Another Raggedy Anne ................................ & a Pinkeep

Greetings dear friends & readers,

My friend Gail works at our local St John's Op Shop & from time to time she mentions things she thinks I might be interested in.

Last winter she told me about a Raggedy Anne doll kitset that had come in & I gave her the money to purchase it 
for me - sight unseen.

I was certainly Not disappointed when I collected it from Gail as it was beautifully presented in a box complete with everything needed to make the doll except the stuffing.

Finally during our lockdown months I was able to make Raggedy up.

 I was surprised to find she turned out a much larger doll than I had anticipated & measures 70 cms tall.

The paint for her shoes was also not included in the kitset - these were a teeny bit tricky to mask off but looked really effective when finished

I really love her happy smiling face & the oversized pigtails for her hair.

I also loved her doiley collar which was already teadyed for me.

I gave her great big hair ties to set off her large pigtails.

Even the tea dyed fabric to make her cardigan was included in the kitset.

When finished I felt she needed "a wee friend" so found this adorable little scruffy Boyds bear in my collection.

He fitted just perfectly tucked under dolly's arm.

💕 Now she was complete at last 💗

The doll's name on the pattern is Brianna Annie & * here * is a link to the pattern website 

Also during Lockdown I pulled out my rather large collection of Simply Vintage Magazines & leafed through them all - there were so many wonderful projects in them 

I especially liked this Pinkeep in the Spring 2015 Issue No. 14 & decided to stitch it up as I had all the colours of 
wool felt already in my stash.

I really enjoy the repetitiveness of blanket stitching around wool felt pieces - there's something methodical about it 
I find.

Just last week I found my bag of crushed walnut shells so I was able to stuff & complete my pinkeep - I also added 
a handful of dried lavender to mine, to make it smell wonderful

I decided to machine embroider a label for the back to remind me that this was one of my Covid19 Lockdown projects. 

I completed an Order for my lovely friend Sandy  -  6 lavender sachets in pretty vintage florals to be gifted to 
her parents 💜

Finally dear readers - earlier this week I received the most wonderful package in the mail - all the way from Australia from Sue of Kiwikids blog

Sue had featured the Marie Bostwick series of books on her blog some time ago & I had commented how interesting they looked & I must search them out in my local Library.

Sue very kindly offered to send them to me to read so I was expecting the books 

But what I wasn't expecting was all the wonderful goodies she had squeezed into the box to fill it up!!

Beautiful doilies, a craft book & the most gorgeous bias bindings in Liberty fabrics, as well as the two cat placemats Sue had made for me

Now just look at this face dear readers - Who on earth does that remind you of I wonder ............................

I have tried to get her to pose by the placemat to get a good photo but she is currently not feeling photogenic today !!! 😉
Thank You So Very Much Sue - you are so kind & generous my friend 💗

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend dear readers,

Take care - be kind to yourselves & to each other,

With much love & friendship to You All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0

A Rag Doll Order

Greetings dear friends & readers

Goodness me ......  Friday again already !!

A couple of weeks ago my dear friend & long-time customer Christine rang to inquire whether I could make a Rag Doll for her granddaughter Krystal who was soon to turn 7.

Christine texted me through these pictures above  .....  this was a doll she had bought from my Craft Cottage many years ago that Krystal just Loved & played with each time she visited her Nana's home. 

So Chris wanted an identical doll & the aqua bow was to be the colour theme along with a request for long brown hair.

I asked Chris to please send the doll over to me so I could draft off a pattern & she did warn me she may need some repairs as she has been very well loved !!

I removed dollies clothes & gave them a wash  -  her arm surgery would have to wait for now as I needed to draft patterns off for the body & the clothing

I find it quite difficult drafting off patterns & Krystal's Rag Doll turned out just a fraction bigger but I was most relieved when she was all finished & thought she looked so pretty all dressed in aqua .  .  .  .  .  

.  .  .  .  . complete with long brown hair as requested.

When a doll is to be played with by a child I always double stitch & reinforce everything when making it.

I had to visit my local Patchwork Shop to get aqua fabrics & found the ribbons for her hair in just the perfect shade 
of aqua.

The little socks & shoes were in my stash from all the doll making I have done over the years.

Next it was time to repair Chris's original Rag Doll - her arm got re-attached & her legs reinforced

Her clothing was washed & pressed & a new skirt was made after I had a slight accident with her old one involving a splash of bleach !! 😐
I had a wee chat with dolly & she was most happy for me to make her a new skirt in Tilda fabric. 

