Bedtime story pyjamas from Oliver and S

Warning - this is a sewing post, not a book post - but it does mention the word 'story'! This week I have sewed three pairs of pyjamas for my kids, each one a little faster and neater than the one before. I have used this pattern, Oliver and S bedtime story pyjamas, before but I was stuck on the neckline, and just hashed it together so it would hold.

This time, I floundered a bit for for the first pair for Joe, but managed to work out my error with the next pair for Tom. Then I sewed Annalise's pjs in one day, over a few hours!

I knew it was me - I have used Oliver and S patterns many times before, and the patterns are always, always correct.

I just needed a good night's sleep and fresh eyes - plus a cup of tea and some early Easter egg chocolate!  - to gain some perspective.

I did have Tom's striped blue material at home but I bought the other fabrics from Duckcloth - they have such a lovely range.

Last night, when I checked all three chickadees before I went to bed, they were all tucked into their beds, sleeping in homemade pyjamas. I want to remember this when they are teenagers, and will only wear black and grunt at me!

A soft, stretchy, slightly straight scarf

After I cleaned up the lunch dishes, tucked Baby Joe into his cot, discovered (and then dismissed) the mess in the family room, I really needed a cup of tea. In peace. So Annalise and I sat on the couch, with a pile of books, our own individual pile of books, and read. Except of course, that Annalise found my book more interesting than hers. And then the man from the bank called. And then Joe needed to be settled again.

But then, Annalise found this project for herself in Kelly Doust’s “The Crafty Kid”. And I thought, why not?

Kelly’s suggestion for a new, recycled scarf is an old t-shirt, but we found an old bunny rug instead. Stained but soft and stretchy. I cut a slightly straight scarf, avoiding the stains, then cut out a gorgeous red circle from Saffron Craig’s owl panel. (I have framed another of her owls in a wooden hoop - love them!) I blanket-stitched it onto the end of the scarf (you can also use overcasting stitches). Ta-dah!

Only took half an hour. Time for another cup of tea.

I think we will be creating a few more things from this book – there are patterns for an apron, a wonderful tablecloth, a little girl pinafore, a beanbag, a library bag. The emphasis is on recycling materials, and creating projects with and for children.

Monkey Magoo and Annalise

Grandma gave Annalise a book when she was eighteen months old which quickly became her favourite. “Monkey and Me” by Emily Gravett tells the story of a little girl and her toy monkey visiting the zoo. The language is simple, rhythmic – I find myself almost singing it to the kids –

Monkey and me,

Monkey and me,

Monkey and me,

We went to see,

We went to see some ….

Bats!

It’s lovely and repetitive for toddlers to say. The little girl leaps from the page with enthusiasm, as there’s no background to distract the eye.

Annalise loved this book so much that I decided she needed a monkey of her own. I used the pattern Monkey Magoo from Melly and Me – Magoo looked so much like Emily Gravett’s monkey! It was my first attempt at sewing a softie, but the instructions were so clear that it was easy to follow. The only change I made was to leave out the boxer shorts and add a tail to make Magoo match the monkey in the story. Magoo has been much loved by Annalise.

There's a lovely door plate on Emily's website featuring the little girl and her monkey which you can print out, colour in, cut out and stick to a bedroom door.

How to decorate an elephant's ear

During the school holidays, Tom and Annalise made a couple of cute elephants at a craft class at Mill & Mia. They had great fun in stuffing their elephants, sewing them shut (with a little help), and then decorating the ears.

I had no idea that elephant ear decorating could be so character revealing! Tom glued one sequin on each ear and was finished. Done. No need for anything else. Less is best. Annalise foraged around in the amazing bead and ribbon container, searching for just the right elephant accessories, adding more and more, including a ribbon for the trunk. She then had the foresight to ask Melissa if she could take some beads home, because, well, a girl can never have too many beads.

I think Annalise will be back for more craft classes and story time, which also includes morning tea and an activity.

In stark contrast to these soft elephants, I bring you “Elephants, a Book for Children” by Steve Bloom. This is a fabulous non-fiction book – the outstanding feature is the photography. Close-ups of elephant toes, skin, tusks. Amazing shots of elephants playing with each other, interacting with humans and swimming. This book could be enjoyed by little ones for the photography, and then used as a reader for early readers, particularly for kids who prefer fact to fiction. There’s not a lot of text on each page, and as it is divided into sections, it would feel satisfactory to attempt to read one section or one page at a time.

