A Rabbit For Bella

I have spent every evening for the last week or so stitching. Also cutting, stuffing, knitting and using the sewing machine, but mainly stitching, and this is the result. This will be Bella's Christmas present, a Miss Maggie rabbit which I ordered back in September from Alicia Paulson's shop. 

Isn't it lovely? I think it's one of the most delightful things I've made. I honestly enjoyed every stage; hand sewing and stuffing the body, knitting the cape and machine sewing the dress. At times it was fiddly and the pattern challenged me but - perversely - this just made me enjoy the whole project even more and made my satisfaction in completing it all the greater. 

At almost seven, I think Bella will soon be outgrowing toys like this and so it needed to be made sooner rather than later. I think one of the best things about this rabbit is the clothes and the way she can be dressed and undressed.

As well as wool felt for the body, the kit contains a piece of Liberty tana lawn fabric for a dress, some coordinating yarn for a cape, and felt for the boots.

I think this dress may be the first actual garment of clothing I've made. The elasticated neck and cuffs make it very easy to remove.

And the boots...ah, the boots. They have little thread laces which actually lace up! Very cute.

The best thing is that, now I have the pattern, I can make more rabbits! And different dresses with different capes, and possibly another pair of boots in a bright colour. I've just had a look in the shop and see that there are now patterns for trousers, shirts and little knitted coats and sweaters too...this could all be very dangerous indeed. I think I will have to make at least one more dress; surely the pleasure in dressing and undressing a doll or soft toy is in the choosing of the outfits? If I finish making all my other gifts in time (ha!), I'll try and make another dress at least. And maybe a scarf.

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Thank you for all your wonderful suggestions for winter plants! A few of you mentioned Christmas Box, Dogwood and winter flowering Jasmine, and I have a long list of others including Stipa Gigantea, Photina, Viburnum Tinus Eve Price, Midwinter Fire (what a beautiful name!), Cotoneaster, Variegated Ivy, Agapanthus, Viburnum and Daphne Odora.  I really appreciate your thoughts and input, and will be taking all these names with me to the garden centre in the spring.

And now I need an early night as tomorrow is Bella's birthday and I am hosting a "making and baking" party for ten six and seven year olds. I may need a stiff drink after that.