Cosy winter blanket

I started crocheting this blanket exactly 4 years ago but it was so tedious – just a row is over 100 stitches, taking almost an hour! I got bored pretty quickly and it ended up being shoved in a bag as there are much more interesting things to make and do! I got it out now and then, did a few rows and then put it away again but I was determined to get it done in time for this winter, and very cosy it is too! It’s about 2 metres squared so there are so many hours of life crocheted into this blanket! Time to get under and get cosy!

The pattern was adapted from a pattern on Ravelry.

Reconstructing a pair of trousers

Well this is the first garment I’ve made for myself for a while. I had a pair of bought trousers that I lived in and fitted nicely, so when they fell apart, I carefully unpicked the seems, taking photos as I went, and used the pieces as a pattern to make myself a new pair. I’ve taken off some weight since I made them so they no longer fit but they were very useful and I’d definitely do this again with other favourite clothes.

Toddler’s dungarees

I made my niece some dungarees for playing in. Enough of the pretty dresses for special occasions, I want her to play out in these, get mucky, fall over a lot, and all the other things toddlers get up to! My sister despaired at not being able to find playing clothes for little girls that aren’t pink and girlie so I found a unisex toddler’s dungarees pattern and started making them.

I began making the age size corresponding to my niece’s age but they were going to be huge! Although my niece is now 18 months old, she still seems to be a size 9 months! So part way through making them I started another pair in the 9 months size and even they are a little on the big side!

The pattern I used is Birds Toddlers Sewing Pattern 9828, though I made a few changes. I made the bib more angular than curved and used flat-felled seems to make them tough for playing in. It’s always good to try a new sewing technique, so I’ve now mastered flat-felled seems. My mum had some iron-on applique animals which were perfect for the bib pocket (a.k.a. dodo pocket!).

Jessica’s cloth book

I’ve made my niece a cloth book for her first birthday. I got a few ideas from other homemade cloth books but none of them really did what I wanted and it needed to be suitable for her age. I decided on a peek-a-boo book, with an animal on each page, hiding behind their hands which can be opened up to reveal their faces.

I made the pages of the book from an old pair of jeans to make the book durable – it is to withstand being pulled around and chewed on! I decided on the animals that would be in the book and designed them on paper first, making templates for cutting out the pieces of felt. Everything is machine-sewn apart from the hand-embroidered animal names, to stop my fingers aching and swelling up. I secured each piece with some Wonderweb to stop them creeping as they’re sewn on.

It’s been a long project but I’m very pleased with it, and so is Jess!

Here are a few pics showing the process of making each page:

And here are the finished pages of the book:

Here’s a video of the cloth book in action!

Owl soft toy

I quickly made this owl soft toy for my niece for Christmas. The cloth book I’m making her was going to be nowhere near ready, so that will be for her first birthday in March instead. I made the owl from the Scandinavian-styled knitted fabric from some slipper-boots I had that were falling apart. To stop the seams from fraying I sewed the owl pieces together with a very close satin stitch.  They were sewn right sides together, leaving a gap for stuffing and then turned out the right way. In the last photo, Jessica is wearing the Smart winter dress I made her and playing with the owl, while sitting on my knee at Christmas. Apologies for the blurriness but she never sits still for long!

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Jessica playing with the owl

I cut two of the owl shapes from the fabric

Sewing the eyes

The finished face and feet of the owl

The pieces were sewn together right sides facing, leaving a gap for stuffing

I stuffed the owl then turned the raw edges under and sewed the owl closed to finish it off

The finished owl