The language is straightforward –

Elephants have funny feet. You can’t see their toes. All you can see are their toenails peeping out from a thick cushion of flesh. The cushion helps them walk safely on all kinds of ground, and it also makes them move very quietly. They’re so quiet that you never even heard the one that just walked down your street. Take a look through the window. Is he still there?

I think it’s fascinating how children identify with or adore a particular type of animal, for a reason we can’t fathom. Tom has always loved elephants. This description of elephants could almost be applied to my Tom!

Elephants are very intelligent and usually very gentle. They have long memories, deep feelings, and lots of love for their family and friends.

The Princess and the Pea

I’m not really sure what I think about princesses. When Annalise began her interest in girls with crowns and long flowing dresses, I panicked. What sort of role model were princesses to the modern three-year-old? What exactly did they represent? What would they inspire in her? What characteristics would she try to imitate?

I decided that it was up to me to provide good, inspiring, courageous, kind-of-out-there princess examples. We started with the princess from “The Princess and the Pea” story. For Christmas last year, I gave Annalise three different versions of the story, as well as a small princess figure and a wooden bed with ten mini quilts. I sewed the quilts with leftover fabric scraps and bought the princess and bed from the lovely toyshop Honeybee Toys. And, of course, we needed a pea – not a real one, just a felt one!

“The Princess and the Pea” by Rachel Isadora is the stock standard version, so that Annalise would know the original story. The illustrations, made with oil paints, printed paper and palette paper, are vibrant and vivid, and I love the African princesses. The story also uses some African words, which are defined at the back of the book. Thanks to Honeybee Toys for finding that book for me.

“The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas” by Tony Wilson is about a prince called Henrik who wants to find a princess to marry.

She didn’t have to be beautiful or sensitive. She just had to like hockey and camping and have a nice smile.

Prince Henrik’s test involves not a canopy bed with 20 mattresses and one pea, but a thin camping mattress, an old sleeping bag and a whole packet of frozen peas. You’ve got to love a down-to-earth, practical prince!

“The Princess and the Pea” by Lauren Child is an amazing piece of artwork. Lauren painted cornflake packets for the paneled rooms and set up the paper-dressed characters inside with tweezers, before Polly Borland, the photographer, took the photos. The language used is just as wonderful –

“You see,” said the king, “a real princess is not only mesmerisingly beautiful and fascinatingly interesting but, most important of all –"
“She has manners,” said the queen.
“No one should ever travel without them,” said the king.
“No, never, never go anywhere without your manners,” agreed the queen, taking her elbows off the table.

And now I am ready for Annalise to embrace her inner princess – she can be as mesmerisingly beautiful and fascinatingly interesting as she likes – as long as she remembers her manners!

One of the best baby books

‘Owl Babies’ by Martin Waddell would have to be one of my favourite baby books. I bought our first copy for Tom when he was only four months old, and this board book has been replaced only once, despite being chewed by all three of our babies.

‘Owl Babies’ tells the story of three baby owls who wake up one night to an absent mother. I love the repetitive discussion between the three owl siblings, as they try to reassure each other. The repetitive dialogue makes it perfect for toddlers.

“She’ll be back,” said Sarah.
“Back soon!” said Percy.
“I want my mummy!” said Bill.

I looked after my one year-old niece once when she was a little concerned about the absence of her Mum. Whenever she asked, “Mummy?” I found myself saying, “She’ll be back!” “Back soon!” Annalise would say to her younger cousin. “Just like Owl Babies,” Tom added.

This snippet of dialogue has become firmly entrenched in our family conversations, and I think it could be used to comfort a little one. Because, of course, their Owl Mother does come back!

As this book has been loved so well, I decided to use Kristen Doran’s gorgeous owl panel to make up our own owl babies. It was fairly simple to cut around the owls, cut out the backing material, sew them together, turn them inside out, and help the kids to stuff them. The owls definitely needed a home, and there was definitely more gorgeous owl material left over, so I made a bag to keep them in. Annalise has loved acting out the Owl Babies story with our own owls, and it’s great for really little ones to have something to hold while reading the story.