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Rebecca is 4, which means that she gets to pick out the birthday presents for her friends, and while I may retain some veto power, and can provide suggestions, it’s really her show. But sometimes *I* want in on the fun too! So I made this barrette for one of her fashion conscious friends who was turning 3.
As usual I was planning an extravagant set of six barrettes, some leaves, flowers, an apple, an ‘A’, but reality set in, and I only ended up making one, which with all the hand stitching took me at least an hour, possibly two. I’m really not very fast with my hand sewing I guess. Too much of a perfectionist. When I was gathering the lace for the back I carefully took a stitch in the 2nd and 4th holes of the lace, pulled them together with the 0th and then tacked it down with a back stitch. Please, I’m gathering lace to the back of a barrette, not counting cross stitch, but I have a really hard time going fast. I find slow and precise relaxing, but frustrating at the same time.
To make this barrette cover I traced the barrette, cut two, clipped a hole for the back prong of the barrette, and with the barrette in the center sewed them together with a running stitch. Then I whip stitched the monogram/lace stack to the edges of the barrette.
I have been doing a ridiculous amount of cooking and fermenting and sprouting rather than blogging recently. I think I have 4-5 containers of various ginger ferments, 3 jars of somewhat suspicious pickles, I made crackers and quinoa milk today for heaven’s sake. I idly think about blogging as I’m cooking, and sometimes take pictures, but I don’t really think I should diversify this blog any further, it’s already gotten pretty unfocused from where I started! And sometimes that bothers me, but not enough to do anything about it yet. Would you like my blog better if it was my crafts only or children’s activities only?
6 Comments
Add Yours →That is gorgeous. You are so clever!
I love eclectic blogs, and I’m very curious as to how your quinoa milk turned out.
The barrette is very pretty, too.
i enjoy reading about anything you write! You are just a fascinating person, and precious mama. xox
Thanks maryanne, the quinoa milk was easy, just make super soupy porridge and then put it through the blender. It came out pretty well I thought, although Penelope didn’t seem to digest it very well, so I’m going to try rice next.
I don’t comment nearly enough but I do enjoy your blog, all aspects of it. Plus, it is your blog and if you want to show off your weeks worth of cooking/fermenting/pickling achievements, I think you should do just that.
Also, that barrette is gorgeous. I may have to make my little one a couple. And I totally get about slow and steady win the race. If I am not in front of the sewing machine I am relaxing, and if I am doing some hand sewing, I am still relaxing but it is not a second nature craft for me so I need to concentrate and go slowly to achieve the desired results. But I hear ya, when you look at a clock and rub your next two hours later you’re like huh? It was a [insert simple shape here] for Pete’s sake!
Also, when I am giving a crafted item as a gift, I am three times as critical, so i would have done the same with the lace gathering!
Thanks Melissa, that’s really sweet. Perfect is slow slow slow. I’ve been practicing not trying to be perfect, but sometimes I forget how slow trying to be perfect is!