Well at least the snow has melted (for now) and I can walk normally again. I really don’t like the stuff and even though my new snow boots stop me from slipping over, they make me walk differently and I now have a problem with my knee – so today is a rest day and a chance to catch up with my blog.
Hippie is taking full advantage of a quiet Sunday.
Just chillin with her favourite Hippo!
I am taking advantage of these dark days by using up some of the tea lights I have been given and enjoying the effect
Isn’t this lamp lovely? My daughter brought it back from Turkey for me – I have so many different holders and I love candlelight!
I have also started to knit again – not easy with my hand problems but I have always loved a challenge.
It started with a cleaning session on the things in my glass cabinet..
Most of the things in there are treasures from my late Mum’s childhood – my Grandmother’s tea service, and many very pretty hand painted plates and bowls that my Mum won at local fetes when she was a small child in the 1920’s – her collection of Siamese cats is in there too, plus some very pretty glass fronted greetings cards from the 1930’s and 40’s – mostly anniversary cards from my Dad….. I treasure these memories and I hope that one day someone else will too..
But, do you see on the right hand side on the middle shelf? That little doll is from my childhood – I played with her over fifty years ago so that makes her a treasure too.
When I first got her she was dressed in a complete baby outfit – she also had a wicker cradle but that got broken a very long time ago..
I decided that if she was worth keeping i would dress her again the way she looked when I first got her – she is only 6 inches tall so it was definitely going to be a challenge.
First I had to find the patterns. I knew they were from ‘Womans Weekly’ magazine in the 50’s and I was so lucky to find people selling PDF and laminated copies of the patterns online so I ordered them and the very fine 2 ply wool needed to knit the outfit.
It took quite some time to make the whole outfit but determination won and now my Rosebud 6 inch doll looks very presentable in her dress, matinee jacket, shoes and carrying cape – i really thought the elastic bands holding her arms and legs in place would have perished but no – her limbs stayed in place while I dressed her…
So now its back into the cupboard for her..
My next project is a sweater, again the wool is a legacy from my Mum – some brushed chunky yarn and it must be about 40 years old but with a little more yarn added there will be enough to make myself a warm sweater with nice stripey sleeves to keep the February chill away….Its half done and I will post a picture when its finished!!!!
Well, please excuse me I must get on with the second sleeve……
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the Turkish lamp!
The knitting makes me want to start.
Oh Kate, you are clever! That little doll looks lovely – and only 6 inches tall? A labour of love, indeed.
As for the jumper and your mum’s 40 year old wool – what a nice idea! Can’t wait to see the end result.
Grannymar – isn’t it pretty? I want to get a bigger one that takes a proper bulb – I think it would be lovely!!!
Knitting? Got any patterns we can swap???
Geri – it was your fault – your post about your doll was really the turning point – and as for that wool …. mum looked at it for years and said she’d knit it up one day then I ended up with it and loads more… its even moved house with me – it will be a big relief when I can wear some of it!!!!
Hmm my mum used to dress our neglected dollies. She didn’t like to see them cold and naked! Clearly you’re not a beginner with the needles!
I love the Turkish lamp, too! And guess what? I think I had a doll dressed in exactly the same set of baby clothes when I was a child! Mine was done in orange wool with a pale blue border. Sounds awful? Uh … yes, it was! LOL! But it was done with love.
Well, I hope Rosebud appreciates her brand new outfit. Kids these days, you know what they’re like, they take everything for granted, lol.
Baino – I used to knit when the kids were small – I’m sure my son remembers his ‘Dangermouse’ jumper! But then when the instructions were a bit mind boggling I used to hand it over to my Mum who always did the fiddly bits! She must have been watching over me when I made the doll’s outfit!!!!
Jay – it really is lovely i can honestly say I have never seen anything like it in this country. The doll – well I think most people of my age had them and they all had the same outfit – my first one was yellow so I had funky colours too!!!!
Nick – Strange you should mention it but she was always called Rosebud mostly because it is stamped into the back of her neck – she’s not saying much I think she’s gobsmacked at all the attention!!!!
You leave the dangermouse jumper out of this – where did that end up? Surely you kept it after all that hard work!?!?
Keiron – I really don’t know – you see – you didn’t treasure it did you? Well I won’t be making another….. it probably went the way of the ‘dolly mixture jacket’ and you know how fond you were of that!!!
I hope your knee is better soon.
Good luck with the sweater.
See you are well into your new year projects Kate.
I remember those dolls from childhood – a kind of cellulose if I am seeing it right. I also remember searching for little patterns to knit clothes for them. What fun. Hope you do well with your knitting project and your hands are not too painful. I had to give up because of upper back pain. I hate watching tv without something to do with my hands and embroidery needs more concentration that knitting.
Thanks Val – Its a lot better for not walking on ice and snow – I just hope we don’t get any more – the sweater is coming on – very much a designer wear knit – invented by me!!!
Hi Barbara – I really enjoyed making the clothes – they were very fiddly but it was so nice to dress her at the end without her falling apart – I do like a challenge but have to admit that I’m finding the weight of the jumper a bit of a problem – hopefully its nearly finished now though.
What a shame you had to stop … I couldn’t embroider – I can’t hold the needle- its just too small and fingers cramp!