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Stitch ‘n Kids: finger crochet

Esther in Amsterdam — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:51 +0000

Do you remember doing finger crochet as a child? I recall a little boy in my class, he must have been around 7 or 8 years old, and he had made a string of finger crochet so long it could wrap around the classroom twice! I recently taught my daughter Sara and some of her girlfriends to finger-crochet, and it has started a real crocheting-mania! The girls love it, and I’ve seen all the mums walk around with finger-crochet bracelets made by their daughters! Cute.

Finger crocheting is really easy, and a six-year-old child should be able to do it. My nearly-five-year-old son Pim was still a bit clumsy and didn’t really have the patience to learn. But he made an effort (and is very proud of his little bracelet)!

xxx Esther

PS Do you remember how to finger crochet? I put a little film on YouTube here!

Le Gilet de Berger from Citronille

Esther in Amsterdam — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:33 +0000

Proud mama speaking: my first real knitting project is finished!!! (I’m not counting the scarf I knitted last year — we’re talking about following a pattern here.) The pattern for Ava’s little vest above is from Citronille, and called ‘Le Gilet de Berger‘. It was really easy, and I’m loving the results!! The same pattern can be used for boys or girls, and you can play with a cute wooden button or a little bow for the front closure. The yarn is also from Citronille and is a wool/alpaca mix called ‘Pôle‘. So — did I inspire you??

xxx Esther

PS The dress is from ‘Nils & Happy to see you‘ — the ready-to-wear line by Astrid le Provost (the same owner as ‘Citronille’), which we adore!!

PPS Astrid will include an English translation when you purchase a ‘Gilet de Berger’ pattern, which we made when we were in Antwerp last year.

Stitch ‘n kids: the knitting fork

Esther in Amsterdam — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:33 +0000

After joining a little craft group a few months ago, I’ve been making more time for sewing, knitting and crocheting. My 6-year-old daughter Sara is entranced by the idea — she loves nothing more than sitting next to me when I’m creating and always asks me when she’ll be old enough to join my craft group. She actually already does some easy sewing herself (last year we gave her a sewing machine for Christmas), and I recently taught her how to knit (and I was surprised that she was able to do it)!
I thought it would be fun to share some fun sewing/knitting/crocheting ideas with you that are easy enough for children to enjoy. The first idea is the Lucet. Have you ever heard of it? It a very traditional and really simple wooden utensil that has been used since the Viking times to ‘knit’ cords. The process is easy enough for children about 5 years and older, and Sara loves doing it. She already made a beautiful long cord — and is of course very proud! Now we have to come up with a fun project to use the cord… Any ideas?

xxx Esther

Easy-to-make dress

Stephanie in Auckland — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:03:12 +0000

I’ve been doing a lot of crafting lately, but not so much sewing. However this weekend I made a sweet little dress for my daughter (pictured). There is something very satisfying about creating clothes for your children, although let’s face it: it’s usually much cheaper and easier to just go to the shop or order them on the internet!
I used the Butterick 4176 pattern for this dress and it is a very simple and straight forward pattern to follow, even if you are a novice. There are no zips or button holes involved! I bought the material in a little shop called Fanny Mia when we were in Copenhagen earlier this year… I’m really going to miss travelling in Europe when we head back down under in a few weeks!

Steph xo

Japanese crafting (This and That Japan)

Esther in Amsterdam — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:00:03 +0000

The Japanese have an amazing eye for style and simplicity. I’ve never visited the country, but I’m pretty sure I will love it as I love their food, their architecture, and their product design! The Japanese also make the most amazing fabrics and print the most wonderful craft books — it’s all so tasteful and simple and inspirational. Now that I’ve decided to start being creative again (I’m attending a craft night every 2 weeks), the gorgeous Japanese craft shop ‘This and That Japan‘ is a true treasure chest! They have an amazing selection of Japanese fabrics and books in stock, plus a good selection of stamps and stickers and haberdashery. I’ve recently ordered some fabulous fabrics (this one with buttons is gorgeous!) and a few books — even though I don’t read one word of Japanese the photos are inspirational and the drawings are clear enough. So now I have to decide — which project to start first? Pot holders? Shopping bags? Baby shoes???

xxx Esther

PS This and That Japan is now offering an additional 15% off to Babyccino Kids readers for one week only! Just enter coupon code Babyccinokids at the check-out page. This discount is additional to the current sale but excludes shipping. Happy shopping and crafting!

