Finally...

I've finally managed to get some photos of the duvet cover I made for my littlest Chickadee. Apologies for the long wait Arabella.

They're not wonderful photos, but I think you'll be able to see what I did.  Those pillow slips are at least 30 years old so it's good to see them revived.

Recognise the eyes peering over the top of the cover?  Sweet man that he is!  I left a longer 'piece' on the top so the pretty top sheet can fold down over it. That said, nobody uses top sheets and duvets on cots anymore, this is merely decoration.  I was about to throw the cover into a 'soak' and 'wash'.  Came out really well and now looks really good. I was happy the lace didn't shrink.

The bit in the middle is the front of the old pillow case, then there's some ribbon and then some old lace.  I finished it off with a 'pretty' stitch on my machine.  Have 'stuck' the ends together with Valcro for quick closing.

I joined the two fronts of the old pillow slips and covered the join with the ribbon strip (actually 3 strips of ribbon... 2 narrow on the outside and a thicker piece in the middle) you see in the middle.  Made two bows to pretty up the edges.  Stitched them on flat.  They washed well.

Did the same pretty stitching right across the back, top and bottom. Not nearly as nice as my grandmother's beautiful hand stitching, but I simply don't have the time. Or the inclination, if I'm honest.

This is the detail from one of the top sheets I made for the cot.  Ancient lace from my kist. I bought the new cotton sheeting though.

All soaked, washed, dried and ironed.  I was most relieved to see it all survived intact.

So, what do you think?  Haven't got photos of the fitted sheets... they look like nothing except a mass of white material really.

April Blackbird.

Our un-hatched Chickadee!

I promised!  With permission from Preggy-Chick, here's a photo of our littlest chickadee.

No, bub (we don't know the gender!) hasn't got a 'lot of black hair' (I asked).  It's just 'shadows'.

31 weeks 3 days and fast asleep....

Can't wait for a cuddle!

April Blackbird... who is now off to finish those sheets and duvet covers once and for all.

Linen for our, as yet unhatched, chickadee's bassinette.

This weeks task = find suitable material to line the nest of our littlest chickadee.

Mummy-to-be-chickie was given a sheet by the lovely person who sold them their pram, but one is simply not enough.

I've fair given up with trawling the aisles of our local shops and Cabramatta is too far away (although I love going there, it's such a unique experience...).  Had a look at the piles of unused linen in my cupboards and reckon those embroidered pillow cases are about to find a life they were never meant to know.

I've piles of carefully hoarded old lace and ribbons in my kist... I love the old and romantic notions of beautifully finished linen, which is why I've hung onto everything through 2 major (country) moves and eight house moves.  Have also found a great online store to supplement my stocks if I should ever run out... take a look at Lace and Beyond, they have everything from the traditional to the colourful.

Double tucks, ribbon edged seams... I'm getting carried away again.  Might have to soak everything in a very weak solution of black tea to get it all one colour though.

I'll post photos of the finished objects once I eventually get that far.  If anyone has any good suggestions about making baby linen, please let us know by commenting below.  Love to hear from you.

My sewing machine and over-locker don't have a permanent place to stand so I have to take over the dining room table when I sew.  Not a major issue for most, but I'm a dreadfully messy 'sewer'.  Might be all my containers of buttons and cottons and what-have-you notions... and the 'instruction' books that have to be open nearby because it's usually so long ago that I used my machines that I have forgotten what goes where!

More later... if I want to get to the shops today I'd better get out and about.  The battery was flat yesterday!

April Blackbird