Crown for little queen!

(I still have the pattern piece if anyone wants to make one too and not bother working out measurements) 

So my older boy is goes to specialist unit base as well as his mainstream class. It’s great he loves it they di fantastic work! And one the girl is going to big school this year so we wanted to get her something. Main present was decided on and orders but we just couldn’t find the right crown/Tiara that wasn’t just your plastic rubbish…. 

I made one…. The little girl loved it! I can’t share pics for obvious reasons. But second she opened it she put it on and started posing, and next day she wore it to school again. I am so pleased and might have had a little cry. 

But it wasn’t plain sailing … crowns are pointy and I am as you know inpatient and always in the hurry. 

This is my toile (test make). I spend too much time at turning the ties right way round, the base of the crown was too wide and points aren’t regal enough….. I had to rethink the pattern. 

The final version was of course pink. I attached ribbons rather then spending hours in turning ties, I think I need an actual loop turner for the future. And I have embellished it with some lovely sparkling things from my craft stash. And the crown was filled with some toy stuffing. 

I would perhaps added more beading and bits but decided to stick to relatively flat embellishments so she can’t pick them off or anything. And I have to say until I saw the said little queen in her crown the next day I was rather anxious weather she liked it. 

As a process of making, I found embellishing very satisfying! I also haven’t done any embellishing / embroidery in years! And I didn’t have to buy anything new for the project, I used all the things I already had.

Clothes cloning. Kids shots

I am pretty sure I have come across the video on YouTube about cloning clothes. But I don’t recall who it was and well I never done this…. Until now! 

Black cotton remnant and some homemade piping form African wax fabric on the big boy. 

Tester shorts from old shirt 

 

And denim shorts from my old jeans! 

It was actually really enjoyable makes and rather nice to see other people wearing something that you have made. 

I just pick up their actual shorts, folded them along the centre seam making sure the crotch bit was nice and flat and angles were out, and just traced around them. Added some seem allowance and here we are! 

Not only that but I also not have patterns form them to last. Or are these called blocks? 

The piping was a bit tricky to make as I never made one before but I think I did pretty well. And it breaks up all that black nicely. 

They don’t mind what they wear at the moment and even it’s not perfect really it is all good and happy little boys running around in fun me mades! 

I used offcuts and upcycled fabrics! 

Sun hat for hot days

I love a subscription box. It’s like a magical treat that arrives monthly. Great! 

I was subscribing to Wax and Wraps African fabric box, I recently cancelled my subscription for financial and well my stash is massive (for full disclosure). One of the summer months was so wonderful… 

There was some blue colour ways fabrics, interfacing, matching thread, small book, which is on list to read and the pattern for reversible sun hat. (Also a fabric swatch and an Ankara pencil) 

Love the hat. It’s definitely statement hat! And slightly reminiscent of Samantha Jones’ hat in Sex and the City movie (1st one obviously, we do not mention the second disaster).   

I looked the pattern and instructions, seems easy, make top of the hat twice, attach the brim, sandwich together, bag is out and top stitch… well… well! I again overestimated my own abilities at sewing neatly. I am not a careful or neat sewist.  

It is simple, but fiddly. When attaching brims I managed to catch the side of the top of the hat. Twice! Unpicker is definitely my friend. But beauty of African print cotton it’s a very sturdy fabric and doesn’t damage easily so can be unpicked several time.

Also it is a speedy make. And it’s marvellous. I might try to add the wire of some kind to hold the brim in shape. And will definitely make it again. Just need more thick interfacing. I also plan to make a brim a little smaller for a friend. 

And I will pay more attention and be more careful!