I went back to work yesterday as I tested negative and felt mainly better. It was a hard day though as once I got there I realised I didn't feel that great and it was also very hot so I was moving at a very slow pace! I feel much better today though and have almost returned to my normal level of activity. I didn't do much last week, apart from sewing-making little sampler type things with scraps and embroidery thread. They were relaxing to do and I like small projects. I also repaired the cardigan of my Mum's bear, and made her a little dress from some vintage Laura Ashley fabric I got for a pound in Greenwich recently. She looks really pretty in her new dress. The other repair is of Mickey, my companion since I was three. I did it a while ago now. He is sitting on the left below, next to charity shop floor rescued blue bear with no nose. He was face down on the dusty charity shop floor a while ago and I couldn't leave him there. I have a problem leaving bears on the floor! He was 50p! I still have not given him a nose though.
Mickey has been repaired numerous times, by my Mum, Nan and Gran, and also by me. He has had a few recoverings and bears no resemblance to his original self.
Once I had taken all the coverings off, what remained was a very threadbare body with no arms, and big holes everywhere. There were a few wisps of fur, and a little original foot fabric. The knitting is part of his repairs in the past.
First of all I used cotton fabric ro fill the holes, and reconstruct his nose and arms. This meant I was able to stuff him. I used Kapok as it seemed more suitable than polyfill. He was originally stuffed with that horrid foam stuff in small pieces. I think it was the stuffing of choice in the 60s.
It took a long time to get around to this repair as I couldn't find the right fabric. Then I found a grey needlecord miniskirt in the charity shop which was a little stretchy and was perfect. I already had the mohair fur fabric. The red fabric is from Hobbycraft.
The card on the right is from my parents' friends who I think gave me Mickey. It is hard to believe that he looked like that at one time! It was great to have a reference picture. I didn't recreate the hands and feet.
Once he was stuffed I made each part of him separately then sewed him in. It is like a suit really! I like how he has turned out, and hopefully I won't need to repair him again!
Here is Mum's bear in her new dress and darned cardigan. You can see how lovely the fabric is. It has a lovely sheen to it.
6 comments:
You are so clever with your stitchery. They all look wonderful. I still haven't started on making dresses for my redheads. I bought patterns which I thought I could adapt, but it turns out I'm not good at that. So the fabric is still in the bag and likely to stay there for quite a while.
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Hi River,
I didn't even know you could do that! I wonder how many I have missed over the years. Thanks for telling me. At least the redheads are small so not a lot of fabric is needed. I just make it up as I go along as I am not really a clothes maker. I do make a paper pattern though as at least that gives me xome chance of getting the size somewhere close. Then I just alter things until they fit! I might have a go at some clothes for the girlettes and I can put how I do it on here if that would be any help. I will keep it simple!
That's quite a transformation of Mickey--well done!
I love Blue Bear!
I brought one like it home from the thrift store, all grungy.
I and washed and restuffed it, and returned it to the thrift store, where I priced it "high"--seven dollars-- with a sign explaining it'd been refurbished. It sold within days.
Glad you're recovering (recovered) from Covid!
I have a paper pattern that I made by drawing around one of the girls to get the size, I can work from that, but it's the getting started that is hard.
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