Monday, November 29, 2010

A Pox on Us! (or Handmade Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments)

Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments
Well...it has been an interesting few days around here. W, our 15 year old has chicken pox. It came as a bit of a surpise, when they were younger I had hoped they would get them so that it would be over and done with but, I have to say, at this point, I'd sort of forgotten all about them and given up that they would get them. Poor boy has been feeling pretty wretched but, on the bright side, we're having quite a lot of quiet at home time. That means rest, reading and some coddling for W and crafting time for me. When I got my wool sweaters out to make the quilt I put aside a red woolen sweater for tree ornaments. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.
Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments
Whenever I've had a spare moment I've been fitting in a few of these handmade hearts. They're so quick and easy to make. Just cut out two hearts, stitch them together with a blanket stitch (put a bit of stuffing in just before you're finished) and that's it.
Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments
Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments
Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments
I've been making several for our tree and now I plan on embroidering the fronts of some with a little bit of peace, joy, love and hope. I wanted to do them yesterday but I ran out of the buttery coloured embroidery floss that I like so I had to dye some of my white floss with chamomile tea and then wait for it to dry. I have to say that there is a lovely kind of freedom that comes from knowing that you actually can't go anywhere - I could get used to being under "quarantine" every once in a while, there's something to be said for a time of isolation and quiet at this time of year (although I might not be saying that when E gets them next week). It certainly helps a person catch up on their handmade gift making.
Felted Sweater Heart Ornaments

9 comments:

Amy Dingmann said...

Very cute ornaments! Bummer about the chicken pox. Both of my boys got them early last spring. By the end of it, I needed some time away! I wish I would have had something as cute as this to keep me occupied. I will keep it in the back of my mind for the upcoming months of wintery isolation. :)

Anonymous said...

Your poor boy. I didn't get chicken pox until I was 20. It didn't matter if I was around other kids who had them...I never caught them. I hope Isaac catches them earlier than that. :)

The hearts are lovely, Heather. I might even have some old sweaters to do something similar. Inspired...thank you. -Debbie

momma rae said...

i am smiling big as my children had them back to back this past spring. it was definitely the second round of confinement that had me feeling a little batty. ;)

your ornaments are so sweet!

sheila said...

Now why don't you live nearby, so I could send the twins over? They've never had Chicken Pox, although Max has, and I was always hoping they too would pick it up somewhere along the line.

Wild to see the older kids getting these "childhood" illnesses, isn't it? For some reason I never expect them to get stuff like these, irrational of me, I know.

donna!ee said...

praying for the complete recovery of your fella W...love love lovely puffy heart ornaments...since your introduction to the felted sweater quilt, i have been collecting sweaters AND will give this a whirl also...thank you so much for sharing!! ;)

Katherine said...

Handmade and heartfelt - simply lovely!
Eeep. Sorry that W has the pox. My guys missed it in their younger years, too. I hear it hits harder the older you are when you get it. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

ipsa said...

Oh... so sorry W is sick! I hope he feels much better very soon. And yes, I imagine E will follow suit (although that's not always how it works!).

Glad you are able to relax into it.

anna said...

Oh I LOVE these - so simple and so sweet! ANd such a good way to use up scraps of felted sweaters after the bigger projects too. Beautiful.

Emma said...

Oooh, I really love these! I will be keeping an eye out for red sweaters at my local op shop now ;)