Last of the Knitted Items for Emma

I have been busy trying to finish off some knitted bonnets for my granddaughter Emma. She won't leave the beanies on, so my daughter has asked if I will knit some bonnets for her. She also asked if I would knit Emma a jacket and bonnet in Red and White for their Football Team. So now I have completed all that was requested of me. Here they are:

Now on to make the Family Theme item for July.

June 2011 - Under The Sea

I have finally finished the Under the sea theme for the sewing group....a little late seeing a it was supposed to be finished in June. But better late than never.

I personally don't like these two Dee Dee Dolphins. The pattern was easy, but the instructions were confusing. So I ended up doing it my way using the picture. I sewed all the top section (dark blue) together, I then added the mouth, and fins and tail. I did the same thing with the bottom section (light blue), and then I joined the two sections together, leaving the end near the tail open. I stuffed it and then hand stitched it together.

I have no idea why the tail on both these are twisted, but as they came out the same....it looks quite quirky. The whites of the eyes to me are too big, so next time I will definitely make it smaller. The eyes are felt which have been glued on using craft glue.

I was going to put a bell in each dolphin, but thought I won't do it this time. Maybe next time.

I hope my next project works out better.

My Op Shop Stash...

I thought I would look in the Op Shop in town, I was hoping to find some patterns on toys or childrens clothes....but they only had adults. But I did find a treasure trove of material....

 I got:
1.5m x 150cm bright Fleecy material
2m blue dove stretch material
60cm white cotton with thin blue squares
0.5m sheer black print material
3 x packets of mixed cotton craft material - some between 0.5m and 1m.
Fleecy material in Navy, Burgundy and Cream
1 packet of black stem buttons for dolls eyes
6 sets of pink snaps
Total price $11.50

I reckon I got a bargain. There is no way I could of got a 1/4 of that for that price in the shops. I am definitely going there often :)

Dolls Are Now Completed

Well last night I managed to complete the hair on the final doll. Both dolls have taken me about 2 weeks to make, the hair took the longest as each strand of hair is tied on separately. So both dolls have ribbed socks, felt shoes, knickers with frills, their dresses and their sun hats. The faces has been embroidered by hand. It has been about 15 years since I last made a doll, I'm glad I haven't forgotten how.

I now have 2 baby blankets to make and embroider. I am still working out how to use my embroidery machine, so that might take a while to complete.

I have managed to finish off the jacket and matching beanie. I found 3 cute little button with flowers on for this. I also made and have now finished "Little Pig". It even has a cute curly tail.

My darling husband has bought me a Janome 300E Embroidery Machine, for Mother's Day. It is being sent from QLD, so I am hoping it will arrive next week. I now have just about everything I need for my machine, I have bought some threads (but I can always do with more :) ), I also have a selection of designs to try out. One in particular I am dying to do, its a Baby's Word Book, it 10 pages and each page has a picture and a word on it. The pages are sewn together back to back, and all the pages are joined using ribbons through embroidery buttonholes. I can't wait to do this one.

I need t get some Calico tomorrow, so hopefully I can start on the two dolls I want to make. It will be nice to get some sewing done, I am having a rest from knitting and crocheting now.

Finishing Off Unfinished Work

Well as my granddaughters are only 5+ weeks away, I thought I better get my butt into gear and finish off all the projects I have partly finished. I have now completed 2 crocheted cot blankets, 2 beanies, 2 pairs of booties, a set comprising a dress, bonnet and booties, and I made a tiny teddy to go with it.

At the moment I am knitting a jacket, beanie and booties. After this lot I think I will stick to sewing some things. I have to make the play mats, bibs, and what ever else I fine in my books to sew. I have included the pictures of my latest work.

I found my old quilt

Well I have been sorting out my study....which has now turned into a work room. The pictures are what it looks like now. I like how its all in one place, plus I have a nice work table for all the other jobs of cutting etc I need to do.

While I was sorting out the room I found an old quilt I was making when I was about 12. It is all paper templates, tacked and then stitched together by hand. So I am thinking of using this as a centre piece in a quilt for either a cot or single bed for one of my grandchildren. Looking at it now, my tastes have certainly changed, I would not use some of those colours now. But I am amazed I could sew so well at that age.....its quite good and has lasted for the 37 years its been stuck in a plastic bag. I must have been pretty cluey back then....lol

I am resizing some patterns out of a book....the old fashioned way. of drawing the squares and enlarging them, then drawing the image in the squares.....very tedious but effective.

I have here the Rocking Cradle that my husband made, and the accessory kit that comes with each cradle. I had a little trouble with it, I found using toy filling made it too thick and this made it too narrow to fit the base of the cradle. So I unstuffed it and used quilting batting, which turned out great. The sheets and pillow where perfect. But the quilt I will have to make wider, the length is fine. I guess its not bad for a first attempt. I'll be glad when I get my Embroidery machine then I can just stitch a design on the quilt, like butterflies, etc, instead of trying to work out what to add to it. 

I am also knitting some things for my two unborn granddaughters. I have done 2 pairs of Booties, 2 Beanies, 2 crocheted blankets, and now I am doing the back of one of the dresses. So I have another dress, 2 bonnets and 2 pairs of booties to finish before they start arriving next month and the month after. So I better get a move on I think....lol

Just some of the things I have made.

April 14th 2011

I have just finished making a mattress, quilt, 2 sheets and pillow for the Rocking cradle my husband has made. This cradle is a gift for one of our unborn granddaughters (our son and his wife). For our daughter we made a Rocking Horse, which has been passed down through 3 children and will now be used for number four.

My husband and I love making wooden toys and we hope to set it up as hobby. We have been trying to do this for years, but something or other has always gotten in the way. Every Birthday or Christmas I would give my husband tools for his hobby, he has almost everything he needs now. Now it is just a matter of getting organsied to start making more than the odd one here and there.