sewing that stays home

One thing I've always loved about my grandmother's house, is that her handiwork is everywhere--a framed picture of  a family tree made of thumbprinted "leaves" turned into masked raccoons, embroidered and appliqued pillows, cross stitch, oil paintings, curtains, laundry bags, down jackets.

And as I walked through her house a few weeks ago, I was struck that the majority of crafting I do, goes out the door. Though there's nothing wrong with that, I generally craft for gifts, for other people--pillows, knitting, appliqued tees. And accept for a few curtains, a knitted hat or a pillowcase dress here and there, not much of my hand work is around.

With this in mind, I've made a new resolution which I *hope* I can continue. I want to make the girls a yearly wall hanging, for each birthday (a little late this year) that illustrates a few significant events or interests from their past year.

I started with Emma--a horse jumping since this was the year of her first jumps (and falls). And a house-- we've moved into this house almost one year ago. (Is it ironic that it's a little crooked and pieced together with a few stitches?? I think not.)

I only used what I had on hand and most of the fabrics came out of my scrap basket. And a few of them have some special significance--a scrap from Emma's great grandmother, a bit from my own mother.

After I did all the stitching and zig-zagging (lots of zig-zagging), I went back and added some hand-stitching....her initials, the date, a little secret message in the corner, a few buttons, some little stitches here and there.

It felt a lot like scrapbooking with fabric...adding little elements here and there.

Yesterday I hung it from some willow branches, which I still need to trim back and eventually, once she stops shoving it in her bag and showing it people, I envision it hanging above her bed, until it's replaced by another year of growing.

That is, if I let her get any older....

Comments

[melissa]

molly, that is darling.

[heather smith jones]

I adore this idea and hanging. The girls will truly cherish them and I imagine will carry on the tradition when they're grown.

[Amy]

That is SO beautiful, Molly! You have such a gift- I have zero sewing talents.

I am with you though- I am a gift knitter & crafter. Rarely do we ever enjoy any of my own handiwork here. Thank you for this reminder!

[bigbucketgirl]

phew...another nail hit on the head with "sewing that stays home"! i have knitted a blanket this month...finished a patchwork quilt, 2 softies and a stack of notecards. all destined for other people..other peoples children. what have my children had!!...time and fun with helping me sew i guess but...no sewing staying here! :(

[Jen]

such a sweet idea. Nice job.

[minnesota:madre]

What a fantastic idea! You're an awesome seamstress. Your grandma would be/is proud!

[mommycoddle]

wow. seamstress? no way. but thank you!! :)

[mommycoddle]

you're a sewing machine! i'm so impressed. you definitely need to keep some of that stuff for yourself.

[Molly Irwin]

What a beautiful way to make and keep memories for them, Molly. This is fantastic. I've been meaning to send you a note for a few days now. Watch for it soon.

xo

[mommycoddle]

from what i've seen of your knitting, i bet you'd be a great sew-er!

[Bee]

That is so beyond awesome. How cool will it be to look back on those when they are older? You are so talented, it makes me sick...well, not sick, but jealous. =)

[Fancy Elastic]

Lovely... and I find that most of what I do goes out the door too... I think your idea is a really good one.

Let's keep some at home!

[amyetc]

What a great idea! I love the horse and rider.

I have the same deal at my house... I craft all the time, but have nothing to show for it around here. I'm in the middle of making myself a quilt to rectify the situation.

[Gina]

precious. what a fantastic idea and a treasure for your girlies.

[Kristin McKinney]

That is an awesome idea! I was just planning on making a little wall quilt for my sons, but doing it every year...that's so special!

[Stephanie B]

That is a wonderful touching idea. I know the girls will treasure them when they get older.

[Spruce Hill]

So cute Molly!

[Sarah Jackson]

This is a lovely idea. We have a birthday coming up here too. I may have to riff off of this and do something that he can keep on his wall. Yours is just perfect.

[Mama Urchin]

Such a fun and cute idea. How wonderful that Emma is showing it to everyone.

[mindy]

That is adorable. What a sweet sweet tradition you have started!

[Erin]

it's so fantastically perfect!

and i hear you on the lack of my own work in my own house....

[Carrie]

Oh my. . . can't we just push a pause button on these kids growing up so fast?! I love the wall-hanging idea. It is fantastic for about 100 million reasons.

