I Heart Heather Ross

I started this bag a couple of weeks ago and just finished it last night.  The pattern is the messenger bag from LIttle Things to Sew.  It's really not my style to let something remain unfinished for so long.  Once I start on something, I tend to obsess about it until it's done.  Not so with this bag.  This was a leisurely sew, an hour or two here and there.  I had time for other things, like going to bed early and hanging out with the husband in front of the TV.

I used the same fabric combination as the bear carrier, Heather Ross Far Far Away 2.  The bias trim, lining, and straps were made from Liz Scott Sugar Pop.  It's a cute little bag, with an empasis on little.  But it fits S perfectly.  She can probably pack her extra clothes for preschool and a couple of smallish books in there.

So after finishing this bag last night at around 11pm, I saw that I still had quite a bit of bias tape left over.  Of course bias tape should never be wasted.  And so I has to make this:

With a real waist band and button closure.  Almost like a grown up skirt.  It was 1:30 am when my head finally hit the pillow.  So much for leisurely sewing.

The Princess and the Pea

I was inspired to make this gift set for s. when I read this post, by Make it Perfect. I love how this turned out! The book is The Princess and the Pea, by Lauren Child. It is a well-written, beautifully illustrated story.







For the doll, I used the Margot pattern from the book Wee Wonderfuls, by Hillary Lang. The doll is actually a topsy-turvy doll that when flipped is two versions of the same doll. This end is the dressed-down version. The picture above is the dressed up version.


I must say that the doll was more difficult than I expected it to be. There was a lot of handsewing and little details that were a bit frustrating. I don't think it really had anything to do with the pattern, just my lack of patience and the fact that I had a self-imposed looming deadline. So after a couple of nights of going to bed in the early hours of the morning, I was able to finish her in time for Christmas.

The backpack is of course made from the Made by Rae Toddler Backpack pattern. The print is Heather Ross Far Far Away Princess and the Pea fabric. I could only find this print in double gauze which is a very light thin cotton with a more textured and looser weave than voile. So I interfaced it and lined it with canvas. I added a bit of length to the pattern, about 3 quarters of an inch, to fit the whole princess in. Originally, this was supposed to fit the doll and the mattresses, but ended up way too small for everything. So presently, the princess resides in a cardboard box. I am thinking of gluing some cute paper in the box to make it look like a wallpapered bedroom. But that is a project for another day...

Here is a detail of the mattresses. I only had time to make seven, not the twelve that was in the book. I found some trim scraps I had to add a bit of detail and interest to the mattresses. I also made a liitle pillow and a tiny purse to hold the pea. The pea itself is a from a pom pom trim.

I would love to add a blanket and a crown someday and maybe a little coat. But for now I am taking a couple of days rest from sewing and going to bed at a decent hour.