Jeans and cords party bunting

Esther in Amsterdam — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:46:01 +0000

So… Ideally this craft project would have been finished long before posting about it, but I have to face reality — it was started 3 years ago and didn’t progress much since. Maybe this post will inspire me to finish it before the next birthday in our household?
The idea is simple: don’t just trash old (ripped) jeans and trousers, but cut them into flags instead (a simple cardboard triangle will help you cut out the shapes). I personally like to create the bunting out of two layers so there is no front or back to it (leave the top of the triangle open so that you can turn the flag right side out). Next (and last!) step will be to sew the flags to bias band. I’ll post about the finished bunting soon I hope!
What I like about the idea of using jeans and cords besides simply re-using is that the colours are really cool and stylish — so much so that maybe this bunting can be left hanging all year long. Because really, shouldn’t every day be a little party?

xxx Esther

How to make your own Pinatas

Courtney in London — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:08:01 +0000

Who doesn’t love a piñata? They make great party decorations, they offer entertainment (if you decide to bash the beauty up), and they’re filled with candy! Such fun! Jordan at Oh Happy Day has recently started a Piñata DIY series and offers all the tips and necessary steps for how to make them. It actually seems quite easy to do — I think I might give it a go for our next party… although I’m not sure I could stand watching it get destroyed after all that work, no matter how many sweets it bears.

Images from Oh Happy Day

-Courtney

Craft night (and pencil case)

Esther in Amsterdam — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:15:37 +0000

I love sewing, knitting and the like. It’s in my genes — my oma (grandmother) was always sewing, crocheting or knitting (I inherited her sewing machine, a mid-century Pfaff). So was my mum. But with three children and two jobs, a house and a husband to look after, I have found that time is not really on my hands… There’s always something more important to finish and the sewing machine ends up workless on the table top — nice to look at (longingly!)… So a few weeks ago, some friends and I decided to start a Monday night sewing evening.

Every other week we get together in one of our houses, drink tea, eat cake and cookies, and most importantly, we’re being creative! It’s such a relief, having picked up again something that is such an important part of me. I started with a project I thought was very simple, a personalised pencil case for our 6-year-old daughter, Sara, who just started to read and write at school. The project ended up being much more complex than I first imagined, and it took two craft nights to finish (plus help from my fellow crafters!), but it’s done and cute and I’m proud to be able to send Sara to school with something her mama made for her.

xxx Esther

London Cushions

Stephanie in Auckland — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:00:17 +0000

I loved living in London and it still tops my favourite city list. A while ago I saw this fabric in a Cath Kidston shop and had to buy a couple of metres. I love the vintage look and the colour and the detailed pictures. In fact I love everything about it! I ended up making a couple of cushions out of it for my bedroom so I will always have a little reminder of London when I go to bed at night.

Steph xo

Baby Knits

Stephanie in Auckland — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:04:14 +0000

When I had my first baby I had an urge to knit. Now I didn’t actually know how to knit nor did I have anyone near by to teach me. My friend suggested I buy Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss. This is a great book if you are a complete novice like I was. It starts by teaching you the basics of knitting like how to cast on and off and knit and purl. With each new technique you learn there is a new baby item to make. I started by knitting a scarf then moved onto a baby blanket (still haven’t finished that!) and then to my amazement I made a simple jersey. In the book there are some gorgeous patterns including a little dress, cardigan and hat. I would highly recommend this book if you have never knitted before and would like to have a go.

Steph xo

Sock Monkeys

Stephanie in Auckland — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:01:15 +0000

How cute is this little guy? I’d like to say I made him for my kids… but in fact he sits on our bookshelf in the living room keeping an eye on family life. I wanted a quick craft project one day and found some instructions on line. Have a look here for some instructions on how to make one.

I love the fact that every monkey is different — from the way you sew them up to the positioning of their eyes, they all have their own personality. I think my sock monkey looks a bit bewildered but then he does have to watch our family all day!

