Wednesday 8 September 2010

like mother, like daughter

Sewing is my passion, it always has been since I was a small girl making clothes for my dolls. I studied and stitched my way through collage and it's still what I do for work (very, very part-time) and play.

It's part of our life, my Mum loves to sew and it's very much in my family history. So it's no surprise that my girls have the passion too. Missy big began sewing when she was 3, using rug canvas and yarn. Adding in beads and ribbons as she experimented. Recently she raided my embroidery thread stash and wanted to do some 'big girl sewing' with a proper needle and a tambour

She began by making my Mum a birthday card, an embroidery of her little sisters favourite bunny.


Then she decided she wanted to make herself a cushion after seeing the one I made for a friends birthday. I gave her some some old blanket as it was very soft to work with and the weave was quite loose. She drew her design on with washable pens and off she went, happily stitching and chatting. 


Sadly like me, she also has a wandering mind and picked out a doll in a book that she wants to make next. In my mind I could see mountains of unfinished projects - best train her to finish one before starting another before it's too late....

 
After a few strops and screams I managed to persuade her that in order to make the doll she needs to learn running stitch and back stitch, so we practiced these on the last wall and windows of her house and then it was finished, phew!


Heart shaped windows - if only they were real!

That evening I added a (pink) floral backing and voila! A finished cushion.


And of course not wanting to miss out on the action Little Missy is joining in too...

I see a happy future sitting with my girls stitching and chatting, and way too much fabric cluttering up our house.

Of course she did start the making the doll - I'll keep you posted. x

3 comments:

  1. I used to have a similar image in my mind before I had children, cozy fire side sewing bees. Then fate delt me two robust and rowdy boys and my dream faded in a swamp of cars, football and pirates. Lucky you, such fantastic creations.

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  2. That's great to see your children enjoying your passion. My boys love to have a go on my sewing machine and the oldest is quite creative.
    I really hope that my daughter will share my passion and enjoy creating things with fabric.
    Jenny

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  3. That cushion is gorgeous. Our family are attempting to havea handmade Christmas this year and I would love to receive something like that from my neice.

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