Friday, June 29, 2012

House For A Little Friend


With the sense of newfound freedom from not sewing the dress, I made something for the kids that had been on my to-do list for a while. 

It's for Bearaby. Remember Bearaby? She's Jenna's beloved sidekick, the one with the much-kissed nose.

Bearaby needs a house, Jenna has been saying for the longest time.
So I took a kid-sized table (SVALA, from IKEA) and sawed some dowels

and made Bearaby her house.

The front door is just a slit opening

that peels apart and buttons back.

Because I wasn't in the mood to be particularly original, I just gave it the typical ikatbag tent-house features -

windows with tie-back curtains

raised roof with dowel channels

and an attic window

and zippers 

to open up said attic

for snoozing in the sun.

Speaking of snoozing, here's Jenna's favorite part of the house - a loop of fabric tucked under the roof

that can be pulled down

and stretched across the ceiling when it's time for a nap in the shade.


With a house as tiny-cosy as this, foldaway beds are much better than actual beds. Especially beds that impersonate space-efficient lofts, don't you think?

Here - I'll show you how to make this hammock. It's really easy. Take a fat quarter and pleat it towards the midline,

then sew bands at either end to hide all the fraying folded end bits, as well as to keep the pleats in place

and open it up like a peapod to cocoon a sleepy friend.

This particular hammock was attached at one end to the roof. The other end was free and has velcro to attach it to the opposite side of the roof.


Jenna had also been talking about a doormat, so I made her one in those Color Me fabrics I bought for Emily's satchels last year.

I gave her a bowl of fabric markers to decorate her mat.

Her sisters wanted something to decorate too, so I serged random squares of the fabrics, christened them Napkins, Blanket and Pillowcase and everyone had something to work on.

As far as we know, Bearaby is very happy with her home, 

and has already placed orders for (cardboard) furniture, laundry service, catering and a possible tea-party/sleepover with her best friends.

Did you notice that I used print fabric? If this were for me, this house would be all solids, with applique. But it's for Jenna, who loves print so much she wears stripes, florals and polka-dots in as many colors as possible, in the same outfit. So you can tell that the roof I made for me, but the walls -oh, those walls! - are entirely for Jenna. 

How long did this take me to make? Two nights. I'd say this counts as "whipping up", as far as playhouses go. Certainly more fun than sewing a dress.

And speaking of the dress, I must go rummage in my closet for something to wear in lieu of that Dress That Never Was. And clean up the royal mess in the sewing room. And vacuum. And pack. And find food to turn into dinner. And do laundry. The fun never stops around here!



24 comments:

  1. I love this house! Can't believe you made such an ingenious house so quickly. Fantastic fabric choice

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  2. omg.. too cute!!!
    Thank you for sharing

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  3. I love to read your posts, how creative you are! this house is amazing!

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  4. Wow, that's quite the house! Much more than the "whipped up" project I was envisioning. I should've known. :)

    It's so cute! Have fun, Bearaby... and Jenna!

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  5. I love this. Do you think if you have time you could do a quick how to on the windows and the roof? My kids have a slew of friends who move right into this.

    thanks jess

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  6. I love the bear house - especially the pull-down hammock!

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  7. That is amazing! Just beautiful. I wish that I was lucky enough to have a mother as talented as you. Have a wonderful weekend! :)

    Laura

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  8. I knew I was holding on to an ugly small side table for a reason!

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  9. I love the hammock... now if only I had someplace to hang one my size... =)

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  10. you have the luckiest kids and one very spoilt teddy bare, too sweet.

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  11. It's beautifull!!! I loved the princess pavillion tent (and I tried to do an house to my dauther like that one!!!) but this is very original, exspecially the hammock for the little bear!!! Federica
    (sorry for my english!)

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  12. Adorei o trabalho, ficou muito bonito. Parabens.
    Bom Fim de Semana e um abraço doce de Portugal

    decorarereciclar.blogspot.com

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  13. Im expeting my 1t and its a girl this fall !!! Im inspired by your creations and plan on holding on to many so I can make them as she grows. Thanks for shareing ILOVE IT !!!!

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  14. Love the house ! You're so creative! I will hide these photos from my daughter till I'm done sewing the stack of cloth diapers for her little brother. Each time I recycle a cupboard box, I think about what amazing stuff you could make out of it. Cupboard just isn't my thing, think the husband would have a fit if I started to stash cupboard in our little HDB flat.

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  15. Hello! I landed here from Pinterest, via your clever box ideas. Love them all. Congratulations on being an At Home Mom...best job in the world. Mine are 25 and 26, and YES they grow up too fast (with quite a few 72 hour long days in there), but once it's over, it seems like just yesterday. **happy smiles** Deborah

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  16. The house is fun and good for you on letting the dress project go. You are right that the nice days in MN are fleeting and must be enjoyed when they are here.
    My daughter would love one of those houses for her babies also so I will have to pick up some fabric next time I go to SR Harris.

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  17. Adorable! Love the hammock :)

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  18. You continue to astound me with your creativity, LiEr. I especially like the hammock. Absolutely adorable little bear house!

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  19. I am in awe of your talent. I cannot wait until my sewing skills are on par with yours, which is like in a million years. Great job. I'm sure your girls and Bearaby are enjoying your new creation.

    Neene

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  20. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/27/sew-your-own-pig-and-piglets
    Sorry for gatecrashing comments but is this your pig and her piglets? I hope they have not "borrowed" one of your many beautiful and original creations...

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  21. Oh, the hammock - be still my heart...

    Beautiful detailed work, as always!

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  22. TWO NIGHTS!? Dear God your amazements know no bounds!! Incredible job!

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