#SEWYOURSTASH - Are you taking part?

I don't know if any of you are on the same children's sewing group page I am on, but if you are you may have heard of the February #SEWYOURSTASH challenge. We have agreed to try and use up bits from our stash in an effort to sew more and clear out the bits. Some people took pictures of their stash and choose which fabrics to use but I have just been using as I came to it. The Izzy I last put on here was one of my pieces, the skirt on if was left from a dress I made dd when she was still tiny and a dress was less than a half metre. The top was from my Aunt, she sent me a box of her off cuts last year to use up. I have also made this tunic.

It started out as a skirt and then I decided to add a bodice as the fabric is left from a dress I made myself, I thought a tunic matching Mummy might be cute. This are a recent purchase I bought for a Sew Serendipity pattern. Then there was the shirt.

This has been in my stash a while waiting to be a shirt for #1 son. #2 son has a Star Wars Angry Birds shirt made last year around the time I bought these fabrics. I also made his little best buddy a shirt with different Star Wars Angry Birds fabric. There is hardly any of this left now. Next was the Hummingbird hack.

I made the bodice from the pattern and then added a skirt to make the tunic. I used a 1/4mtr of this paisley which I think is a pretty cute fabric. It came in a bundle I bought online while we were still in Germany. It makes her paisley collection up to three pieces. The weather need to be a bit warmer but hopefully spring isn't too far off. The bodice is the last of the pink fro my Aunt. My most recent stash buster though is this set.

The material has again been in my stash since last year. I bought it in Tedox in Gutersloh for 4 euro a metre, I had 1.5mtr to play with. My plan was always to make bedding it just needed to be done rather than planned. There is a pillow case with envelope flap, A cover with a piece of sheet for the backing and some free wadding for the filling. The sheet I think may have been one of mine from the days of a single bed and living at home with Mum and Dad. I had enough left to fashion two curtain ties, they are backed with an off cut of white also from Tedox and have ribbons for the hooks. I didn't have any rings but I shall replace them at some point. I am really pleased I have finally done this. I made both the boys a cover and pillow case while we were in Germany, (one with dinosaurs and a coordinating print also from Tedox and one with dragons and a plain backing from MyFabrics), and this has been on the to do list for a long time.

What's been on your worktable this week?

Sew much love - Send a little love Swap - The Great Reveal

Some of you may already be familiar with Mad About Bags blog and her recently organised swap.

If not head over and check out her blog using the link above. I took part in the swap, it's been a long time since I took part in a swap with being in Germany but I thought it would be fun to have a go at this one. I was paired up with the very lovely Pat from Pats Patch. We spent a few weeks sending long emails about our lives and likes and began to get a feel for one another.

My parcel arrived the week before we were opening them and was sitting in the kitchen on the side staring at me asking to be opened all that time but I was good. I don't get that much personal post anymore, it's usually for one or other of the children so this was special.

On Saturday I had three very eager faces watching me when I said I was going to open my parcel. I was very impressed with my oldest when I offered to let him open one of the tempting packets he said "No Mummy it's your present I want you to open it".

My first finds were two postcards with recipes on. And this intriguing box. I left that for later and delved a little deeper. The love hearts were spotted quickly by three keen sets of eyes. The little note book is all handmade with a little tag book marker inside. There was also a set of coasters, red with hearts and three more wrapped gifts. 

As you can see my swap partner had already gone well above the guidelines for the swap. Which were 5 items, something edible, something red, something handmade and a heart. I was feeling very spoiled. I let the two younger children open one of the red packets each saving the white flat packet and the red box for myself. 

 The children found a packet of chocolate hearts and a packet of chocolate lady birds in their parcels and my flat gift was a set of two mats and two coasters of a lovely red thick felt with heart motifs. I left the red box until last. The embellishment was also a brooch. But it was the contents of the box that surprised me most.

I knew Pat had been making fabric lavender hearts for her sisters cafe so I had half expected to receive one as it fitted in so well with the theme. There was also a pin cushion you can see in the box. 

The reverse of the pin cushion was a beautiful cross stitch, not only this but a pair of embroidery scissors with another small needle/pin cushion attached and a pretty felt needle book with an unpicker holder and unpicker and some pretty pins inside, all finished off with the same pretty cross stitch.

There had been so much thought and detail put into the swap I was completely overwhelmed and felt very emotional. A complete stranger in all but a few emails and some blogging had created for me the most amazing package which went far above and beyond the outlines of the swap.

I am sorry to say the package I sent was nowhere near as impressive, I had a little help from my 4 year old when choosing things to put in. He choose the red candle for something red and he also choose the socks which are not pictured here. They were purple thermal socks as Pat does a lot of photography and we thought they would help keep her toes warm when out walking in the cold weather. The heart mat or pot holder was fun to make but the bias binding was not fun to sew on, I unpicked it once and it still looked a little bodged in places. :( 

The chocolate heart looked so pretty when I saw it on the shelf in the shop. 

I made these with some glass beads I had. I thought the colours were lovely. I was pleased with the finished item hearts but not too red and valentines like. 

And the red candle my son choose. Pat said when it arrived the scent of the candle had infused the socks too. So as you can see not quite the literal box of delights I received but a fun swap.

I really enjoyed this swap and look forward to taking part in many more, hopefully at a time when there are no broken legs, sickness bugs or other ailments striking our household.

Happy Half Term Everyone.

A cup of tea and a trip to Belarus.

I haven't been up to much recently. My son had his cast taken off last Friday and has been finding it tough to get used to walking again, he is getting there but at only 4 it's a lot to cope with.

We haven't been out too much while he has been readjusting. We went to Toddler Group yesterday in one of the villages and then this morning we decided to try out a new Playgroup. It is held in a church community center and both the smalls enjoyed it. We did a bit of painting, a bit of singing, playing and a snack. I think we shall probably go back again. Next to the hall is a coffee shop. It was one of those places you wish you had known about before. Reasonable prices, friendly staff, tables to eat at and soft chairs for relaxing in, the piece de resistance though was the children's play corner. Absolute genius. We shall definitely be going back there. :)

As I have nothing very exciting to show you I thought instead I would share this picture of a Victorian doll. It is completely hand made by my Mum. It is going to live in Belarus with my friend and daughter's Godmothers other Goddaughter. 

She has a cape, an apron, a dress, a petticoat, an underskirt and her body itself is bloomers and a vest, shoes, hat and earrings, Her hair is all done by hand. Hours of work and patience. I remember the first of these dolls that she made when I was a child, I have one, my sister has one and lots were made for charity to raise money for the children's ward I was on as a child. Since then she has also made them for my nieces and I made one for GCSE textiles. The pattern has been well used but is still going strong as you can see.

Happy Wednesday everyone.