Jim is in Manchester at a conference for a few days and I'm not well endowed with time, so I thought I'd share a past project that I haven't shared here yet. I made this in January for my sister's birthday. I'm so glad that I have an older sister for whom I can make fairy tale play sets! I planned it before I found out that my niece was on the way - so now there will be a child to enjoy it at some point - but I didn't have that in mind. This was one of our favorite fairy tales to act out as kids, stacking up every cushion, pillow and blanket we could find.
I was inspired by soulemama's set last spring, but the project definitely morphed in many ways.
I wanted to make a cloth doll and used Mimi Kerchner's felt doll pattern from the purl bee, but I shrunk it 50%, made my own face, added length to the hair and added some embellishments. The doll is entirely hand sewn and was simple and enjoyable to put together.
It was such a fun project - the little pillow and quilt use Heather Ross' fairy tale fabrics that I absolutely love and was given a couple of for Christmas. (I haven't done anything else with it as I'm hoarding it as I do all my favorite fabrics.) The little bag holds several dried marrow peas, for how would the princess prove her princessness without a pea to feel through the layers of cushions? I loved doing this project in the states as I could find natural stuffing (bamboo for this one) and everything else is either cotton or wool, so it is all natural fibers, which always makes me feel so much better about a project.
This is inspiring me to make another one for me and my boys to play with and I've been thinking on doing a three bears play set for Rowan's first birthday... we will see.
3 comments:
This is sooooo beautiful!!!! I really, really want to do this for Graciela. Can you give some more detailed instructions for the mattresses? That fabric is fabulous too. Well done, Em!
I made the princess first (did I mention on the blog that I lengthened the dress?) and then I just laid her on fabric and cut out a rectangle the size I wanted (leaving a half inch seam allowance) on folded fabric. I then machine sewed the 2 and 3/4s of the 3 open sides, stuffed a bit of bamboo filling in and hand stitched it up (don't overstuff, you just need a bit - they will stack better this way). Very simple.
to make the pillow I made a flannel pillow (the same way I made the mattresses, but stuffed it more.) Then I cut out a folded rectangle of fabric and used ribbon as hem tape to make the pillow case.
Love, love, love, love, love this! You are the best!
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