Candles, plaster of Paris models and other crafts
I have always enjoyed making things. From a young age, I decorated my Dad’s old wooden cigar boxes with shells, to make pretty trinket boxes, and I made clothes for my Pippa dolls (Sindy’s poor relation!) My mum showed us how to make candles, plaster of Paris models and other crafts, bunny ear bags seemed a natural progression. She had a pine stripping business when we were growing up and, as a result, I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of upcycling.
My grandmothers were excellent seamstresses, knitters and crocheters. They tried to teach my sister and I, with limited success – they were always happy to make us whatever we wanted, so there didn’t seem much point! In later/grown up years, I have made light weight curtains, repaired clothing, and produced, or adapted items for world book day/fancy dress parties etc, with the aid of my late Nan’s very old Singer sewing machine.
Lockdown projects
During lockdown I made embroidered pictures for friends’ birthdays, these were usually text, in chain stitch, with phrases such as, ‘If I am who my dog/cat thinks I am, then I’m fantastic’, with a little paw print underneath. Or, ‘Emma’s gin joint, no-one gets out sober – hic’! I also started knitting easter chicks, which when finished, held a small chocolate egg. I finished them off with a pom pom on top, for the comb. I made so many of these, that when I lined them up to take a photo, I realised that my knitting had got out of flocking control! (Lockdown had a lot to answer for!)
The chicks required concentration, with the adding and subtraction of stitches, however in recent years, I found a pattern that showed that simply by knitting a square, with a bit of sewing, you could turn it into an egg carrying rabbit, with added pom pom for a tail!
Learning to sew!
Earlier this year, I saw a post about Sewing TheraBee and thought I’d sign up and learn how to sew properly, instead of just winging it! Initially I was in the wrong class, but didn’t realise until they measured me up to make a dress for myself! Mild panic ensued and I moved to the beginners class the following week – phew! Guess what, they make bunny ear bags!
I met some lovely ladies and our teacher Gerry, was very patient, despite us all wanting her attention, with various questions, problems and repeats of instructions. Over the course of six weeks, we made hair scrunchies, a reversible shopping bag, a lined make up bag, with zip (I put an actual zip in, that actually worked!!) a cushion, with a bigger zip, and some bunny ear bags for easter, with the cutest bunny ears!
Making bunny ear bags
I made two under Gerry’s supervision, and made several more at home (I have a large family!) the bags are lined and quite complicated, but I persevered and am finally making a dent in all the material I have amassed over the years. Gerry’s design was for bags using 12″ x 8″ material, but as I had some pretty fat quarters I wanted to use, but which were too small, I found another You Tube tutorial with three smaller sizes.
I wrote out the instructions, and subsequently typed them out, so if anyone would like to spring into easter sewing action, they’re attached here! The sewing class has really inspired me, and I can’t wait to recover from my thumb op and crack on with other projects like draft excluders (with zips!), cafe curtains and hopefully, pyjama bottoms to match some t shirts I screen printed … ready in time for Christmas!
In the meantime, best wishes and Hoppy Easter!
Nicki