the size of this pattern piece by two.

Print off a copy of this rough-as-guts star template (click on image to view full size, then save to your computer and print).  You'll need a scrap of about 40cm by 20cm.  You may want to use different fabrics for the front and back.

You’ll need some wadding – the cheap stuff is fine.  You’ll need to cut two star shapes out of this so it needs to be about 40cm x 20cm as well.

Poly-fibre- stuffing – filling-stuff.  The fluffy stuff you use to fill your soft toys.  I don’t know what it’s called exactly, but you know the stuff I mean.

Ribbon for making a decorative bow under the star.

Optional things:

A small length of thin ribbon, elastic, bought or home-sewn binding to make a hanging loop, if you want include one.   About 7-8cm long.

Embroidery floss, safety eyes (or buttons if your child is older), powder blush, etc. if you want to give your wand a face.

A jingle bell or small rattle-box.  Which makes for a great effect when bopping someone on the head with your wand.  But probably better for older kids, unless you have absolute confidence  that your child will not be able to rip your wand apart.  Sophie tends to give things a cursory glance and going over before chucking them over her shoulder and moving on to the next thing.  Cameron was more a picker and a puller (and still is, at seven).  You know your child best, so include (or not) the optional extras that best suit  your child.

Take the long fabric scrap you’ve chosen for your wand and fold in half.  Place your wand pattern piece on fabric, pin and cut out.   If you are including a hanging loop, take the ribbon, elastic or binding you’ve chosen, fold in half widthways and baste to centre of the end with the curved corners, on the right side of the fabric.

Place the two wand pieces right sides together and stitch down one long side, around the curve end and up the other side.

 

Turn right side out and stuff firmly, using the blunt end of a pencil or something similar to help you cram that stuffing in nice and tight.  Once its all stuffed right to the top, run a gathering stitch around the top several times, pulling it tight and closing it off.

For the star, fold your fabric in half right sides together, pin the pattern piece on and cut out.  Mark the opening at the bottom of the star where the wand piece is going to be inserted.  (Note:  If this wand is for a child under three, it's best to insert safety eyes or embroider French knots for eyes at this stage.  I am not an embroidery expert, and am using buttons for eyes, which I'm sewing on later, so  you’ll have to google French knots – sorry)

Now, I find it a good idea to reinforce the bottom of the star, where the opening is with stitching, because you will have to clip into that bottom  ‘crotch’ point when you push your star onto the wand.  If you don’t clip it, the crotch will be rounded and look a bit weird.  Take each star piece separately and within the bit you’ve marked as the opening, straight stitch along the edge, and into that corner, remembering the 0.5cm seam allowance.  Sorry for the dodgy diagram, I forgot to photograph this!

Fold your wadding in half so that it is a double layer.  Place your star pieces right sides together, making sure those re-inforced bottoms are together, and pin the fabric star shapes onto the wadding.

 

 With fabric star shapes uppermost and the two layers of wadding at the bottom, stitch around your star using the 0.5cm seam allowance (you will have to use the edge of your sewing machine foot as a guide, because the wadding will be covering your machine’s seam allowance guide), remembering to leave the marked opening unsewn.  Remember the stars points are not pointy, but rounded.  Rounded points (I know – oxy-moronic!) will shape nicer on turning.  Once stitched, trim the wadding back as far as you can along the seam lines without cutting your fabric, clip around curves and clip into corners.

 

Turn your star shape carefully, starting with one of the star’s bottom arms, and carrying one one arm at a time until they are all turned.  Gently poke the wrong end of a pencil into each arm to make sure they are fully turned out.

Put a bit of stuffing into the arms of  your star, and its body  to round it out a bit, but don’t fill too firmly.  Put your jingle bell or rattler in their if your using one making sure to pop it withing some stuffing so it can’t be felt too much through the fabric.

Clip into the corner of the reinforcement stitching you made into the bottom of  your star carefully,.  Insert the wand piece into the star piece (there is no delicate way of doing this, just jam and screw!), and fold those seam allowances in to form a nice angle.

 

Pin them in until your pleased with how that bottom looks and stitch the star to the wand using a blind stitch (go around several times to make sure its on nice and firm).

If you are using buttons for eyes, you can sew them on now.  Thread a large needle with strong thread, and take it through where the base of the star meets the wand at centre front and out through the star in the position you want the first eye attached. Thread your button on, then re-insert the needle under the button through the star and pull out in the position you want the second eye.

 

Pull slightly to indent the buttons, and take the needle through the buttons and the fabric back and forth a couple of times, so that eyes are secure.  Bring needle out through the star's base where you started, oversew a couple of times to secure, and snip thread off.

And look, my advanced embroidery skills come to the fore again in the form of a wide, shallow fly stitch for the mouth!  That's about as hard as it gets for me!

Make a bow with your ribbon and stitch it on at the join.  That will help cover up those bits of thread that went through there when the eyes were sewn on.  And it looks pretty!

 

If your wand has a face you may want to put some blush on its cheeks.  If the wand is intended for an older child, you could pretty it up with some sequins or beads (perhaps they could help with the decorating).  Or you could tuck five or six lengths of thin colourful ribbon into the star before stitching it to the end of the wand, to create a magic trail when it’s waved.

All done.  And much softer than a soup ladle.  Time for the bashings magic to begin!

Have a safe and magical weekend!

Easter Sunday

I hope everyone is enjoying Easter Sunday!  We are feeling a little worse for wear after spending yesterday evening at the annual Easter carnival, twirling on the scary rides (well, only one really, that was all I was able to get Cameron on.  Boooooo), watching the fireworks and playing the creepy clowns.

Wholesome-looking couple, aren't they?

The kids got loads of chocolate from Nanna, and I knew this would be the case, so I didn't buy too much for them.  I made them each a toy Easter bunny in lieu of more chocolate.  And luckily, I managed to get their bunnies finished just in the nick of time (which was no mean feat, as my boss at work has injured herself and I had to work a couple of extra shifts).  I will be more organised next year! (Ooooo, I just got de ja vu!)

Sophie May's has been dragged about by every appendage it has and has already got a splodge of breakfast on the back of its head.  Poor thing.

 

Cameron is much more interested in his egg, and is more than likely just humouring his mother, because he's a sweetheart.  Can I ask, is seven too old for giving boys this sort of thing?   Please excuse the state of his hair by the way (you can't even glue it down once it grows past an inch!)

Stay safe everyone, and enjoy the rest of your weekend x