Finished!

Chevron cowl (for me?).

Doll Kina.  

A nice quick read! And numerous pots of tea.  

Bunny girl

This dolly is the last thing I needed to make, but of late I have been impulsively cutting out various projects in the middle of the night and then I have to make them.  I just get excited thinking if I cut it out it will be done soon!  I had ambitions of this being Miss S's Easter present (like she needs another doll, and how much do kids really need at Easter anyway?), but there was no way I could have actually made her in time.  So now complete, she is just hiding in my study awaiting a purpose- next Easter seems a long wait though!




Pattern (with face panel) is Roxy Longsocks from The Red Thread, with my addition of bunny ears and tail.  Made entirely from stash materials in what seemed to be perfect Easter colours.  I was particularly glad to make use of the yellow floral -beautiful Italian pique left over from one of my favourite dresses made years ago, and this old blue floral again.




Like the other Red Thread stuff, a lovely, fairly simple project.  It took me a few nights though, mainly due to some hours of stuffing difficulties (those crazy ears did not help).


I am such a sucker for these cute dolly projects, particularly those with freckles, and have spent far too much time admiring this one!

Happy 2012!

A few of the many things I meant to post in the last year...



Cat from Stitch magazine (Spring 2009) made for a baby gift,




April Showers scarf from the Purl Bee,




and an Oliver + S popover sundress for dolly.

More to come...

Quick Fix

I was wanting the thrill of a one night project, so made this babushka (pattern and face from the Red Thread).  Another item for Strawberry's big girl bed!  Love the beautiful face and a great way to use some quilt leftovers.  And I'm definitely keen for more fast projects now...

Lately I...

... have been quite preoccupied with preparing for what I hope will be my last exams ever, which will all be over in about a month.




... am having fun cutting out a quilt for Strawberry, to (sort of ) match this one I made for Mr F, as they will be sharing a room later this year after the arrival of baby number 3!





... am admiring this beautiful family home (that I first spotted here on the lovely homelove blog)  in Inside Out, as well as my growing belly.




... am quite excited over this mermaid doll kit by Louise Elliot, handed down from a friend of Mum's- such cute design and great loud colours!



... feel determined to get back into making lots of things soon!

Well loved

Happy Valentine's Day!

My lovely husband gave me a waffle iron (no, he doesn't usually get me kitchen appliances but he knew I wanted one) and so we all enjoyed heart-shaped waffles for breakfast.  I'm yet to perfect the recipe and technique but still pretty good stuff!

I have spent some of today going through my old toys (pretty much dolls) to see if there is anything suitable for Strawberry.  Several of the most special ones are now spotty with rust.  I'm torn between whether to keep them or not.   Especially as I've kept them this long!

Hannah here is the only example left of a doll I made as a child.  I was given this book from Mum when I was in primary school, and loved it.  It was about a little girl making dolls and quilts in the 1800s on the Kansas prairie.  I also did a doll quilt kit from the same range (still have another one not yet made up) and a Christmas cross-stitch.  All very much in keeping with the whole country look popular at the time - I remember tea-dyeing stuff!  So maybe the rusty look would be considered okay?

This is the remainder of her little wardrobe.  The doll and clothes were all hand sewn- pretty apparent if you look close enough.  I love the drawstring on the pantaloons, just the sewing thread!

Last of all are these- Strawberry Shortcake and her cat made from a panel by Mum, a pegasus toy given to me at birth and two Holly Hobbies.  All rusty!  Maybe this will be the last evidence I have of them or maybe I won't be able to let go.  I am tempted to cut up Holly on the left's non-rusty dress for that great 70s patchwork print! 

Cute new/old things.

Okay, so I have been doing nothing except working the past six days, and now, on my one day off for the week, I am sick.  Which should not surprise me as everyone else in the house has their turn with the same thing this past week.  Still, I am feeling quite sorry for myself.

These recent arrivals are courtesy of my aunty.  The Pippi doll she picked up in Sweden as a Christmas gift for Strawberry, who loves her and calls her 'Ippi'.

And the buttons were long stashed, awaiting some children to be able to use them- a lot are animal shapes, some are sparkly, some pearly and all are fairly small, so ideal for kid's clothes.  Some were handed down from my uncle's mother in Sweden, some were on my Mum's and aunty's clothes made by my Grandma.  I hope to use lots of them, although (despite my determination not to hoard), I too am sure to hand some down, unused, to my children one day!