The Old Quilt

FA LA LA, LA LA, LA LA LAA LAAAA!

Three things to tell you.

1) Show and tell craft.

2) Lovely blog I discovered

3) My advent purchase.

1) I have finished present number three! I am completely delighted, as if I hadn't done this, NOBODY would have got a handmade present. I couldn't give to two of the kids and not the other now could I? (This is my made-up tradition since last year. I make something for the kids each Christmas. Technically I only made one of them last year but the other was from ebay and was 2nd hand and a friend knitted the egg cosies. Actually this is my first year really doing it!)

So this is it.

I found this cardigan in a charity shop a few weeks ago and I felted it. (If anyone wants to know more about felting let me know). It is really soft. Just asking to be made into a cushion, and a feather filled one at that.

When I chopped the arms off it I was able to use some of that to make the flower. Felting is so easy and made the flower really easy to cut, no worries about fraying. I threaded the ribbon round it too to pretty it up a bit more.

I hope my eldest girl really likes this. She fell upon the cardigan when she saw it, she loved it but I told her it was for my crafting. So that solves my dilemma about who gets the dolls quilt.

 

2) I have discovered a really nice blog called Little Birdie Secrets whilst I looked for ideas on making flowers. It's now added to my side list of blogs I like, and is really worth a look at. Amazing craft ideas.

3) I wanted to show you my Advent House. I saw this in a magazine belonging to my Mum, and immediately bought it. I have been looking for an advent thing for a while now, and when I saw this from John Lewis I fell for it.

It was £30 and I was amazed to see a similar version, except with fewer doors and pictures in Great Little Trading Company, for £45. So I felt well justified in spending the money. 25 little doors or windows just asking to be opened. I squealed in delight the other night when I saw Jamie Oliver had one in his house. I can just imagine this getting old, chipped and faded over the years, and becoming a family heirloom. The kids do love it. I put three sweets in there and then they have to play a game like; 'okay I've thought of three colours, guess which ones.' And then they guess, until everyone has got one right and they got a sweet. Today it was 3 Christmas animals, which were robin, reindeer and em... another robin! Couldn't think of three after I'd told them, lol!

So 3 things for you. A whole themed post, and so soon after the last. What's going on?

Finishing gifts....and a cute idea for boys.

I finally got round to backing the dolls blanket. It's definitely a dolls blanket now. It changed several times, even during the sewing of the backing. I suddenly realised it would look so much better as a cushion, stuffed it with wadding and realised I had made it a funny length and I would need to find a custom cushion for it.

SO IT'S A  BLANKET. (decision made). Now I don't know which daughter to give it to.

I backed it with a teatowel from Homebase. Since all my fabrics are in storage still, I have to make do with what I can find. I really miss the pondering over and pulling out of fabric. The sheer enjoyment of looking at the patterns or feeling the oldness of the linens, is all waiting for me in several large plastic boxes. I can't wait.

So Homebase came to the rescue again. Quite surprising really, it's not the first place you wold think of, but I used a teatowel from there two years ago to make a little quilt for the dolls cot. Not exactly fat quarters, but you get a couple of materials that co-ordinate and also a teatowel that is not inspiring enough for sewing, so you use it as a tea towel. How novel!

Anyway I really liked the ones that they had in, and since one set were looking quite boyish I suddenly realised that perhaps I could sew something for Philip. I haven't sewn anything for him before. A dolls blanket would be a complete no-no. BUT how about a sleeping bag for his toy.

Meet Cowboy Joe. Yes he looks a bit bedraggled. He certainly has been round a few corners. I received him when I was a child, from an aunt. I absolutely loved him. My childhood teddy didn't survive as I gave him to a new Labrador pup to play with (yes, I'm kicking myself), so Cowboy Joe is my oldest toy.

I gave him to Philip when he was very small and he does love him too. He has a collection of toys that he takes to bed, but of course it suits Cowboy Joe to have a sleeping bag. You need one for all your cowboy adventures don't you?

So here it is. God, I really had to think about this one. How in God's name do I make something reversible? I managed it in the end, but it took a while to figure it out. Proudly only one seam was ripped out, and my machine behaved impeccably (I'm ashamed to admit I think it's because I changed my needle). There is a little built in pillow, and a turned down section so Joe can see out (he likes to look at the stars, and keep an ear for bears).

It didn't have to be reversible but since I liked the co-ordinating fabric I decided it had to be. Instead of completely sewing up the turned down section I left it open as I know Philip loves small spaces for storing things. Secret notes and little toys can be kept in there (or perhaps Cowboy Joes gun, remember the bears).

Much better than the CD storage box I had planned to decorate for him.