Cashmere Rag Doll

 

A little girl with a big personality should have a doll with personality too. That's what I think, anyway. In an effort to be a good aunt I have been trying to make a stuffed animal or doll for each new nephew and niece. The girls could not have been more enthusiastic about planning dolls for their new cousins, so we pulled out a felted cashmere sweater and the girls stuck it full of pins while I drew up a quick pattern.

You can check out the dolls and stuffies that inspired me here on Pinterest. I was especially thinking about Jess Brown rag dolls which are so loveably awkward and fashionable at the same time. They are like the doll versions of the Man Repeller. We went a little more traditionally girly and bright here, with different eyes and mouth and more clash. 

 
The cape is red broadcloth, the printed dress is vintage flour sack, the lace slip was a swimsuit coverup, and the shoes are felt.  My daughters have been carrying "Little Red" around to do everything. I asked what they liked about her, and they said she was squishy and nice to hug. So there you have it! A doll can't ask for a better endorsement than that!

How To: Sew a Child's Cape

 We will try anything that makes these long days indoors fun, but we never need an excuse for more costumes! Any occasion will do. Capes make you jump higher, run faster, and spin more beautifully according to our in-house research.

I love seeing the girls zooming around in their capes because one of them is made with a play silk I was fond of as a kid. The stories we pretended with it beggar imagination, so it's great to know that its best years are ahead of it!

 
This cape project is super easy and fast, (20-30 minutes) and it's a good excuse to work on fine hemming tricky fabrics like I showed you in the last tutorial!

Supplies: 
fancy floating, silky, sparkly, or otherwise fun fabric 28.5"x 22.5" Poly organza is pictured here.
40" of 1" ribbon
safety pin
matching thread

Note: If these measurements seem random, it's because I was making do with what I had, but the measurements turned out to be a nice size for both my 2 and almost 4 year old. Feel free to improvise.

Directions:

1. Hem all 4 sides of the cape at 1/4".
2. Make a casing for the ribbon by folding one of the short sides down 1 1/2" and stitching.
3. Attach the end of the ribbon on the safety pin, and use the pin to push the ribbon through the casing. 
4. Even up the center of the cape to the center of the ribbon. Pin in the middle. 
5. Scrunch up the cape on the ribbon to 7 1/2" to each side of center, while the ribbon stays flat. 
6. Distribute the gathers approximately evenly and stitch down.  

That's What Little Boys Are Made Of

Boy oh boy! Finally we get something male on here. This is a little sample of a photoshoot I did with my adorable nephew last week. It started out tame, maybe a little boring even, and then he forgot I was there and got back to his own business. Snips and snails and puppy dog tails business.

 
  I love the spontanaity of shooting with children because if you gave him a hose and a stick and a mudpuddle with the intent of coming up with something cute this never would have happened.

 

Hammer and Nails Preschool Style

A recipe for simple, clean, summer fun: A little supervision, a light finishing hammer, nails, and a piece of cardboard or styrofoam, doubled. Make sure you do this outside so you aren't hammering into your floor or something.

For younger preschoolers you might want to get the nails started as we did, but older children might enjoy doing it all by themselves. For variation, try drawing something like a house on the cardboard to "build."

Though you will want to discuss safety rules for hammers and nails, don't discount even a young child's ability focus and enjoy skillful play!

If you must have a higher purpose to try something fun, this is a great activity for tuning up fine motor skills, and it is engrossing so it builds attention spans and the sense of accomplishment too!

Boys and Their Toys

toddler boy gift ideas

Boys are simultaneously easiest and hardest to shop for. They are happiest with a ball or a gizmo, but gosh darn-it if you don't want to give them something cute– at least when they are little. 

I am facing this conundrum often, what with an influx of little nephews this year, and some other small boys in my life to gift. All of a sudden I got inspired with this truck pillow and was feverishly sketching it way after I should have been in bed. 

I used matte fabric paint on vintage flour sacking for the design. If I do it again, I will leave at least on inch of margin all the way around the picture so that I don't lose so much of the drawing to stuffing. So far it is a hit with my daughter, who is loathe to let it leave!

As a quick reminder, there is still a little time left to enter the contest to win the tassel bracelet giveaway!

Embroidery for Preschoolers

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." –Pablo Picasso

Case in point: Consider Thacia's first stab at embroidery. Her sense of color is startlingly on-trend, the strokes are balanced in both color and rhythm. There is stability and gentle movement in the lines that keep the eye engaged. As she works she is focused yet relaxed: The French would say "sage." She enjoys the process. This is the gold standard for adult work, and absolutely effortless for a two year old. As far as she is concerned she is playing hide-and-seek as she pushes her giant needle through the muslin. She asks "Where did it go?" She flips the work "Oh there it is! I found it!"

So much contentment in muslin, embroidery hoop, needle, and yarn.      

A Perfect Day

This is the reason we have families.

Found (Even Though It's Saturday): Small Stories

I got my new camera! This evening I tested it out. These are locals in downtown San Antonio. I love the opportunity that photography gives to be a fly on the wall and make up your own narratives and really notice what you might just normally see.