Mother and Daughter sewing

When I was a girl, I was very lucky to have parents who Made Things. I guess I took it somewhat for granted that I was growing up in a very creative family environment, it just seemed so "normal" for us to make things all the time. My Mum has been a huge influence in my life in this respect and even though we have very different personalities, I've certainly inherited her passion for all things Handmade.

My Mum used to do a lot of sewing throughout my childhood and I vividly remember her owning a supremely cranky and disobedient sewing machine called Jones. Oh my, that machine (now deceased) really did bring out the worst in her and one of the only times I can remember her using a seriously Bad Word was when Jones chewed up her sewing.

Sewing is something I absolutely love to do too, although crochet has rather taken over in recent years. But sewing was my first love (although colouring-in and paper crafts in general have always featured heavily in my life), and it's one of the things I was/am really really really excited about doing with my own children.

So have you heard of Clothkits???

If you have, you will know what a fabulous little company this is, and if it's new to you, well you are in for a treat. Clothkits have been around since the 70's, and I did indeed make my very own cloth kit doll with my Mum many moons ago, although sadly I've no idea what became of her. The original version of the rag doll is still available to buy, but rather brilliantly the talented Jane Foster has redesigned the dolls and clothes and the results are rather super.

The other wonderful thing about the Clothkit folk is that they do seem to have extremely good taste when it comes to styling and selecting products. The catalogue (some pages shown above) is beautiful to look at, and oh-my-goodness, the Haberdashery section is the stuff of my dreams. Brightly coloured buttons, ribbons and trims get me all in a fizz, there is rather a lot of yumminess to be had here. And did I mention the fabric?? Oh, and the gifts?? Lots of yearning I'm afraid.

So let me introduce you to Kiki doll. There she is look, sitting cosily with the Granny Stripe blanket, isn't she lovely? I bought her in Kit Form for Little Lady last Christmas, and we sat and stitched her together on New Years Day, almost a year ago now. I remember it as if it were yesterday, it was a wonderful, wonderful day!

I'm sure I took some pictures at the time Kiki was made but they seem to have mysteriously disappeared...anyhow, the doll comes printed out on a large piece of cloth, and one basically cuts out head/body x2, legs x4 and arms x4 then proceeds to sew the pieces together, stuff them and assemble them into doll form. I would say it was reasonably easy to do....Little Lady was 5 at the time and I allowed her to very carefully guide the fabric through the sewing machine while I operated the foot peddle at very slow speed. Some things were a bit tricky (stitching the stuffed arms into the body was a bit faffy) but all in all, it went swimingly.

Sorry about exposing you in your underwear Kiki, but I need to show the lovely people of Blogland how you look without your dress!! You can see how the arms and legs are stitched into the body, like I say it was a reasonably simple sewing project.

When Kiki was made, Little Lady was absolutely on cloud nine with the joy of it all. The whole process of creating something special for herself to own and treasure did seem to genuinely thrill her. She kept jumping about and saying she couldn't beliiiiiiiiiiiieeeve that she had actually used a sewing machine and made herself a toy! Precious, it really was.

For a while, Kiki went everywhere with Little Lady, they played, ate and slept together. But gradually other toys took over and Kiki was left to sit on the Shelf of Precious Things in her bedroom. She sat there for rather a long time, until recently that is. Yes, in recent weeks, Kiki has been Rediscovered, and Little Lady has taken her on as her long lost daughter. She has been pushed around in a little pushchair, fed biscuits, danced around the room, tucked up in bed at night.

We reminisced about the day Kiki was "born", and Little Lady said that as Kiki was almost going to be one years old, could we perhaps make her a Birthday Present?

She asked for some pyjamas  and also for Kiki to have her very own blanket to snuggle under. Pyjamas, yes of course I'll order the kit and we'll make them together, and a blanket you say?? Oh yes, blanket-making is a Speciality of the House don't you know!!!

So last week I began making Kiki her very own baby ripple blankie. I'm using Stylecraft acrylic  yarn (current blanket-making yarn of choice) :: Little Lady actually chose the colours and worked out the entire colour sequence for me too, she is quite a clever little cookie with these things it seems.

I finished it last night, adding a red border to Little Lady's exact specifications....want to see?

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Such a sweet little blankie, I worked the colour stripes in single rows, as well as making the ripples smaller than usual (ie using the Neat Ripple pattern, instead of multiples of 14 I did multiples of 10, which means only 2 tr's in between the increase and decrease stitches instead of 4, if that makes any sense to you whatsoever).

I am especially chuffed with the finishing off, I've never edged a ripple before and it's made the world of difference I think. On a whim I added these little chain tassels in the corners too, although I did have to run this idea by my Quality Control Department for approval.

Ahhhh, here is Kiki taking a little rest under her blankie look. I think she likes it.

Even though Kiki is nearly a year old now, the whole experience of making her has very firmly lodged in my memory as one of those things I will Never Forget.

And it seems that maybe just maybe Little Lady might feel the same.

Cos a few days ago she handed me a little note to read. She had written it one night in her notebook before she went to sleep.....

