Crafting for gifts-2009

Lucy_Lu_4

Rufus - Like everyone else I was so sorry to read about the trouble your daughter has been having at school, I hope things improve.

Just to let everyone know, I have posted on the Christmas thread about some things I have seen in Wilkinsons that are suitable for children; bits for baking kits, plastic baskets that would be suitable for hampers and a box that would make a great craft container. I have included the prices and as many links as I could find. Here is the link to the full post - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=18579221&posted=1#post18579221

wendywitch

rufusd!!!2 wrote: »

We bought my daughter a new school bag a couple of weeks ago and the bottom fell out of it already so i made her a new one out of patchwork material.
Its all different pink fabrics, really pretty, with a drawstring like the PE bags that go over two arms and hang at the back. I took the strings out of her old bag and used them. I lined it too with a bit of fabric from an old quilted bedspread so its quite strong.
She really liked it but when she took it to school yesterday she said the girls in her class were taking the mick saying she was homeless and a tramp and couldnt afford to buy a proper bag, she said she was in tears all day. I felt terrible when she told me as I felt it was my fault she got the mickey taken out of her. I told her if she wants I will buy her a new bag today but she said she loves the bag, just doesnt like the girls picking on her.
Anyway, this morning as she left she picked up the bag to take with her, I said are you sure you want to take it, she turned it round and she had stuck a note on the bag saying "i love my bag, so you dont have to". Made me feel proud of her that she wasnt going to let them beat her. Just hope she doesnt ahve any trouble today.
I was going to make one of these bags each for my nieces for Christmas but am wondering now whether they would like them? I really thought they would, they are all a bit older, daughter is 13 and the niecxes are nearly 15, 16 and 18. What do you think?

I read you story to my daughters (10 & 13), DD13 says she understood how she felt but she'd have taken it anyway! She says you should make the bags for your nieces and that she thinks they'd be great for college girls.

rufusdog52

wendywitch wrote: »

I read you story to my daughters (10 & 13), DD13 says she understood how she felt but she'd have taken it anyway! She says you should make the bags for your nieces and that she thinks they'd be great for college girls.

Thanks for that wendy witch. I will still make the bags, my duaghter used hers Saturday when she went swimming so it is being used. Now I have the problem of her school blouse lol. They have to wear gery and white striped ones which are not cheap to buy. She had 3 new ones when she started there which are size 30, i didnt think it was worth buying her new ones as she only wears them for the next year then they wear white (stupid yes I know but there you go). Well at parents eves they sell secondhand uniform and the other night I bought her a blouse but couldnt remember what size she had, thinking it was 32 we got her a 34 only for it to be massive (only £1 each, only got one thankfully). Well I thought I would take it in but couldnt get the tension on my sewing machine to work so sat and did it all by hand, took the sleeves out and everything and stithed ti all up again. took me 4 hours yesterday afternoon, then this morning she tells me its too low at the neck and wore her old one lol. Teenagers - who'd have them

pennib

Hi crafters, does anybody do smocking anymore? It used to be quite popular many, many years ago. In the 80's I had a go but gave it up as a bad job, you need a lot of patience and it is time consuming. A friend smocked 4 little girls dresses and they were beautiful. Not seen any hand crafted ones since. Shame if it's a craft that could disappear.

she_grinch

I was looking at a smocked dress in a shop at christmas and was telling my daughter how it is done, as I made a baby dress for my needlework exam many moons ago!! Her response was "Just buy it for heavens sake " as she rambled off muttering about having better things to do with a week than smocking! haha sadly it is a dying craft as babies are dressed less fussily today, my baby nieces both wear functional clothes or trousers as they are easier to crawl in. I suppose cuffs could always be smocked on a girls blouse though. I wonder if there is a way to use smocking in another craft?

she_grinch

Not much I have been looking but found these smocked gift bags http://www.creativekeepsake.com/projects.html
but nothing else.

This christmas bauble shows you can smock objects rather than childrens clothing but patterns seem elusive.
I was thinking of trying mini smocking to try and turn into some gift tags!

mary43

Smocking - oh yes, don't do it know but when my sons were babies their clothes had a bit of smocking on.
Most of my dreses did when I was little. I'd have to think hard now how to do it after son long

pennib

The dresses that my friend did were actually smocks (to go over dresses) and it was the early 80's. There were 4 girls ranging from 5 to 10 years, all in matching smocks with the smocking on the front and they looked adorable. But as you say fashions change. I can't think of anything else that you could smock on, maybe cuffs as previously said. You could used to get a smocking machine can't remember how it was used tho. Most things can be bought in a shop but isn't it nice to have hand made articles!

pennib

Just had a look on the site She Grinch and thats a good way to get started. A small and practical project. I would keep it for myself as I find it hard to give things away sometimes!

Sian_the_Green

So peeps, how are we all?
Anyone made anything exciting? I have no idea what smocking is but it sounds fun