Steph xo

Ketiketa Stamps

Emilie in Paris — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:33:34 +0000

We Continental Europeans don’t have the greeting card culture of the Anglo world. No one really sends birthday cards, we don’t have card shops, and in fact, it is really difficult to find a nice pack of greeting cards. It is 100% due to Courtney’s influence that I have been made aware of this — she is a note and card writing virtuoso! (I remember when I heard that her newborn already had his own headed stationary, I choked on my coffee! But I now realise that this is totally normal in the US).

So I have started to jump on the bandwagon and have started sending cards. I have actually found that I really enjoy it: it is really nice thanking someone with a handwritten note, personally delivered to a post box. Who knew? I have also started making my own, with some stamps I found via Smallable and Annaka Bazaar. I set my girls to work and I think the results are quite cute, no?

Next stop: my own headed letter paper!

Gorgeous fabrics and must-haves at MondaysMilk

Esther in Amsterdam — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:00:24 +0000

Dutch online boutique MondaysMilk is a little gem. I’m telling you. Please have a look at the gorgeous fabrics, the beautiful quilts and pillows and the hand-crochet bags and hats and I dare you to say you disagree! (Ava has a cat hat in green and it’s really ridiculously cute…)

I’m thinking about re-doing parts of my house, and I’m going to start with the couch pillows. So I have been ‘window-shopping’ at MondaysMilk and I love this fabric here, these cute flowers, this neon yellow… With this depressing fall weather here in Amsterdam, it’s time to get my sewing machine out and make the house cosy!

xxx Esther

DIY summer necklaces

Esther in Amsterdam — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:00:51 +0000

Last week on the beach, my kids and I spent quite a while looking for shells (I don’t know who enjoyed it more, the kids or I — it’s just so relaxing!!). And yesterday we made some fun, summery necklaces out of them. Look for the shells with a little hole in them, and use whatever you have around the house (wooden beads look good I find). A double knot after each shell keeps them tightly in place!

xxx Esther

Pillowcase Wings

Emilie in Paris — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:21:30 +0000

I just discovered these pillow case wings on Sisters Guild via Bambino Goodies and just had to write a post about them, they are so super cute. I know it is not Halloween nor Carnival, but there is never a bad time to play dress up, is there? Apparently all you need is fabric, fabric glue and then do a bit of stiching. Perfect for using up little bits of stray fabric.

I will try and make some in the next couple of weeks and let you know how it goes!

-Emilie

Fabric Shops

Emilie in Paris — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 09:13:00 +0000

I have a moderate addiction to purchasing fabric, nothing I need to go see a therapist about, but still — it is an addiction. I buy all of these lovely fabrics and even patterns, imagining what beautiful clothes I could make for my children. The problem is, 9 times out of 10, these beautiful clothes never see the light of day as I never get round to actually making them. But it is fun to dream.

Paris is great for fabric shopping. We have a whole area dedicated to fabric shops around the Butte de Montmartre, and I have started finding more and more online shops that tempt me with their selections. Here are a few favourites…

Citronille is my favourite sewing on-line shop. The patterns are so stylish and typically French and a lot of them are relatively easy to make. I love the choices of fabrics too. (By the way if you like these patterns and fabric but do not have the time and inclination to make the clothes yourself, check out Esther’s post on Nils and Happy to see you. You can buy a selection of the Citronille patterns as ready-made clothes.)
Wowo is a famous children’s boutique here in Paris. I only recently realised that they also sell fabric. The prints change every season so it is a fun place to check out on a regular basis.
Anna Ka Bazaar is a lovely webshop for kids and mothers and also has a great selection of fabrics. The fabrics all originate in India so they are mostly light cottons, perfect for tunics and little summer dresses.

-Emilie

Made by Joel it ain’t…

Mo in London — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:17 +0000

I absolutely adore those fantastic blogs that share such inspirational ideas of great things to craft with or for your kids (think ‘Made by Joel‘, ‘Inchmark‘, ‘Hip Hip Hooray‘). In fact I’d go as far to say I have a slight addiction to said blogs. I gaze at their beauty, gawp at their good ideas and sigh at the pretty photography. All the time thinking how I must try harder to be perfect.

