Cushions for Kids Company

I have spent many spare moments over the past few weeks sewing....... sewing a total of 12 cushions for for some very deserving children supported by Kids Company.
Nicki in Switzerland who co-ordinates the making of these cushions asked me just before Christmas if I could help as she had a long list of cushions that needed to be made. I of course agreed. She sent me the completed cross stitch pictures, a list of names and the colours the children had requested.
I was amazed by the intricacy of the stitched pictures, and hence the amount of time that many people had put into creating these designs. My job, by comparison was simple!
I made the cross stitch designs into a pocket on the front of the cushion,

and appliqued their name on the back.The children, who have few belongings, treasure the fact that they have somewhere special to keep their favourite items, whilst they cuddle up to their colourful cushion - a cushion that has been made especially for them.

I had a great deal of fun, using up the brightest and boldest fabrics in my stash and edging the designs with oddments of ribbon that I had been hoarding for years. I found the applique relaxing and I smiled as I tried to imagine the little girl or boy it was destined for. And the bit I liked least? ... putting in all those zips of course!

7 dresses

Finally, these seven dresses have been parcelled up and posted off to KidsCompany.

Each summer I make dresses for deprived girls at Kids Company who might otherwise have to spend their summer school break in their usual T shirts and jeans. But this year, as well as some random size dresses that were sent off earlier, I agreed to make dresses for specific children. They gave me the sizes and the favourite colours of seven very needy girls, and these are the dresses I made for them. Unfortunately, I finished them just a couple of days too late to get them to them before broke up from school for the summer, so I've had to wait until now to send them off.

It looks as though summer is well and truly finished here (if it ever really got going!), but I'm sure they will enjoy wearing them with a T shirt and leggings, and they will appreciate receiving something that was made especially for them.

This one is my favourite - I think its the petite size and the bright colours that I particularly like. I was very pleased with the white edging stitch that I put on each ruffle with the overlocker.
I couldn't help thinking though, as I put a gift label on each dress, and parcelled them up, that 7 dresses is just a drop in the ocean ......so.... I'd better that sewing machine out, and make some more!

Grandma's Apron

The other day I was browsing through apron patterns on-line.

I particularly like this Stella apron from A Grand Revival designed  by Tanya and Linda Whelan

Then, quite by chance I received a round robin email from a friend with this narrative  about the wonderful uses that Grandma used to put her apron to, so I thought I would share it with you!

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

 

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Mmmmn, suddenly I think I'd better get working on that apron - its going to be so useful (not sure about the cleaning the ears bit though!!)

Old habits and new machinery

I can remember learning to sew as a young child. First the embroidered felt coasters, then clothes for my dolls and then clothes for myself. I remember helping my mum by blind stitch hemming the clothes she made for us whilst I was still too young to be trusted with a sewing machine. I took dressmaking classes at school and still remember the teacher telling us that the iron was as important a tool as the sewing machine. We had to tack (baste) all our seams by hand before machine sewing them and we weren't allowed to do gathers on the machine. They too had to be done by hand, and the stitches had to be really tiny and even. The teacher pulled them out if they weren't!

Some of these methods have obviously stayed with me for life as I still work with the iron permanently on and I do prefer to hand baste, even though it does take a lot longer to do.

I love the rhythm of hand sewing. I stitch away, listening to the radio or just quietly sew, dreaming away of all the new projects I'l make next.

That said, I love my machinery too! I have a Bernina sewing machine that was most definitely a luxury buy and three years on I'm still finding new things that it can do! I also have an overlocker (serger) to give seams a professional finish and which enables me to sew stretch fabrics beautifully.

I am lucky enough to have the space to set them up side by side so that I can switch from one to the other as I sew. My laptop sits by my side and I can watch for emails, listen to music and feel totally connected to the world whilst at the same time being in my own little stitching reverie!

Back on Track

Hi, I'm back blogging again.
I have been absent for quite a few months! Sadly, my Dad was ill and then passed away, and between looking after him and then sorting out everything I just didn't get the time to blog, but I'm back now and I'm really looking forward to telling you all my ideas for my ever expanding Etsy shop.
I'm using organic fabric now, as well as organic yarn, and I'm really enjoying sewing again.
I was sorting out all my dad's stuff and I came across the sewing basket that my Mum had when I was a kid. I opened it up, and the chilhood memories came flooding back. There were patterns I remembered sewing when I was about 10! The same little plastic knitting needles I learned on, the half finished dolls clothes and zips unpicked from worn out clothing. (yes, I've kept them! My mum was a brilliant recycler, she would be proud of me!). There were tins of pins and spools of thread and I was hooked once more.
So began a spending spree in the fabric shops. I made some summer dresses for the children of KidsCo (I'll tell you more about them in another post) and the idea of adding organic clothing to Lovefibres was born.

I just love those little knot embellishments on the pockets.
I'll be back soon to show you what I've made next - I promise!