the sewing bug bites young

My ten-year-old daughter Ella has pestered me to use the sewing machine since she was three years old, and these past few years she has revelled in threading up and whipping up some cushions or doll blankets. But lately she's become even more sophisticated.

Using a pattern for a simple doll from Spotlight, she created this sweet little red-haired girl all on her own (well, with a teensy bit of help from Mum).

It's really interesting watching Ella's skills unfold as she learns to sew - at first she needed me to thread needles. Now she can do it herself. Then she needed me to do any finishing on the machine. Now she can do it herself.

Embroidering was a struggle. Now she can do it herself. Pinning is still a little iffy but she's fast getting the hang of it, and cutting can be a tad askew, particularly because she's left handed and my 'good scissors' need sharpening, but it's just a delight to see her improve every time she practises a new skill.

I only needed to show her once how to attach the doll's long strands of orange yarn hair - and she complete the lot herself.

And what a stylish, doll Rosie turned out to be. Here she is twirling amongst the Christmas decorations on the dining room table, totally working her whimsical ensemble, in tangerine and sunshine yellow.

Next, Ella and I want to tackle a Pinnigan doll from handmade living and also some of Tina Snerling's amazing felt cupcakes, from the same book - and that's only the beginning. Such a great thing to have compiled a book, spent 9 very close months with it and still feel inspired to make so many projects from it.

Have you made any projects from handmade living yet?