Madness

Here's what kept me busy most of October and into November...

 

A 39 piece wardrobe for my cousin's Cabbage Patch Kids!  I had a lot of fun designing and sewing my first "collection" and now I am happy it's done and I can pack it up and move onto other (more festive) crafting.  And I've regained desk space.  And I can see my floor again!

When did the madness begin?  In September when my cousin was here visiting (we live 5 provinces apart so I don't see her nearly as often as I'd like to) and requested, as she always does, to play with my CPKs.  I also got out their wardrobe and she kept busy dressing and redressing the dolls as they went through a variety of activities.  At one point she made a comment about how much she liked the backpack and I could see she was thinking her CPK would like to have one.  So I thought I would sew her an (improved version) backpack and send it out.  I mulled this idea over for a few days and thought maybe I would add some clothes in as well.  A message to my aunt confirmed that some CPK clothes would be very welcome as they haven't been able to find any in stores and my cousin has to be satisfied with changing her CPKs into an old baby shirt or nothing at all.  And so I began.  And kept sewing.  And cutting.  And sewing.  With a little knitting thrown in until I finally said enough!  Which was after I'd made:

• 2 pairs underwear
•  1 pair of tights
• 4 pairs of pants
• 5 t-shirts
• 2 skirts
• 1 blouse thing
• 1 hoodie
• 2 rain jackets
• 1 pair rain pants
• 1 winter coat
• mitts and a scarf
• 2 pairs of pyjamas
• 1 nightie
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 1 bathing suit
• 1 hooded towel
• 6 dresses
• and the backpack that started it all

In a way, sewing these doll clothes has been a bit of a continuation of a family tradition.  Most of my CPK clothes came from my grandma (the one I share with this particular cousin).  Often when we went for our family vacation at my grandparent's cottage my grandma would have some new clothes for my and my sister's dolls.  A good deal of my CPK wardrobe was made by Nana and playing with our Cabbage Patch Kids was one of my & my sister's favourite things to do.  Nana passed away several years ago and so now I'm the one sewing the doll clothes.  Which is part way to fulfulling my 5-year-old self plan of becoming a grandma when I grow up "because they get to bake cookies and make doll clothes."  A good ambition, no?