I recently discovered the marvellously inspiring crafting magazine that is Mollie Makes. It was recommended to me by my good friend Abigail, who knew it would be my sort of thing. Of course she was right, it's brilliant, and I want to make everything in it. I've only read one issue (number 11) and I'm planning a quilt each for Bella and Angus and some play food for the children's toy kitchen (I'm thinking felt doughnuts). John despairs. I have quilting history and it ended with me saying "that's a last time I make a ****** quilt. If I ever start talking about making a quilt again, stop me." But I'm a sucker for punishment so as soon as funds allow I will begin a fabric stash for the quilts. But anyway, the mice.
They caught my eye. So white and cute and perfect. Charmingly old fashioned with their little outfits and beady eyes. I wont repeat the process stage by stage as the magazine does a perfectly good job and there is also a great tutorial here on the lovely Poppycock & Other Creative Nonsense blog. (The design for the mice is by the very talented Jenny at The Button Jar.) I chose white linen as the main fabric. I had just enough left from a shirt that belonged to Angus, except for the tails, so I used wool for those. Scraps of gingham made up the bodies.
It took me one nap time (about two hours) to trace and cut all the fabric on Saturday, all of Sunday afternoon to stitch and stuff the mice, and Sunday evening to make the dress. I made the trousers and waistcoat on Monday. Bella chose the fabirc for the dress and I was ridiculously happy that she picked the new Liberty print so I had an excuse to use it.
I don't even want to count up the hours it took to make these, but now that they are finished I'm glad I persevered. They are far from perfect and have wonky ears, holes, imperfect stitching, uneven seams. They don't sit up very well on their own. But Bella really likes her mouse, and that alone makes it worthwhile. Angus is indifferent. When I gave it to him he said "Mouse. Why?" which summed it up really, but he is a two year old boy obsessed with tractors so that was to be expected.
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| Wonky, wonky ears! Bless. |
They are just so cute! Way beyond my capabilities ~ Well Done :O)x
ReplyDeleteThanks Jackie - I think they were well beyond mine too! x
DeleteLOVE the mice! Beautiful. I also have a small boy obsessed with tractors. Any mice would be wasted on him - unless said mouse was on a tractor. He wanted to know why his dragon birthday cake last year didn't have wheels on it.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks. I think if Angus could have a safari animal with wheels that would make him very happy!
DeleteHi Gillian, thanks for stopping by my blog and also for mentioning it here. You must be more patient than me to tackle 2 mice. They are a bit fiddly aren't they and mine will only just sit up at a funny angle. I love the clothes you've done, very groovy!
ReplyDeleteHi Patty, you're welcome. Doing the clothes was the best bit!
DeleteThose mice are so cute - so glad you kept going. I am certainly going to give them a go but I really don't know who for!
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen - I'm just glad we only have two children as making any more would've sent me over the edge!
DeleteSuch cute mice- I think the wonky ears make them even more charming.
ReplyDeleteI suspect your 2 quilts will be finished before my one!
Ah, bless you, you are being kind ;-) I need to see your quilt. The quilts I have in my head will be quite different to the godawful mess that will most likely ensue...
Deleteyou could see me quilt if it actually existed - I have been nuturing the idea for years an have bits of fabric all over the place but no actual evidence of anything being made! I'm good at ideas -less so at action!
DeleteThe mice really are adorable and I am impressed at your determination to finish them rather than go of in a huff!
so cute! i especially love their clothes!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cassie, me too, I had way too much fun choosing scraps of fabric. I think I may need to get out more!
DeleteThanks Jooles. I would quite like a liberty print dress too, i think!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! So cute and even more so wonky :) p.s. My bella is isabella too....snap! Andrea x
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone is being very kind about the wonky ears..I shall start saying I made them that way on purpose to add charm I think!
DeleteI love these!! The best part is that they were made by you with love for your sweet children :) I am almost a half century old and yet I still have tucked in my closet a small doll my mother hand sewed for me when I was a small girl. I love every little stitch and all of the black French knots she made for the hair :) What a dear, dear gift it was and how special it still is all these many years since... Just like those cute little mice with the wonky ears :)
ReplyDeleteHi Nelli, thanks so much, what a lovely story. My Mum didn't go in for sewing much when we were small but she made us some brilliant clothes for our Barbie and Sindy dolls!
DeleteThey are absolutely perfect! If Angus doesn't fancy his I will play with it! You say it took you a while but they look like a lot of work so I think you did them very quickly!
ReplyDeleteAngus couldn't care less, Bella has adopted both of them. I just felt if I was making one for B I should also do one for A...and I wanted to make the boy mouse clothes!
Deletehello Gillian, thank you for the lovely comment on my blog. Yes I agree they take an age to make but they are so cute, I love the wonky ears!
ReplyDeletexxx
Thanks Lyn, they are not half as good as yours, but if nothing else it was a good opportunity to improve my sewing skills!
DeleteHi, just got this copy out last night! My daughter wants one, so this is going to be one of our summer holiday makes, not sure if I will be brave enough to post pictures though! They look good enough to eat! Ada :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely project for a summer holiday. They were a fiddle to make as they're so little but they are very cute.
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