Hi everybody,
what a turbulent start to the new year. On top of pandemic fatigue (yes, it's a thing).
We've been in a partial lockdown since January and by the end of February it will be one year that I've been sheltering at home with the occasional trips to the supermarket. Plus earlier this month we were hit by a massive snow storm - which, if you have been following my blog for some time - you will know is quite unusual. My area is known for rain, but not snow or subzero temperatures. We were completely snowed in for an entire week, and I'm just glad I had the foresight to stock up on food.
I remain hopeful that with more and more people getting vaccinated there will be a shift by the end of this year. Until then we will still need to remain cautious and follow the hygiene guidelines including wearing a mask.
Needless to say the international trade fair that I used to go to every year won't be taking place this year. Instead there will be a digital version. I am curious how that will work out, and I truly hope it will be better than the zoom meeting I had the other day with about twenty other people - one guy obviously had his laptop on his coffee table, because we were looking at his knees the entire time haha. Don't do this.
Anyway, on to the purpose of this blog post. If you have been following me on instagram you will have noticed that I've barely posted anything crafty. Truth is that I've been feeling unmotivated and seem to have lost my creative mojo. I was really unhappy about it and tried to combat it by going through diy magazines, looking for inspiration online and I even bought a few sewing/crafting books to get me going. Thankfully one of these books reignited my creative spark!
Making Marmalade (this is what the bunny is called) by illustrator Simone Gooding is a sewing book that uses wool felt and quilting fabrics. It looks simple enough, but don't be fooled - there is a lot of handstitching involved and some of the steps aren't explained - it is assumed that you have basic sewing knowledge. So if you have made dolls/animals before and especially doll clothes, this book is for you. For beginner sewists it is not.
The projects are divided into seasons. The main project revolves around Marmalade and corresponding seasonal outfits, plus an adorable baby bunny (see above). I appreciate that there are large photos of the finished projects as well as close up pics throughout the book. And Simone's illustrations, of course, are lovely. I just went ahead and made a few projects regardless of the current season, with a few changes here and there to suit my taste. Marmalade measures about 12 inches. You need a lot of patience sewing doll clothes this small.
Instead of glass eyes I simply stitched the eyes with black embroidery yarn. I used cream colored and white felt for the body and exchanged some felted items with my favorite fabrics. I especially love how the sweet pillow and quilted blanket turned out. You don't require a lot of fabric for these projects - all of the fabric I used here are from my remnant bin! One of the best things about this book - the patterns at the back of the book are all actual size!
Now that my creative flow is back I will be continue making outfits for bunny (I think there are two outfits left) and I also have spring/summer craft ideas lined up. Can't wait to share :)
Note: this is not a sponsored post or book review.
In shop news...
As mentioned in my previous post I have been waiting for fabric deliveries longer than usual due to the pandemic. Thankfully this spring collection by acufactum is now on its way to me. Just looking at these fabrics makes me happy. The details are adorable. Honestly I can't wait for Spring!
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| Easter post card in soft pastel green from April Rose |
Well that's it from me. I hope this post brings a spot of cheer to your day! Stay safe and healthy and let's do our best to look out for each other.
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