Wednesday 26 August 2009

Happy 12th Birthday Dot!


It was Dotty Locket's 12th birthday at the weekend and as always we have the customary photos of the three excited Little Lockets waiting impatiently by the pile of presents (looking very lovely on my newly finished Swell quilt) and the lovely ones I get each year of the happy cuddles received.


And once again I nearly killed myself sewing frantically for Dot's birthday - Mr Locket and I ended up having supper the night before at 11.45pm and I felt half dead for the next couple of days but it was definitely worth it. And because I am a pathetic show-off I'm going to bore you with pictures of all the things I made starting with her new school bag - although this was actually the last thing finished and had to be completed while everyone was having breakfast on the morning of her birthday!

This is the Amy Butler patchwork side


and this is the Daisy side - Dot's favourite as it turns out.

Sorry about the bad photo - I just knew I would never get this post written if I kept trying to get a better picture.

It's a standard messenger bag with two large zip pockets and one side pocket for her mobile phone and is my highly simplified variation of Amy Butler's messenger bag pattern.

I also made a matching pencil-case, art pencil roll and wallet


And of course, her matching dress!!!!


I mean everyone wants a dress that matches their pencil case don't they????

Again the photos aren't great because we were on the beach and the wind was really strong and the sun was in hiding - but I like them because they are real photos of my really lovely, almost-grown-up girl.

I really enjoyed making this pattern and will be doing more soon - and I'll try to remember to show you a proper photo of the dress when it is not being whipped around by the wind.

But my favourite present for Dot was the one I designed all by myself! The idea came to me a few weeks ago and with a lot of fiddling around this is what I came up with.........

Mr Walter Pigeon the Owl!


He's a cushion/cuddly toy with a special pocket in the back for a lavender wheat pad that can be warmed in the microwave - and Dot loves him!

Whereas I'm just amazed I got him finished in time as there are 40 individual feathers and I whenever I thought I had enough I kept discovering I needed more!

His body is made with navy velvet so he is extra snuggly - and I already have some other designs lurking around in the back of my mind!

I also quickly stitched a fabric card to match using a free stitchery that had been posted on Sew-Mama-Sew.


But I think Dot's favourite card was from Charlie P

and she was super-delighted with the notecards that I asked Charlie to design for her

(but please be assured that the speech bubble isn't all smudgy and messy in real life - it's just where I blurred out Dot's real name!)

Charlie's new Pigeon Press enterprise is fantastic - the cards are wonderful!

And now I am going to dash off because after 6 lovely weeks of being at home with the children I am off out to the cinema with some friends and if I don't go now I'll be late!

Byeee

Lucy x

25 comments:

Rachel said...

Happy Birthday Dot! What fabulous presents, I love Walter!
Rachel xx

Gina said...

A very happy birthday to you Dot - it's lovely watching you grow up here. Super presents too! Hope Mum has a good night out.

trash said...

Oh I think you and I may just be close buddies Miss Dottie Locket! All of that luvverly A.B. fabric? A girl could hardly ask for more really.

hoping your birthday was fabulous fun.

dottycookie said...

Happy birthday Dot! An excellent choice of fabric, and I speak as one who until fairly recently also wasn't too keen on AB. I'm not going to let my two see the lovely bag your clever mum made though, or they'll be asking me to make one for them!

silverpebble said...

Ooh lovely lovely presents. What a lucky girl and clever clever Mrs L. I especially love her dress. Happy Birthday Dot, you're looking espcially gorgeous in these photos.

Mrs Moog said...

Happy Birthday Dot!!! The dress looks gorgeous and I love the matching accessories :)

Hope you enjoy your hard-earned evening out Locket....and I hope you didn't nod off after all that late night sewing!

xxxx

p.s. Love Walter Pigeon Owl! The warming pouch is a fab idea.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dot!! What wonderful gifts... and gorgeous smiley faces too!! Hope she had a great day!

Ali said...

Happy Birthday Dottie!

Whatcha going to see Mrs L?

ladydi said...

Awww. . . I loved seeing all the birthday photos. What a wonderful family! Miss Daisy looks so much like her mum does in the blog photo with braids. What great gifts the birthday gal received! A dress to match the pencil case is a must have in every well dressed gal's wardrobe. :>} I love that owl - what a neat idea. (I think blogging is all about showing off, but we call it sharing - it sounds so much better. :>}

Jo in TAS said...

Happy Birthday Dot! You look beautiful in your new dress!

Quinn said...

I just have to say what a great mum you are. So. Much. Love.

Daisie said...

Happy Birthday big girl!
Blimey 12 is so old!!
I had alwasy suspected that your children didn't really go by these names but how wonderful would it be for your trio to really be called Dot, Daisy and Fred!? Disappointed now :-(
And just for the record I want a dress to match my pencil case, especially if it is as lovely as Dot's!
Lovely presents for a beautiful girl!
xxx

Sew Create It - Jane said...

Happy Birthday Dot!

What a lucky girl...she sure has some beautiful things to use at school.

Thimbleanna said...

Happy, Happy Birthday Dot!!! LOVE your fabulous presents -- especially that gorgeous bag and matching dress. How lucky you are to have such a fab Mum!

Carin said...

Happy Birthday Dot!

I love the owl, what a fabulous design. Looks like you out did yourself!

periwinkle said...

belated birthday wishes Dot... you've got yourself a very talented mam there and you look so pretty in your new dress. Very impresses with the owl Mrs L , looking forward to seeing what you have planned next :-)

April said...

Happy Birthday to Dotty Locket

April xx

Charlie P said...

Wow! What a great birthday- it looks like Dot's had a lovely time. You've really excelled yourself on the present front. The dress is absolutely beautiful (as is the dress's owner!) and the A.B. fabric looks fab on the bag. x

p.s. Do you have telepathy skills? I found it incredibly spooky that yesterday I made an owl and then came on here to find that you had made a virtually identical owl!!!! Mine is blue and green with loads of tummy feathers too!...except it's not nearly as good as Mr.W.P.Owl.

JuliaB said...

Happy Birthday Dot!! Fabulous pressies! x

est said...

happy birthday ms.dot!!! very pretty dress ;) and what fab lovely homemade pressies :)

Twiggy said...

Happy birthday Dot !!! ooo you have got a clever Mum. You look lovely in your dress.
twiggy x

LiEr said...

Bah, so backlogged on my starred googlereader posts that I am drowning. But wanted to come over here and say a belated happy birthday to lovely grown-up Dot and virtually clap you on the back for producing such gorgeous presents! Yes of course everyone needs a dress(es) that matches their pencilcase(s). One for each pencilcase they own, that is. Love the dress - wind-whipped and all.

marit said...

Happy belated Birthday, Dot! You've got some great presents there:-)
Love the owl!

Heleen said...

A bit late, but happy birthday! I love what you made for your big girl, the dress is lovely with all the extra mtaching things with it. and the bag side with the daisy's is my favorite to.

Leanne said...

A belated birthday wish to Dot. I love her new dress. I wonder what you pay for Amy Butler fabric in England?