I still haven't sewn name labels into their uniforms....

But I have made them some nice new clips to wear on their first day back at school.

And that's about all it will be. They might last to the end of the second week, but I am under no illusions that clips don't last long on this earth. Where they go to I do not know - maybe to the same place as all the socks that would make matching pairs to the odd ones that lurk at the bottom of our laundry basket.

These clips are easy to make. You don't even need to sew anything.

Being a little obsessed with sewing, I couldn't help myself though.

But if you have some big vintage buttons and decent glue, you can make some sweet little clips in two minutes flat.

I really like the whole back to school feel of September, and the many excuses for new goodies it brings. Maybe that's why I became a teacher.

Along with it comes the back to school resolutions.

For me, I am going to get out of bed early enough to fit in a swim (the local pool is only a couple of minutes round the corner from where we live) before the school run. Yes, you heard it.

The time has come to face reality - if my back is still playing up (currently awaiting physiotherapy) and I want to keep up my three a day habit (pieces of cake, that is), I need to do some alternative exercise. Don't worry, I have cut back my cake, but never will I surrender it altogether.

And a small resolution for the girls will be to keep all their clips tidily tucked in these handy drawers. No more stepping on them or hoovering them up.

How about you - any September resolutions?

The Party Bag Factory

Last Saturday afternoon, I had a lovely time with my Mum - sewing up some party bags, ready for a little girls' tea party. It was good fun - as you can tell from the picture, we took regular tea and cake breaks, and, by the end of it, had a pile of pretty party bags to show for our efforts. Thanks, Mum!

The party bags we made were based on some given to my children by my friend Clare - these were one of her first ever sewing projects, and, two years on, they are still being used in shopping games around the house, and a favourite accessory to cart around all the many random items that small children like to cart around when going out.

I had bought a metre of the ice cream fabric ages ago - with no particular plans for it, other than I knew it would be a big hit with my children.

If you decide you want to make some of these little bags, then a metre of fabric is about the right amount for ten, plus a bit of contrast fabric for the handles and letters, and some Bondaweb for gluing them on. 

Super quick hair bobbles, made out of a gathered up circle of fabric,
with a button sewn on at the end.

Next up, were a couple of late additions to pop inside the bags - all made out of scraps leftover from the party bags and other projects.

Lovely buttons!

Head bands - sorry if this patronises anybody out there, but if you want them to fit children aged about four, then a 49cm by 6cm strips, followed by a 5cm strip of elastic to go in between to ends works well (and hopefully takes away the guessing work).

Love how this handy gadget speeds up the turning process...

That's about it! Now just add sweets and birthday cake...

Milo the Monkey

I like running. 

For the last five years since children have come along, a lot of the running I have done has been with a buggy in front of me and a bunch of other mums alongside me. The bandstand in the middle of the park where we meet was looking beautiful in the winter sunshine this morning. It was a good day for a run.

A good friend of mine, who also ran with me this morning, has a little boy called Milo. Whilst we ran, Milo and my youngest sat alongside each other, both eating bananas, talking their scribble talk, and waving at squirrels.

And along came the inspiration for the name of my latest finished project.

The January Rule is working out well. Still not been to a sewing shop, or bought any fabric - aside from some for my bunting workshops next month, but that doesn't count, right? I haven't bought myself anything sewing related, and, in case you were wondering, in no way am I living out my fabric addiction vicariously through the guise of it being for my classes. Honest. (I will post some pictures of the bunting workshop fabric soon, so that any fellow addicts out there can enjoy too - it is lovely...)

Anyhow, moving on. As I was hoping, a nice thing about the January Rule, is that I am feeling spurred on to finish up some projects, that have until now been sat forgotten about in the bottom of a big plastic box. 

Milo the Monkey, as I have called him, was fun and quick to finish. Why had he been neglected for so long? Who knows. I'm sure there must have been a good reason at the time.

If you've never made a sock monkey, make one. I think you'll smile. And, if you don't smile, I guarantee a little baby will if you give it to them. They make great baby gifts - the ones I have made in the past have been well and truly loved and giggled at. And the stitching attaching the arms, legs and tail to the body has certainly been tested!

Ready for his new owner, with love. X

The bandstand in Bedford Park

Button Trees

A very clear early childhood memory I have is of the year my Mum decided to impose a colour theme on our Christmas tree. Until that point, the family tree had been a more is more, sparkly multicoloured, throw it all together kind of style. And I loved it that way.

I let my little girls choose the buttons they liked...

So, as a reminder of my childhood, here are some decorations that don't stick to the traditional red and green theme. Our tree this year is going to have some colour on it.

So, here are our not-so-traditional looking Christmas trees.

Rainbow Stocking

Evidence if ever it were needed that my five year old is no minimalist.

Little treats for little fingers

Okay, so it might not even be December yet, but when you have small children - particularly ones practising for nativity plays - thoughts of Christmas start early.

And, call me sentimental, but I really like the thought of starting little traditions and rituals that our children will enjoy, and hopefully remember with a smile in the future when they think about their childhood. Last year, it was bunting - and that will be hung up again before too long. This year, it's miniature stockings for the tree. 

I got a bit carried away making these over the weekend - and I haven't got bored of making them yet, either. 

These stockings are perfect little things to sew when you're after something that is easy, portable and quick to finish. And fun to make, too - if, that is, you like buttons and trimmings as much as I do.

I LOVE the colour green - especially the ric rac in this picture

Who needs toys?

First off the production line was this set of simple linen stockings. I think they are my favourites - purely because of the green ric rac. 

A happy thought occurred to me after I'd made them - their uniform nature means there will be no arguments amongst the little monkeys. Or so you'd like to think. There are days when I am utterly smug about how nicely they play together - and others when the first sentence one of them speaks upon waking is aimed to antagonise. (And it does.)

Spot the odd one out

Okay, so I may be guilty of some favouritism here. But only because I was at home with a poorly girl whilst bigger sister was having fun with Daddy, and younger was sleeping. That teeny little star shaped button was a cause of much delight.

Needless to say, the big sister requested her own stocking soon after returning home and spotting the one pictured above. And she wasn't satisfied until she had made sure her stocking would have more buttons on it than her sister's one...

Puddings and Owls

Last night I had a go at making a couple of the tree decorations from my sheet of designs (scribbles) that I have been adding to over the course of this week.

The puddings are made out of a woollen tank top of mine I had accidentally shrunk some time ago. 

(This is not the first time I have been guilty of ruining knitwear, although, admittedly, it is usually that of my husband's. So, should you see me sporting a `new' brown jumper this winter, please don't compliment me on it in front of him. The resizing of his favourite jumper remains a sore subject.)

But, every cloud has a silver lining, and all that. And in this case, it comes in the form of festive decorations. 

Part of the fun of making small things like these, is feeling at liberty to experiment and play with ideas. Instead of using felt for the holly and berries, I decided to try bonding two pieces of fabric together (with Bondaweb) as a way of achieving a material that would be stiffer and not fray.

Onto the next design. Owls. Just in case you - like my husband - were wondering. "Well, if I knew they were birds, then I would have guessed they were owls," he said. My three children did not have the same problem as him, and immediately wanted to play with them. Perhaps he is still bitter over the jumper.

I think these little owls are sweet, and they will definitely be going on our tree this year. I want to fiddle with the proportions a bit, and so am toying with some all white snowy versions in soft brushed cotton with pearl beads for the eyes for the next version - what do you think?

Not sure if they'll make the cut for the Christmas Workshops yet - we'll see how the other designs look when I make them!