Her hair was re-attached & she also got a brand new set of hair ties made.
All in all - a big improvement & she was smiling happily again 💗


After reading this post * here *where I made myself a new ironing board cover my friend (also called Julie) asked me 
to please make one for her ironing board.

When she dropped off her existing one for me to copy I realised it had the wadding stitched into it - unlike mine in which I just stretch a nice new length of wadding over the ironing board first - easy peasy.
As you can see I had Miss Pain in the Pippi's help to measure, cut & sew the wadding into the cover 😉
(And Yes - it took me half an hour when finished, to pick the ginger hairs out of the wadding !!!)

I knitted two more organic cotton washcloths as I am making up another wee package for Juno - my new (step) granddaughter.

A friend told me our local Woolshop is closing down so I popped in last week to stock up on some Dishcloth Cotton. 
 I really loved the top two pastel colors which I hadn't seen before. 
I also treated myself to a brand new pair of knitting needles - a rare purchase.

And then - just this morning - my neighbor dropped off the parcel above  .....  a Thank You gift for pet feeding duties 
I had done recently.
I especially loved the bundle of fat quarters with sewing themed prints on them, & the wee hanging fairy is a kitset with everything included. 😊

Here's wishing you all a wonderful Weekend dear friends,
Take care - be kind to yourselves & to each other,
With much love & friendship to you all,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0

Winter has arrived ....................................

Greetings dear friends & readers & Welcome to June !!

With the calendar rolling over to June we have certainly welcomed Winter to my little corner of the globe.

Our days are now often wet & cold & we keep the fire going constantly to warm the house.

Last weekend we celebrated Queen's Birthday Weekend here in New Zealand.

I decided to put my Orders aside for the weekend & spend some time finishing up a wall hanging.

And as you can see - Yes I did indeed have my usual "assistance" with this task

This is a Lynette Anderson Design called " A Day Spent Sewing "

I received this as a gift several years ago from my friend Bev - it was not a kitset but the pattern did include the wooden buttons.

I pulled fabrics from my treasured Tilda basket to make my wall hanging.

My apologies - it is photographing really faded looking on this dull rainy day

I must confess I could not get the cotton reel blocks to turn out & ended up slightly enlarging the whole wall hanging & doing what I fondly call "A Julie Version" for the bottom blocks 😕

I enlarged the tabs at the top & instead of felt circles, as the pattern calls for - I used mother-of-pearl buttons

This was also my first attempt at needleturn applique - not much fun but I did persevere 😉

My wall hanging is now on the sewing room door - & Yes, I think that a day spent sewing most certainly Is 

a day filled with pleasure !

On Sunday of the long weekend I took a drive out to spend some time with my grandson Alec

He very proudly got dressed up in his brand new school uniform to show me - he starts full time school this Monday.

On my way home from Alec's I called to see my friend Elaine to discuss an Order I am about to do for her.

My timing was absolutely impeccable as Elaine was right in the midst of a huge declutter .  .  .  .

.  .  .  .  & guess who got to load their car up with all the junk treasures Elaine was tossing out !!

Oh My !! 💕 Be still my beating heart !!

I have always loved flower frogs & longed to have a wee collection.

These 3 above were in the bottom of a basket & when I turned them upside down, I see Elaine had painted & decoupaged them - so special 💜

The paint colour is Dulux Ngataringa Bay - 2 coats

I took the terracotta wall vase (above left) & put it through my dishwasher to remove any oily marks - then I painted it with a testpot of paint & hung it in my hall way.

I think it would look lovely filled with some delicate dried gypsophlia.

(I look forward to showing you more of what I repurpose from this gorgeous haul in the following weeks dear readers)

On the way home from Alec/Elaine's I stopped in at my local bookshop & bought myself a treat.

I have most of Wendyl Nissen's Books & really enjoy them - this one is her very latest & once again, is a great read.

Blackie has been wandering & come home injured (again!!) so he is receiving slightly more pampering than 

Miss Pippi of late

She is Not Amused by this turn of events & has decided to take up residence in my fabric baskets just to annoy me.

At least this time - she got the colour right !!!! 💗

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend dear friends 😊 

Be kind to yourselves & to each other - & stay safe !

With much love & friendship to you all,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0