Mummy Christmas has been busy crocheting. Well every little girl should have a baby doll and my great grand daughter got Baby Annabel for her 3rd birthday in October. The store bought clothes are ridiculously expensive so I thought that she ought to have a new outfit for Christmas. I downsized a very old baby pattern by using finer wool (Hayfield 3ply) and a finer hook (3mm). I have a lot of experience of altering patterns to fit as when I first started crocheting patterns only came in about 2 sizes so I had to learn fast how to adapt.
I started a knitted pram coat for Baby Annabel last night and have leggings and a pram blanket to make before her layette is complete. I am using a white flecked wool for these, I hope to finish them off by the middle of the week.
I have been a bit slower with my knit and crochet over the weekend as I am trying to get some housework done. I have been dusting since my operation but real heavy tidying and cleaning has been left. Now that I am feeling better I am allowed to hoover in moderation. The house is starting to look desperately untidy and needs a good clear out. I do try to be ruthless and throw things away but I guess at heart I am just a collector. It's my mother's fault, I inherited it from her. She always stocked up as if there would be another shortage like during the war. She should never have introduced me to the "Borrowers" books as I can see a potential use for everything in my home. I guess I was into recycling long before it was fashionable. I have always cut up and reused dresses and blouses when I used to sew and never quite got out of saving the too small old fashioned outfits just because I like the material! I regularly recycle hand knit sweaters and cardigan and give them another lease of life. I have my eye on two in my wardrobe to riippppp after the New Year.
My childhood was all about make do and mend. I spent hours cutting up old coats from the jumble sales into little pieces to hook rag rugs. Every sweater I possessed was re knitted on the sleeves to mend the elbow holes and were lengthened as I grew. My bigger cousins hand me down dresses were altered here and there to fit me as I was such a skinny little thing. Funnily enough I never felt deprived it any way and was so excited when the bag of clothes would arrive from my aunt. It's no wonder I grew up to knit and sew from a very early age. No TV back then so it was common for everyone to have something to make in the evenings so I just joined in. When I see how kids today are cossetted is makes me smile, I was sewing on a treadle machine at the age of 5. I learned the hard way not to put my fingers anywhere near the needle. I did sew my finger once and just got told to suck it and stop crying! Ah times were tough back then! I also used to iron hankies and small items with an cast iron heated on the fire. I have burned myself more with an electric iron as an adult. I can't ever remember doing it as a child.
3 comments:
Absolutely beautiful doll's clothes. So much better than the ready made clothes that are so expensive.
I think, dear lady, you are the fastest crocheter I have seen! There are other's who claim it, but I swear you have earned it! Those are lovely doll clothes. Wish my granddaughter's mummy let her have dolls! For some reason she doesn't want her "categorized" and thinks a small Mac truck is better! Not good for my skills.....
That is sooo precious! Much better than any store brought outfit!
The old days were harder in some ways, but I think that makes those times so appealing. Things were simpler back then. Kids played outdoors in stead of playing video games indoors, they learned the value of hard work, things were appreciated more and people did more with their hands.
I used to regularly shop in the second hand shops when I was little, and I loved it. :-)
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