A Tilda Skating Angel

Greetings lovely friends & readers

It is a rainy grey old day here today (I started this post yesterday)  - a good day to switch the fairy lights on.  I nipped out between the showers & picked some fresh daphne stems. 

 

(This is the Tilda book that the Skating Angel pattern is in)

I made my very first Tilda Skating Angel way back in 2018.  You can read about creating her in * this post * ... I made her to go on my craft stall & she sold very rapidly.  At the time I made her I cut another one out for myself - so here I am just 6 short years later finally finishing her. 

The fur for my Angel was originally cut out to sew a Peekaboo bear for Mum.  Mum had chosen the fur,  then changed her mind so the bag of cut-out-pieces sat in my cupboard for a rather long time.  Once I decided to use the pieces of fur for my Angels clothing I had to try & cut around the already-cut-out-shapes of the Peekaboo bear.  This was really tricky & for many of the coat pieces the fur is not going with the direction of the pile, but thankfully you can't notice it. 

Finally, a week ago, my Angel was completed.

   The top part of her coat & her arms are built into the body  - this is common with Tilda patterns.  The skirt of her coat is separate, as is the collar.  This was the most softest fur, a silvery white tipped with grey - just gorgeous but quite bulky & slippery to sew. 

I had just enough fur left to cut out the 2 circles for her ear muffs - Phew!  The top is craft wire which I've shaped, then covered with velvet ribbon.  I especially loved her fur muff which I edged with lace.  

After I'd finished sewing her I realised she needed some ice skates.   I drew out a cardboard pattern & asked a dear elderly friend to cut them out for me with his scroll saw.  I picked them up last Thursday, sanded them well & then painted them with pumice chalk paint.

I'd originally planned to whitewash the skates but it quickly became clear that the whitewash was not going to adhere to the plywood & I'd need to paint them well - 4 coats each side in fact (!!!)  Finally I was happy with the coverage, then a light sand to finish.  

Using a metal skewer I poked a small hole in the seam of the fur boots & then affixed the pointy part of the skates up into this.  I thought they turned out a perfect size for the boots.

Such poor light inside today that I've decided to photograph her out on the deck table. I was really pleased with my Angel but felt she now needed her own special place to sit. 

This old hatbox has been in the wardrobe in my sleepout for a very long time!  I pulled it out, cleaned it well & removed the broken lid.  Over the weekend I gave it a couple of coats of chalk paint in the colour Old Linen.  It covered really well, drying by the fire between coats.

This is how I work at times - see top right photo.  When I cannot choose or decide upon a transfer I sit them in place & walk past them, sometimes this process takes me a couple of days ... I am very much a visual person.  Finally I chose the one with the red flowers as I felt this complimented her floral skirt.  

I wanted to add a tag to my hatbox so I painted a wooden one, then applied offcuts of the transfer to it, tied it on with thin leather thonging.  Really, really happy with how the hatbox turned out 💗

I'm delighted that I've finally bought my Angel to life after sitting in a bag for 6 years (!!)  She makes an ideal winter decor piece too & I think she will be wonderful amongst my Christmas decor.

It was the final week of school holidays here in New Zealand & my Grandsons came for some of the days.  Sid is always happy to craft but Alec not so much these days & I don't force him.

I'd traced a heart onto some calico & asked Sid if he'd like to draw/decorate the heart for his Mum,  then Granny could sew a backing onto it & we could both stuff it together.  He chose to draw a rainbow & write a message to his Mum on it.  We stuffed this with some wadding & some lavender so it smelt wonderful. He then made an avocado using the same process ... why an avocado I have no idea 😉

I took them both to the skatepark as Alec had his scooter, they kicked soccer balls around & played in the playground.  It was wonderful to have sunshine & blue sky for a couple of hours.  

Dear friends - can you see the Lump under the quilt??  That is Madam Pip who is not receiving any callers today.  Her silly Mother (Yours truly!!) has propped the quilt up with a cushion so she doesn't suffocate.  There are a zillion cosy places to curl up but Oh No - she has chosen this !!!

Thank you for staying with me through this photo heavy/rambly post,

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead dear friends - remember to be kind to yourselves & to each other,

With much love & friendship to you all,