Sewing For a VERY Special Someone

Hello dear friends & readers,

I have some exciting news to share with you here on my blog ...

I am currently awaiting the birth of my very first grandchild due to be born at the end of this month

I have been lovingly stitching some handmade creations as I await the birth of this special wee baby  ... 

Oh ... Its a *BOY* by the way !!!

I had quite a stash of lovely soft, white towelling & I thought some handmade washcloths never go amiss ... 
so I stitched up half a dozen & bound them with some pretty bindings.

Also some polar fleece cuddlies are a definate pre-requisite for a winter baby ... along with some flannellette cot sheets & a matching wheatbag to warm the cot 

But the project I have been working away on diligently over the past few months ... in between orders & kitten related life ... is this cot blanket for my grandson

I came across the pattern in an old Country Threads back in January when I was culling alot of my craft magazines.  The design is called "The Toyroom Floor" & is by Lyn Hyland of Lil' Blokes.  

I thought it was perfect for a wee boy.

I used a gorgeous wool blanket I had tucked away but I enlarged the size, & added the Noah's Ark to the top

Soldier, Train & Jack-in-the-box

My favourites .... Teddy & Golly,  toy ball & Noah's Ark

I took it outdoors to photograph as I felt the colours were showing up really quite "wishy washy" & they are in fact lovely & bright & vibrant

When I had finished the applique I backed it with a nice thick cream polar fleece bought from Spotlight.  Then I bound it all .... but it still seemed to be lacking something ... so I purchased this variegated perle thread & decided to herringbone stitch around the edges of it all

phew ... what a loonng way round the blanket !!!

I have the label ready on the back to fill in with his name & date of birth   :-)

 I had an old toy which had fallen to bits so I saved the rattle inner & made this wee cat soft toy/rattle from the leftover blanket scraps.

And last but not least ...  a pair of soft flannel shoes in perfect kiwiana fabric, the buzzy bee ... lined with the same polar fleece as the blanket back

Gosh I do SO look forward to making many more special creations for my grandson over the coming months.

And I have included these next 2 photos to show you just how difficult life really is craft-wise in my house of late

On the floor - Me - trying to cut out blanket toys - helpers NOT optional !!!!

chewing on my machine cord - a frequent pastime !!

. . . this game is called "unravel the cotton for Mum" . . .

Oh it brings new meaning to the word "tolerance". 

Yesterday, just to get some fresh air & "blow the cobwebs out" we ("we" meaning me & cats) spent some time on the deck washing all my gourds & putting them in my old wheelbarrow ... hopefully a nice splash of colour for the coming winter months  :-)

Thank you all so much for popping by today to see my creations,

I hope the coming week brings you many lovely moments,

with love & friendship to you all,

Julie, Blackie & Pippi

x0x0x0