The sad reality is though that I’m not perfect (is this therapy?). And when it comes to crafting with my kids I’m anything but. I’ve always wanted to be good at arts and crafts and since having kids I can hardly pass a craft shop without popping in for some googly eyes or transparent paper for our bulging craft cupboard. So the enthusiasm is there and the desire is there, so how come my shoe-box aquarium (above) looks nothing like Joel Henriques’?

Well firstly this was made with the help of Elias (aged 4) and Lioba (aged 2, who also had a tummy-ache). The bits I did, I did whilst ensuring the glue wasn’t poured onto a little sister’s head and that the same little sister didn’t rub her eyes whilst her hands were covered in paint and glitter.

Unlike Joel’s beautiful aquarium (which I could happily live with in my house until after the kids have moved out) this aquarium will be lucky to last a week before it comes to an unfortunate end — it doesn’t fit with my ideals of interior design but the kids feel some pride in having helped make it and I feel some pride in having done something with them on a rainy afternoon.

I think the lesson I’m trying to teach myself here is … I don’t think I can live up to other peoples’ standards. It’s unrealistic. These people are obviously amazingly gifted and also have great natural light in their homes (I want to believe their photography is down to the luck of light in their homes rather than yet more talent!) so I won’t compare myself anymore (well for today at least).

If you would like to do a craft that doesn’t look beautiful but is super easy and your kids can get involved in then here’s what we did ….

Took an old show box and cut a rectangle out of the top.
Cut 3 slits along one (long) side of the box.
Used the cut out rectangle to cut out some fish (and a vague octopus).
Kids sploshed paint on sea-creatures whilst I painted box blue (inside and out).
Cut up some green felt as sea-weed (could use magazine tear-sheets, fabric, coloured paper, wrapping paper) and stuck it to the back of the aquarium.
dotted glue everywhere and covered everything (including non-aquarium related stuff) in glitter
once glue had dried on fish used pva glue and glitter to sparkle them up
stuck buttons on fish as eyes

NB: this is where the kids bailed out — I was amazed their interest lasted so long.

I then tied clear fishing line to halved lollipop sticks and threaded them through the slots so the line hung in the frame.
Stuck the fish to the lines with tape.
Put some green wool on the floor as seaweed.

Hey presto!

-Mo. x

Last Minute Christmas Craft — wall panels

Esther in Amsterdam — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:03:55 +0000

These wall panels were quickly made with my kids — just using pieces of an old sheet, some fabric scraps and Fabric Mod Podge. I did the cutting for my 3-year old, but my 5-year-old was able to do everything herself! After drying we glued the sheet around a piece of cardboard and voila, some stylish Christmas deco for on the sideboard! Of course a similar thing can be made with pieces of paper…

xxx Esther

Paper bag advent bunting

Mo in London — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 06:00:25 +0000

I’m sorry the picture isn’t great… but this is such a quick, simple and (I think) effective idea that I had to tell you about it.
Advent for us starts officially this Sunday, but of course the first doors on the advent calendars will be opened on the 1st. To jazz up our hallway I made this simple Advent paper-bag bunting. And it was so easy you could even make this with the kids.

Some plain white paper bags (mine were bought in Germany but these look similar) folded over at the top and punched with a normal hole-punch.
Each one stamped with the numbers 1 – 24.
Then some christmas string threaded through the top.

Mine are currently just decoration but I think I will fill them with a few treats so the kids can open them up as the days tick by.

Mo. x

DIY Goody Bags

Esther in Amsterdam — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 22:52:32 +0000

My sewing machine used to be my grandmother’s. She probably bought it in the fifties, and it’s so heavy I have to ask my husband to carry it to the table, but it still does the job wonderfully well!
These goody bags would be perfect as a classroom treat or for party favours at a birthday party (as seen on Vlijtig). I used pages from an old Milk magazine, cut out squares about 15×15 cm (6″x6″) and glued the outer ends together to make a tube. Then I sewed together one end, filled it with a mix of raisins and almonds, turned it 90 degrees and sewed together the other end. Presto! I left some thread at the ends, but you could also use zig zag scissors for an interesting twist.

xxx Esther