[Louise]

So sweet-- also awesome that she likes it so much and wants to show it off.

[KateinNJ]

That is lovely.
Perhaps you could even make all the
pieces into a quilt when she is grown...

[Zeemaid]

what a lovely idea and so simple. "Like scrapbooking with fabric" I love it.

congrats on being Twitter mom of the week. What a fantastic blog. Lovely photos!

[mommycoddle]

Katie, I thought of that idea, too!!! It would be really neat, wouldn't it?

[amelia studio]

I love this. Maybe when she's 18, she'll have enough for a big number quilt. :)

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmum2EuajGWlGJpqhcR4XJZ8Ee2pWwQ6Fg]

I love your wall hangings! One per year is pretty amitious, but it looks like you're pretty quick at it. I need to get the wonder under out to play. Haven't done that in a while!
Paula

[Paula]

Sorry-have no idea what that google thing is!
Paula

[Lecia]

This is a nice idea and I can see something like this would really inspire your children to be proud of and display their own work, too.

[chris carleton]

This is beautiful, Molly.

[kate]

What a great idea; I love it!

[gina]

I too love your idea. Wouldn't it be sweet to include a little fabric from an outgrown item of clothing from that year? I save one or two t-shirts every year from each of my kids (shhh!), planning to make a quilt for each when they leave home.

My oldest is 11...now I'm going to dwell on your idea until I can find a way to make it work for me too! Thanks so much for sharing.

[laughingfamily]

This is a wonderful idea. The girls will love looking back at these as they get older (of course, only if you let them do so).

[mommycoddle]

oh my gosh, gina! I never thought of including a little piece of fabric from their outgrown clothes! ack! i love that idea!!

[Kelly]

Such a beautiful idea and outcome. I love this tradition!

[VintagePleasure]

I'm with you on the sewing for gift giving. I have been trying to sew more for my girls and our home lately.It's nice to see things you've made with love.That's if you can get beyond the inevitable mistakes that you know are there but no-one else will see!
Love the banner.You'll have to save them up and make an heirloom quilt with them in years to come.

[Cassandra]

What a great idea! I may have to add this to my list of "want to do's"!

[urban organica]

oh, i absolutely love this!! what a lovely way to hold on to the moment & remember. i just can't get into scrapbooking, there's not enough fabric involved! but i do so want to document every moment. i like the editing needing to do something like this. i can't wait to make ours & involve the boys!

[Georgia]

I love this. Totally scrap booking with fabric-maybe one day when she flies the coop you could sew them all into a book...
I also love that she loves it. So cute

[robyn]

This is really such a wonderful idea!

[Elizabeth Patten]

lovely!

and i'm with you on the needing to make some stuff that stays home. i'm forever making gifts or things for sale that go out my door. i need to make some more things that stay here!

[Gina]

I love this idea Molly!
If you do make her one each year, you should save them all. If she ever gets married it would make a great gift to put them all together in a quilt for her.

[Dawn]

Adorable! What a wonderful keepsake! I love how you included things that are meaningful to her!
I am also saving outgrown clothes for a quilt... someday!

[Kerrie]

Well, I keep all my handiwork, I just can't part with it, it's like it has a bit of my soul attached to it.
I know it makes me sound not generous(whats the opposite to generous, anyone?), but I'm not, I promise.
My one exception is babys, I just have to give something made with love to a newborn.
Love the birthday wall hanging, so special, good idea that you personalized it, now you just can't give it away!.Clever:).

[kerrie]

Oh, thats a grat idea Gina.

[mrspilkington]

love this idea so much. i still have an unfinished wall hanging that my mom started for me when i was 9. i have a bin full of baby clothes that i've been wanting to use for something...maybe something like this! thanks for sharing it.

[Yolanda Cullagh]

What an awesome keepsake for your kids! Even if you are not able to do one every single year, the ones you do will always be cherished. In my house, I think my story books will be the things that my kids will cherish - they are my biggest fans! (And think I'm great, even when I don't.)

[sarah]

it's lovely. i find that a lot of my work goes out the door too, and like you, i am trying to make things for us too.

[Molli W]

Great idea! And what a fun memory to look back on for your girls!