My heart nearly imploded with love and gratitude.

Too sweet for words ♥

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Comments

[Claire]

Oh that's just adorable! I remember writing something similar about my mum! It's so easy to forget how much they look up to us. What a lovely reminder. Happy new year to you x

[penelope dubois]

I love hearing about the relationships between Mums and daughters. Crafts like that, you can't beat and sharing it together is so special!

[Mrs C]

I received the original Clothkits doll for my first birthday - lovingly made by my mum. The day after I found out I was pregnant I was at the Knitting and Stitching Show in London and bought a kit to make one myself - the original sadly missing. At the time I had no idea if I was having a boy or a girl. Now Little Miss C is here I'm hoping that when her first birthday comes in June she too may receive a Clothkits doll.

I love the note you received - so so sweet!
x

[sammia]

I remember cloth kits, but I never had one myself. Though as a child I did several times try to make a doll myself (never turned out as imagined.) This doll is much cuter than I remember!

[Carina]

Lovely post and what a priceless letter from a daughter - so so special. Enjoy the special time with her. And well done for giving the gift of crafting and creating to your kids! Carina x

[Carole]

Oh I loved Clothkits. My kids had lots of clothes from them & my daughters both had a Kitty.

[bb]

OH MY.
That is the cutest, sweetest little note I ever did see.

I love the childish spelling of masheen. So delightful.

You are a wonderful mum!

[Carole 68]

OOOOOHHHHH, this is just SO SWEET ! This is the kind of thing that makes me cry...

[Sue Hayton]

My Mum always said that she had loads of 'stuff' so that anything we wanted to make, she had supplies for. When my daughter fancied making a rag rug last year she was able to provide two sorts of hook! Sadly as she died just before Christmas, I have now inherited her vast store of yarn and material. Looking forward to all the projects I can now undertake with my grown-up daughters!
Happy New Year!

[Dot]

Lovely post. I can imagine your daughter will continue her love of sewing into the future as she says in her note to you, this is such a good thing to teach in today's throwaway world, good for you! x The dolls are delightful

[Amy SP]

Clothkits! YAY! my mother dressed me and my sister in clothkits until we were 13, matching handmade outfits in slightly different colour schemes. They were beautiful (at the time I remember wishing for ski pants, pixie boots and a minnie mouse sweatshirt though). I also had one of those dolls as a child too and I loved her so much, she was called Kitty then I think? Think I need to visit Mum's attic!
Thanks for sharing the beautiful note from your daughter. Totally wonderful!
Happy New Year xx

[Jessie Fincham]

what a little sweetie, what a lovely reminder to have in years to come. x

[Carole]

When my daughter was small she was always keen to join me in any craft project. Sometimes too keen and I know you know that feeling!Over the years this sadly waned.
She is now 21 and the happiest two hours of my Christmas were sat stitching together. That small tapestry kit was money better spent than any expensive gift.
The creative spark was not lost, just resting.

[Zelda]

Ohh it is so sweet. You are sweet as well. I love your blog. And love the crochet. I am still very new to it. Have a wonderful New Year. xxx Love from South Africa.

[Lianne G]

Out of the mouths of babes! Wonderful.

Lost a whole day yesterday reading your blog from the beginning...i haven't oooooh'd arrrrr'd and wow'd like that for quite some time!
Thank you
Wishing you and your family a wonderful new year! x

[Allyson]

Awwwww :) How lovely!

[RachelM]

Aw! That's so sweet!

[Gail]

Oh, I forgot to mention I remember clothkits! My Mum use to by skirts that came in unusual fabrics and you finished sewing them by yourself, do you remember those? The shop she went to was in Oxford, I always liked going in there. Gail xx

[Gail]

Hi Lucy, oooh kids can make your heart just melt. Me and my youngest little lady are making a doll at the moment, she loves to sew. The blanket colors are great.

[Mihaela]

Dear Lucy,
Like always your little stories about your everyday life bring me a warm confident in...people. And like always you give me at least one great idea to add to the project that wander about my mind on that time...
I'm very happy that after about one year (I think next week Little B is going to be 1!!!)it seems that YOU came back.You know what a mean...
xox

[Susanne Tyree]

My mother taught me to knit and crochet when I was about 12 or 13 years old. She bought us each a ripple crochet afghan kit and we use to race to see who could get across the row first. I think what meant more than anything was that it was a "bonding" time and she passed on her passion for yarn to me. My mother use to knit hats, mittens, scarves and socks without a pattern. She was from Germany. Your daughter will always remember dolly making with her mum

[Krista - Poppyprint]

Melt my heart little lady. I hope you get your very own sowing masheen when you are a teenaga, too.♥

[Robin]

Lucy, how lucky you are to have a daughter who likes to do all the things you do! But it does not come as a huge surprise! She has a great mom. I love the dolls, wish we had that store in the US. They are so cute and look like alot of fun for the little ones. Wishing you a Happy New Year Luy!!!! xo Robin

[Hope]

That note is one of the things I would keep forever! So sweet!

[Sharon]

That was just too nice :-)
Thanks for sharing!