Charity brooch making ...

I am currently raising money for The Weymouth Carnival Charities, supporting Julia's House. That's the reason behind these colourful button-and-felt flowers ....

I was delighted when my children asked if they could help too, and we had a few family sessions around the dining table!

Sewing on a button is also a most useful life skill. Why Matty's school cardi had long been missing a button...

I wanted to make something that people could have, and keep if they wanted to. I'm not too ambitious and couldn't think of a sponsored activity either! Also we get asked to support so many things these days that I wanted to give a small gift in return. Mary is 7 and did very well making a pile of neat flowers ...

I used three hand drawn templates to create the felt petals, and we all dug through the four-hole-buttons leaving out the brown and grey ones to keep our designs bright!

We made 98 fun brooches, and Mummy glued all the backs on to them and pinned them to a pillow case! 

I will let you know how sales go, and also the reason why I'm lending my support in a different way this year. Would you like one?

Owl together now ....

How about this awesome octogenarian gent, a superb felt and wool owl owned by an 86 year old neighbour of mine!

He wins 'most inspiring owl' this week and I'm honoured to have met him and taken his picture. 

Have you got a very old handmade toy you will never part with? 

sewing session ...

and i dont mean me, either ...
here is three year old matty, busy sewing up felt shapes, and the odd bit of ribbon ...



and daisy, making a rat with a pink tail and a long leg ...



the white rat held out for me to take a picture of it ...



and a felt rabit made by mya, using a pattern from my vintage sewing book, and with a little help from nisa and her mummy ...