On the Moor

 From Christy’s Desk

These were the thoughts running through my head as I searched the amazing “forgotten” fabrics the other day. There were herringbone, argylle, and fair-isle patterns. There were lovely thick wool suitings, and sweetly soft cotton knits. There were natural colors that I just feasted my eyes on and longed to create with.  I was in seamstress heaven!

I’ve seen these fabrics of yesterday in antique shops, and other fine homecraft stores fashioned into gorgeous and endearing bears, rabbits, dolls. My Mom and I love to linger in those Memories type stores and run our fingers over the cotton lace, the old woods, and old victorian tea sets. There’s just something so comforting about those heirloom treasures.

 And I have to tell you, each time I make a cute little critter out of wool or cotton, or velveteen, I just love watching the little personality emerge.  I see the same type of individual personality in those dolls of days-gone-by. It might be there, but I just don’t see that same personality in the mass produced, synthetic stuffed animals lining shelves at the different stores I see them at. I don’t have anything against a synthetic stuffed animal that becomes “real” to a child who loves him though. It does happen :0) There’s just something more beautiful in the texture of the wools, suedes, cottons, silks. There’s a love that is sent  through the handstitching, the individual shaping and stuffing and the uncomplicated little face. You could have a grey bunny OR you could have a grey wool herringbone bunny with suede patch paws and hand embroidered eyes! sigh. There’s no comparison in my mind.

I wax sentimental, but hey, that’s me! Who we are is largely where we come from right? I’m just loving the idea that my little son loves on a bunny that is made from someone’s grandfather’s suit coat. That suit coat lay on the back of a man who worked hard to support his family out of love. The suitcoat retired with the man, and then became a friend to a little boy, and now transmits a whole new kind of love.  It kind of connects us to the folks in the past who made us who we are today too.

That’s the special something in the handmade animals we make that you just can’t buy at the mega mart.

 You just can’t put a price tag on that kind of love :0)

I’m getting ready to make a new set of little friends this week, and I just have to give a shout out to Etsy! It is so wonderful that Etsy can be an outlet for artists like me who love to create to give you something special.

 Ok, I’m outa here to go create some cuteness now.