You're Getting Good at Sewing

I don't give many homemade presents beyond my strict, and very well defined, list of people who understand the meaning of - and appreciate - a handmade gift. I know you understand what I'm saying. I'm particularly critical of my skills and have been known to knit and finish an entire baby cardigan only to put it away in a box because it's not perfect enough.



The majority of people I know are on the exclusion list. It's not that they're not nice people and don't deserve receiving handmade (actually some of them are on the list because through past behaviour I know they don't deserve handmade), it's mostly that I'm embarrassed of my level of skill and not sure how it will go down.



I'm less concerned about gifting handmade to kids, especially if they're related to me in some way. I've made a few things for the nephews, but mostly kept them small.

So for one of the newphew's 3rd birthdays last week I thought I'd do a backpack. I'd fudged my way through making one recently without a pattern, but this time I used the Made by Rae one, and it's pretty much exactly what I'd already figured out - but with nice instructions and good measurements.



I was pretty excited by it. I think a backpack is not a bad present for a three year old. The Smurf is not far off three and he loves carting his wordly posessions around with him. He loves his backpacks.

I decided to line the backpack and add some side pockets - which aren't included in the MBR pattern. But they're very simple to do.





I was pretty chuffed with the outcome (although I'll remember to snip stray threads before taking photos next time).

The three year old loved it and the Smurf has demanded an exact copy of his own.

But what do I make of the comment "you're getting really good at this"?

I know it was meant nicely, but I'm a bit confused.

Was I right to be embarrassed of earlier presents? Am I shit and maybe getting better? Is it a "keep up the good work, you'll get there one day" kinda thing?

Or, is it a wow you're not that bad at this, in future I needn't be so concerned about whether you'll make some kind of twee looking piece of crap and wish that you'd just do the normal thing and buy something like everyone else."

What do you think? Am I paranoid? Do you have an exclusion list? Or do you merrily make and give and to hell with what they think - at least it's not another piece of plastic fantastic!

Good times with Sadie

Sadie's been visiting, and when Grandma visits there's usually some kind of special little something pressed into my hand with a glint in her eye and an "I know you'll appreciate this, no one else is interested in a 60 year old knitting needle/old spoon/old book of crochet patterns (insert crafty thing here)".

And she's right, I am always in awe of that little piece of Grandma she shares with me. I treasure my spoon and every other little amazing treasure she has pressed into my hand over the years.

The treasure this time was different. It came in a bag! There was no sweet pressing into my hand, (actually there was one very, very special thing, but I'll tell you about that another time) no this time the bag was ceremoniously tipped on to the bench to reveal all manner of baking related GOODNESS!

Beautiful, faded old bottles of food colouring (maybe 40 years old or so) with amazing labels, artificial flavourings in incredible little bottles that look like old medicine bottles, an entire collection of piping nozzles of every shape and size, boxes of vintage birthday cake candles in the orignal boxes, un-opened - photos all to come.

But the piece de resistance, words-cannot-describe-how-amazing, was the handcarved, hand decorated "Old Time Train Set Candle Holder" - in ORGINAL box, thank you very much (see above photo).





Of course no visit from Sadie is complete without me pestering her for some tutorials on her secret recipes she's famed for in our family. This time round we did Chocolate Eclairs (I'm no longer a choux pastry virgin) and gem scones.



And I love that the Smurf is just as excited about the baking tutorials as I am.

An Autumn Sunday Morning

A perfect Autumn Sunday morning; a tea party picnic on the lounge room floor, reading the cupcake book, while eating delicious handmade marshmallows.



And getting a little excited pouring the little cup of tea.



Followed by coffee with friends and kicking the footy in the park and mushroom soup for lunch and later building ridiculous Mad Max inspired duplo trucks.

Perfect.